From Dream to Reality: The Journey to Havn Co.

It all started in 2018.

Let’s set the stage, shall we? At the time, my business – Kōvly Studio – included a team of two. Our “offices” ranged from our spare bedrooms to back storage rooms, where our clients set up folding tables to meet with us.

We drove from meeting to meeting, with one person behind the wheel and the other updating client documents and preparing for the next meeting during the drive. At the end of the day, we’d stop at a local coffee shop to take advantage of their free Wi-Fi and cram in as much actual work as possible before driving back home and working for a few more hours to stay on schedule with project deadlines.

It worked… kind of. But it was wildly inefficient and – to be totally honest – pretty lonely. As a small business owner, I constantly felt like I was on an island; no one to talk to, no one to create with and bounce ideas off of.

But I also wasn’t in a place to really justify an office for a team of two who lived two hours from each other.

And so, the only natural thing to do was to write a business plan.

Our community had a couple of workspace options. Both leaned more toward separate offices and spaces for individuals and teams. This is an amazing option for many professionals, but I envisioned something different.

The business plan had dozens of pages covering everything from business structure to scalability, but where I focused most of my time was on one thing that was an absolute non-negotiable: the vibe.

Fueled by a desire to create a space that felt creative, collaborative, open, and comfortable, I knew that this would fill a needed gap in the community, and we began hunting for spaces that could fit the bill.

And then, just like that, Kōvly Studio really took off. Suddenly, we grew from a team of two to a team of six. We quickly shifted focus and found a dedicated space for our team to work. And the coworking business plan got filed away, buried deep in my computer files.

Our team continued to grow, and we signed the lease for a new space within the Bridge Plaza building in downtown Mankato. From the moment construction began, we knew that this new space would be so much more than an office for our team.

After construction was completed, we quietly shared the space with a few members and offered it for event rentals.

And it absolutely took off.

Finally, we had the opportunity to pull that dusty business plan out and create a space where the community could come together to work, meet, celebrate, and gather. With the incredible response from the community and demand for the space, we knew we needed to lean in and make the space its own business.

And with that, Havn Co. (“hay-ven co”) was born.

Havn Co. is more than a coworking and event space. It’s a community. It is home to several workspace members ranging from marketing and photography to interior design. The space is also commonly used for bridal and baby showers, groom’s dinners, birthdays, and other celebrations and events.

Nadine V., an event rental guest, shared, “I rented [Havn Co.] for a baby shower and it was just perfect. The space is beautiful, clean and organized, and comes with all the essentials like event chairs, and stunning tables. We loved the great location and natural light of the space. I highly recommend booking the studio for your next event. I’m already thinking about my next one!”

We are honored to help reignite a sense of community and belonging within the bustling Mankato community. This has already been an amazing journey, and we can’t wait to see the impact that this new business will have.

Welcome to the community. The journey is just beginning.

Brittany, Founder and CEO