Busy lawyers and entrepreneurs Bradley Lum and Trey Waterloo understand the desire for independence and the roadblocks that keep most people from it. They’ve navigated the hurdles inherent to stepping out on your own and now want to help fellow entrepreneurs solve some common problems, such as the need for an independent work environment conducive to effective and efficient work habits, the need for targeted education that would aid in reaching certain goals, and the need for affordable health-care options for the self-employed.

This article first appeared in BOOM Jackson Vol 7 No 5.

The duo tackled the work-space issue when they opened #hive in October 2014. Located in downtown Jackson at 736 S. President St., #hive is a 6,000-square-foot creative hub open to independent professionals in need of office and meeting space.” Jackson’s warehouse district is the breeding ground for the creative knowledge economy,” Waterloo says. The #hive is another way to thrust Jackson into rankings with major cities around the globe already embracing shared work space, a practice referred to as coworking. “In five years people will see the hive as the buzz of Jackson’s boom,” Waterloo says.

Whether you’re an accountant, lawyer, web developer, consultant or other independent professional, #hive wants “to meet the needs of the aspiring entrepreneur in Jackson,” Waterloo says, and #hive offers various levels of membership, including private desks.

“We characterize it as a coffee shop with professional services and open space,” Lum says. Along with the amenities of a professional office and the perks of a coffeehouse, #hive members have the added option of soliciting the services of the partners’ law firm, Law Studio PLLC, located on the second floor.

Bradley Lum. Image from BOOM Jackson Vol 7 No 5.

To empower entrepreneurs through education, #hive teamed up with Nader Dabit’s Jackson Area Web and App Developers to create Code South Labs. “Starting late January or early February (2015), we’ll start offering a 12-week course where we cover … specific areas of (coding and) web development,” Lum says.

But the partners’ vision for #hive doesn’t end there. “It’s hard to leave a job where you’ve got good health insurance,” Lum says. “That’s a big problem, and people won’t do it.” Though Lum and Waterloo are still working the particulars out, Hive Health will allow entrepreneurs primary health-care insurance at an affordable, flat monthly rate available for themselves and their families.

A few final incentives to check out #hive, the environment removes the temptation to get off track like when working from home and is the professional alternative to unpredictable public coffee houses. Statistics gathered by Deskmag’s 3^rd Global Coworking survey show that coworking environments can boost creativity and foster valuable relationships and meaningful collaborations.