Meet Jerome Chang | Architect, Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jerome Chang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jerome, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’m social, and when I dreamed of going out on my own as an architect, I only envisioned sharing an office with a few ppl, including sharing expenses. I then stumbled upon this new cultural trend of work nomads…ppl who work in coffee shops and other social places b/c they wanted to work amongst others. I then conceived of a shared office concept just as the term “coworking” starting being used. In 2008, I opened BLANKSPACES, the first coworking space in SoCal, and now the oldest continuously operating coworking space in America.

What should our readers know about your business?
BLANKSPACES is a community of entrepreneurs and freelancers who share office space in order to collaborate. In short, a coworking space. Our tagline is “work FOR yourself, not BY yourself.” Success is often the result of not quitting, and wow, 2 recessions were doozies. First, the Great Recession, then the pandemic-induced one. They say cash is king, and boy, is cash ever the king.

Being an architect was fine, but it lacked the social impact and leadership that I found out I really craved. With BLANKSPACES, I’m able to make a regional impact through a sort of private version of economic development. This type of community building led me to running for local office. I didn’t win, but I now have the bug!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
LA is a food mecca…spread out across so many great neighborhoods in LA and encompasses so many cuisines. We would simply eat 5 meals/day! The shopping is nice, the eye candy is even better in this Hollywood town. Anything can and will happen b/c film and tv shoots can be anywhere. The weather is amazing so we never have to worry when to head out. I personally think downtown Culver City is the best place to be now, but so are Larchmont Village and Little Tokyo.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My initial investors. They all had known me for a decade+, including my parents and sister. They believed in my ambitious concept.

Website: www.BLANKPSACES.com

Instagram: blankspaces_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3506023

Twitter: BLANKSPACES

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/15006768998

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/blankspaces-santa-monica-downtown-santa-monica

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blankspacesLA

Image Credits
1st 2 photos (retail lobby, bow truss roof): Fotoworks others: Marcia Prentice