Business: Enclave
Address: 218 S. Main St., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-296-4575, www.enclavecoworking.com
Sales and marketing sirector: Ariana Serna, 29, of Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood
Years in business: Open since June
What does your business do? “We are a coworking space, social lounge, exclusively for suburban professionals. A place where professionals can work during the day. We have conference rooms, phone rooms, private offices, a beautiful coworking lounge,” Serna said. “Our members have access 24/7.”
How long have you been with Enclave? “I joined the company about a year ago. We were founded in 2020 by a gentleman named Bobby Kellman. … He lives in La Grange. We’re in talks to open a space in downtown La Grange.”
Why did he start Enclave? “From personal experience. He and his wife have two little girls. They moved from the city to La Grange. He and his wife, Kate, are accomplished professionals. … They realized working from home with two little kids and a dog is not super conducive to a productive workday. They missed community.”
How many sites are there? “We have eight, all in the suburbs of Chicago. Naperville was our seventh. We just opened number eight in Lake Forest in November.”
You have found a niche? “Yes. Bobby founded the company as a social club. … Soon after that, it became apparent people needed a place to work during the day. There really isn’t another company like Enclave that’s doing both coworking and social.”
How did the pandemic impact Enclave? “When the pandemic hit, we had members who started to use the space to work from. We pivoted towards coworking because we understood that was the need at the time. Change can be good thing.”
What happens when someone contacts Enclave? “The first thing we do is we try to get to know you as much as possible. Our business model is not for everyone.”
What’s the fee? “There’s a monthly membership cost. Here in Naperville, it’s $165. … A dedicated desk is $450 per month. … Most of our members are with us for many years.”
Why is that? “I think people stay with us because we get to know them. What’s important to you? What’s your work style like? What’s your home life like? Do you have kids? Do you need to get away from home? Are you on the phone a lot? Do you want your own space? … Once we learn all those things, we can talk through what’s best for you. We have social members who have access only after 6 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends.”
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Any future plans? “We’re building in Evanston, Skokie, Wheaton, Des Plaines, Barrington and Elmhurst. We’re opening at a rate of one new space every two months. … Think about it. There are tons of coworking spaces downtown (Chicago). Then maybe you decide to move to the suburbs. Suddenly, you don’t have access to these clubs anymore. ‘Where am I going to work during the day?’ It’s not a noisy bar.”
Is Naperville good for business? “Naperville is wonderful. … We attract a lot of entrepreneurs because we think of what we’d want from the space. … Naperville is a place that values community, particularly among small business owners and entrepreneurs. … It’s about getting to know the people that we’re serving and (asking) what we can do for you?”
What’s coming up? “We’re hosting an event on Dec. 14 at 5 p.m. It’s with The Branch, a network of moms. There will be vendors here. People can mingle, do some networking. … Tuesday the 12th is a small business roundtable here with the (the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce) at 1 p.m.”
What do you like best? “I love being able to serve people. … My background professionally has been with start-ups. Having the opportunity to give back to the community is really nice.”
Any negatives? “I plunge a toilet once in a while.”
What does a client say? “It’s nice for me because I don’t have a base office. … It’s nice to get out of the house, have a change of pace and interact with people,” Brett Gilbert, 29, of Naperville, said.
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “There will come a time when you become overwhelmed with how much you don’t know. … If you’re the type of person who says, ‘I don’t know how to do that but I’ll figure out how,’ then there’s nothing you can’t do.”
If you know of a business you’d like to see to profiled in Down to Business, contact Steve Metsch at [email protected].
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.