The Project

Bounce Innovation Hub was founded in January 2018 and serves northeast Ohio entrepreneurs, innovators, and startups.

The Background:

I was brought on at the founding in 2018 as the Director of Community and Partnerships to build the coworking space from the ground up. The goal, in addition to providing space, was to create a vibrant community space with purposeful programming to help entrepreneurs reach their goals.

My Role:

My role was to own the coworking space entirely. I developed everything: the pricing, budget, policies, online community space, in-person programming, and initial launch plan for the space. For initial research and collaboration on the space, I worked with several local community groups, serial entrepreneurs, support organizations, and investors to bring the space to life and provide the resources most needed by the local entrepreneurs.

Decisions:

This project was especially challenging since everything had to be built from scratch. Coworking spaces were not prevalent in the area at the time, so determining pricing was challenging. It was a mix of research and a bit of trial and error to get things right. The same can be said of programming. I was constantly trying new programs to see what would resonate. Part of my process is to always be testing, so I am never afraid to try something, even if it fails. Over the course of my time at Bounce, I was able to find a good formula for pricing, programming, etc. to make the space flourish.

Outcomes:

The initial launch of the space resulted in a launch event that attracted over 600 attendees, as well as press for the space. We also opened with 50% capacity of the available offices, which exceeded our goal. By the time I left Bounce, we had established an ongoing programming calendar with a mix of events to suit the needs of the community, as well as the bedrock of policies & tools for them to continue running the space with ease.