Welcome to the Neighborhood.
Second Shift was founded by Levi Baer and Nicole Vasquez in 2017. With Levi’s background in team- and community-building work and Nicole’s experience running her own coworking space, The Shift, they decided to fuse their passions and skills together and create a space where people could get their work done and feel welcomed as their authentic selves in the process.
Second Shift was named the Best Coworking Space in Chicago by the Chicago Reader after only three months of being open. In November of 2019, Second Shift was handed over to Craig Baute, who has extensive experience in the coworking industry and owns and operates three spaces in Denver, Colorado.
Meet the Team
Mary Sowa
Chicago Manager
Born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Mary came to Chicago to attend DePaul University to pursue her degree in marketing. Always striving for positive social change, Mary combines her love of aesthetics and event planning to help bring change in her community. Surrounded by her many plants – over 90 to be exact – in her spare time Mary is a social butterfly that can be found playing board games, crafting, watching movies, and baking with her friends.
Nicole
Co-Founder
Nicole Vasquez, with over a decade of community-building experience, is dedicated to uniting individuals from diverse backgrounds to collaborate and achieve their personal and professional aspirations. She authored an online course, ‘How to Plan and Launch your own Online Community,’ to empower others in creating supportive communities with shared goals. As a serial entrepreneur, Nicole’s remarkable achievements include being recognized as one of the “35 Under 35 Making an Impact in Chicago,” receiving the 46th Ward Innovator Award, the RedEye Chicago Big Idea Award for Community, and serving as a Professional Fellow through the U.S. Department of State, where she shared her expertise in building and sustaining collaborative communities during her travels in Europe. Nicole’s wealth of experience and commitment to fostering collaborative communities make her an invaluable member of our team.
Craig Baute
Owner
Craig Baute discovered the benefits of coworking back in 2010 while he was a remote worker in the great state of Michigan. He started as a member and quickly started his own space in 2011 in Denver called Creative Density. He loves Chicago and especially Logan Square.
He’s a big believer in neighborhood coworking spaces that create a community and works hard to help other coworking entrepreneurs build their own spaces with the DenSwap team.
Levi
Owner
Levi is a passionate advocate for building inclusive communities rooted in joy and happiness. He believes in celebrating people for who they are, embracing diversity, and fostering a sense of belonging. With a background in organizational development, Levi has successfully implemented these values in various settings, including co-founding and managing the Second Shift coworking space. He continues to work as a consultant, striving for racial and gender equity, innovation, and overall well-being in all the communities he touches. Levi’s commitment to creating spaces where everyone can thrive makes him an invaluable member of our team.
We believe coworking can transform neighborhoods
We have developed coworking spaces since 2011 in small towns in West Michigan to Chicago to Colorado, and even China and Mongolia. We have seen the power they have of connecting people and driving economic activity.
If you want help bringing coworking to your neighborhood or town then let’s talk.