Need vs. Needy
4th August 2016
By: Jeff Jacobson
When we started on our Kinglet journey a few years ago, our goal was to solve a real NEED when it comes to better workspace. Small businesses had very few options for office space (especially cool space) and if they found it, they would usually have to sign over their first born to move in. We also knew that 40% of space under lease in the US is unused at any given point in time.
Two years later, we are really proud of what we have built. We are recycling the unused space while creating a new “class” of inventory. Kinglet is making it easier for businesses on the Host and Guest side to balance their overhead by staying flexible. And it gets really special when we hear amazing stories about collaboration amongst the companies. So, we forge on and continue to solve that NEED.
But something really moving happened this week. Last Saturday, the town of Ellicott City (in Howard County, MD) suffered a devastating flash flood. 2 lives were lost, businesses were washed away and many local residents saw their hopes and dreams wash away too. Damage estimates could be upwards of several hundred million dollars and no one knows exactly when these businesses can get back to work. The light bulb went off. We have several Hosts in the area....their spaces are furnished and ready to go...companies could move in quickly...the Kinglet model could not be more perfect.
We quickly reached out to the local Hosts and two of them were already thinking along the same lines. BTS Software Solutions and Allen & Shariff quickly agreed to very generously donate their space to companies directly impacted by the floods. We committed to handling all of the outreach and process.
I received a call from the head of a construction company in Ellicott City. He NEEDED space and was desperate to get his company back on their feet. They moved their 10 person group into BTS’s space yesterday. He was completely amazed that his company was up and running just days after the flood. He couldn’t thank us (collectively) enough. Literally, he wouldn’t stop thanking me. It feels really good. More important than solving a NEED, we helped the NEEDY. And we couldn’t have done it without our amazing Hosts and the community we continue to build.
Stay strong, Ellicott City!
Work small, dream big,
Team Kinglet