BRITT RILEY is one of three founding members of The Coggeshall Club LLC, which has been honored with the Emerging Leader Award from the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce. Based in Middletown, the club offers child care, workspaces and fitness under one roof. The Chamber presents business awards annually to honor achievements in the Greater Newport region. Riley said the club is a first-of-its-kind, fully licensed day care facility that offers unlimited coworking and fitness to all member families. She said the club was created to support the modern family, bolster its foundation and disrupt the way we approach child care and work.
What was your reaction to The Coggeshall Club being awarded the Emerging Leader Award? We were thrilled. When we developed this concept, we knew that child care – and thus, family care – was an issue that was in dire need of being addressed, but there are always unknowns when you’re bucking tradition and starting something new. We have been overwhelmed by the reception of The Coggeshall Club within our community; it is so fulfilling to know that we are meeting a need for so many families. Being recognized by other business-minded people with this award is further validation that we are doing the right thing.
Why do you think the Chamber honored your business with this award? With The Coggeshall Club, we are tackling an issue that resonates with so many; one that serves professionals and their families in a way that positively impacts the quality of life on Aquidneck Island and beyond. We are directly and indirectly creating jobs and attracting and retaining talent: we have hired approximately 20 positions at our pilot club and are helping parents who may not otherwise work stay in the workforce. Some members, including many military spouses, have been using their time here to hatch new businesses. The club has become a haven for remote employees of national companies and is an incentive to keep them living on-island.
What makes your business unique and attractive to your clients? The Coggeshall Club is a place where parents can work in a comfortable and professional setting [and] squeeze in a workout, whether that be Peloton fitness, streaming or in-person yoga or Pilates classes, strength training and more, while being only one soundproofed floor away from their child, who is in the care of our expert, career early-childhood caregivers.
Do you have plans to expand your business to accommodate a greater audience in the Newport community or elsewhere? Yes, we do. The Coggeshall Club is a member of the Haven Collection of Clubs, which is currently working to expand access to our services across the New England region. We are working on building another three to four clubs here in Rhode Island and some [are] in the works outside of Boston … for 2020 openings. Our big-picture goal is to shift the pendulum in the child care industry by helping 100,000 families thrive during their first five years, in the next five years.
