Several years ago, Mike Thakur was working for a security company from his home office when he began experiencing cabin fever. Due to the sensitive nature of his job, he was unable to work in public and his company would not pay for an executive suite.

In 2015, thinking there must be a better way to work, Thakur opened the first location of The Work Lodge in Vintage Park in Northwest Houston. The workspace and office suites provider celebrated the grand opening of its location in The Woodlands on April 27.

“We’re trying to build an environment for business owners to be successful,” Thakur said. “[At The Work Lodge], you’re part of a community of people who do all kinds of different things but have been through similar experiences … so you’re putting yourself in a position to build meaningful relationships from which to learn.”

The Work Lodge is a membership program that allows an individual or a company to pay a flat monthly rate depending on what type of office space they want. The facility has 100 furnished offices featuring covered parking, an on-site fitness center, 24/7 security, conference rooms, common and kitchen areas, concierge and receptionist services.

The Work Lodge also hosts business workshops, educational events and happy hours with companies, such as Startup Grind and Funding Post, that allows members are able to get connected with the right people to help their businesses thrive.

Thakur said he strives to be cost-conscious and affordable for all.

“We have everything from one-man-shops all the way up to Fortune 500 companies, so we enjoy the diversity,” he said. “I hope more people see the value we have for their business because we really believe that we can create jobs. We have a good product, and we know it works.”

The Work Lodge locations in Vintage Park and in The Woodlands are just the beginning of what Thakur said he hopes will be a job-creating network in the Greater Houston area. The company is looking at new locations in Katy, Kingwood and Sugar Land.

“We want to be generous with our members, and we want our members to be generous with each other,” he said. “If they have wisdom they can share with others that will help them be successful, we believe that’s the right thing to do—not because somebody is going to pay us back, but because we’ve been blessed, so why not help someone create a better life for themselves?”