Meet Justin Ferland

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

Hi Justin, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Serendipity Labs workspaces help the community by bringing professionals together in a collaborative environment designed to foster meaningful connections with like-minded individuals. Our goal is to create a space that encourages long-term relationship building, where members support each other’s growth and success in their respective businesses. As those businesses thrive, the positive impact naturally extends into the communities they serve, creating a ripple effect of collaboration, opportunity, and local engagement.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m currently the General Manager of Sales and Operations for Serendipity Labs in Costa Mesa. Serendipity Labs is a workspace offering coworking, dedicated offices, and meeting and event spaces. We have more than 25 locations across the U.S. and U.K., including our sister location in Downtown Los Angeles.

What really sets us apart is our focus on being hospitality-forward in our industry. When people hear the word “hospitality,” they usually think of restaurants or hotels. Those environments are built around teams whose job is to exceed expectations, anticipate needs, and create exceptional experiences for their guests. That same philosophy guides how we operate our workspace. My background in restaurant hospitality translates directly into the way we approach service every day inside our lab.

Honestly, my path to this role was fairly traditional, but what stood out to me when I interviewed with the executive team was how closely my personal beliefs aligned with the company’s values. Serendipity Labs places a real emphasis on community building and collaboration. It’s easy for companies to talk about those things, but it’s something entirely different to actually live them.

Our team actively works to connect members within our space, create opportunities for networking, and support events that bring people together. That can include hosting member events, supporting nonprofit events, or providing a platform for local creativity through our Artist in Residence program. Through this program, local artists are invited to display their work throughout the lab and sell pieces directly to members and guests.

At the end of the day, what excites me most is being part of a workspace that goes beyond simply providing offices. We’re creating an environment where professionals can connect, collaborate, and grow their businesses while feeling part of a larger community, and that sense of community is something we take a lot of pride in.

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?
This is a tough one because I split my time between Orange County and Los Angeles. When friends visit, I feel like I have to give them the full LA and OC experience, so don’t judge the itinerary too harshly.

I’m big on being outdoors, so a hike at Runyon Canyon is usually the first stop when friends come to town. After that, dinner at Yamashiro is always a great move for the views and atmosphere, followed by drinks at EP&LP. If we’re doing brunch, Baltaire is a must, especially for the cinnamon roll.

For the Orange County portion of the trip, I’d take them down to Laguna Beach. It’s perfect for walking along the beach, browsing the art galleries and local shops, and just enjoying the coastal vibe. Dinner at Nick’s is always a solid choice, and ending the night with drinks and ocean views at Larsen’s is a great way to wrap up the day.

Between LA and Orange County, you really get the best of both worlds.

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?
Absolutely! I’ll dedicate my shoutout to a book titled “Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara. In this current “chapter” of my career (pun intended), it’s a great read with a ton of examples on how we can take lessons in restaurant hospitality that can and should translate into most professional sectors. How to treat our teams, what we can do to exceed expectations, the importance of active listening…I highly recommend it to anyone looking to bring fresh ideas and a hospitality mindset back to their team.

Website: https://serendipitylabs.com/us/ca/costa-mesa-pacific-arts-plaza/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serendipity_labs_costa_mesa/

Image Credits
Happy Photos, Xuong Do
Ivan Ji
Sidney Diongzon