About Summer with Skandy

This blog is part of the Summer with Skandy series, highlighting the experiences of participants in the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s summer programs at Washington University in St. Louis.

Throughout the summer, Launchpad founders, Launchpad interns, and Skandalaris Internship Program (SkIP) participants work alongside startups, innovators, and entrepreneurs across the St. Louis region while engaging in professional development, networking, and entrepreneurial programming through the Skandalaris Center.

The Summer with Skandy series offers a firsthand look at the ventures, organizations, and experiences shaping the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurial leaders.

What Kre8 Spaces Is Teaching Me About Building a Business That Shows Up for People

Author: Shivam Patel (MS ’26)

There is no shortage of creative people, artists and musicians in St. Louis. What has often been missing, however, is access to the spaces and resources needed to turn creativity into opportunity.

That challenge is exactly what Kre8 Spaces was built to address, and it’s one of the reasons I chose to spend my summer interning with the company. As someone interested in entrepreneurship and community building, I was drawn to a venture that treats creative infrastructure with the same level of importance that many startups place on product development.

About Kre8 Spaces

Founded in 2021 by U.S. Navy veteran and local artist Quintrel Brown alongside two fellow creatives, Kre8 Spaces is a collaborative coworking space and event venue located in Downtown West St. Louis.

The company’s mission is rooted in a simple but significant problem: many artists, entrepreneurs and creators struggle to access professional spaces and audiences until they have already established themselves. Without affordable venues, studios or opportunities to showcase their work, it can be difficult to gain momentum.

Kre8 Spaces offers a solution by providing a centralized location where individuals can host events, create content, collaborate with others and become part of a larger creative community. Beyond providing physical space, the organization regularly hosts events and showcases that give artists opportunities to share their work and build lasting connections.

Although still a relatively young, founder-led venture, Kre8 Spaces has already earned recognition as one of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Top 100 Small Businesses.

My Role

This summer, I am supporting Kre8 Spaces through business development initiatives focused on identifying and cultivating new partnerships throughout the St. Louis region.

My work involves researching organizations within the arts, nonprofit and small business communities to better understand their needs and how Kre8 Spaces can support them. Rather than creating broad prospect lists, I help develop targeted outreach strategies tailored to specific audiences, whether they are seeking rehearsal space, event venues, podcast studios or creative collaboration opportunities.

From there, I assist with outreach materials and work alongside the team to prepare for conversations with prospective partners.

What I’m Learning

My experience at Kre8 Spaces has reinforced several important lessons about entrepreneurship and business development.

Every Product Requires Outreach

One of the biggest misconceptions about startups is that a great product will sell itself. In reality, even a service that seems like an obvious solution—such as affordable creative space—requires thoughtful outreach, relationship building and ongoing communication.

Targeted Efforts Produce Better Results

I’ve also learned that a focused approach is far more effective than a broad one. One meaningful conversation with the right organization can generate more impact than dozens of generic emails sent to the wrong audience.

Trust Takes Time

Perhaps most importantly, I’ve seen that partnerships and collaborations develop through consistency and trust. Building relationships requires patience, follow-up and a genuine commitment to understanding the needs of others.

Why It Matters

“I love art. I love serving. I love helping people with their ideas.”

— Quintrel Brown, Founder, Kre8 Spaces

What stands out most about Kre8 Spaces is that the company is focused on more than simply filling a calendar with events.

Its mission is to build the infrastructure that allows the creative economy to grow and sustain itself. A performance can lead to a new opportunity. A connection can lead to a collaboration. A successful artist can become a mentor for someone just beginning their journey.

Creating that kind of ecosystem is more challenging than operating a venue alone, but it is also what makes the work meaningful.

Looking Ahead

When I began this internship, I expected to learn about event logistics and venue operations. While I’ve certainly gained insight into those areas, I’ve also developed a much deeper understanding of how early-stage companies grow.

Growth rarely comes from a single breakthrough moment. More often, it comes from consistent effort, thoughtful outreach and relationships built over time.

With several weeks remaining before my internship concludes on August 7, I am excited to continue building on the partnerships and conversations that began this summer. No matter where my career takes me, the lessons I’ve learned at Kre8 Spaces about community, trust and entrepreneurship will stay with me long after the internship ends.

About The Skandalaris Center

The Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Washington University in St. Louis empowers students, faculty, researchers and alumni to explore innovation, launch ventures and create meaningful impact. Through experiential learning, startup programs, mentorship, funding opportunities and a vibrant network of entrepreneurs and industry leaders, the Skandalaris Center helps transform ideas into action and prepares the next generation of innovators to solve complex challenges and build thriving ventures.