Author: admin-triangle-loft

Urban Venues Set the Stage for Communicating Big Messages

In today’s fast-paced and constantly evolving world, effective communication is more important than ever. And what better way to capture attention and deliver impactful messages than in the heart of an urban city, especially when the venue is located in the trendy Meatpacking district in New York City! Urban venues and event spaces, such as Triangle Loft come with a modern aesthetic and seductive feel, and have become a popular choice for hosting big conversations. They offer a dynamic and vibrant backdrop that reflects the energy and diversity of the landscape. These venues not only attract a diverse audience but also provide a unique platform for communicating big messages that can resonate with people from all walks of life. Below describes the appeal of these urban venues and how they set the stage for powerful and meaningful conversations.

Urban venues in trendy neighborhoods, such as the Meatpacking District in New York City, offer the perfect setting for big conversations and events. These venues and spaces, with their speakeasy vibe, inspirational space, and inclusive feels, are especially good at breaking down barriers and creating a welcoming and engaging atmosphere for impactful discussions. The trendy neighborhood adds an extra level of appeal, attracting a diverse audience and creating a buzz around the event. In these speakeasy-like event spaces, conversations come alive, ideas flow freely, and big messages find their voice.

Urban venues in the heart of bustling cities offer a unique platform for facilitating big conversations and events. These spaces provide a flexible and engaging environment, allowing for meaningful discussions and the exchange of ideas. Their special vibes and trendy decor create an inviting atmosphere, encouraging attendees to actively and freely participate in conversations. With their prime location in vibrant neighborhoods, these venues attract a multi-faceted audience, further enhancing the richness of the discourse. The role of urban venues in facilitating these big conversations is invaluable, as they provide the perfect backdrop for impactful messages to resonate and inspire action.

Last year Triangle Loft had the honor of hosting a TED workshop and fireside chat that featured Former Vice President Al Gore. “From what I remember, VP Al Gore delivered powerful messages about global warming and climate change and the impact it has had and will have in years to come. The workshops and fireside chats were held in our loft-like space on the 5th floor and provided an intimate and engaging atmosphere for the attendees”. These discussions have attracted big names from various fields, creating a diverse and free-speaking environment for those exchanging ideas and driving change. These real-life examples demonstrate the potential of urban venues to host impactful discussions and inspire meaningful action.

Featured Image: Little FlatIron Building

Curator eKow Baiden speaks on creativity, diversity, and connection.

Meet eKow, a stylish and charismatic art curator at Triangle Loft, a colorful and unique event space in the heart of New York City. With his lightness, playfulness, and connector spirit, eKow reminded me of Hermes, the Greek god of commerce and travel throughout my conversation with him.

I first met eKow at Triangle Loft, where he curated an interactive and breathtaking art show with a group of Mexican artists. The exhibition celebrated Mexican stories, culture, and spirituality through captivating artwork and photography. The atmosphere of the art show felt warm and serene, reminiscent of the color orange. I recall being drawn to one interactive piece by a Mexican artist featuring candles of different shapes, sizes, and hues (white, cream, and light pink) scattered on the ground, emanating pretty, bright flames. Attendees were invited to light the candles and set an intention, making the experience personal and meaningful.

The art show was a remarkable display of creativity, and I was left wondering who the mastermind behind it was. It turned out that the curator was none other than eKow. I had the pleasure of sitting down with him to discuss the event and his experience as an art curator at Triangle Loft. I was amazed to learn that the Mexican exhibition was just one of the many ideas and stories he has been a part of.

During our conversation, eKow opened up about his path from finance to events marketing, which eventually led to him starting his own creative agency. He described the journey as a “beautiful struggle” and emphasized the importance of doing everything in your power to stay in New York City as a creative professional, especially if you come from another city. Having made the move from Atlanta in 2008, he had to act quickly to support his career transition from finance to art curation and event planning.

Despite the challenges, eKow’s infectious energy and effortless communication style have helped him build extensive relationships with artists, creators, musicians, and even United Nations ambassadors, which surprised me during our conversation. Like Hermes, he is a “serial connector” who thrives on meeting unique and diverse people and creating spaces that unite them.

During our interview, eKow’s storytelling was just as colorful as the events he curated in Triangle Loft. He shared his curiosity and joy from working on events like the Mexican art show and others, such as Erotic Eating for Couples and Black History Month events that infused poetry, instrumentals, and visual installations. He has a passion for traveling, and his experiences and knowledge about different cultures and unique people, and scenes around the city and elsewhere add to his creative edge.

