Photo by Neidy Gutierrez / SOC Images.
Narra can symbolize a number of things.
For some, it takes them back to the Philippines; the days of the 1960s and 1970s when no town hall existed and the only thing that the community had as a “gathering” place was their nearby Narra tree. For others, here in Jersey City, it’s a new family-friendly coworking space that has become home to many local entrepreneurs, professionals and parents.
After a few visits at the 333 Washington Street, Jersey City location, it might even start to feel like your tita or auntie’s house.
“Our focus really is to be a community space where everyone feels inclusive and where everyone is welcome to help their business and their profession grow. So we’re very strategic in terms of getting all those partnerships aligned so that we can both grow together; not just me, not just Narra, but also our partners,” founder and CEO Sheila Burmistrova told Slice of Culture.
“They get to take up that space to be able to reach out to a wider audience and then for the members of our community to connect as well and grow in each of their careers.”
Branching From The Philippines To Jersey City
Burmistrova came to the U.S. because of love.
She and her husband met while solo traveling and couch surfing in Singapore back in 2017. He tagged along her entirely planned itinerary for four days and, after that, stayed in touch long distance–U.S. to the Philippines.
One year later, he visited her and that’s when their love story began.
In 2019, they began their long-distance relationship; she’d visit New York and he’d visit the Philippines. But soon enough, she took the leap of faith. She moved to New York before relocating to Jersey City in 2020.
As they began their next chapter, they also thought of their next step: starting a family. In January of 2023, Teddy came into their lives and, for the first year, Burmistrova decided to leave her job—an industry of operations management and real estate expansion—and become a stay-at-home mom.
“That really gave me the space and the clarity to plan what I wanted to do next. I just [knew] that working in startups [would] not make sense for me anymore because it involves working long hours, including weekends, which is just not doable anymore if you have an infant or a very active toddler,” she laughed.
“[And] all these interactions—meeting new moms around the community, meeting new parents—and [realizing] how everyone has the same challenge of looking or finding a nice and safe space where you can still pursue your career or your professional dreams while still having that space that’s safe for your children to play and be present as they grow.
So that really gave me the idea and also just the drive to start Narra and now it’s here!”
At the co-working space, which completely occupies the third floor of their location, members have access to:
- Various workspace options including desks and meeting rooms
- Family lounge with family-friendly programs
- Event spaces and social lounge
- Wi-fi access
- Unlimited coffee, tea and refreshments
Walking around, you’ll notice a mix of decor that somehow blends together with its intricacies. Green plants hang above bohemian, eclectic yet also modern furniture with sprinkled hints at Filipino easter eggs.
Looking back, Burmistrova said the U.S. wasn’t even their first choice; the couple initially considered moving somewhere else like Canada or London.
But as Burmistrova sat on a burnt-orange couch, nestled between Filipino-crafted pillows and handmade floral decorations, somehow, it seemed to work out.
Rewriting Your NARRAtive
Narra Collective held their grand opening on Jan. 27 where their tagline “rewrite your NARRAtive” echoed throughout the day.
Dozens of people attended including local creatives, entrepreneurs, business owners and community leaders like Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, City Council President Joyce Watterman, Hudson County Chamber of Commerce President Emory Edwards and Jessica Marie of the New Jersey Small Business Development Center (NJSBDC).
But that day wasn’t their first in business; Narra Collective had been building up their community three months before that.
They officially opened on Oct. 28, 2024 and immediately kicked off with a Filipino Business Owner Mixer for that whole week, connecting New York and New Jersey while also celebrating Filipino-American Heritage Month with open conversations and a purchasable drink from manilla manilla, a local, Filipino-owned pop-up coffee shop.
And Narra Collective isn’t a one woman-show.
Beside Burmistrova stands Managing Director Mia Clemente, Marketing Strategist Jaey Silva, Creative Designer Stela Antic, Full Stack Developer Jose Zantua, Real Estate expert Charmy Morzaria and Managing Partner Alexander Burmistrov, who is also Burmistrova’s husband.
Around the space, you’ll always catch Burmistrova, Clemente and Burmistrov.
“One of the core values that we have here in Narra… is to build that value of hospitality. Me and Mia are both from the Philippines and Filipinos are known all over the world for world-class hospitality. And that’s a value and an offering that we really wanted to bring into Narra in everything that we do,” Burmistrova added.
Without you, there is no Slice of Culture. Any type of donations helps continue our mission of supporting aspiring journalists and keeping local journalism alive. Make a donation today or become a member with extra perks.
Narra’s mission is multilayered.
One of them is a dedication to keep a connection back home in the Philippines while also housing exclusive products by Filipino artisans. These products, all available for purchase, include handcrafted tote bags, purses, pillow cases and more that each illustrate a piece of Filipino heritage and culture.
Another is to empower women.
“We’re very big on educating women on how to handle their finances because I feel like, especially for us, it’s not something that [you] learn from a very early age… It’s very important to give out these information and these resources so that we can really set up and support women in business for success and really build their dreams and [to] pursue their passions.”
And the last is to support working parents.
“The space has been designed based [on] my own personal need as a mom because I feel like just going through that part of my life and the journey and the needs, I have a better understanding of what support we need [to] maintain the work-life harmony on how to still pursue your career while still taking care of your children and your family in general.”
In addition to a children’s play area, they also have a nursing station and storage for parents who need it.
The co-working space offers a number of educational workshops that cover topics from childcare and women’s health to professional networking and casual community events. Members can take advantage of discounted tickets, but many of their events are also free to attend.
To become a member, you can choose from a list of options based on what works best for you and your work-life balance. The space can also be rented for personal or corporate events like birthdays or holiday soirées.
They’re currently running an “Own Your NARRAtive” campaign where participants can create a reel talking about a personal milestone, professional win or how they achieved work-life harmony. The grand prize includes a free six-month reserved desk membership; for more details, click here.
On Friday, March 7, Narra is also hosting their first-ever women’s summit: “A Women’s Summit on Intentional Success” that is “a full-day event designed to empower women with real, actionable strategies to take control of their careers, businesses, finances, and well-being” through panel discussions, networking opportunities and more.
For discounted tickets, click here.
Opening up Narra Collective has been “a dream come true” for Burmistrova. And while she experienced pushback in the early stages of becoming an entrepreneur, this mindset helped keep her going.
“I’m very proud that Narra is a self-funded company. What you see here is I don’t know, my labor,” she laughed. “My lifelong labor.”
“You always need to go back to your why. And if you are coming from a point of passion, then you’re able to explain it well to your friends, to your family, or to everyone around you, why it matters to you and why you’re passionate about making it happen. Once they feel that then they will understand.”
