Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Berglund Castro.
Hi Jenny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
YOUBE is a place for freelancers, traveling salespeople and work from home-rs who need a break. We offer drop-in co-working by the hour. You can book a seat with us when you need it. Great ergonomic furniture, secure WIFI, outlets everywhere and no long-term commitment.
The idea of YOUBE came to us due to a very personal need for us Co-Founders – a place to sit and work. We were all entrepreneurs who had to drive around the city of Los Angeles for meetings on a daily basis. Being a freelancer, you don’t always know what your income is going to be in the next few months so an office space isn’t always within the budget. It was hard to find flexible office solutions so we ended up sitting at cafes and restaurants working on our laptops. You feel pretty strange sitting with only one coffee during a 3-hour cafe visit and It is not very ergonomic nor efficient to sit there. Usually there is no place to charge your laptop, there are loud noises from the espresso machines and bathrooms… not always up to par.
At the same time, with the retail exodus, there were tons of empty retail stores everywhere so we thought; why don’t we get in on shorter-term leases, put furniture in these spaces, get secure wifi and have people book seats via an app – whenever and whenever they want to! “One membership, all locations” has always been part of our brand so now we are working on scaling up YOUBE so more people can enjoy it all over the city!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not always been a smooth road, haha! But always a fun one! It was tough to believe in something so strongly and having the research to prove it – but not getting across to investors. The chicken or the egg kind of situation; most investors want you to have a physical space, revenue and some customer stickiness in order to get their investments. However, most of us need that start-up capital to be able to put our concept into physical form.
However, that strong feeling of “we are onto something here” kept us going. We did have a deadline that if we didn’t find funding by then we had to go get paying jobs and yes, we did push this date a couple of times. We lift each other up – to find balance. Our support of one another was instrumental. When someone is having a rough day, we point out all the good things to remind each other of the dream we chase.
It is definitely a roller coaster but the highs are so amazing and, for us, off-set the negative ones or at least help put perspective on the negative. Things may change, but for now we are on an expansion roll and as we are getting out of this pandemic, we know YOUBE will become a natural part of everyone’s daily routine. An amenity – just like your local coffee chain!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about YOUBE Drop-in Co-work?
YOUBE is a new take on co-working. You don’t need to commit long-term. You create an account for free and then it is up to you to buy whatever credits you think you will need for the next 30 days. 1 credit = 1 hour at a desk = $6 per hour but if you buy our biggest package at $300 (120 credits) = $2.50 per hour. You can always add on more credits if you need them so we propose to start with less credits and then add on from there.
We have sit/stand desks, shared tables, focus chairs and meeting pods that seat between 1 – 4 persons. You can print at YOUBE, buy a snack or beverage, you can get inspired and buy art that we display on the wall, check out our partner’s products and services, we have events and you will be part of an expansion throughout the city and beyond!
Our customers are freelancers, entrepreneurs and small business owners but also people who work from home and is longing to sit in a different place and get energy from being around other humans. In this new hybrid work situation, we are the perfect option to come sit at. Everyone is welcome at YOUBE and we can’t wait to bring it out in a big way. “One membership, all locations” will make is super convenient to work whenever and wherever you are.
What were you like growing up?
I have always been an ambitious person who loves to create and implement new ideas. Capricorn and Pitta for those of you who know what that means – haha! I was born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, a country known for democracy, efficiency and reliability but not necessarily for open-mindedness, creativity or spirituality. I moved to New York City when I was 25 which formed my professional persona and opened up my world. New York taught me some good lessons – and it was good to be there during the earlier part of my working life. I learnt how to deal with demands and high expectations, setting priorities and some good problem-solving. On the west coast, in Los Angeles, the tempo is different. I have had to adapt to a new rhythm here, a more mellow one. This has helped me lower my stress levels and increased my vibes.
I have usually found myself in start-up projects whether it’s a new brand or a brand in need of a revamp. I have always thrived in environments where creative ideas are flourishing, new ways are entertained and everyone’s voice is heard. I have to pay attention to finding balance since I can easily get sucked up into current projects, and I do so through the practice of meditation, yoga and healing techniques. Between YOUBE and family life, it gets busy but I have found a way to keep perspective on things and focus on what matters. The wisdom we find in yoga teachings are helpful when you start losing perspective on life and start heading into an unhealthy direction with stress and expectations set too high on yourself.
We work with wellness partners at YOUBE and want to help our members take that first step in working on finding balance between working and living. We need to find a way to work to live and not live to work – and just ‘be’. Too many illnesses stem from stress and there are tools and techniques we can use to feel better, get healthier and enjoy life while we are in it.
May YOUBE here.
Pricing:
- Sit / stand desks: $2.50 – $6 / hr
- Communal tables: $2.50 – $6 / hr
- Focus chairs: $5 – $12 / hr
- Meeting pod, 1 pers: $5 – $12 / hr
- Meeting pod, 4 pers: $20 – $48 / hr
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.yoube.today/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoube.today
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoube.today
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/YOUBEtoday
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4KRFSY4e2RNMsahRANLwSw/featured
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/yoube-los-angeles
- Other: https://www.youbeblog.com
Image Credits:
Alan Castro Keith Kleiner Armahn Wallace
