The Croissant app fulfills a need that most freelancers and creatives have in enabling them to work out of different co-working locations, meet like-minded people, and engage with a creative community. I got to interview one of the co-founders Nisha Garigarn to get a glimpse into her world as it’s co-founder and learn how the app helps everyday entrepreneurs and creatives.
Hi Nisha, can you tell me a little about how you came to be the Co-founder of Croissant?
Croissant was really created because we needed it ourselves. At the time, I was working with friends on a different startup idea, and we were struggling to find coffee shops around New York City to work and focus in. We looked into coworking spaces, but since we were starting, it wasn’t realistic for us to spend hundreds of dollars on workspace we needed just once per week. We needed places with more flexibility, and there wasn’t a great option out there. So we built it ourselves!
How do you think the Croissant App will benefit entrepreneurs and freelancers?
It’s really rewarding seeing folks use Croissant as a way to help them pursue what they’re passionate about. Croissant provides the space that allows our members to make that magic happen. Members tell us that they’re able to focus better in a co-working space, balance travel and work, or even take that project or business to the next level because of Croissant.
Have you always been in the tech and marketing space?
Before Croissant, I was working full-time at a marketing agency, and I had been doing so since graduating from college. I enjoyed learning about marketing, but what I really wanted to do was work in tech and startups. I love the idea of a small group of passionate individuals working together to make their vision into a reality! However, when I started looking at marketing roles at startups, I saw that they were always looking for developers. I knew I had to learn those skills for more opportunities, so I started to learn how to code. Learning how to code opened my eyes to the myriad of opportunities out there not only for joining a startup team but also making my ideas come to life. Croissant eventually began from a hackathon project, and I really thank coding for opening my eyes to the realm of possibility.
As the Marketing Manager of a tech company, how do you balance your responsibilities?
I’m really into this management software called Notion.so. It helps me organize my weekly to-do list and keep an eye on larger projects.
We’re a remote team and creating a structure to our week helps, so we do a virtual stand-up at the beginning and end of the week to check in on each other as a whole as well. It’s a great way to celebrate wins and discuss challenges that we are having.
“Work on something you feel passionate about”
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as a start-up co-founder?
I learned early on that being a founder is a marathon, and you should treat it like one. At first, I pushed myself to work as hard as I could and be “on” all the time. I felt stressed and overwhelmed constantly. I stopped eating healthy, getting enough sleep, or working out. I knew that I was on my way to burnout, so I had to turn that around. Taking a step back, I realized that giving myself time and managing my energy level helps me, my work, and my company overall. I’ve learned that sometimes, the best thing you can do for your company is to NOT work on the company, as contradictory as that may sound!
Nisha Garigarn/Co-founder Croissant App at one of their co-working Locations
What are some lessons you’ve learned from building a product for entrepreneurs and freelancers?
I think building a product for entrepreneurs and freelancers inherently creates an engaged community for feedback. Our members are working hard on their own projects too, so they understand where we’re coming from and they want to help us make Croissant better. They’re a great resource for us, so we learned early on to listen and parse out the feedback.
What’s your advice to other founders or those looking to run their start-ups
Work on something you feel passionate about. It feeds into your company and keeps you curious and motivated every day. Croissant grew out of a need, but personally, I love working out of different places throughout my week. Whether that’s a coffee shop, my apartment, or a workspace, I find that changing it up keeps me inspired about Croissant. And it helps me understand our members too.
What will you like our readers to know about Croissant?
I see Croissant really providing space and flexibility in someone’s work schedule but also in work-lifestyle too. We have members who use Croissant to be nomads in their own city and hop to different spaces, but we also have members who use Croissant to travel around the world. Members will use it to join other communities in different spaces, or members will use it to focus and be productive on their own. The future or work is more mobile and inspiring, and we see Croissant as a tool individuals can use to shape it for themselves.
What was the best or most impactful advice you received that still guides you today?
“You’re doing the best you can.”
Any favorite books or quotes?
My favorite books are Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl and Brother Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. They are very different books, but I think the commonality is that they are both very humanizing books addressing human suffering and struggle. I find both books very inspiring and thought-provoking.
