For 10 years, Tim Curry worked back and forth in an office setting for Verizon, with two years as as an associate director of business sales. Though the office experience wasn’t all bad, he doesn’t look back on those days fondly.
“I don’t miss the commute living in major markets like Atlanta and D.C.,” says Curry, an Elyria native who lives in Downtown Cleveland. The business environment back then could be “stressful,” and “time management was counterproductive at times, traveling back to the office between appointments,” he recalls. And negative morale affected his team.
Curry broke out on his own about a year ago and hasn’t looked back. These days, he likes to work from home or in Phoenix Coffee Co. just around the corner from his Warehouse District apartment, working on his latest venture: a valet car detailing service for the D.C. Metro and Cleveland areas.
“I love the flexibility,” he asserts. “I feel more productive and focused, and I feel more empowered as a business owner.”
Untethered from the office settings he worked in for 25 years, Curry says he enjoys less stress, too. And there are the obvious cost savings for a business owner without the added overhead of rent, utilities and insurance that accompany an extra workspace.
There are also opportunities to network and connect with the community. “When you’re in a coffee shop or out in the community around your home, there’s a better opportunity to network during business hours, meet new people and be better connected to the community,” he says. And when home is embedded in a neighborhood where people are also doing business, all the better. “And I love the smell of coffee,” he adds.
The coffee shop-as-office model isn’t without its pitfalls, though. Curry acknowledges that it can be noisy or crowded at times. Depending on the time of day, the seating arrangement may prove challenging and other customers can be inconsiderate. But, for Curry, the perks are worth it.
When asked if he feels Cleveland is generally conducive to entrepreneurship, he doesn’t hesitate: “Cleveland has great people who work well together and support each other. And there are programs to support new business owners. And you can’t ignore the lower living and operational costs compared to major markets.”
For entrepreneurs like Curry, the cost efficiency, flexibility and community benefits to setting up shop in Downtown Cleveland are obvious. A bonus for Curry is that he gets to spend plenty of time with his new German shepherd puppy, Dakota, who also accompanies him to the dog-friendly coffee shop (when she’s on her best behavior, of course).