The wave of childcare within coworking spaces is comin’ in hot and The Hatchery, located in Columbia, Missouri, is doing it right. Here’s what Amanda Quick, owner of The Hatchery, has to say about her space.

When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?

We opened our doors in July of 2017. The idea was planted in 2014 when friends of mine were talking about a space in Frontenac, MO. It was a restaurant with two open childcare rooms and extra rooms for crafts, yoga, etc. The space allowed parents to eat and/or work while their kids played, mom and me yoga classes, high noon tea time, and hosted birthday parties. The part of this business that stuck with me was that the parents could get have a moment of quiet time or tackle their to-do list while the kids played. It also gave them a chance to be around like-minded individuals to share struggles and successes. Once I got home from that event my mind started racing. Why wasn’t this more common? Could Columbia handle something like this? Could I create something like this? That was the beginning of The Hatchery!

Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?

Our space is right around 3,000 square feet. Our layout contains 4 open workspace areas, 1 dedicated desk area, 1 conference room, 2 reservable private offices, 2 dedicated offices, our on-site childcare room, printing, secure wi-fi, and a kitchenette. It’s bright, simple, and clean. We aspire to be a place where you can come in, sit down, and knock out your to-do list and not worry about clutter, dishes, espresso machines, etc. With having the childcare we have a lot of parents – the random parenting stories from our members create some interesting conversations!

 

What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?

When I see an “ah ha” moment happen, when two members start collaborating on a project, or when a parent can sit down and take a deep breathe while their kiddo is being played with – those are my favorite things.

 

What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?

Ha! So many things! How much I would love to create processes to make things run smoother was very unexpected. A big surprise was just how much things add up on the expense column – the little things you don’t think about in the beginning. The unexpected thing is the way you can help someone by just having the space available.

What’s your favorite story about one of your members?

There really are so many! One that sticks out is that one of our members came in [to our space] working remotely from Colorado. Since being in our space, [she] has taken an idea, started her own company and used multiple people in our space to help get started. Hearing her and another member work on her website is extremely exciting!

What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?

Build your community first. Find what the need is and create the space that solves the need.