A women-focused coworking space with childcare on site opened this week in Cary.
Blush Cowork co-founder and managing partner Alison Rogers said the coworking concept fills a need for women and mothers.
Why it matters: Women are disproportionately effected by the pandemic. Many women dropped out of the workforce because of caregiving needs.
“We lived that,” Alison said, who is a mom herself. Now is an important moment to support women, she said.
The big picture: Women are also more likely to prefer the flexibility of remote work, according to a May study reported by Axios.
Blush Cowork aims to provide collaboration and community for women with the flexibility of childcare.
How it works
Membership begins at $250/month for open seating or hot desks, $400 for a dedicated desk and $750-$950 for a private office.
Day passes are also available for $45.
Conference rooms range from 4-14 people, named for notable North Carolina women and Alison and co-founder Natasha Simmons’ mothers. Members get 3 free hours per month to rent a conference room, but rentals are open to the community with a fee dependent on the size and capabilities of the room.
Childcare is available for members only, at a cost of $10/hour per child. Full day childcare with the sitters (two blocks of 4 hours) will be discounted to $60/day.
The large childcare room, which includes toy and books for different ages, is run by partner PlatinumSitters. PlatinumSitters vets the childcare professionals, including background checks, requiring previous experience and references, according to their website.
The childcare serves children ages 6 months to 12 years at a maximum ratio of 1 sitter to 5 children.
Childcare will be available during hours the coworking space is open and during Blush Cowork events.
Women focused, but not women exclusive: Members and visitors aren’t required to identify as women. However, the space is designed to be welcoming to women and women’s needs.
A lactation room is also on site. Supply chain demands delayed some of the forthcoming furniture, but the room will include a couch, a privacy screen, and a humidifier with essential oils. A fridge for storage of expressed milk is already available.
Culture is important, said Natasha, and coworking members must agree to their inclusive values.
What’s next
The physical space and design show what the co-founders hope Blush Cowork will become. Around the large space, there are shared tables and huddle couches with sticky white boards to encourage collaboration.
Blush Cowork also intends to build community through a members only portal for referrals and support.
Future events such as happy hours, lunch and learns and workshops will encourage women to interact, Alison said.
Long term, she hopes that Blush Cowork could be the space for women to grow careers or catalyze the creation of new ventures by women.
Find it: 201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Cary; blushcowork.com.
READ MORE CARY STORIES:
