Capitol Riverfront resident Julie Weber enjoys the neighborhood both as her home and creative space. As Principal and Chief Marketing Officer of local creative digital agency Brllnt, Julie gets to walk to her office at WeWork 80 M everyday.
Why did you decide to move to Capitol Riverfront? What were you looking for in a neighborhood and a building?
My husband and I have lived in a few different areas of DC. I by chance went on a developer tour of the Arris building right after it opened. Living on the water in DC, steps away from a every single thing I needed, felt like a dream come true. My quality of life went from great to magnificent. We moved in 2 months later.
As a WeWork member, you're utilizing the coworking space at 80M in Capitol Riverfront almost everyday. What are some ways that your workspace inspires your creativity?
From the nature-infused lobbies to the plethora of white board rooms, WeWork has been an important part of Brllnt's growth and idea sessions. In under a year, we've grown from a 6 person office to a 17 person staff. Having the flexibility to accommodate our growth spurts helps give us the space and room we need to breathe, think, and build.
What is your best advice to those who are thinking about moving to the Capitol Riverfront, and to those who have just moved to the neighborhood?
You'll know true happiness when you finally stay for the ninth inning of the game, full beer in hand, because your commute home is just a stroll along the Anacostia waterfront.
What advice do you have for other DC entrepreneurs?
Pursuing a thing you love isn’t easy. For one, when you build a company based on what you love to do, it comes with a set of responsibilities that doesn’t fit the “do what you love” bill. You need to become an expert at finance, sales, HR, team building - or hire experts in these fields. My passion may be storytelling, but I spend most of my time streamlining processes, managing projects, teaching, and training. The beauty of what I get to do now is share what I love to do the most with an incredible team of people. Watching that grow is worth every bead of sweat (and tear) invested into this company.
How would you describe the neighborhood to friends and visitors?
As the perfect place in Washington, DC. I see the Capitol Building on my way to the office or grocery store. I mediate by the water, picnic in the park, stop by a ballgame, walk to Barracks Row. Now it's as if I don’t leave this neighborhood enough! It’s hard to get me out into the rest of the city. I pinch myself, sometimes, it’s that dreamy.
What is your favorite place in the neighborhood to unwind after a long day of work?
This depends on my mood. Sometimes, it’s a yoga class at Vida, a bottle of wine on my rooftop, a stroll in the park, dinner at Osteria Morini or District Winery, or just a movie at home tucked in with my dog and husband.
How do you make the most out of your weekends in Capitol Riverfront?
It’s so easy to weekend here. You can just as easily step outside and be immersed in all the things as you can stay at home to catch up on life - and not miss a beat. There could be a jazz band on a Friday night, a beer festival on a Saturday, and a day lounging in the sun on Sunday.
Describe the Capitol Riverfront in one word.
Vivacious.