Business Name: Gather

Email: savannah@workatgather.com

Phone: 757-335-0123

President's Name: Savannah Bolin

President's Title: Regional Director

Website: workatgather.com

What are your business’s core values, goals, and overall mission?

We create focused, productive and engaged communities through inspiring spaces that are committed to hospitality and involving and supporting both the individual member and the larger entrepreneurial community.

Share some unique facts and business history?  What makes your business stand out?

Gather appeals to self-employed individuals who might otherwise work from home, as well as companies and nonprofits of all sizes. Members range from those looking for a single workspace to those requiring a number of offices or a larger private suite. Gather is also attractive to those who are not yet ready for a long-term lease commitment, and out-of-town firms that need a local presence. Gather provides inspiring work environments, thoughtfully designed common areas, and private workspaces ranging from one-person offices to suites for larger teams. All Gather locations include a full kitchen, free coffee provided by a local roastery, private meeting rooms and phone booths, and social events.

Timeline:

• April 2014: Gather opens first location at 409 E. Main St., Richmond (this location, known to members and friends as “Gather Downtown,” is relocating and becoming “Gather City Center”)
• June 2016: Gather Scott’s Addition (16,500 sq. ft.) opens second location at 2920 W. Broad St., Richmond
• January 2018: Gather Short Pump (17,908 sq. ft.) opens at 2400 Old Brick Rd., Glen Allen
• June 2019: The first Gather outside of Richmond opens at 500 East Main St., Norfolk
• Summer 2019: Gather City Center (20,000 sq. ft.) to open; Downtown location relocates to City Center at 313 East Broad St., Richmond

What are the greatest obstacles and/or challenges that your business has faced?  How have you and your business overcome them?

Our biggest challenge has been the pace of our growth. We opened just a few years ago with one location and one employee and a couple handfuls of awesome members. By the end of 2019 we’ll have 5 locations, at least 14 employees and over 1,500 members spread across Richmond and Hampton Roads. The challenge:  how do we continue to grow at this speed, while maintaining our tight knit communities?

What accomplishments are your most proud of?

We are proud of our communities at Gather.  By joining our space, our members surround themselves with some of the most ambitious strangers in town. It’s very rewarding to watch these strangers connect, get to know each other and become part of each other’s lives. 

We are also proud of Community Managers. They are the lifeblood to our communities. Knowing this, we recently created an employee development program that aims to give each Community Manager personalized coaching towards their individual career goals. 

What do you see for the future of your business?

We see Gather continuing to learn and grow.  We are continuously learning how to improve our operations and focus on community building. Gather plans to continue to open multiple locations in cities of similar size to Richmond and Norfolk.   

Why are you a member of the Hampton Roads Chamber?

We are members of the Chamber because we know how important it is to have and foster Regional Collaboration. We feel that the Chamber is a great middle ground in helping us do that and to grow our business.

Would you recommend Chamber Membership to other companies and what advice would you give them?

We would certainly recommend the Chamber and encourage new members to attend various events throughout the month to get the most out of their membership.