You don’t have to be an expert at everything, you just need to know the right people.
Entrepreneurs know that the path from concept to execution isn’t a straight line. Coming up with a name, designing a logo, finding a location, building a great product, securing distributors, forging key business alliances, partnering with local brands — is your head spinning yet? But building something innovative can feel a lot easier when you meet the “right” people and know where to find them.
Workspace matters. But it’s not just where you work, it’s who you’re with. Joining a diverse community of professionals means that you never have to figure it all out alone.
We decided to untangle the web of collaborations going on daily at Endeavor, a creative, entrepreneurial coworking and meeting space in the heart of downtown. Get to know these ambitious GVL business leaders and how they’re teaming up to bring fresh, exciting ideas to the Upstate.
The six degrees of Endeavor | Entrepreneurs collaborate daily through shared workspace
The go-to Creative Guy:
Andy Mendelsohn’s award-winning 30+ year advertising career makes him kind of a big deal around town. (That, and his witty one-liners.) Andy’s agency Upper West Creative teams up with skilled graphic designers J.J. Puryear and Stephen Brown to bring creative campaigns to life for national clients, local GVL brands (like the Greenville Triumph ⚽️), and other Endeavor members.
Creatives, meet Web Developers:
Clever branding is great, but it needs somewhere to live. That’s where Arbé Digital comes in to handle all things digital, from building marketing sites to full-blown custom software. Erick Arbé, a software developer, handles the backend stuff, while his partner-in-crime Danielle Arbé keeps the clients happy. Someone needs to get that SSL certificate, and it’s not going to be Andy.
Web Developers, meet your new neighbor:
When the new guy came, he came with a lot of ideas. Paul Ryll’s background is in real estate — he started Oscar Mike Appraisal Group and moved his 7-person team into an office at Endeavor last summer — but his passion is the restaurant industry.
You know how in the good ole days when you needed to borrow some flour, you just knocked next door? That’s what Paul did. He had the ingredients for his recipe, but was missing the right equipment — i.e. professional web developers who could actually bring his idea to life. He stepped 10 feet outside of his office (literally) and introduced himself to the Arbés, his Endeavor desk-neighbors, and soon-to-be business partners. Together, they’re building a cutting-edge real estate evaluation app.
Paul Ryll, 9 months into his membership at Endeavor
Here’s where it all comes together:
Paul’s latest project, Parsley & Mint, a Mediterranean fast-casual eatery opening in two locations in Spring 2021, was a masterclass in cross-collaboration between Endeavor members. Remember Andy? Upper West Creative did all of the branding for the restaurant.
Plus, Southern Pressed Juicery’s Olivia Esquivel — who (you guessed it) has a desk at Endeavor — has been collaborating with Paul about potential product distribution in his stores.
And what does someone with this many separate businesses do to stay sane? Call up the Hughes Agency for an enterprise solution. (Yep, they’re a corporate member at Endeavor, too.) Shannon and the Endeavor team even connected him with Aloft Greenville, corporate member and plaza neighbor, about hosting a job fair in their hotel.
So what’s in the water at Endeavor?
Paul loves Greenville and its wealth of opportunities, but he had lost faith in the business community after a string of frustrating experiences dealing with dishonest people.
“This place changed everything,” said Paul. “It was a turning point. Meeting good people like Joe and Shannon, Danielle and Erick, Sally, Andy—it put me in a different class, a different community. A community of smart people who have class.”
Paul’s secret formula? Identify the people in your community who might know a bit more than you, recognize the value in that, start asking questions, and listen. Other members at Endeavor, whether they’re officially collaborating or simply sharing a lunch conversation, agree. Endeavor is an incubator for sparking creative ideas and helping you be your best, even when you’re not in the creative biz.
Now that you know where to look, get networking. Hop on over to our Member Directory, open to the public!
About Endeavor
Endeavor is a membership-based co-working and shared office space community for creative and entrepreneurial professionals, as well as corporate teams and business travelers. Endeavor’s premium location in the ONE Development in Greenville, SC provides members with state-of-the-art work and meeting spaces, and uniquely, surrounds them with a diverse array of peers who offer a broad range of services and experience. Training opportunities, networking events and business consulting are available for the professionals who call Endeavor home every day, as well as business team members across the region. Endeavor has been recognized as the winner of the Coworker Member’s Choice Award for Greenville, SC. For more information, visit endeavorgreenville.com.
