Do you love Milwaukee as much as I do?
Before I began my career, I thought I had to leave Milwaukee in order to be successful. My friends were graduating school and heading to places like New York and San Francisco. In my head, I had to get out of here if I wanted a career in the tech or the startup industry.
And then I found Ward4. Or, rather, Ward4 found me. And thankfully it did, or I wouldn’t be in Milwaukee today.
In June 2015, I did an "intern match" and was connected with Bright Cellars, the company that made me fall in love with startups. I was introduced to a completely new lifestyle. A lifestyle filled with late nights, passionate individuals, and more bottles of wine than I would get hours of sleep that night.
I was immersed in a community that I never imagined would exist in Milwaukee. And the craziest thing? My dream job was being built around me. And I don’t just say that metaphorically. Ward4 housed Bright Cellars, and its walls were literally being built around me as I sat in my desk. How's that for a metaphor?
After some incredible months at Bright Cellars, I was given the opportunity to manage Ward4 under CSA Partners LLC, a group of individuals that I soon realized had the same passion, drive, and excitement about Wisconsin's startup community that I had. So we got to work.
In just over two years, we've turned a cold, empty building into a vibrant, industrial workspace that houses over 50 business entities with over 130 members to date. We've partnered with organizations like the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce and the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and aim to give entrepreneurs the tools necessary to be successful in Milwaukee's community. And we've been lucky to aid, alongside other incredible companies, in building one heck of an incredible community.
Ward4 introduced me to a vibrant, growing startup ecosystem that I never imagined would exist in Milwaukee. It is a lighthouse for innovation in a city with incredible potential. So it’s time for us to open it up and share it with the community.
That’s why we’ll be offering free coworking to all entrepreneurs during Milwaukee Startup Week. November 6th-10th from 9am-5pm, entrepreneurs can take advantage of access to a desk space, wifi, space amenities and community events.
I’m here to stay, because Milwaukee is a destination. Stop by to see why Ward4 going to keep it that way.
RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ward4-open-coworking-tickets-39411349407