Cancer Survivor Launches Shared Workspace To Empower Black Entrepreneurs In South Florida

According to the South Florida Times, the founder recently started a shared business workspace company.

A South Florida entrepreneur and cancer survivor is transforming personal challenges into a mission to support Black entrepreneurship through community-focused business spaces. According to the South Florida Times, Joy St. Clair recently started a shared business workspace company.

‘Co-Space’ connects Black entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creatives with affordable office space, networking opportunities, and collaborative resources. It was created to tackle the lack of accessible professional environments and economic support often found in mostly Black communities. The entrepreneur, who overcame a cancer diagnosis several years ago, said this experience changed their view on legacy, economic empowerment, and the need to create sustainable spaces for other Black business owners.

“Starting a business during an economic downturn can be scary. People are looking to cut costs, and Co-Space is the answer,” she said.

The company’s launch comes as more Black entrepreneurs across the country look for alternatives to traditional office models amid rising commercial rent costs and limited access to startup funding.

Shared workspaces, also called coworking hubs, have become valuable for minority-owned startups seeking to lower overhead costs while building professional networks.

“The Black community can be together, come in and sit with their laptops and work around other nice people. They love working around people and feel safe,” said Joy St. Clair.

Kindred Futures reports that Black-owned businesses still face significant challenges in accessing funding and commercial real estate. Organizations like Black Connect have expanded across the country in recent years to help bridge networking and resource gaps for Black founders and small business owners.

The new South Florida venture also plans to host educational workshops, mentorship events, and wellness programs aimed at encouraging long-term economic growth within the Black community. The founder emphasized the importance of creating intentional spaces for collaboration and visibility, especially as many Black entrepreneurs work to recover from financial setbacks linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing economic uncertainty.