When I asked eKow if his career transition was worth it, he laughed and said, “I mean, I don’t have a yacht or anything, but it has been good.” But to me, it’s clear that eKow is being modest. He is exceptionally talented at bringing unique people and experiences together for his clients and Triangle Loft. It takes skill and creativity to connect many groups, ideas, and conversations for unique experiences like the ones he curates.

“I love the diversity of the events I work on,” eKow says. “It’s what makes my job so exciting. There’s always something new and interesting to explore. I love working with people from different backgrounds and seeing what happens. You have to go for it, and do things that may make you uncomfortable sometimes, and listen to people.”

And it’s not just eKow who brings magic to Triangle Loft. The space is a hub for creativity and connection, with people like eKow curating events that impact everyone who attends. Triangle Loft is truly a unique space that attracts creative minds and fosters an atmosphere of innovation and inspiration.

So if you’re looking for an event space that’s more than just four walls and a roof, look no further than Triangle Loft. With art curators like eKow at the helm, you can trust that your event will be an experience you and your guests will never forget.

Interested to learn more about eKow’s work? Check out his Creative Agency at: www.ekosysteminc.com

What is your biggest advice to women entrepreneurs who are working professionally? 

As I wrapped up my conversation with Karen, I asked her to tell me her most extensive advice for women. She tells me to always remember my essence. She tells me, “I have always been a square peg in a round hole, especially back in the day. It wasn’t difficult to work in corporate, but people I worked with had a love/hate relationship with me because I didn’t play the part very well.” Triangle Loft has become a place where she says she can work hard but also experiment with ideas and foster creativity among herself and her team members. Karen says that it is crucial that everyone speaks up and shares thoughts because Triangle Loft is inclusive of everyone’s voice, especially for the team to work smoothly and equally. She says, “We have to help and support each other. Triangle Loft is where Wall Street meets the Mainstreet; everyone deserves to be in this space if they have good intentions. It needs to be inclusive to everyone”. 

My conversation with Karen was thought-provoking and inspiring as a young woman starting her professional career. Karen inspires you. Her presence demonstrates the leadership I hope to hold one day. Karen is confident and able to make people she works with trust her and their abilities to contribute to Triangle Loft’s mission and purpose. She finally tells me at the end of our discussion that you must be stern and demanding as a woman. There are nights Karen admits to coming home and feeling her stomach turn. This duality she presents is so human and especially important for women to see. Someone as bold and self-assured as Karen still has days where she is overwhelmed by business decisions or even personal emotions and life taking a toll on her business. These challenges are part of being a woman in business and holding a leadership role. However, it does not stop her from keeping faith in herself and her team. I admire Karen’s honesty and humility in speaking about her experiences and sharing her advice with me. It is always refreshing to see a woman successfully running her business.

Written by Nada Elrhalami.

Nada lives in New York City. She holds a Master’s in Global Affairs and International Development from New York University. She is a global storyteller, interviewer, and consultant at Radical Flexibility Fund working on blockchain for social impact research and development. Nada is an avid traveler and futboler, and she loves taking film photos of her friends around the city. 

Featured Image: Karen Genauer (left) + Hayley Solomon (right)

 

What inspired you to start your own business? Did you always want to be a businesswoman and have your own event space? 

When the concept of Triangle Loft first came to fruition, it was because Karen lost her job like many others during Covid. She shared with me that she went from corporate event planning and hospitality to running the event space of Triangle Loft. I asked her if there were any doubts or anxiety about creating the business. She tells me, “Of course. I cried and just looked at this empty loft with my few pieces of furniture and was like now what?” She tells me she went that same day on a walk with her dog around the Meatpacking District and asked herself, “how the hell will I create a business as a woman my age?” The idea of Triangle Loft came as she walked around and started noticing the street art. Karen says, “I always was interested in local artists and street art. I started writing down Instagram handles that day, went back to the loft, and started reaching out to artists, asking them how can we support each other?” I see Karen as a creative herself. During a time of uncertainty with covid, she started the business from the ground up– painting her new business on a fresh white canvas. She was savvy as an entrepreneur pulling together contacts and trying to build a creative community around the concept of having an event space that would generate revenue to house the work of local artists. 

Early on, Triangle Loft was all about survival before, Karen tells me. She says the loft’s landlord believed in her to start this business. She says, “I had not received a paycheck in months because of covid. All I knew was how to work hospitality and events. It was my life, but who can hire me now as a woman my age?” She says, “People tell me I have a big mouth.” Karen’s self-doubt about the job market reflects the more significant societal problems of discrimination against women who speak their minds boldly in the male-dominated corporate industry, especially among women in her generation. It is a ridiculous societal prejudice, as women like Karen have what it takes to run a successful business and rebrand themselves after a career pivot.  

