How a Radio DJ's Career Crash Led to a Revolutionary Co-Working Space in Staten Island

From Setback to Success: Hala Maroc's Journey

When Hala Maroc moved from bustling Astoria, Queens, to Arden Heights on Staten Island’s South Shore as a junior high school student in 2004, she felt like “a fish out of water.” Over two decades later, she’s built what she couldn’t find back then—a space where entrepreneurs, creatives, and remote workers can collaborate, grow their businesses, and build community.

Maroc, 33, founder of Build A Dream Incubator, was recently honored at the Staten Island Urban Center Puerto Rican/Latino Heritage Benefit Brunch for her work fostering a “collaborative ecosystem” at her North Shore-based co-working space, which recently marked its first anniversary.

“A one-stop shop for people to take care of themselves and build themselves up and build their business up,” Build A Dream Incubator is a collaborative co-working space for creatives and entrepreneurs located in Tompkinsville.

The Unconventional Path to Entrepreneurship

Maroc took an unconventional path to entrepreneurship. After graduating from Tottenville High School in 2010, she attended the College of Staten Island, drawn to the school specifically for its on-campus, student-run radio station—WSIA-FM 88.9.

“WSIA plays a big role in my journey because it was really the first time I felt like I was feeding my creative side full time,” said Maroc, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and media in 2014. “That’s kind of where I got the bug.”

That creative spark led her to securing internships at major radio stations, including Power 105, Hot 97, and WBLS. She eventually landed her first full-time on-air job at Foxy 99, a hip-hop station in Fayetteville, North Carolina, before moving on to Philadelphia’s Boom 103.9.

The 24-hour Build A Dream Incubator is a contemporary co-working space featuring a variety of amenities designed to help members kindle creativity and unwind.

A Defining Career Setback

“I felt like that was the big break,” Maroc recalled. But just a few months later, she was let go—a career setback that she believes was a defining moment.

“I associated so much of who I was with what I do,” she explained. “And once you don’t have the thing that you do, you kind of feel lost.”

Concerned about how her mental health was being affected by the professional highs and lows, Maroc was inspired to create wellness workshops under the brand Badass Bootcamp. Promoting a model of “finding success through finding yourself,” she began hosting events in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Toronto.

Then the pandemic hit.

The 24-hour Build A Dream Incubator is a contemporary co-working space featuring a variety of amenities designed to help members kindle creativity and unwind.

Pivoting During COVID-19

During COVID-19, Maroc pivoted again, assembling wellness kits for essential workers. She used samples she’d received as a social media influencer—everything from skin care products to candles and crystals. Her growing network of local entrepreneurs led her to open a kiosk at Empire Outlets in St. George around 2020, which evolved into a storefront a year later.

“I hated running a store,” Maroc admitted. “But what I did love was the building of community and the programming that we were doing in there.”

Maroc’s lease was abruptly terminated in 2024. She said she believes the closure was linked to her team’s activism around social issues. Less than six months later, she opened the Build A Dream Incubator in a nearly tucked-away location she had long admired on Minthorne Street in Tompkinsville.

The 24-hour Build A Dream Incubator is a contemporary co-working space featuring a variety of amenities designed to help members kindle creativity and unwind.

A One-Stop Shop for Entrepreneurs and Creatives

The 24-hour space features a variety of desk setups, conference rooms, a podcast/recording studio, and a café. It also offers spa services, a sauna, a fitness room, and a “creator’s lab”—a private space where members can book time to produce products, merchandise, and art for their businesses.

Aided by her “dream team,” which includes experts in marketing, sales, promotions, administration, IT, and finance, Maroc also provides educational programming, resources, and services designed to help members further develop their businesses and creative projects.

“We have a content room where media happens; We have the fitness and wellness spaces, we have the community and the programming,” she explained. “It’s really become a one-stop shop for people to take care of themselves, build themselves up, and grow their businesses.”

Hala Maroc, 33, is founder of Build A Dream Incubator—a collaborative co-working space for creatives and entrepreneurs located in Tompkinsville.

Fostering Collaborative Energy

With monthly memberships and day passes available, about 30 consistent members currently use the space—from remote workers seeking a productive environment to small business owners looking for a meeting spot. What makes it special, Maroc said, is its collaborative energy.

“People come here, and after a few hours, someone will learn what you do—then it ends up becoming a whole project you both work on,” she said. “It’s become a really cool environment where magic happens.”

As an Egyptian and Moroccan woman entrepreneur, Maroc sees her identity as central to her mission—one rooted in representation.

“I didn’t look around and see anybody who was talking, speaking up for me, or setting an example,” she said. “I felt the responsibility from very young to be vocal and create the spaces for others to be, too.”

That philosophy also fuels her love for Staten Island’s North Shore, which she calls an “under-appreciated gem.”

“Nowhere else in the city can you be in New York, looking at the skyline of New York,” Maroc noted. “Being in this location helps us dream big. You don’t feel disconnected from the rest of the city, but it also has this small-town feel to it.”

“People come here, and you’ll be here for a few hours, and someone will learn what you do—then it ends up becoming a whole project you both work on,” founder Hala Maroc said. “It’s become a really cool environment where magic happens.”

Looking Ahead: Franchising the Model

Looking ahead, Maroc said she hopes to eventually franchise her co-working model to other underserved communities. For now, though, she’s focused on “making it count” rather than simply “making it.”

“Every day it’s like; how can we continue to be a pillar in our community? How can we help?” she said. “I really do feel like we have a hand in the economy of the North Shore in a way.”

Build A Dream Incubator is located at 4 Minthorne St. For more information visit: www.buildadream.nyc. @buildadreamincubator on social media. email/call: Hala@buildadream.nyc (347) 934-3513.