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When I was offered the role to be the new Community Manager at Industrious, a new "hive office" concept for small businesses and entrepreneurs in River North, the founders explained that this wouldn't be your normal 9 - 5 job. I would be tasked with creating an ecosystem fostering collaboration and creativity, yet providing our members with the necessary privacy they required to run and grow their businesses.
I was intrigued. To my mind, Industrious couldn't be coming at a better time. While this is supposed to be the era of telecommuting, most of us who have tried working from home know all too well its failures. According to the New York Times, “many who work independently are discovering alienation lurking behind the home-office fantasy, and an increasing number are joining a new generation of co-working organizations.” At Industrious, we are looking to take “the camaraderie of coworking one-step further by also providing members with more quiet, mature spaces for growing companies, especially those seeking productive privacy," says Industrious partner Justin Stewart.
Industrious is offering the next step office solution for start-ups and companies currently working out of coffee shops, living rooms, and early stage incubator hubs and accelerators like 1871, Catapult Chicago, TechStars Chicago, and Impact Engine, as well as those in more traditional office spaces that are looking for a more innovative and collaborative office environment. Members have the option to choose from a single-person desk starting at $450 a month to private offices that can hold anywhere from 1 - 10 people. Unlike many other private office solutions, members will have the flexibility of month-to-month leases and have the option to move into larger offices as they continue to grow their business.
During this process, I have learned that potential members are tired of the mundane and uninspirational work-setting, as well as the open and noisy spaces. At Industrious, we believe that setting you up in the ideal office environment is about more than just comfort—it’s an essential part of your productivity, creativity and job satisfaction. We all work best at our own well-calibrated productivity ratio: the proper amount of social interaction, stimulating collaboration and noiseless privacy. Simply put, today’s workforce needs both a buzzing lounge and a fortress of solitude. Industrious will offer both, and our hand-glazed glass office walls mean you’ll never feel cooped up.
Since Industrious first announced its opening this spring, we have had incredible excitement from the Chicago community. Two months before we open the doors to our 17,000 square foot loft space in early August, we are at over 65% capacity for the first phase. Companies such as shoe designers, digital marketing agencies, small business lawyers, accountants, small hedge funds, established tech firms and many more have already signed up. Members are excited about the ease that Industrious will offer - in addition to providing the usual office amenities such as conference space, wifi and printing, we will be serving Bow Truss coffee, thoughtfully designed meeting spaces including breakout areas, a kitchen pantry, and a coffee bar, planning regular events and lunch ‘n learns, and bringing in a variety restaurants from whom the members can purchase lunch.
As we inch closer to our opening in August you'll find us building out the glass walled offices, scouring the city for unique furniture and decoration, planning innovative events for our members, and ordering enough Bow Truss coffee to keep the hive office buzzing with creativity and collaboration. We can't wait.
To apply for a space at Industrious and request additional information and a hard hat tour, visit IndustriousOffice.com or email [email protected]. Updates can be found on
twitter.com/IndustriousHQ and facebook.com/IndustriousOffice.
Contact:
Laurie Skurow
312-600-5951
