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Meet Talia Bolnick of The Hatchery Press

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Talia Bolnick.

Talia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I graduated from Oxford in 2012 and returned home to Los Angeles, where I grew up. For the first time in 6 years, I was back in the city that raised me: fighting through Hollywood Bowl traffic in my tiny blue Prius; inexplicably buying a juice press; searching for purpose, community…a job. I got a cat. I made some lists. I tried my very best to adult, but, as I’m sure you know, adulthood is a slippery thing to catch.

Amid all the flailing, I started writing a novel. I’ve always been in love with words and it didn’t feel right to launch into ‘real life’ without at least giving my true passion the old college try. At first, I tried working from home but it was lonely and demotivating. I would find myself in sweatpants at 2 in the afternoon, binge watching season 6 of 30 Rock with my roommate and my cat. Again. Not going to cut it. So I took my papers and my laptop to probably every coffee shop, library, or quiet park in Los Angeles. This was a step up because, at the very least, I had to put on pants. But coffee shops have their own drawbacks: they are unpredictable; they can be expensive; you feel guilty for being there too long; not enough outlets; distractions abound; I don’t actually like coffee. Mostly, I realized that I missed the creative and intellectual community of school, of being always surrounded by peers, clustered tightly together with the single common trait of curiosity.

So, The Hatchery began as a solution to a common problem: the solitude and frustration of being a writer. I needed a dedicated place to work on my novel and I longed for a community of like-minded individuals, a culture of hard work and open communication. I couldn’t find what I was looking for, so I decided to create it.

And I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Like any stuck millennial does, I googled it. I worked with a nonprofit association, SCORE, that helps small businesses get off the ground. They were an incredible resource and I would recommend them to anyone thinking about starting their own small business. Long story short, I wrote a business plan and convinced my mother (and now partner), who runs 2 successful businesses of her own, that a shared writing space could be profitable. Then, we worked really, really hard.

Almost 3 years later, I still haven’t finished my novel, but The Hatchery is real place, out in the world, full of amazing people and stories. Which is just about the coolest thing I can think of.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My biggest struggle has been, and continues to be, work life balance and avoiding burnout. Mostly because the line between work and life is so blurry and thin. I work with family, I make friends with members, I never turn off. Both the best and worst thing about running your own business is that you make your own hours.

It’s not like a regular 9-5 where you clock out and can leave the work at your desk. You think about marketing in the shower. You field calls at 11 pm. You take business cards with you to the dog park, just in case. Basically, at any point in time, you could be working, so if you aren’t it feels like slacking. I had this idea that pushing myself past my limits was somehow noble, like when you hear people compete about who gets the least sleep, who has the most appointments—the Olympics of ignoring self-care. Plus, as a young woman in business, you have this nagging sense that you are a fraud. 80 hours’ weeks begin to seem like not enough.

Which is so unsustainable, especially for someone like me who has depression and anxiety. At the beginning of 2017, I had to take an 8 week ‘mental health’ hiatus.

I’m definitely still trying to figure it out, but there have been a few invaluable lessons I’ve learned along the way:

  1. How to say no.

    This one seems simple, but it’s hard to execute. Mostly, you have to believe your time is valuable and stop trying to please everyone.

  2. You cannot do it all yourself.

    I am so lucky to have an incredible team supporting me and keeping The Hatchery running. When I had to take time off, they really stepped up and it showed me that things won’t fall apart if I’m gone. Suzanne Phillips, our CFO, is an incredibly savvy business woman. Luis Quintanilla, our business manager, is a whiz with member management, bookkeeping, and IT. Clarissa DelaTorre, our operations manager, is incredibly hard working and adaptable, always bring a new perspective to the situation at hand. Given the room to flex their strengths, each member of the team proved themselves invaluable and created something that I could never have done on my own. It’s humbling and also freeing to realize you’re aren’t the only one.

  3. Taking care of yourself is not selfish, is not a character flaw.

    That’s it on this one. Treat yo’ self.

In conclusion, are roads worth taking ever smooth? Nah.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Hatchery Press – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The Hatchery is a membership based coworking space, where writers from all fields can find a quiet place to work and support one another. We are the only coworking space in LA that caters specifically and exclusively to writers. We provide 24/7 access to over 4000 square feet of dedicated writing space, free from the noise and distractions of city life. Writers have specific needs and we are proud that we can accommodate all of them with 6 individual rooms, from silent to chatty, light-filled to cave-like, cozy to modern. Plus, a patio, rooftop deck, communal lounge/kitchen, and a conference room.

On top of the space, we also provide a long list of ‘extras’: free printing, copying and scanning; free coffee and tea; a fully stocked cabinet of $1 honor system snacks; up to 3 hours per month of free conference room time; unlimited access to the reference and lending libraries, community board and loads of games and magazines; a central location on Larchmont, walking distance to dozens of local cafes, shops and restaurants; the cutest French Bulldog ever; local discounts and perks; weekly classes and member events; and, perhaps most importantly, an active and welcoming community of writers.

From Emmy Award winning TV writers to published novelists and aspiring scribes, as a member your part of a diverse, stimulating community and have the opportunity to network and collaborate with people who understand what you’re going through. A dedicated place for your craft results in a more focused, productive use of your time and energy.

We take care of all the background things so you can do what you came to do: write.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Since we launched, we have already doubled our square footage and don’t have any immediate plans to grow bigger in that regard. In general, we’re currently focused on membership growth, perfecting and streamlining our operations, and optimizing member experience. In terms of specific goals, I would really like to put together a scholarship or residency program.

Pricing:

  • Full Time Membership (24/7 access): $245-$350/month
  • Part Time Membership (5pm-10am M-F, anytime weekends and holidays): $150-$175/month

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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