If you've ever worked from home as a creative, a telecommuter, or running your own business one thing that can stop motivation in its tracks is the lack of human interaction. BLOC Coworking has mastered the art of creating beautiful spaces where you can work within a community of creative entrepreneurs. Read on to hear from BLOC how they are a better option than working from that home office in your garage.
1. How was BLOC started - was there a need to fill in the community?
BLOC Coworking was founded in 2014 by Encinitas locals Curtis Clave and Grant Nyquist. When we started, we asked our network of developers, designers, photographers, writers, and small business owners, what was lacking for them. The commonality was that feeling of working in isolation. We have a lot of admiration for the creative community in North County and wanted to create spaces that fostered those entrepreneurial activities and collaboration. BLOC was built to offer a home to those individuals who would otherwise be in a cramped cubicle, noisy coffee shop, or their kitchen table/ office. We felt that the need was there, and we now have three North County San Diego locations; Solana Beach, Leucadia and Carlsbad Village.
2. What drew you to Leucadia for a BLOC office?
First and foremost, we live here and love our community. BLOC really is a coastal brand and Leucadia was the perfect location to promote a creative space to those looking for that work/ life balance. It’s not uncommon for members to take a break from their computer in order to walk to the beach to check the surf, go out the restaurants and cafes in the neighborhood, or have a quick chat with fellow members about life, family and passions...all of which are the same qualities we find in this amazing town.
3. Can you tell us about your members - have there been any great collaboration stories you can share with us?
Our network of members is a creative mix of designers, developers, consultants, bloggers, investors, writers and more. We’ve seen so many individuals and small businesses grow within, and out, of our spaces and that is something we love and encourage. For example, we saw our member Tim Ryan, with his Emmy Award winning documentary firm: TAR Productions, join forces with Slytrunk (a company within BLOC) which now help power the WSL (World Surfing League). We have members that are graphic designers looking for web-developers to help with a project or small business owners looking for a lawyer to review documents. From architects looking for contractors or restaurant owners looking for creative space, everyone here at BLOC is creating their own hustle and we believe it’s important to provide that positive and encouraging environment everyday.
4. What makes BLOC unique?
BLOC was the first coworking space in Encinitas, Solana Beach and now Carlsbad Village. We really put our hearts into this business everyday and love growing together with our members. We focus on bringing the right people together and providing that creative space for relationships to be built and shared work to flourish. Our spaces are clean, modern and conducive to getting work done. BLOC is first and foremost about making sure your workday is a positive experience and we put that above all else.
5. What can BLOC members experience?
BLOC Members can expect to be treated like family. We’ve created a comfortable environment for people to work on a schedule that’s right for them; and when they are here, they’ll be treated to the creature comforts of quality coffee, healthy kefir soda, snacks, and our BLOC Locals Market, which showcases brands from the community. BLOC hosts monthly member happy hours, breakfasts, lunches and meetups, where members gather to network and learn more about what their coworking neighbors can offer.
6. Be it beaches, restaurants, or stores, what are BLOC members and owners favorite places to go in Leucadia?
You’ll often find us surfing at Grandview or Beacon's. Top eats and drinks would have to be Fish 101, Moto Deli, Coffee Coffee and Nectarine Grove. Fun shops we like to visit include Surfy Surfy, Randoms Boutique, Leucadia Floral, Threadspun/ Cannonball Collective, BING, and Hatch 101. We really enjoy living and working in Leucadia and want to support the local community in any way that we can. If you are a local business and would like us to stop by and say 'hi', let us know and we’ll feature you on our site and social media pages.
7. What are the top 3 aspects you want people to know about membership at BLOC?
There are so many to choose from but first we want people to know the flexibility of our membership plans. There is a plan level for every variety of business: from our "Virtual Mailing Address" which includes a professional mailing address, access to conference room booking, and member only event invite; all the way up to Private Office space for you and your team. The second aspect is what we offer as a community - we are a place to help our members network and provide the space necessary to make connections with other creatives. Finally - we take care of everything while you're here, no need to worry about all those little tasks that keep an office a functional place to work.
Check out more about BLOC at www.hibloc.com and watch our Instagram page @leucadia101mainstreet for their takeover of our account next week!
.png)