Empowering entrepreneurs: The Cannon’s unique approach to community building

Photo courtesy of The Cannon

Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.

The Cannon is an initiative focused on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, initially rooted in Houston, Texas, but with ambitions to expand globally. Its journey began in 2017 with a mission to bolster the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, and since then, it has flourished into a vibrant community supporting thousands of members.

At its core, The Cannon is dedicated to two primary objectives: cultivating community and supporting growth. This commitment manifests through various services spanning innovation community facilitation, investor networking, corporate innovation assistance, and international soft-landing programs.

The Cannon’s approach encompasses both physical and digital realms. Physically, it establishes and operates innovation hubs in collaboration with real estate partners and regional governments, fostering local and regional innovation ecosystems. Digitally, it provides a robust technology platform to connect and support virtual communities, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for individuals and businesses in Houston and beyond.

The Cannon’s approach to flexible office solutions for startups involves transforming traditional real estate into dynamic community hubs. Rather than being in the real estate business itself, The Cannon acts as an operator or managed service provider, collaborating with real estate owners to offer flexible office solutions within their portfolios. This model has gained significant traction, especially in the post-pandemic landscape, where commercial real estate is aggressively seeking alternatives to more traditional, long-term lease structures.

“Now everybody understands that their real estate, current tenant base, and local community are looking for something other than a five- or ten-year lease structure. And that if they’re going to provide the resources for that community, they’ve got to have a flexible option,” says CEO Jon Lambert. 

The organization distinguishes itself from traditional co-working providers by prioritizing the community experience and facilitating meaningful connections among its members. Beyond merely providing physical space, The Cannon focuses on supporting the growth and success of the companies within its hubs. This includes assisting with talent acquisition, fundraising, marketing, and other essential aspects of business development, as well as providing a meaningful digital solution to remain connected and active within their communities.

By partnering with real estate owners, The Cannon transforms the landlord-tenant relationship into a collaborative partnership aimed at fostering long-term growth for the businesses within the community. By working closely with these owners to maximize occupancy and engagement in their spaces, The Cannon’s offerings stand out from other models. In addition, as companies within the hubs expand, they are more likely to seek additional space from the same real estate partners, creating a symbiotic relationship.

“The people running emerging businesses and small businesses or early-stage businesses can’t, nor do they have teams big enough to, do everything. So we’re the partner helping those founders, entrepreneurs, and business owners find what they need to grow their businesses,” explains Lambert.

Moving beyond real estate, The Cannon also plays a vital role in economic development by fostering organic business growth. Most economic development organizations have limited resources and, as a result, are limited to a focus on attracting larger companies to their cities. While this is a core tenet of economic development, it leaves a significant gap – the untapped potential of local entrepreneurs and startup organizations. The Cannon fills this gap by creating communities and programming to support and mobilize local entrepreneurs, effectively serving as an early-stage focus for economic development efforts.

The Cannon facilitates collaboration and innovation within city and regional ecosystems through partnerships with economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, corporations, academic institutions, and investors. This collaborative approach leverages The Cannon’s community-building and business support expertise to drive organic growth and create a thriving entrepreneurial environment.

Additionally, The Cannon’s digital platform is crucial in connecting its community members and facilitating international business expansion. By leveraging digital resources, including university partnerships and international networks, The Cannon provides entrepreneurs access to global markets and opportunities, as well as service providers and potential partnerships. This digital vertical complements the organization’s physical hubs, enhancing connectivity and collaboration across borders.

What sets The Cannon apart is its genuine passion for community building. The organization understands that the true reward is fostering connections, supporting members, and creating meaningful experiences. By acknowledging the challenges of entrepreneurship and providing holistic support, The Cannon creates an environment where members can thrive both professionally and personally.
Ultimately, The Cannon’s commitment to authentic community building sets it apart as more than just a workspace provider — it’s a place where individuals come together to collaborate, innovate, grow, and help one another achieve success. To learn more, visit www.thecannon.com