Designed to build financial well-being for the entire community, this unique small business incubator pairs commonly needed resources along with free drop-in child care, workshops and other education opportunities to empower women and families to thrive economically.

Teaching Kitchen
Photo courtesy of CTL

Riverside Coworking is open to all participants of Center for Transforming Lives along with the general public. The goal is to create an ecosystem of entrepreneurs who can inspire and support each other. Affordable pricing and scholarships keep the space accessible to all.

Located in the non-profit’s new Riverside Campus headquarters, Riverside Coworking offers:

• A variety of desk memberships as well as access to meeting and training rooms
• A commercial kitchen with 24-hour access and storage options
• A teaching kitchen that’s ideal for small classes or creating content
• A makerspace with a laser engraver, 3-D printer, Cricut, heat press and embroidery and sewing machines
• Fully equipped audio and visual studios, with editing bay
• Free drop-in child care, available for parents working on-site, a first-of-its-kind amenity
• A professional mailing address, phone booths, printing and copying, WiFi, snacks, coffee and a wellness room.

Entrepreneurs can also take advantage of free classes and other events that build skills, community and connection.

Coworking
Photo courtesy of CTL

Center for Transforming Lives’ “Level Up” small business program has supported nearly 200 low-income entrepreneurs in launching and expanding their own businesses and building financial well-being. The small business cohort includes specialized coaching in business planning, legal structures, financial management, marketing and more. Upon completion of the program, participants can apply for a matched savings small business grant of up to $5,000. Launching a social enterprise geared toward supporting entrepreneurs was the next natural step for the non-profit: an estimated 100 small businesses will be created or expanded annually through small business programming and the new coworking space.

“When we invest in entrepreneurs, we invest in the future,” said Carol Klocek, chief executive officer of Center for Transforming Lives. “Affordable business resources aren’t just helpful, they’re essential, especially for low-income entrepreneurs. Access to these resources, training and support can mean the difference between an idea that fades and a business that flourishes.”

Podcast Studio
Photo courtesy of CTL

Small businesses create local jobs, boost spending within the community, keep taxes close to home and diversify the marketplace. For mothers with young children, entrepreneurship can also be a path out of poverty; with the right support, a side hustle can turn into a small business that enables a family to build wealth for generations to come. Riverside Coworking is a community where work and family can thrive together.

“The majority of our participants are single mothers with young children,” Klocek said. “By combining child care and other support services within the small business incubator, we’re unlocking the potential of parents as innovators. We’re empowering mothers to pursue their dreams so they can thrive. The two-generation approach nurtures mothers, who are building change, and their children, who will inherit it.”

Makerspace
Photo courtesy of CTL

Riverside Coworking is located at 3001 S. Riverside Drive in Fort Worth, inside Center for Transforming Lives. For more information, please visit https://riversidecoworking.org/.

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