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Natalie Chan: Coworking and Events Grow in Brooklyn

“In general, communication is always the challenge. It is not because making it happen is hard. It is because the people I need to communicate with are surrealistically diverse, on the individual level as well as the cultural/social level.”

96Victoria Flexner
By Victoria Flexner

This story is part of our 1,000 stories campaign. What’s your story?

Name: Natalie Chan

Business: Bat Haus, a coworking and event space

Industry: Arts & Entertainment

Location: Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

Reason for starting: My business partner needed a place to work as a writer that was not a coffee shop. It gave me an idea to open a place that is spacious, with no office cubicles, for people who have the same need. Later we realized that it was called the “coworking movement.” Local neighbors started approaching me after we opened about renting the space for baby showers and weddings on the weekends. The business model then evolved into a coworking/event space combined structure.

Related: Read about another female entrepreneur in the coworking movement here. 

How do you define success? Success is what happens when the internal satisfaction of an individual derived from business battles creates a sense of equilibrium to the point of rendering any hesitation in life impossible.

Biggest Success: To be able to work with clients from diverse backgrounds by sharpening a sensibility and understanding of life in general. Also, I sleep better now.

What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it? For the event part, communication with clients about event details is never enough, even on the micro level. For the coworking part, maintaining a healthy and mature community. In general, communication is always the challenge. It is not because making it happen is hard. It is because the people I need to communicate with are surrealistically diverse, on the individual level as well as the cultural/social level. How have I addressed it? Keep communicating, adjusting and fine-tuning the way I deliver messages until everyone understands it, “hears” it and is on the same page.

Related: It’s About Women Running Start-Ups

Who is your most important role model? My father. He has a slightly indifferent attitude towards life, which I later realized is a certain version of existentialism, that influenced me as a person the most.

[box_light]Website   www.bathaus.com
Twitter   @BatHausCowork
Facebook   www.facebook.com/BatHausCoworking
Tumblr   bathaus.tumblr.com
Pinterest   www.pinterest.com/bathaus
Instagram  instagram.com/bat_haus[/box_light]

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Edited by The Story Exchang