Robert Kellman, founder and CEO of Enclave Coworking, said suburban professionals need a space that 'empowers them to work close to, but not at, home' to have a healthy work life balance.
“Suburban coworking is different," Kellman said. "Professionals, especially parents, crave a high-end ‘third space’ that empowers them to work close to, but not at, home. By leveraging technology our new model can give everyone access to coworking for less than a cup of coffee per day ($100/month). This has helped every one of our locations grow faster than the last and now a majority of our spaces have a waitlist mere months after we open.”
In a July 16 press release, Enclave coworking announced the opening of two new locations in Elmhurst and Skokie, Illinois. The company’s success stands in stark contrast to others in the coworking space and stems from the change in work culture since the pandemic.
Pre-covid, work from home was the dream for millions of Americans. No more morning routine! No commute! Parent and work simultaneously!
Two years later, the American professional has come full circle. While work from home has some benefits, the reality of a blended home and work life has left many Americans disappointed. Millions report increased anxiety that stems from the mingling of work and life. Parents, more than any others, report increased stress when working from home.
“There’s a complete mishmash of work with house responsibilities,” said Jo Piazza, who has worked from home for six years. “Because I’m here, I feel obligated to do home things as I’m working.”
Enclave is a coworking space designed specifically for suburban professionals who want the benefits of work from home, no commute, no dress code, but would prefer to keep work life and personal life separate. That focus has helped Enclave achieve success at a time when large coworking companies, including WeWork and Regus, are reporting losses or closing locations.
Before Enclave, only a very small percentage of families could experience the value of working close to home. Many Americans never even considered the option because coworking simply wasn’t available near them or was out of their price range. Enclave’s model changed that.
Venture Capital firms nationally have noticed, too. The innovative business model of building elevated, productive workspaces in affluent suburbs has attracted top VCs like Bling, who has Instacart and Lyft in its portfolio, Corazon Capital, and New Stack. Five of the twelve suburban locations are currently waitlisted, and Enclave continues to open in new markets to meet demand. Skokie and Elmhurst will open in August, and Enclave has plans to open D.C. locations in the fall.
Kellman founded Enclave after moving to the suburbs with his family. At the time, he worked from home - a “dream” that was muddled by screaming kids interrupting zoom calls, dogs barking and the constant pull of chores when he should have been focused on work. “Frankly, I was just like everyone else,” Kellman joked.
Work from home has become standard in the United States since post covid. Remote work accounts for approximately 25-40% of days worked, up from 5% in 2019. This has helped working parents primarily because work schedules and classroom schedules simply do not match up. By removing the commute, American parents have reclaimed an average 72 minutes per day that they can now spend with their kids.
But for millions of Americans, being more accessible means they will inevitably be pulled into child care, often with no warning. Enclave member Jason Tuscher credits Enclave with helping him realize the promised benefits of work from home. “I have a home office, but if I’m in the house, it’s much harder to focus with the kids running around,” Jason said.
Enclave recently announced an expansion into a number of new markets with Skokie, Evanston, La Grange and Wheaton on the horizon. The company is also expanding to three locations in Maryland: Gaithersburg, Silver Spring and Bethesda.
Suburban residents who are curious about how coworking could improve their work-life balance are invited to visit Enclave and sign up for a free 2-week trial.
Learn more about the various locations here.