How To Build A Community-And Keep It Thriving
Inc.|October 2019
Audrey Gelman has made the Wing’s women-focused shared office spaces into a buzzy club of feminine empowerment built on inclusivity—and, perhaps, exclusivity. Change can be messy. But this is a new kind of company.
CHRISTINE LAGORIO-CHAFKIN
How To Build A Community-And Keep It Thriving

To enter 52 Mercer Street, a five-story building in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood, on a Wednesday this past June, a visitor had to shimmy through a gaggle of paparazzi and three bouncers issuing wristbands and whisking ticketed guests to a single elevator to the top floor. Inside, the co-working space-slash-women’s club the Wing had been transformed into an assembly hall. There was a murmur of anticipation among the crowd of roughly 400, most of whom contentedly sat for nearly an hour under instructions not to rise from their assigned seats. It was barely 8:30 a.m.

At 9:30, Audrey Gelman, six months pregnant and wearing a button-up jumpsuit the color of porcelain, took the mic. Facing a sea of women, with a massive bookcase dripping with greenery behind her and light from an atrium pouring down on her, Gelman finally spoke: “I feel like a schmuck doing this.”

It was a charming bit of self-deprecation from the 32-year-old CEO, who co-founded her New York City– based company with Lauren Kassan in 2016 and has raised $117.5 million in venture capital. The Wing has eight locations across the U.S. and plans for three more before the end of the year and another nine around the globe in 2020. It will hold some 2,000 members-only events in 2019, lots of them featuring A-list guests from Hollywood, Silicon Valley, professional sports, and politics. So Gelman was hardly uneasy in the spotlight— subtly working the crowd and setting a calming, we’reall-on-the-same-level-here tone. She took a breath and spoke into the microphone: “Meryl Streep!”

Everything a member of the wing touches has been selected for its wing-Iness, from the art by women, transgender, and nonbinary artists to the jelly on the toast in the cafe.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM INC.View all
A Bankable Pet Project - How Moonshots Capital helped eTailPet scale up and attract a buyer in just three years.
Inc.

A Bankable Pet Project - How Moonshots Capital helped eTailPet scale up and attract a buyer in just three years.

Berenice Giannini's startup, eTailPet, wasn't a natural fit for Moonshots Capital. The Austin-based venture firm, launched in 2014 by Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings, both of whom had previously served in the U.S. Army, frequently backs companies founded by military veterans.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Backers Should Have Your Back - The best capital provider for your business will offer a helping hand, not just deep pockets.
Inc.

Backers Should Have Your Back - The best capital provider for your business will offer a helping hand, not just deep pockets.

Three years ago, U.S. entrepreneurs were enjoying one of the best funding environments in decades. Venture capital and private equity hit all-time highs as banks loaned at historically low interest rates. All you needed to get a term sheet, it seemed, was a smile and a pitch deck.

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
Lift Off - Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space?
Inc.

Lift Off - Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space?

Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space? Meet the entrepreneurs providing a rarified clientele with a luxurious, once-in-a-lifetime journey.So you want to go to space. To take in the expansive curvature of the Earth glowing miles above the atmosphere, surrounded by pure darkness. To experience the mind-altering overview effect described by astronauts as a transcendent state of awe, staring back at the planet on which you've inhaled your every living breath.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2024
There Will Always be Those Who Doubt You and Your Vision. Here's How to Tune Them Out. - Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy,
Inc.

There Will Always be Those Who Doubt You and Your Vision. Here's How to Tune Them Out. - Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy,

Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy, the midlife wisdom school I co-founded in 2018.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power
Inc.

A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power

The founder of Stemregen, a company that creates powerful supplements that stimulate the body's natural repair system, explains how a \"fringe idea\" opened up a new world of stem cell therapy.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution
Inc.

Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution

As a destination marketer, Awestruck has mapped out a journey to success by constantly developing its services and its staff.

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
For the Love of the Restaurant Experience
Inc.

For the Love of the Restaurant Experience

The founder and CEO of DJB Hospitality shares his passion for the challenging and uniquely rewarding hospitality industry.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries
Inc.

Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries

COMPEO is an HR management solutions provider with a jaw-dropping five-figure growth rate.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It
Inc.

Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It

Cecilian Partners is a fast-growing technology firm providing end-to-end solutions for production homebuilders and land developers.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments
Inc.

A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments

The Northcross Group develops sustainable processes for clients with compliance needs.

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024