Manager of Workbar, Kelly.

By JT Thompson

Kelly: manager of Workbar – a shared office space with high ceilings, big plate glass windows, long wooden working tables, meeting rooms, and a coffee bar – that is used by entrepreneurs, often millennials, who rent space on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Kelly, who looks to be in her late 20s, has long dark hair gathered up at the top of her head, pale skin, no visible makeup, and is wearing a loose, turquoise turtleneck. She has a gentle, friendly, optimistic manner, which seems well suited to keeping up morale in an entrepreneurial environment.

“Entrepreneurs fascinate me,” she says. “Sometime in the future, I do want to do my own thing. I don’t yet know what that thing might be.

“I’d like to work for myself. Do something I love.

“My fiancé’s and my dream is the same. We’ve talked for years about starting something. A dog day care. A café. I studied ceramic making in college, and would love to make all the mugs.

“We want something that will allow flexibility. Like Air B&B. Or an event space.

“We might never do it,” she smiles. “But we like to dream.”

Kelly grew up in Wellesley, MA.

“My parents always told me, this isn’t the real world. You’re lucky. Don’t expect this when you get out there.”

When she was ten, her father’s accounting job took them to Hong Kong for two years. Kelly remembers being astonished by the technology there. The speedily efficient elevators in their high rise apartment building. Public transportation that was on time 99% of the time.

“It was my first realization that America is not number one.”

While they were in Asia, her family took trips through Thailand, the Philippines and Australia.

“I saw some intense poverty. When we moved back to Wellesley, it felt suffocating.

“When you’re abroad, you get challenged as an American. I studied in Ireland for a year in college, and they knew more about America than I did.”

“What did they challenge you about?”

“Mostly healthcare.” She nods ruefully. “Mostly healthcare.”

Also during college, Kelly and her father took her first road trip across America.

“I loved all the landscapes. Utah was my favorite, so many different terrains, from forest to desert. The US has such incredible diversity. The states themselves, their terrains, and the culture of each state, each city and town. I’ve driven across the country several times and loved it each time.”

After graduating from UMass Boston with a degree in art, Kelly, “didn’t know what to do. I got a job at a dog day care, and ended up staying there for three years.

“I decided to look at what I liked about the job, and decided it was the customer interaction, and the small business atmosphere. Which is a key part of the job description for Workbar.

“Bringing in new members. Making everyone feel welcome. Planning community events, art showings, happy hours. The focus on start-ups and small enterprise.”

Kelly had never been to Union Square before applying for the job.

“I’m very happy about being here. I love the food in Union Square. I’m part of Union Square Main Streets, the local community development organization, and we all have the same goal – to make Union Square great.”

“Are there things about America as a whole you think are great?”

“That’s funny to think about, what with our current politics.” She smiles. “‘Make America great again. America already was great.”

“I really see that on a local level here. The businesses in Union Square coming together, neighboring restaurants promoting each other. It’s a pretty cool thing.

“I really appreciate the collaboration of everything I had growing up. In Wellesley, parents, teachers, the school system all worked together. It was well rounded. I was lucky.

“And there’s so many resources in America. There’s a group for everything here. I’ll never be truly stuck. There’s always somewhere to turn.

“And America is home.” She shrugs.

“I’ve enjoyed getting different perspectives. But it is home. I like the familiarity. And I know a lot of people probably say this, but the opportunities.

“I like that I’m not tied down to what I went to school for.

“I could move, have a whole different experience, a whole different community.

“I love how diverse the country is. The terrain. The people.

“And, you know, I love my house.” She laughs. “Where I live. Where I work.

“Union Square is an awesome community. It’s so diverse. And I love being in an environment that is about helping others succeed.”

I thank Kelly for chatting with me. “No problem,” she says with a smile, shakes my hand, and goes back to her desk.

Before leaving, I take a look around. Sunlight is flooding in through the big windows. Five millennials are scattered around the long wooden tables, staring intently into their laptops. Another is at the coffee bar at the back of the space, making an espresso at the hissing silver machine.

The Workbar website says, “the interactive and collaborative atmosphere of Workbar is here to give you access to all of the resources your business needs. Not only do our members enjoy a motivational and productive work environment, but they also take advantage of the friendly and supportive network of connections ready to help each other build, create and grow.”

The 21st century business environment Kelly is helping build in Union Square, and at Workbar itself, is focused not on competition, but on cooperation.