Why Lincoln’s Entrepreneurs Need More Than Grit: Elevator and the Rise of Intentional Workspaces
By Joseph Kenney | June 2025
There’s a lot of buzz in Lincoln this summer — and it’s not just about Husker football.
While Matt Rhule is scheming for fall Saturdays, another game-changer is drawing up plays of his own. Enter Emiliano Lerda, co-founder of Elevator, one of the fastest-growing co-warehousing companies in North America. But this isn’t about touchdowns. It’s about transformation.
Because in Lincoln — where small business grit has long outpaced its infrastructure — Elevator is preparing to deliver something the city’s founders have needed for a long time: intentional space designed for serious growth.
And much like a football team needs more than heart to win, Entrepreneurs need more than hustle to scale.
From “Work Anywhere” to Work Somewhere That Works
We’ve spent the last decade celebrating the garage startup, the laptop nomad, the café CEO. That era romanticized the idea that great companies could be built anywhere. And while that freedom was powerful, it also came at a cost.
Through my research tracking over 200 startups across the Midwest, I’ve seen a pattern repeat: the most successful founders graduate from “anywhere” to “intentional.”
Intentional workspaces — like those Elevator builds in Omaha, Des Moines, and now Lincoln — aren’t just cool offices with good coffee. They’re productivity accelerators. Decision-making enhancers. Burnout buffers. Growth engines.
This isn’t real estate — it’s ROI realigned.
Lincoln’s Founders Have the Fire. Now They’re Getting the Fuel.
Lincoln has always been a city of doers. Founders bootstrapping at the kitchen table. Creators managing inventory from their living rooms. Hustlers answering client calls between Target runs.
But here’s the thing: grit isn’t enough anymore. Not if you want to scale.
What Lincoln has been missing is infrastructure that matches its entrepreneurial ambition. Not corporate towers. Not chaotic coworking lounges. Something in-between. Something built for the modern business builder.
Later this year, Elevator will open a 25,000+ sq ft flagship on the top floor of the Atrium Building — delivering the kind of professional, flexible, logistics-enabled workspace that changes how founders build.
Offices, co-warehousing bays, shipping stations, and yes — a rooftop deck where business planning might just compete with fall football tailgates.
Matt Rhule Isn’t the Only One Making Off-Season Moves
Lincoln’s economic playbook is evolving — and Elevator is calling a bold audible.
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With locations already thriving in Omaha and Des Moines — and expanding into Kansas City and St. Louis — Elevator is leading a workspace revolution rooted in psychology, data, and what actually works for modern entrepreneurs.
That leadership was recently recognized when Elevator was named one of the Top 13 Co-Warehousing Companies in North America by Optix, a global leader in flexible workspace technology.
And as we noted earlier this year at MindMyBusinessNYC.com in our report on The Co-Warehousing Multiplier Effect, Elevator has become a national model — one that even New York City-based operators are learning from.
More Than Just Co-Warehousing in Lincoln
This isn’t about real estate. This is about identity.
When you move your business into a place designed for performance, your mindset changes. You see yourself not as a freelancer, a hustler, or a solo act — but as a builder. That shift alone opens new levels of strategy, pricing, positioning, and leadership.
And the best part? Elevator isn’t asking for five-year leases or six-figure build-outs. Their model is month-to-month, plug-and-play, scale-as-you-go.
Whether you need a small office space for rent in Lincoln, a 400 sq ft warehouse bay, or a collaborative launchpad for your e-commerce brand — Elevator’s new Atrium location is built to flex with you.
The Real Scoreboard: Data That Matters
My own research into workspace performance has shown that founders who transition into intentional workspaces see real, measurable wins:
📈 26% faster sales cycles
📈 34% increase in average contract value
📉 41% reduction in burnout
📈 22% higher early-team retention
These aren’t vanity stats. These are performance metrics that separate long-term success from short-term burnout.
The Game Is Changing. Are You Playing to Win?
You don’t have to stop being scrappy. You don’t need to ditch flexibility.
But if you’re building something real — whether it’s a marketing consultancy, a DTC brand, a tech firm, or a logistics startup — it’s time to think like a pro.
Matt Rhule doesn’t run game day plays from his basement.
Neither should you.
Lincoln’s entrepreneurial scene is heating up. And with Elevator opening its doors this year, you’ll have a new home field advantage.
Ready to run your business from somewhere built to help you grow?
Join the waitlist at ElevatorSpaces.com
Because in this city, it’s not just Husker football that’s building for the future.
