Walk along Diversey near Halsted in Lincoln Park, and you will see the expected. The trendy grocery store, the trendy clothing store, the trendy eatery. And then…there is the trendy coffee shop/co-working space, Next Door. It is an actual co-working space, with the giant chalkboard announcing the programs and workshops, the barista and tea-ista (?), places to collaborate, places to hunker down, places to strategize. The whole bit. What won’t you find there? A charge for entry or rent.
But that is only surprise number one. Surprise number two? It is actually run by State Farm. Yes, the good neighbor State Farm. Why would State Farm get into the business of building a collaborative space, one that has already seen several startups launch from its cozy environs?
That is exactly what I asked Brett Myers. Brett is the Next Door Program Director at State Farm Insurance. State Farm’s mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. Watch Big Shoulders on Advisor.TV as we chat about how Next Door fits into that mission:
