Plywood Annual Report

Of course, just two weeks after we opened Plywood Place, a space specifically designed to help start-ups solve problems and do good, we faced one of the biggest problems we’ve ever had to tackle. 

For over two years, we’d been dreaming, working, vision casting, fundraising, and building towards creating a space that would radically inspire others to do good in the world. We were able to rent all of our private offices to amazing organizations like Love Beyond Walls, So Worth Loving, 3D Girls, Made ATL, Whiteboard, and more. We even hosted an Open House with over 400 people in attendance. 

Then, 14 days after opening to the public, COVID-19 brought the world (and our plans for Plywood Place) to a halt. A new challenge had emerged—one that none of us saw coming—and it was about to change everything. We closed the space, and we waited. 

Initially, we hoped the hiatus would only last for a few weeks. But once the reality of the pandemic set in, we had to pivot. Immediately, we cut our budget by 30% without losing any team members. Then we adjusted all of our programming to be virtual, and we did our best to remain connected as a team and community. 

Plywood Place sat empty until it was safe to gather again. First, our team began meeting there. We wore masks, bought hand sanitizer from local distilleries, and rearranged the furniture to be six feet apart. We made signs reminding people to wash their hands, clean surfaces, and we learned how to do temperature checks when people entered the building. 

Eventually, we opened our doors to the office holders, and then our dedicated and commuter desk members. We took it slow so we could learn along the way. 

When someone entered our space, there was always an adjustment period. Many people were leaving their homes for the first time, so we tried to be incredibly welcoming and patient. In that season we learned how to listen to others better—their fears, their hopes, and their struggles. 

In response to what we (and many others) were experiencing, we created a new curriculum called Pivot by Plywood to help organizations in times of crisis. We did a social-distanced video shoot with interviews, and we learned how to do things in a new way. 

For us, facing the challenges of 2020 required a whole new level of creativity, thinking, and problem-solving. It required grit. And above all, it required a community. 

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In the small story of the opening of Plywood Place, we see the larger story of the Plywood community on display. All of the people we serve have a problem they want to solve, a dream for how they want to make the world a better place. But starting something is hard. Unforeseen challenges always arise. Things rarely work out the way we plan.

That’s why Plywood Place exists—to be a launchpad for a new generation of startups doing good. Our goal is to provide resources, mentorship, training, inspiration, and community to those crazy enough to think better is possible. 

Despite the obstacles, we’re delighted to share that Plywood Place is now fully reopened and has over 100 paying members.

Additionally, we’ve been able to host a variety of events and programs, including Virtual Plywood Presents 2020, a Virtual Love or Work Date Night, monthly Foundations and Layers group meetings, an event for The Diversity Gap, and more.

Although this first year looked vastly different than what we imagined, we’ve been blown away by the impact Plywood Place has had on our community. Here’s a taste of what this new space has meant to others: 

“I love Plywood Place because the culture and environment are ripe for success. The vision that was in my heart now has a heartbeat of its own,” said Michael Oteka, founder of It's Good, a line of healthy beverages that are good for the body and do good for the community. 

“During a year of great loneliness and despair, at Plywood Place I found myself meeting lots of amazing new people,” said Natalie Cataldo, Student Success Manager at Digital Crafts. “To me, being a part of a community doesn't just mean caring for the people closest to me. It also means welcoming the new people I come across. I’m so grateful to be a member of Plywood Place for this reason.”

“To me, Plywood is a place to refuel, connect, and grow,” said Raioni Madison, founder of 3D Girls, a nonprofit designed to educate and empower young women through mentorship. 

“Plywood is not only the place where your ideas come to life and your imagination is encouraged, but it’s also a place where you can legitimately be seen, known, loved, and belong,” said Dr. Jerome Lubbe, founder of ThriveNeuro, a functional neurology clinic. 

When asked what the new space means to him, here’s what our Founder and Executive Director Jeff Shinabarger had to say: 

“Plywood Place pushes me to keep dreaming because it’s filled with dreaming souls. Their courage pushes me past my fears. It’s filled with friends from all different spectrums of culture, stories, economics, and ethnicities. And nearly every person I meet in this space is giving their lives to purpose and love. It’s something special and hard to explain in words. It started as a building, and it’s turned into a beautiful culture of purpose." 

Like any good story, the first chapter of Plywood Place was filled with twists, turns, obstacles, and victories. And we firmly believe that for this space—and for everyone in the Plywood community—the future is good.