Co-working with a cause
When Alex West Steinman co-founded The Coven in 2017, she wasn’t just building a coworking space — she was crafting a new vision for economic empowerment. Alongside Erin Farrell, Bethany Iverson and Liz Geel, Steinman launched a business that centers women, nonbinary and trans people while remaining open to all, and that grounds itself in reciprocity, community care, and transformative access.
“We got tired of trying to fix broken systems,” said Steinman. “So we built our own.”
The four co-founders met in the advertising industry and previously operated a nonprofit called Minneapolis Mad Women, aimed at equipping women and people of color with professional development tools.
But they grew disillusioned with the lack of institutional investment in equity-centered work. “What if we created the world we actually wanted to live and work in?” Steinman recalled asking.
That question laid the foundation for The Coven, which opened its flagship location in Minneapolis’ North Loop. Since then, it’s grown into a movement with two headquarters in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and five additional franchise locations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The spaces, rich with natural light, art, and affirming design, serve as hubs for connection, collaboration, and career acceleration.
When the pandemic hit, The Coven quickly pivoted online, hosting multiple daily Zoom events to keep members informed and supported. Topics ranged from financial resources for entrepreneurs to managing mental health while parenting during lockdown.
That commitment to community paid off. Not only did their members continue paying dues — many of whom were not physically using the space — but their virtual community doubled in size.
Later that year, following the murder of George Floyd, The Coven transformed its space into a distribution site for essential supplies like diapers, food, and toilet paper. Steinman said the moment crystallized an ethos they already carried: “We’re accountable to our community because we are part of the community.”
That philosophy ultimately led to the franchise model. “We knew we couldn’t be the ones to lead in cities like Columbus or Milwaukee — we don’t live there,” Steinman said. “Franchising gives us the opportunity to offer infrastructure and support while uplifting someone local to be the heartbeat of their own community.”
This model of ownership has tangible results. One of their St. Louis Park franchisees first entered The Coven through their community-funded membership program, a long-standing initiative where, for every 5–8 paying members, one membership is gifted to someone who might not otherwise afford access. To date, over 400 such memberships have been granted.
“We don’t call them scholarships. They’re full members,” said Steinman. “And some of our most vibrant leaders started through that pathway.”
Memberships range in price from as low as $19 or $39 per month for limited access, to $249 for full-time use. The tiers are designed to maintain sustainability without excluding members of varying socioeconomic backgrounds. “We’ve always believed that for-profit and for-good are not mutually exclusive,” Steinman said.
Inside The Coven, the energy is collaborative, not competitive. Their Eat Street location, for example, organically became a hub for education-focused nonprofits. Organizations like Education Evolving, Minnesota Education Partnership (MEP), and Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (RISE) operate out of the space, often sharing resources, hiring each other’s consultants, and exchanging ideas.
“We never hoard connections,” said Steinman. “There’s enough to go around.”
Still, the journey hasn’t been without challenges. Following temporary rent breaks during the early pandemic, the financial burden of backpay in 2021 and 2022 tested the business. “2020 wasn’t our hardest year,” Steinman reflected. “It was the years after. We were stretched thin, unsure of what was next. But our members kept showing up.”
That trust in their mission ultimately brought them through to the other side. In 2024, The Coven saw renewed growth. New locations like St. Louis Park and Northeast Minneapolis opened with strong momentum — offices selling out before doors even opened.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Steinman offers simple but powerful advice: “Don’t count yourself out before someone else does. Say yes to yourself first, and let others say no if they need to.”
Because at The Coven, saying yes to yourself isn’t just permission — it’s a pathway to power.
For more information on membership pricing or to explore franchising opportunities with The Coven, visit www.thecoven.com.
Kiara Williams welcomes reader responses at kwilliams@spokesman-recorder.com