Karen mentions that the first several months of the business were about proving herself as a businesswoman and surviving as a business. She said she spent her days making calls and strategizing with local artists in the city, art curators, local restaurants for catering events, chefs, and bartenders. Karen also worked tirelessly to build trust within her new community of creatives and business partners. She tells me, “For the first time in my life, I started believing in karma and that what you put out there, you will receive back.” As she speaks, I can see how Karen’s determination and skillfulness lead her to take an idea and create something tangible. She recognized the floating pieces around her by listening and responding to the first few events at the Triangle Loft and then took negative and positive feedback to adapt and grow her business. 

Karen is a true entrepreneur, evident in her boldness and leadership qualities. She likes to think she defies what is considered appropriate for women her age and tells me her most significant advice is to always stick to your self-worth and personal essence. From her past professional experience, she said she was often considered too assertive or even abrasive. Karen’s firm conviction and self-assurance make people uncomfortable who expect women to be quiet and less opinionated. Karen rejects those assertions about being a woman in society. She has a humble nature and generosity, evident in how she offers a space for local artists to house their pieces. At the same time, she runs corporate events at Triangle Loft that bring in the business’s revenue. 

Karen tells me it wasn’t always easy for her as a woman working and demanding leadership roles and for her ideas to be taken seriously. She tells me that her experience working in corporate early on in her career was tough. She says, “I was known as cocky if I knew the answer, and other times it was assumed I did not know enough. She says Triangle Loft enabled her to return to her essence and own her ideas and creativity. She is proud of her business today and says it is a chance for her to take charge of how she wants to work professionally. She explains that women around the loft space seemed inspired by the business’ growth and liked it. Karen notices that women see the evolution of Triangle Loft from when the business was just shooting from the hip to now when the business has become more organized. Karen is happy that now she works in an area that professionally supports women’s evolution. She wants a space that empowers women and gives them a chance to transform professionally and unapologetically in a male-dominated industry.

Written by: Nada Elrhalami

Photo credits: Virginie Carolina @virginiecarolina

A Conversation with Karen Genauer, the creative mind behind Triangle Loft, on running the business 

Triangle Loft’s perplexing ambiance hits you as soon as you step onto the 5th-floor elevator of the Little Flatiron Building. The business creator behind Triangle Loft, Karen Genauer, describes the loft as an “exclusively inclusive” multifunctional creative space for New York’s local art scene. Undeniably, Triangle Loft lives up to this description. When you walk towards the historic building at the heart of the Meatpacking District, the Director of Security, Omar, stands outside what looks like an entrance exclusively for owners or people with special access to the building. No signs or flashy lights indicate that you have arrived at the door, only the warm and friendly smile of a protective-looking security guard that stands ready to invite you up to the fifth floor of the building. When you get off the elevator, Triangle Loft’s second “director of security,” Yofi, a tiny little dog, welcomes you with a couple of sniffs at your feet. 

There is a particular magic to the space. The loft’s atmosphere is effortlessly relaxed and inviting. A wide navy sofa opens the area giving Triangle Loft a comfortable and homey feel. Each corner of the loft is filled with unique and eccentric art pieces. The paintings hang between each of the loft’s large ceiling-high windows and take after the street art and graffiti seen right outside the building. The funky colorful portraits showcase diverse muses as artists’ subjects that fill the space. A glass wall separates the conference room from the open lounge area. It is covered with painted geometric shapes which illustrate the unconventional nature of the working space that is a part of the loft. Triangle Loft has a unique character and personality that reflects its true nature as an inclusive home for all different types of local artists and their pieces. 

I find Karen sitting at the bar, working on Triangle Loft’s daily business management. She periodically interrupts her laptop work to answer incoming phone calls. As I get ready to sit down and start the interview with Karen, she gets up and starts moving around the loft swiftly and naturally as she wraps up a few more tasks. I already see how she runs the space. Karen is spunky and audacious. Triangle Loft is her creative child– she has an undeniably primal and motherly love for the loft and her Triangle Loft team. As Karen moves around the room, her curly blonde hair tends to bounce freely and independently, just like her. Karen quickly shows that she is daring and comfortable with her opinions. She has an admirable self-assuredness and superpower in running things at Triangle Loft. As I watch her, I imagine her aura bright yellow like the sun, feeding energy and vitality to the loft with every stride. When Karen sits down for our discussion, she yells out her last bit of instructions to the men in the back of the space who are moving some equipment to the bottom floor of the building. She faces me with sharp, engaging eye contact, ready to speak.

Written by: Nada Elrhalami