When one thinks of stereotypical office life, stills from "The Office" may come to mind. You know: A drab, windowless workplace in a nondescript town filled with jaded employees toiling away at their computers day after day. Well, forget about that. In Chicago, office life is starting to see an exciting renaissance.
Industrious, a new shared workspace, is opening up shop in River North this summer. This sprawling, seven-story loft will house small businesses and entrepreneurs in their own private offices, but Industrious is focused on providing thriving, creative atmosphere for networking and socializing.
Industrious is known as the “Hive Office.” Likening itself to a beehive, this workspace will build out 72 bright, glass-enclosed office spaces for companies with 10 or fewer employees, as well as a Bow Truss coffee shop on the premise. Instead of being locked into extended leases, tenants at Industrious will sign short-term leases, which will provide flexibility in the event blossoming companies outgrow the workspace quickly.
River North is no stranger to incubator workspaces. 1871, located in the Merchandise Mart, has been serving as a startup hub since opening its doors in May 2012. These new incubators are more than just a fun place to work; they can even serve as an effective marketing tool for your company. When surrounded by fellow entrepreneurs, it’s a great way to get the word out about your company and generate leads. Here, the opportunities for high quality networking are daily.
It’s exciting to see the modern workplace evolve into a more collaborative setting in general. And with the success and demand seen at 1871, it’s great to see more options for these types of workspaces in Chicago. I can’t wait to see how Industrious and other incubators influence the startup scene in Chicago!
Adam Fridman is the founder of MeetAdvisors.com, a social network for entrepreneurs. MeetAdvisors allows for professionals to give free advice to those seeking help with their business ventures. Forbes has coined MeetAdvisors "Yelp for entrepreneurs." Armed with a Master of Science in Finance and experience in corporate finance and investment banking, Adam spent the past 10 years tackling a number of ventures with a focus on business development and strategy.
