Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

Erika Biddix knows what it is like to work from home without the meaningful interaction with other solepreneurs, and she’s decided to do something about it.

The long-time event planner – her company is Biddix Meetings+Events – is opening a unique co-working boutique in West Knoxville that will only serve female entrepreneurs like herself. Biddix takes possession of the nearly 2,100-square foot space in mid-November and has set the official opening date for December 1.

Girl Boss Offices, located a 408 Ebenezer Road Southwest, has four private offices that can be shared by up to two individuals as well as 10 assigned desks. Capacity is between 14 and 18 women entrepreneurs, depending on whether the offices are shared or occupied by one person.

“Our goal is to provide women who have launched businesses with the benefits of an office space, while allowing you to be your own boss,” says Biddix. “That means colleagues to bounce ideas off of, hours that you set, meeting rooms allowing for more professional and private client conversations, and a community that can support your business in a variety of ways. Being a female entrepreneur is a specific experience and at Girl Boss Offices, you’ll be around others that understand it.”

In addition to its focus on female entrepreneurs, Biddix says the facility will not be selling the typical one-day or weekly passes that many co-working sites do. The minimum agreement is for three months.

“We’re not taking transient guests because we’re not just a co-working space, but a community,” she explains.

Also, those interested in being a tenant must apply and be accepted. “It’s not a first-come, first-served process,” Biddix says. Interested women can find the application on the Girl Boss Offices webpage.

Biddix says she sees the facility being attractive to women in the service sector – attorneys, accountants, marketers, wedding planners, and maybe a photographer.

“We will only accept one tenant in any profession,” she adds. That’s to ensure that the community feel is maintained.

Between now and December 1, individuals who apply and are accepted get the discounted “Founders Rate” and, as long as they renew on a timely basis, that lower rate will be honored at each renewal period.

Monthly rates are as follows:

• Private office/single occupancy – Founders Rate($600); three-month lease ($700); six-month lease ($650); and 12-month lease ($625).
• Shared office/double occupancy – Founders Rate($325); three-month lease ($400); six-month lease ($375); and 12-month lease ($350).
• Assigned desk – Founders Rate($225); three-month lease ($300); six-month lease ($275); and 12-month lease ($250).

Biddix started in the meeting and events planning space in 2002, moved with her family to Knoxville in 2011, and launched Biddix Meetings+Events four years ago. Ironically, most of the events she coordinates are on the coasts with software and hardware companies, although she did work with Sword & Shield Enterprise Security Inc. on its “EDGE Security Conference.”

“I do everything from ordering catering to planning everything for a 3,000-person event,” Biddix says.

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