University CoWork

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the owner and executive chef of Exquisite Catering Events, a full-service catering company located in Chicago. We specialize in international cuisine. We also have a small cafe in Woodland that just opened.

What challenge were you trying to address with University CoWork?

When we first started off, we needed a space to work. Going from coffee shop to coffee shop was no longer ideal, and I needed a place where I could grow my business and my network.

What was the scope of their involvement?

University CoWork provided a coworking space on a come-and-go basis. I also had a dedicated mailbox at the space. We also utilize the conference room quite often, holding meetings and training for our staff. The space has monitors and whiteboards for us to use. We’ve even used the space for small events. There’s also an amazing espresso machine in the coworking space.

University CoWork also hosts events for both members and nonmembers that I often attend. These events cover topics such as credit building or growing and expanding your small business.

What is the team composition?

I work with 3 members of the University CoWork team, including David (Founder & CEO), Paulina (Community Catalyst), who was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with University CoWork?

I attended an event at University CoWork’s space about securing finances for small businesses. They offered walkthroughs of the space during the event. It’s in the neighborhood I was born and raised in and offered a lot of amenities. I wanted to be part of the space. 

How much have you invested with them?

I have a dedicated membership which is $145 per month, although I’ve paid additional fees to rent the conference room or use the other amenities they offer. 

What is the status of this engagement?

Our ongoing relationship began in February 2019.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

I received an incredibly high value for the amount I pay to use the space. David is incredible and has become a mentor for me in my business. I’m very dedicated to helping the community and so is he. We both want good things for our neighborhood. The value they provide can’t be measured. 

We’ve moved over to a virtual office due to the COVID-19 pandemic. University CoWork partners with different organizations to help small businesses grow and gain value from their membership. All of the members communicate internally and help each other out. I’ve been able to hire attorneys and cleaning services through the member portal, which has been amazing. 

How did University CoWork perform from a project management standpoint?

They have excellent project management skills. University CoWork is efficient and provides information without delays. Most of our communication is done through the member portal but they just launched an app as well. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

University CoWork truly focuses on helping small businesses. Those businesses typically don’t get as much attention but University CoWork is dedicated to helping them succeed.

Are there any areas they could improve?

No. We’re in an ever-changing environment, but I think they’re adapting extremely well. They always come up with new services and amenities for their members.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

It’s definitely worth the time and money. If any businesses are considering this type of investment, they should consider the value the network provides.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

As a licensed architect, I’m the principal and founder of Berman Design. My company focuses on the hospitality industry, designing for bars, restaurants, shared kitchens, breweries, and food production. We also do adaptive reuse, such as transforming a turn-of-the-century firehouse into a video production studio.

What challenge were you trying to address with University CoWork?

I have a lot of clients on the south side of Chicago but my office is on the north side. I’ve turned to University CoWork because I want to have opportunities to network, hold meetings, and work within an office environment while I’m away from my usual space.

What was the scope of their involvement? 

University CoWork serves as both a coworking space and a business consultant. My membership allows me to use an open desk along with any of their on-premise amenities. For example, there’s a video and audio podcast studio with state-of-the-art cameras, lighting, and sound equipment as well as private event spaces for rent.

I also appreciate that they have amenities targeted toward helping small companies. They’ve actually helped develop a social media strategy, advising on technologies that make our processes faster and more efficient. Their counsel for inbound marketing is strong, too. The team helps us figure out who our audience is so that we can determine where we want to go with our existing clients.

It’s not about just reaching our market in person but also relying on inbound digital marketing tools that work for our company. We’ve started off with free tools like Google My Business, and they’re now signing me up for other platforms like Clutch. They provide discounts for different software like DocuSign, HubSpot migrations, and so forth. That roughly equates to a 90% discount on the first year, 50% on the second, then a 25% perpetuity.

Additionally, they’ve provided an ongoing list of pandemic relief and funding links to make sure that we’re healthy as we get through the lockdown. They’ve given specific instructions and presentations about payroll protection and idle grants available for our area and business type — basically telling us which programs to apply for. Those suggestions contain a lot of technical information that people haven’t been getting during the thick of things.

What is the team composition? 

I’ve worked with David (Founder & CEO) and a few other account coordinators. It’s a diverse mix of people who are all very supportive and easy to talk to.

How did you come to work with University CoWork?

I was designing the renovation of the building where University CoWork would open, and David reached out to me to design his studio. At the time, I was too busy to take the job but took note of his business. I later ran into him at a networking group and ended up becoming a member once I saw his facilities.

How much have you invested with them?

The monthly fee is around $2,500.

What is the status of this engagement?

It was around July 2019, and we’re still working together. I’m currently speaking with them about a content media strategy, looking at how to produce higher-quality assets rather than having me run around with my smartphone taking video snippets for Instagram. 

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

It’s a top-notch coworking space that’s more intimate than the larger ones downtown because they provide direct counsel. University CoWork goes above and beyond to support their members with an impressive range of services. If anything, we consider them more of an accelerator. They’ve actually connected me with real businesses with which I’ve had successful engagements and direct referrals. 

As for my website and digital marketing, the site is much more targeted and SEO-friendly because of them. I’m not really using it yet because we’re going to migrate platforms, but I now have a better understanding of how to effectively reach people. I know how to blog and promote it through social media channels that link back to my site. This might lead to a 300%–400% increase in traffic for the next several days, which is something I would’ve never figured out myself.

What did you find most impressive about them?

The team is deeply caring and communal.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They could be larger, but I think they’ll expand over time. Aside from that, they do everything that they put their mind to well. I could’ve easily cut off my membership at the start of the pandemic, and I chose not to because I found them valuable.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Don’t just use them as a space to work but, rather, take advantage of their good counsel. Use them to learn and improve your small business practices so that you can develop more contacts and clients.

Please describe your company and your position there.

Allevi8 Marketing is a small business marketing agency and I am the managing partner.

For what projects/services did your company hire University CoWork?

I rent a dedicated desk and I also have utilized University CoWork and David Lubin as a consulting resource for many ongoing projects.

What were your goals for this project?

I needed an affordable office space with the ability to help my business scale. University CoWork provided that and so much more!

How did you select University CoWork?

I visited many office spaces in Chicago. I researched thoroughly through online reviews

Describe the project in detail.

I rent a dedicated desk from University CoWork. They have provided a beautiful office with outstanding amenities. Additionally, the community aspect has increased my business revenue.

What was the team composition?

I was onboarded by an experienced customer support specialist initially. She did an outstanding job showing me the facility and getting me comfortable. Shortly thereafter, David, reached out via email and we had a phone conversation that has grown into regular zoom calls.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

I have picked up over 10 new clients from University CoWork alone. I can't recommend them enough!

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

It has been extremely effective communicating and working with University CoWork.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

They truly care about your business's success. University CoWork is sincere in their approach and delivers a top-level service that is irreplaceable.

Are there any areas for improvement?

Not at all!