LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) -- Would you love to start your own business but can't afford to lease out an expensive office?
A new community style tech hub is opening in Maumelle giving an affordable place to work for people who would otherwise work from home or out of coffee shops.
These types of spaces are common in large cities like Dallas, but the owners of Jolt Office Hub believe the concept will also work great in central Arkansas.
THV11’s Amanda Jaeger got a sneak preview of Jolt Office Hub ahead of its grand opening to see what this new concept is all about.
Jolt Office Hub Co-Owner, John McCarley, said the company is focusing on recruiting work-from-home and independent business people who are out on their own. He said that while the facility is intended to have tech resources, it is not specifically catered to tech start-up and tech incubator clients. He said the Jolt Hub will be a little scaled back compared to places like the Little Rock Technology Park.
“The Hub is great for someone that works from home or has their own independent practice,” McCarley said. “It’s great for interior designers, graphic designers, lawyers and people who meet with clients that don’t want to meet with people at Starbucks.”
McCarley said it’s a spot for people who want to feel more professional, but they don't want to commit to a long-term lease somewhere. At Jolt, professionals can lease a space on a month-to-month basis. Some of their more private offices do have a longer lease, but they are only 3-6 months. It’s a unique feature that most office spaces don’t offer.
Attorney Elizabeth Richardson just signed up for their lowest cost space option. It’s called the “hot desk.” It’s a community desk where multiple people can sit and work while still having access to additional rooms in the facility for meetings and phone calls. She said she wanted to join Jolt because of the professionalism and privacy.
“As an attorney, you have to have a certain amount of privacy and so going and meeting at Starbucks to discuss personal things or business things is not ideal,” she said. “At the Hub, you have individualized conference rooms and phone booths where you can talk to people alone without others listening in. And you really do have your own type of office space and community.”
Maumelle Chamber of Commerce Director, Julia Everett, said the new hub is a big win for Maumelle.
“Maumelle is full of at home workers and freelancers and this is the perfect place for them to get out of their house, get their work done, network, meet new people and communicate. It helps them develop a better sense of community.”
Jolt Office Hub had its grand opening on Thursday, Feb. 1. For more information, click here.