Better, Together

Jonathan Swindle, Avery Pfeiffer, and Liza Wisner all have very different backgrounds and skill-sets. Swindle, a Bishop-native who attended college in Maine, is the President and Founder of Hi-Res Media Group, a marketing firm in uptown Corpus Christi. Pfeiffer hails from Flour Bluff and, after attending the University of Texas-San Antonio, founded his own software development company, Lionsoft. Last but not least, Liza Wisner found her way to the United States from Kenya, works for the City of Corpus Christi, and founded a non-profit organization Power-Up, which helps bring access to technology to low income areas in Kenya.

Axom Foundry is a co-working space based in uptown Corpus Christi and its goal is simply to give “freelancers, entrepreneurs, and early-stage companies the space and tools they need to grow their businesses,” says Swindle.

For those who have a great idea they need to get off the ground—whether it be an app, a small business or otherwise—Axom Foundry is committed to providing an affordable workspace where one has access to essential resources and can be surrounded by like-minded, ambitious, and talented to people. Creating this environment is key to Axom Foundry. Pfeiffer believes that not only will this space help entrepreneurs create the best product possible, but it will “lower the barrier of entry.” Providing easier access to information about founding your own company and giving access to those who have experience can help newcomers get started to reach their goals faster. The key is “acceleration, not re-inventing the wheel,” says Wisner.

“Other small business incubators require its members to submit monthly reports about revenue and other details surrounding the business because they’re publicly funded incubators. We hope Axom to be a private sector alternative where there’s no formal accountability. We believe that this will help our members make the most out of their very valuable time spent here,” says Swindle. 

These ideas manifest themselves into reality via a number of different services Axom Foundry provides. First and foremost, the existence of Axom Foundry not only gives its members a desk, Wi-Fi, coffee, and other amenities, but it gives them access to Axom’s founders—successful business owners who are there to help answer questions and demystify the start-up process. Renting a hot desk (the most basic level of membership), a dedicated desk, or an open or private office not only puts you in a space with like-minded individuals with their own ideas and ambitions, but Axom hopes creating this space will foster an environment in which members hold each other accountable to reach their goals. 

Most importantly, Axom hopes to create a network of ambitious creatives in Corpus Christi and the surrounding Coastal Bend area. “We want to be the connectors,” says Wisner. By creating a network of people with specialized skills, Axom’s founders hope they can erase the competitive mind-set of local talent working against each other, and bring those talents together to help bring more money and bigger projects into Corpus Christi.

The question begs, how did such a diverse, seemingly unconnected group of people come together and what exactly are they up to? The answer is very simple, in fact it’s only two words: Axom Foundry.

Axom will soft-launch this month and be at full operating status by January, according to its founders. They will offer a variety of services including dedicated personal workspace, access to a photography studio, mentorships, networking, and more.