Wilmington’s largest, independently owned coworking space is officially celebrating its 365th day since opening. As of April 1, 2017, The Mill is a whopping one year old.
We caught up with cofounder Robert Herrera and asked him three questions about the recent and past and near future of The Mill.

What are you most proud of after Year 1?

All of the wonderful relationships I have developed. The best thing about coworking spaces is the wonderful people it attracts. Generally speaking, it is an interesting type of person who chooses to work in these environments.

What’s one thing you would identify as a failure?

I do not think we have done enough to work with the big corporations in town. A lot of startups here are looking to collaborate with some of the “big business” in town. We need to do more to break through the barriers and get our members and community in front of them. I think myself and my team could do more to bridge that gap — it will definitely be a priority in Year 2.

What Year 2 feature are you most excited to roll out?

The Mill’s new 225-person auditorium is just getting started. There are all kinds of cool events in the works for 2017. I am excited to develop and grow “The Mill Talks” along with the gaming scene in Wilmington. I am really doubling down on bringing a gaming scene to downtown Wilmington. (Editor’s note: We talked with Herrera about this a few weeks back.) I feel like our new Auditorium is perfect for gaming competitions. I was fortunate enough to travel to CES in January, and I was in awe over what is happening in that industry. If done right, we will have droves of young “gamers” heading to downtown Wilmington by the end of Year 2.