Meet Christopher Owens | Founder/CEO, Culture PHX + CultureHUB

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christopher Owens and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christopher, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process with launching a business begins with one simple question: what issue or problem can my business address while not only providing a service, but actually serving? As spoken word artist Truth B. Told, I use poetry to help people of all ages find their own voices while engaging, challenging and inspiring them in a variety of ways. With Culture PHX, I curate events to create fun and unique experiences while connecting community. With my latest endeavor, CultureHUB, I’m able to empower Black creatives and entrepreneurs by providing resources to launch their own businesses within a supportive community. Although the methods have evolved over time, that thought process remains consistent.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
CultureHUB is Arizona’s first Black-owned co-working space engineered to be a culturally safe space for Black creatives, professionals and entrepreneurs, Fewer than 2% of all co-working spaces nationwide are Black owned; to date fewer than sixty (60) that exist. I’m excited–and proud– to join that tiny fraction of businesses with the intent to not only grow those numbers but grow the number of Black-owned businesses in this nation, thus strengthening the impact, resources, opportunities and jobs these businesses can provide to our communities.

I got to where I am today by being specific with my goals and doing the hard work to achieve them. Of course it wasn’t easy, nothing worth achieving ever is. I made plenty mistakes and those lessons provided me the opportunity to learn, evolve and grow into a better businessman. You often hear people speak of “manifesting” success which to me sounds more like wishing if you’re looking for a shortcut or not willing to put the time in to reach your goals. One of the major things I’ve learned is that when challenges arise (and they will), you have to be willing to adapt, ask questions, recalculate and re-strategize. If you are willing to learn and step outside your comfort zone, you can become an unstoppable force.

What I want the world to know about CultureHUB is that we are a culturally safe space for Black people that is welcoming to everyone who subscribes to the ideology that we all should have collaborative, supportive environments. Having spaces that are intentionally inclusive are vital to the success of all communities in this nation, and whether your path is corporate or professional, you have a home here at CultureHUB.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The first place we’re going to hang out at is CultureHUB! After that we’d spend the rest of the first day hitting up all the amazing places on Grand Ave (too many great places on that street to name, so visit them all). We’d definitely have to get some golfing in, eat at Latha, Lo-Lo’s, Testal, grab some drinks at Bitter & Twisted plus wherever Dj My GodComplex is spinning at, take a walk at Papago Park, hit up a game depending on the time of year-Mercury, Suns, D-Backs, doesn’t matter, they’re all fun-and also check out whatever events are happening that weekend, because they’re so much going on out here.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are far too many people to list, but I’ll keep it to three people: Thank you Mary Currie for laying the foundation and training me on how to lead and how to serve. Thank you Rev. Ulysses “Jun” Jones III (RIP) for believing in my magic at a time when I didn’t believe in myself. Thank you to James Linton for providing a launchpad for my career and for teaching me how a business can be an effective tool to serve the community.

Website: www.culturehubphx.com

Instagram: @culturehubphx

Image Credits
Image Credits: head shot, top left and bottom right, KEY Media; top right, Rashad Kareem; bottom left, Travis White