The Work Pods Founder's Journal #01

Chapter 1

Shower Thoughts

Like most half-decent ideas I’ve had, this one also starts in the shower…

I was planning my work day and thinking about which local coffee shop to work out of. I realized FRGMT was my only option since I had calls that day and there was a WeWork upstairs I could run up to for my meetings.

And then it hit me:

Why don’t coffee shops have the same call booths WeWork has?

Chapter 2

Consumer Research

A few days later, I grabbed happy hour with my buddy Ross. He’s an absolute legend at testing demand for new business ideas, so I wanted to hear his take.

I walked him through the concept, shared my research, and he gave me some great advice: “If you really want to know if this thing has legs, just go ask people if they’d use it.”

He was right. I needed feedback.

That night I threw together a Notion survey, and the next day I started striking up conversations with remote workers wherever I found them.

Turns out about 70% of people acknowledged how they often felt uncomfortable taking calls in public, and over 92% said they’d use the pod weekly if it was in their favorite coffee shop.

The data was clear. People would use it. Now I just needed to find a coffee shop that’d let me test the concept.

Chapter 3

Rejection

I just needed one coffee shop to let me test this out. But there was a problem… Nobody wanted to be first.

I tried it all. Cold calls, emails, handwritten notes, walk-ins, IG DMs, I even went to Coffee Fest and elevator-pitched shop owners right after they stepped off stage.

After months of rejection, the self-doubt started to kick in...

• “Maybe there’s a reason this doesn’t already exist.”

• “What if I’m just wasting time on yet another idea that won’t work?

• “Am I just an idea guy who can’t actually execute?”

Before I’d even built anything, I was already mapping out how long it’d take to hit $1M ARR and doing the math on when I’d be able to move into the Minnetonka neighborhood I wanted to live in.

Looking back, it’s no surprise this little roadblock hit so hard. My expectations were extremely high, and as Shakespeare put it, “Expectation is the root of all heartache.”

I had nearly given up on the idea, and then one random afternoon when I was walking through FRGMNT my buddy Kevin waved me over and introduced me to his friend Kamal.

“Tell him about your idea,” he said. I did, and five minutes later I had my first location!

Chapter 4

Founder Mode

With Parcelle on board, I booked a weekend trip to California to meet the supplier I’d been working with so I could test out the pods in person to make sure everything was kosher.

The pod was exactly what I was looking for, but something started to feel off with my supplier. The terms we had discussed on the phone started shifting, and he got a little cagey when we got into the details. Then, right as I was about to place the order, he slipped a non-compete clause into the contract.

The whole interaction just didn’t sit right with me. So I walked.

Unfortunately, that left me with only a few weeks to line up a new supplier and develop a booking software before the launch party I’d been promoting, a process that had taken several months the first time around.

I went full founder mode and spent the next few days working the phones and firing off what felt like hundreds of emails. Long story short, I eventually found another partner. Same pod model—but no smart lock or access system.

I was out of time but decided to purchase the pod anyway and told myself I’d figure the rest out later.

By the time the launch rolled around, the pod was physically there, but that was about it. No lock. No automation. No booking system. Just an unlocked booth in the corner.

I kept reminding myself of this quote by Reid Hoffman: “If you’re not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.” I was definitely embarrassed, but was eventually able to get a functional booking system up and running so the pods could actually start making money.

There are still a few bugs to iron out, but as of today, our first pod is live, fully functional, and people are actually paying to use it.

It still feels a little surreal, but I’m excited to keep improving and see where this goes next.

Over the next few months my focus is on proving the model and seeing what tactics or strategies drive the most sales.

We’ve rolled out a $34.99 monthly membership for unlimited bookings, and our second location is opening near the convention center later this summer. The goal is to have a pod in every major Minneapolis neighborhood by the end of the year.

We’re also looking to step up our marketing and partner with a few niche-aligned influencers and UGC creators to help get the word out.

Thanks for making it this far, If you’d like to keep up with our journey, subscribe to our newsletter for updates every few months.