Eduard is the founder of Cocoon Flex Spaces, a company that manages bookable spaces in New York City. Eduard started Cocoon Flex Spaces in 2016 and has grown to list 29 spaces around New York, now leading a team of seven full time employees, in addition to a talented team of contractors. Peerspace has been an important contributor to that growth, and Eduard and team have now hosted hundreds of Peerspace guests for photo shoots, video shoots, meetings, birthday parties, weddings and more.
“My first booking with Peerspace was 8 years ago, it was in May 2016. My background is in interior design and architecture, and I had my own studio that I was testing,” said Eduard. “I was constantly redesigning the space and trying to monetize it, and that’s when Peerspace landed in NYC. I liked getting bookings through Peerspace, and from there, I started building this business of managing many, many properties.”
As Eduard’s studio took off for photoshoot bookings, Cocoon Flex Spaces expanded into meetings and events, and are now experts in all three activity types. As Eduard received more bookings for photoshoots, meetings, and events, he realized that while each activity is different, there was an important throughline for providing a great experience for guests, regardless of activity: offering the right add-ons.
“When I started, we only charged for space rental, but when we started having multiple properties, we realized that it was very important to have someone onsite,” said Eduard. “This ensures guests follow the guidelines, but also ensures we’re providing great service to guests. We require a studio manager or event coordinator add-on for every booking, and guests love it. As a result, what we offer is super close to booking a professional studio or event space.”
Eduard’s add-ons have added thousands of dollars to his business, and in turn have allowed him to provide a top tier experience for guests.
“Having someone onsite changed the whole game for us,” Eduard said of the ‘Casa Manager’ add-on. “Without them, it would be chaotic. Personal events especially are so emotional and every detail is so important to guests. If you’re hosting a wedding, you’re likely booking ten months to a year in advance. You don’t want someone who is in the wedding party handling the questions or directing guests when they start arriving. The Casa Manager knows everything about how the space works. They know where to direct guests, how the A/V works, how to operate the waterfall in our space, they can advise on the right layout for the space, and they can help manage vendors, caterers, and servers.”
The same logic applies for production shoots and meetings: having an expert in the space can help ensure a smooth experience for guests.
“When you have a massive two-day commercial shoot for a company like Apple, they are probably spending seven figures between talent, equipment, and property rentals. They appreciate the professional approach. This type of add-on is really good for guests in all categories.”
Eduard’s event bookings speak for themselves – he’s hosted weddings, brand activations, commercial shoots, video shoots and more. He recently worked with Pepsi to plan a company offsite including a cooking workshop and team-building activities, and in 2019 he hosted Vice President Kamala Harris for a video shoot during her presidential run.
Add-ons have helped grow Eduard’s business, and to be able to look ahead to the future of the business.
“We see a lot of repeat clients across our spaces,” he said. “We have 29 properties now, and we see a lot of guests rebooking and looking at our other spaces. We have a strong foundation to continue growing – we’re aiming to have 100 properties in the next two years.”
Check out Eduard’s spaces here. Interested in creating add-ons for your space? Hosts can learn more about add-ons here, and find a step-by-step guide for creating add-ons here.
