Diane Mapes’ husband worked out of a coworking space prior to the pandemic and felt the idea was worth investing in. He approached Mapes with the idea and the couple quickly discovered the Office Evolution had a franchise opportunity in Northglenn. They seized the opportunity and soon found themselves co-partners of several Office Evolution sites, including the one in Longmont, located at 1709 S. Hover St. Ste. 200.
The Mapeses fell in love with the community aspect of the business. The coworking office seeks out suburban settings to establish offices in order to be close to where people live, Mapes said. Being part of a community helps the coworking space also create a close culture of its own which it refers to as the “ohana” model. According to Mapes, once a person signs on as a member, they become part of the “family” and receive special perks among all Office Evolution locations.
“We like to foster that sense of community and ensure that people are taking advantage of having the synergy of having a group around them,” Mapes said.
Roughly 32% of people worked remotely in Boulder in 2022, according to statistics from Axios. According to a SHRM survey in 2023, 70% of workers don’t feel they socialize enough when they work remotely.
“People working from home sometimes now realize it’s not as easy to work from home as it used to be, after awhile they realize and they need to focus and they find that they are more productive when they are not at home,” Mapes said.
After the pandemic, companies have struggled to get people to return to the office. In some cases, companies have given up their office spaces in lieu of coworking spaces. According to North One, “36% of employees at corporations are using coworking spaces on a regular basis. In the coming years, 40% of the growing demand for coworking spaces is expected to come from larger corporations.”
Coworking spaces offer businesses the flexibility to offer hybrid work conditions that allow for socializing and team building while also letting people work from home.
“It’s just human need to be out there sharing information with each other … it’s nice to have other businesses, small businesses and entrepreneurs who share information with you,” Mapes said.
