Elena Hutson, manager of Serendipity Labs in Clayton (8112 Maryland), focuses on creating a welcoming and inclusive coworking environment. She says every person who walks through the door—whether a member or a visitor—should feel like they belong. Hutson also enjoys bringing people together through regular events, from networking sessions to pop-up coffee shops, that help build a sense of community.
The Clayton Community Spotlight is part of SLM’s free, weekly Clayton newsletter. Sign up below to get it in your inbox every Thursday.
Discover the latest Clayton news and events
Subscribe to the Clayton newsletter, sent every Thursday.
Organization: Serendipity Labs – Clayton
Title: Manager
Interests / Hobbies: Triathlons, painting, pickleball, cooking. Just to name a few!
What motivated you to get involved in this work/community/activity? I was looking for a role in operations, and the coworking space intrigued me! I didn’t exactly know what coworking was, or how beneficial it could be to people and the community until I started working at Serendipity Labs.
What values or principles guide how you show up in this role/community? It’s really important to me to make people feel welcomed and know they belong here. Our goal is to make sure each person that walks through our door is greeted like any other; no matter if you’re coming in to tour, or just delivering lunch to one of our members. Integrity and transparency are also two of my driving principles in my everyday life. If I’m showing up honoring these principles daily, I know I’ll be able to sleep well at night.
What’s the most enjoyable aspect? The people! I say it all the time: I want to love where I work, and the people around you can make or break that. The fact that we have so many incredible members in our space makes it that much more enjoyable to show up every single day.
Can you briefly share a few standout memories? Our events definitely make it fun to be at Serendipity Labs. We host a monthly networking event, Bagels & Business Networking, which has been growing since last May. E’terea Café comes in twice a month to setup up a coffee pop-up in our Lab cafe, which naturally promotes community and camaraderie. We always have fun with our member events, from Taco Tuesdays to random Happy Hours. We always have something to look forward to!
Can you share an insight about this role that most people don’t know? We run this location like it’s our own business. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to uphold the standards we give. Our small onsite team handles everything from social media to mail handling, to business development and budget management.
What’s one key piece of advice you’ve embraced? Slow down. Things don’t need to be done moving 100 miles per hour. We often miss the most important things when we’re moving fast, and it never allows us to fully be present or mindful. I have to remind myself of this constantly; how am I enjoying this role and life if I’m just rushing through it all? The answer is – I’m not. When I take the time to slow it down, I not only become a calmer and clearer minded person, but I find myself enjoying the day to day a whole lot more.
What’s the greatest challenge? Because we have so much going on constantly, and we’re pulled in multiple different directions consistently, it can be hard to manage tasks and get things done in one sitting.
Where do you find inspiration? I find inspiration through our members, as well as the growth and development of our location. I’m constantly asking myself and my team this: How can we make this a better place for anyone to work in? Having the tools and support to make real moves and changes as needed goes a long way.
What are your future plans or ambitions? My plan is to continue fostering an incredible work environment that allows working people to remain productive and inspired themselves. We see so many individuals and companies start to thrive and grow when they begin working at Serendipity Labs. If I can continue to provide this kind of space where people love to be, that’s really all I can ask for.
