#MiamiTech Startup Spotlight: Thynk Global launches co-working space for women of color (and their allies)

 
By Nancy Dahlberg
Jeanine Suah and Maghan Morin are the founders of Thynk Global and creators of a new co-working space in Little Haiti focused on women of color. Colorful and comfortable, the opening of the space this month is a 3-year dream realized for these founders.
On the day of this interview, the founders are hosting a lively daylong event called Recharge, with meditations, chair massages, and group discussions about the entrepreneurial mindset.
“Jeanine and I call ourselves chameleons, and our personalities really do attract a lot of different people. Today in the space we have musicians, muralists, accountants, marketers, teachers and tech. Everyone has the same energy, same mentality, but when it comes to industries it is honestly all over,” says Morin.
Let’s back up a bit and learn more.

THE STORY

Suah and Morin started working together several years ago in St. Petersburg because they complemented each other’s strengths; Morin is a marketer and Suah is strong in operations. Once they developed a partnership, they thought ‘why can’t they do this for other women?’ In St. Pete, they started a women’s pop-up co-working company with community events and grew the community from 10 to 200 women. “After that point we realized we needed to be in a bigger city and really wanted to impact entrepreneurs of color and especially the black community — our own community,” said Suah.
After doing some research and traveling back and forth to Miami for about a year, they decided the Magic City would be the home of their brick and mortar co-working space. Suah adds:. “Our story is so crazy. Here we are 9 months later as Thynk Global and it has been a challenge.”
Challenge is probably an understatement. While developing it, their opening was delayed because of landlord permit violation in their rented space. And yes, in the Magic City, they’ve encountered shady business people. And then just as they were getting set to open their doors, along came COVID.
Lessons learned: “Ownership is key and tread lightly, don’t trust everybody. We came into this excited and very naive and learned everyone doesn’t think like us,” said Suah.  

RESPONSE TO COVID

While closed during COVID, Thynk Global launched virtual events and an online Stronger Together Retail Program pop-up store and to promote sales of products by women of color. Brands include The Healing Junkie, Shopblatina, Shop Jacqs and more.
It’s still online but they now also feature items at their store within the co-working space, which is open to the public.
Now Thynk Global is offering free co-working through July 31. “Our main goal right now is to serve as a support for the community because everyone is going through it,” Suah said.

THE SPACE

Now open at 311 NW 72nd Terrace in Miami’s Little Haiti, its 4,000 square feet open floor plan with a creative, colorful and comfortable vibe. “Our retail shop provides the opportunity to every woman who enters whether you are a member or a shopper,” Morin said.
The biggest differentiator, they say, is the price point – $87 a month for a co-working membership. While experiencing the space now it free, Thynk Global accepting memberships that start in August.
In addition to amenities most co-working spaces have like a kitchen, meeting room, mail service and outdoor space, Thynk Global hosts events, previously virtually and now in the space, on topics like  marketing/social media, personal and business finance, business operations, as well as wellness.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

 “I think the biggest challenge is that we are not just doing this for ourselves so we have the weight of the community on our shoulders because no space has been launched like this in Miami before, as it relates to the price point to the content to the mission. If we die we are losing opportunities for other people,” said Suah. “That’s our motivation to keep going.”
 “Miami is a beast, it’s so different but honestly it is also good —  it makes you so tough it makes you touch smarter and sharper, it keeps you on your toes,” adds Morin. “We are starting to feel the love and support of the community but we also set a very high intention to do that from the beginning. We are starting to enjoy the fruits of Miami.”

THE DETAILS

Website: https://www.thynkglobal.com/
Address: Thynk Global co-working space is at 311 NW 72nd Terrace, Miami.
Founded: 2017, moved to Miami last year.
Employees: The two founders and two interns, so far
Financing: Bootstrapped
Slogan: “Thynk Global, Live Local”
Follow @ndhalberg on Twitter and email her at [email protected]

READ MORE #MIAMITECH STARTUP SPOTLIGHTS

Pandemic brings big need for Brave Health’s virtual mental healthcare
My-Cierge aims to make the hotel experience exceptional
Meditation.live brings the world’s gurus to you
Healthsnap makes sense of lifestyle data to improve patient outcomes
Kiddie Kredit helps children learn about money
 

Nancy Dahlberg