A Minneapolis woman is breaking new ground in the city after she and her friends have created a safe and trusted co-working space for members in the community.
The space, called The Coven, was designed to tap into the knowledge of seasoned and budding entrepreneurs who are changing the face of business owners in the city. Their hope, according to co-founder Alex Steinman, is to provide an inclusive space where women, non-binary and trans people can come, work and learn.
“We asked ourselves, what does this sort of setting look like for different community members and how can we bring this to life,” Steinman told ESSENCE. “Out of everything we could’ve started together, we did this because what happens when women, non-binary and trans folks come together is that they make magic and energy.”
The business’s name, coven, is derived from a term described to mean a gathering of witches, which she says holds a double meaning. “We honestly don’t mind that it has a little bit of witchy vibes and some teeth to it,” Steinman said.
Her co-founders, Bethany Iverson, Liz Giel and Erinn Farrell all have marketing and advertising backgrounds, so they knew that the company’s branding and messaging would be important in helping to shape its narrative. “We love the name and our members really self-select into it because they believe in that energy too,” Steinman added.
The Coven’s membership has steadily increased since its opening, with a 400% increase year-over-year (YOY). To date, their private offices consistently reach full capacity and have three locations throughout the city. One of their offices is located in the city’s Lake Street Corridor, an area impacted following the murder of George Floyd.
“He was murdered right in our backyard (Minneapolis) and our city was burning,” Steinman said. “One of the things we’ve always been very vocal and vocal about racial justice, we’ve been very supportive of all kinds of groups in our community because they’re a part of us.”
She added that the office space quickly became a place that took in goods to support social justice issues in the city and they have been able to generate approximately $150,000 worth of items, resources and services that aided the Black Lives Matter movement.
“We all love to work and it’s an incredibly important part of our lives,” Steinman concluded. “We’re fortunate to love what we do. But more than anything, we can about fostering a strong community. There’s nothing more magical than that.”
