HQ Raleigh, a shared workspace for entrepreneurs, recently opened a new location in downtown Raleigh.
While many entrepreneurial resources cater to a specific industry—technology more often than not—HQ Raleigh houses many different kinds of startups in various industries, including fashion, education, medical devices and sanitation. In fact, technology-based companies only make up about 30 percent of HQ Raleigh’s membership.
HQ Raleigh was established with two main goals, according to community manager Liz Tracy. These goals are to provide flexible, affordable space for entrepreneurs and to build community. Tracy described how events and resources are created to foster a sense of community and to give the entrepreneurs in HQ Raleigh opportunities for both professional and personal growth.
“We’re trying to focus on growing the community and also giving them the professional connections and resources they need to grow their business,” Tracy said. “We also try to make sure the resources are differentiated enough so that we’re not saturating one area.”
This differentiation is reflected in the various types of events HQ Raleigh holds for its members. Among these events are office hours during which people such as Chief Marketing Officer, Search Engine Optimization or Human Resources personnel can set up in a conference room and meet with certain businesses to provide expertise. Some of these meetings are restricted to businesses that sign up ahead of time. Other office-hours sessions, however, are open to anybody who wants advice.
HQ Raleigh also hosts more personal events. These events include happy hours, cooking classes and tech breakfasts.
“When you’re working that many hours, like everybody in this space is, sometimes you need an excuse to take a break,” Tracy said.
In addition to the sense of community and the breakfast, members are able to work with people who share similar stresses.
“It can be really tiring,” Tracy said, concerning the entrepreneurial lifestyle of HQ Raleigh’s membership. “It can have really high highs and really low lows. To be in an environment where everyone is going through that, and they can give each other advice and work through it together is really nice.”
HQ Raleigh’s space itself also serves as a differentiator for many startups. Many of the fledgling businesses don’t have access to a professional working environment and are forced instead to work out of their homes.
“As a startup, it’s nice to have class-A office space,” Tracy said. “That way, when you’re bringing in a client or an investor, you’re not bringing them into your living room. There’s a level of professionalism that goes along with that.”
HQ Raleigh also offers internships for students.
“You have 15 hours per week you’re dedicated during the semester,” Tracy said. “Ten of those hours go to HQ and five of those go to an outside project. It’s a really great way for interns in our space to try out different industries, and it’s a nice benefit for members in our space as well.”
Another opportunity for N.C. State students to get involved is to attend Triangle Makers Startup Weekend, an event centered on helping makers create businesses during the span of a weekend that starts today.
“The startup weekend that we’re hosting is one of the first on the east coast that’s maker, or physical product-focused,” said Lance Cassidy founder of DXLabs and an organizer of the event. “We’re getting all sorts of makers: engineers, hackers, designers, just anyone that’s concerned with the physical world.”
Cassidy said he encourages anyone with an interest in entrepreneurship to come.
“Anybody can sign up for the maker weekend,” Cassidy said. “The whole point is: If you have an idea, or even if you don’t have an idea, Triangle Maker Startup Weekend is meant to connect people with the resources to make their ideas happen.”
Students interested in attending Triangle Maker Startup Weekend can still sign up at the event’s website. Tracy also encourages anybody who would like to check out HQ Raleigh to come by and visit.
