OUR MISSION
The mission of CenCon Cowork is to create a thriving collaborative community that empowers women to reach their lifestyle goals, gain self-confidence, and build economic equity in the global business marketplace. We believe in the economic advancement and empowerment of women.
THE CASE
- Women-owned enterprises are up 114% over the past 20 years and create jobs for more than eight million people. However, 91% of women-owned firms have no employees other than the owner.This is even higher for firms owned by multicultural women of which 97.5 % have no employees. 35% of coworking members are single entrepreneurs.
- According to the 2018 American Express Business “State of Women-Owned Businesses” report, Florida is ranked #1 in the country for the fastest growth rate of women-owned businesses.
- Jacksonville currently ranks as the 14th best city in the nation, 2nd best city in the southeast, and the #1 city in Florida, for female entrepreneurs. (see the Facebook links @cenconcowork)
- In 2018, the number of coworking spaces rose 16% in the U.S. and 36% outside the U.S. Further, 44% of coworking space members are women (a rising trend), 35% of them are single entrepreneurs.
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Jacksonville’s only coworking space catering to female entrepreneurs, CenCon Cowork, has designed a solution to support area businesses struggling to respond to coronavirus (COVID-19) new “work from home regulations” by providing extended hours, sterile environment, and 24-hour security.
Many microenterprises are operated by mompreneurs, military spouses, and female veterans.
“With the entire country being tasked with ‘social distancing,’ we’ve recognized that not every home environment is equipped for a productive workday. Whether the challenge is young children, unsuitable environment or not having access to the right equipment, CenCon CoWork is the solution,” says founder Dr. V Brooks Dunbar, a military spouse.
Women-owned enterprises are up 114% over the past 20 years and create jobs for more than eight million people. However, 91% of women-owned firms have no employees other than the owner.This is even higher for firms owned by multicultural women of which 97.5 % have no employees.
Unfortunately, despite contributing an average of $27,000 yearly to support their families, many of these freelancers and solopreneurs will not meet the minimum requirements to qualify for federal assistance. The other challenge as one female restauranteur said, “I don’t need another loan.”
During the current epidemic, CenCon Cowork seeks to help these businesses to maintain continuity of operations. The following packages are available and comply with critical mandates and procedures to provide a safe and sanitized workspace according to CDC guidelines.
1. Drop In Accommodations: For individuals working from home, but home is not the most productive option, the 4,000 sf workspace is open by appointment only, 24 hours daily to no more than two individuals at a time or small groups of five or less can have exclusive use of the space. CenCon offers traditional coworking amenities such as conference rooms, private offices, and meeting spaces. Hourly private office and conference rooms are available.
2. Virtual Services: CenCon Cowork will also offer virtual services for those needing copying, faxing, printing, scanning, administration, and mail handling services. We offer curbside pick-up.
CenCon Cowork opened in January as a 24-hour secure space for freelancers, flex timers, remote workers, and anyone who needs a productive, resourceful space to elevate their work. We are a full-service business facility, located downtown at 610 N Julia Street, Jacksonville, FL.
*******Background Information*************
Women in Jacksonville constantly find themselves with limited community spaces where they can go to gather, recharge, learn, celebrate, and work with one another. Today’s women leaders, from every culture, community and generation, are searching for economic equity through entrepreneurship and meaningful connections that support their business goals and enrich their personal lives. The answer is CenCon Cowork, a community space designed for enterprising women, open to all.
CenCon [Center for Confidence = CenCon] Cowork is a space for those who identify as women and those who support women. It’s a space for women who desire a work environment that inspires and motivates them to elevate both professionally and personally. Our community welcomes women who are looking to grow, collaborate, connect, and create with like-minded people who support them and believe in their brand. This is where women work and relax, and fills a gap addressed by no other business in Jacksonville and the Florida First Coast. We're building a dynamic and diverse community of women who inspire each other to live more empowered lives.
CenCon Cowork is interested in like-minded investors who can help us make our idea, space, and community reach its full potential. We believe finding investors who share our values and believe in our vision are a core part of our future growth and success.
THIS COMMUNITY IS FOR YOU
Whether you are local, on vacation, or traveling and need a space for work or networking (please stop in and meet fellow women business owners and economic leaders), CenCon Cowork is for you if you are starting a business, growing your current business or team, seeking business partnerships, working from home or remotely, or need a place to host workshops and events. This is a space for home businesses, freelancers, flex timers, remote workers, and anyone who needs a productive space to elevate their work while supporting women entrepreneurs.
DESIGN AND AMENITIES
The modern design by a milspouse woman-owned business, offers a diverse, uplifting, and feminine theme of teal, grape, and silver hues. Our design delivers rich, warm, comfortable, and intimate spaces that are cozy and functional. We're creating a physical space where women can be motivated and inspired while working, meeting, and connecting with other like-minded women. Amenities include:
- Cozy, modern furnishings conducive to work and relax.
- Dressing room with curling irons, hair and makeup products.
- A mom’s room suited for pumping or nursing.
- A rotating selection of food and beverages with vegan and health options for purchase; breakfast and lunch options; cocktails, beer, and wine. Complimentary coffee and tea.
- Two fully outfitted conference rooms, printing, and Free Wi-Fi.
SERVICES
CenCon Cowork offers professional services that make it easier for women to stay in boss mode. We've designed our services around the things we have found to be essential to our demanding careers in fast-paced environments. Services include:
- Professional development services: mentor matching, executive coaching, business classes, professional development training, and member networking events.
- Task and errand concierge services designed to give you back your free time: dry cleaning, gift shopping, shipping returns, and more.
- Printing, copying, free wifi, parking garages ($37/month) and open lots ($4 - $5 day) and metered on-street parking (25 cents for 30 minutes, M-F 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and free evenings and weekends).
