Can a Co-Working Space Go Online? It Can in a Pandemic

“Obviously, this was a crisis-based launch, so we’ve been trying to get our bearings,” Ms. Miller said. “It hasn’t made up for lost revenue; we’ve had a significant financial hit.”

Ms. Miller had to lay off a few of her staff members who ran the co-working and child care services. And she tried unsuccessfully to renegotiate her rent. When she received the S.B.A. loan through its Paycheck Protection Program, it was enough to help her keep building Honey online and hold out until she can reopen the physical space.

The online version has helped bring some normalcy to Caitlin Hall of Royal Oak, Mich., who used the company’s co-working space before the pandemic. As a recruiter for Kohl’s department stores, she has long worked from home. When she gave birth to her daughter in 2019, she discovered how much she needed a community and work space. Now she has to get that through Honey’s co-working Zoom link.

“Brooke has done awesome things with us and showed us how Honey supports everyone in this season,” Ms. Hall said.

Image A note is posted in Honey Space. The company hopes to reopen its offices in July. Credit... Brittany Greeson for The New York Times

And as the pandemic has worn on, Ms. Miller realized she would need to adapt again. Rather than entertaining members, she realized they needed more mental health support. So Ms. Miller refocused on individual and group therapy for new mothers by offering virtual sessions. She is also working with a developer to create an app that will house all of Honey’s digital content and classes.