Q&A: WeWork

Miguel McKelvey

Miami Beach, FL – October 24, 2015 – WeWork is creating a unique community of Miami’s latest creators. WeWork is globally recognized for its innovative approach to shared workspace, providing members with the space and community they need to make a life, not just a living. World Red Eye seized the opportunity to chat with Miguel McKelvey, the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at WeWork. McKelvey directs all architecture, design and construction activities.

Miguel is a multi-disciplinary designer and entrepreneur with diverse experience in architectural design, construction management and web development. Prior to WeWork, Miguel created the design framework and led the national retail roll-out for American Apparel (170 stores), and was involved in the early stage development of several companies, including Green Desk, Barre3, Versation and English.

Miguel McKelvey

WRE: How did you and Adam come up with the idea for WeWork?

MK: Adam and I were both entrepreneurs with offices in a building in Brooklyn that was filled with other startups and small businesses, and we saw so many opportunities to help people become more successful. It seemed to us that the existing workspace solutions available to small companies weren’t working, not just in terms of the functional aspects but also the social ones. That’s where this idea of “We” came in. A huge part of both our upbringings was the support of a connected community, and we wanted our members to experience that through WeWork.

We’d love to make WeWork a place where lots of different people doing different things overlap, intersect, and share with each other.

Miguel McKelvey, Co-Founder of WeWork

WRE: What is one life change that you weren’t expecting to be a result of starting WeWork? 

MK: I didn’t anticipate having so many amazing team members that would become integral parts of not only my work life, but my personal life as well. I get super excited about seeing people succeed in doing something they love—it’s one of the most fulfilling things I can imagine—and I get to experience it every day.

WRE: What are your thoughts on the current vibe in Miami? 

MK: Miami’s a really interesting city, and it’s hard to pin down exactly what its identity is. There’s obviously a ton of creativity, but unlike New York, where the fabric of the city and the transportation system ties everything together, or San Francisco where tech is so pervasive, Miami seems to have a bunch of different scenes broken up into different pockets. We’d love to make WeWork a place where lots of different people doing different things overlap, intersect, and share with each other.

WRE: What types of people work at WeWork Miami? 

MK: We have a vibrant and diverse community down here that we’re proud of—it’s cool to visit the space and hear so many bilingual conversations. WeWork Lincoln Road is home to freelancers, small businesses, and lots of interesting startups that focus on everything from education to tech to food and beverage.

WRE: If you had to pick one song to be your soundtrack for your trips to Miami what would it be? 

MK: One song is tough. We had The Weeknd at our Summer Camp event earlier this year and I’ve been listening to him pretty much non-stop since then. But if I had to choose one song right now to listen to while I was in Miami it would be “Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)” by Rich Homie Quan.

WRE: Can you give some advice for startups and entrepreneurs? 

MK: When you’re en entrepreneur, everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should or should not do, and people won’t be shy about offering you advice, unsolicited or not. Always be open to listening and absorbing their suggestions, but take it all with a grain of salt. Make sure to find your own true path and then commit to it. You have to discover the answers for yourself and then push forward with great confidence and energy. You can’t be second-guessing yourself because of something someone said.

WRE: Favorite thing to do during your downtime? 

MK: I love spending time with my wife and son. With so much travel and a lot of engaging projects that take a lot of focus and energy, I try really hard to detach on the weekends. We go on simple adventures like walking through the city to try to find a new restaurant for lunch or to find a new playground we haven’t been to before.

WRE: What’s next for WeWork Miami? 

MK: We recently leased the Security Building in downtown Miami, which we plan to open early next year. It was built in the 1920s and has these beautiful high ceilings, which means we’ll get to be creative with the design of the space. And because we leased the entire building, we’re excited to focus on engagement at the street level with a large entrance and cafe.

We have a vibrant and diverse community down here that we’re proud of—it’s cool to visit the space and hear so many bilingual conversations.

Miguel McKelvey, Co-Founder of WeWork