CenCon Cowork is a secure, beautifully designed, modern space for work and play offering services women want and need, making it easy for them to be their best selves. With over 4,000 sf under 10 and 12- foot ceilings, we offer a conference room, team rooms, media room, private offices, virtual spaces, and an open flex coworking space. We think about our services in five ways:
- Those that enrich the intellectual fabric of our community.
- Those that help members stay in boss mode by taking ‘action’ to grow their business.
- Those that help women relax, recharge, and reconnect with one another socially.
- Those where mompreneurs are supported and encouraged.
- Those where women veterans and milspouse (Military Spouse) entrepreneurs gain full support and resources to meet their unique needs.
FLOOR PLAN
(over 4,000 SF with 10' - 12' ceilings)
PROGRAMMING
#InviteHer represents one of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs to introduce golf education as a strategic networking tool.
Workshops, speakers, and special events for professional and business development is an important part of our program.
CenCon Cowork fosters an ecosystem of programming, events, keynote speakers, and master classes that enhance our members and our greater community. As the popularity of coworking spaces is rising, people are discovering the ability to gain exposure, economic advancement, build their platform, create partnerships, and flourish in a community space that gives women the opportunity to express their individuality and ability.
We offer a rich calendar of programming and events plus learning opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Empowering workshops across a variety of topics: personal finance, negotiation, creative expression, stress reduction, meditation, etc.
- Lecture series with female authors, artists, activists, and entrepreneurs about politics, culture, and art.
- Partnership mentoring program with economically disadvantaged teenage and college girls.
- Nonprofit partnership to teach golf education as a strategic business asset for women and collegiate girls.
ARTIST, RETAIL AND CONSIGNMENT PROGRAM
Our onsite corporate gift shop is stocked with member-made products and gifts. We offer a consignment program for emerging artists and creatives to show and sell their work. Our walls feature art by local female artists. Our library stocks books by local female authors alongside other well-known names.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)
- CenCon Cowork believes corporate social responsibility is a must. We have partnered with two organizations to support the growth of our members while giving back to the community.
- DREAMWEEK INC is a 501(c)3 charitable organization whose mission is to increase community engagement and social progress through the lens of Dr. King's Dream. Annually DREAMWEEK Jax hosts the DREAMTELLERS BRUNCH to give women businessowners a platform to tell the story of how they are living, launching, and pursuing their dreams through entrepreneurship. CenCon Cowork members will have an opportunity to use this platform to grow their business and elevate their brand.
- Project C.L.A.S.S. (Creating Leaders and Shaping Sisters) is an enrichment and developmental program aimed at women of color. Project CLASS is designed to help young women to elevate their image in college and their future professional career. The program focuses on developing social and interpersonal communication skills through courses and workshops on etiquette, effective communication, budgeting, and professional relationships. Every participant that completes the program is eligible to receive a professional business suit and up to a $1000 scholarship is offered to one outstanding participant.
LOCATION AND SPACE
It is important that women feel safe. CenCon Cowork membership and after hours entry is through the secure lobby of Residences at City Place Condominiums in downtown Jacksonville. Deliveries and client reception is from the Julia Street entrance.
Cencon Cowork is Jacksonville’s first coworking accelerator designed for women who desire to connect, collaborate, and grow professionally and personally. It is located at 311 N. Ashley Street at Residences at City Place Condominiums, a sixteen story 211-unit, full-service high-rise community in downtown Jacksonville with a clubhouse, gym, laptop bar and lounge, shops, restaurants, and onsite security and management.
Residences at City Place Condominiums offers the ideal live-work scenario for cowork members seeking a place to call home within the same building. Amenities include three elevators, exercise room, handicap access, laundry room, nighttime on-site security, on-site property manager, parking facilities available, clubhouse with sports TV & free Wi-Fi access, and small pets are allowed. The units feature studios to two-bedroom floor plans.
Cencon Cowork is housed within 4,044 sf commercial space located on the ground floor with an interior entrance through the Residences at City Place lobby and separate exterior entrances for deliveries and client reception at 610 North Julia Street. It includes 10+ offices, reception office with a waiting room, large conference room, media room with a stage, classroom, kitchen, large multipurpose room, and bathroom. The space is ideally located across from two covered parking garages and sits two blocks from the new Duval County Courthouse, Federal Courthouse, States Attorney offices, City Hall, Hemming Plaza, Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), restaurants and much more.
WHY CROWDFUNDING WITH IFUNDWOMEN
I have been referring IFUNDWOMEN from the day I started my business acceleration lab over 18 months ago. I believe in the mission of creating opportunities for women to become economic leaders by building economic equity. IFUNDWOMEN is leading this cause and is the only platform I recommend. It makes sense that this is now my first crowdfunding venture. Funds raised through our crowdfunding campaign will be used for design and amenities, renovation and structural improvements, and marketing of the space.
FOUNDER
CenCon CoWork was founded by Dr. V (Valecia) Brooks Dunbar, a milspouse, and inspired by “The Ladies of the Lab,” a group of more than 15 women who became regular attendees of her weekly business acceleration labs. For over 18 months, Dr. V saw first-hand the increase in confidence, personal and professional support, new partnerships, collaboration, and business growth among lab members. As the lab grew to a mailing list of over 60 women and a few men, space availability became a challenge. The time was right to open a full-service coworking space and business accelerator offering classes, training, meeting space, virtual offices, and social gatherings. The cause has become bigger than all of us and our mission is to help women to thrive. Welcome to The Center for Confidence’s CenCon Cowork providing an elevated, urban, affordable, launch-life community designed for women, open to all. Learn more about the founder, Dr. V, at https://about.me/drvbrooksdunbar and https://www.drvbrooksdunbar.com
