SpaceLab’s COO Bobby Burton talked with iPostal1 staff about how the company successfully pivoted its coworking business model to achieve resilience and scaling by integrating digital mail services, initially partnering with iPostal1.
“Detroit’s rejuvenation really helped us and our customers,” Bobby says. “Our members are directly involved in rebuilding the city. Every time I walk downtown, I’m amazed by the progress.
Article Summary: Although the business was designed and branded as a design and construction-focused coworking space, the company quickly adopted digital mail as a new, highly profitable revenue stream, a strategic decision that proved to be a lifeline when the COVID-19 pandemic halted the core coworking business. This pivot allowed Spacelab to remain operational and retain customers during mandatory workplace shutdowns.
Leveraging this service, Spacelab was able to confidently scale and expand to a second location in St. Petersburg, Florida, using digital mail as a low-risk entry point to build brand trust and invite mail clients to become future coworking customers, creating a more resilient and geographically diversified enterprise. Read the article on iPostal1’s website.
At SpaceLab Detroit, our community is made up of innovators, designers, builders, and changemakers who are shaping the future of our cities and industries. Each month, we shine a light on one of our outstanding members — sharing their journey, their passions, and the impact they are making in their fields and communities.
Through these stories, we celebrate the creativity, collaboration, and commitment that make SpaceLab more than just a workspace — it’s a launchpad for big ideas and lasting connections. This month, we’re proud to feature Emmanuel Jones, founder and owner of Jones Cleaning Group .
by Mari Byrd
Emmanuel Jones, founder and CEO of Jones Cleaning Group and member of SpaceLab, recently sat down with Mari Byrd, SpaceLab’s co-community manager, for an interview.
Emmanuel shared how his journey in the cleaning industry began when he worked as a custodian at a local school while in college. Over time, he transitioned into entrepreneurship, initially hiring family, friends, and a small team. Today, Jones Cleaning employs over 20 part-time staff members, including disabled veterans and returning citizens.
Emmanuel Jones
The company frequently receives referrals from both employment agencies and team members.
Emmanuel attributes much of his business growth to word-of-mouth recommendations, networking events, client referrals, and public bidding opportunities. When asked about his ideal contract, he described a manufacturer’s warehouse operating five days a week in a 9-10 story, 30,000 square-foot building, providing about 30 hours of work per week for his team.
Some of the company’s most notable projects have included providing services to the Big House at the University of Michigan, Chrysler Arena, and one of their proudest achievements was assisting with the NFL Draft in 2024 in Detroit. For that event, they hired 82 people over three weeks to handle cleaning before and after the event.
Jones Cleaning Group offers a wide range of services, including carpet cleaning, post-construction/renovation cleaning, window cleaning, tile and grout care, trash removal, debris haul-out, floor stripping and waxing, and more. Emmanuel emphasizes that no job is too big or too small for his team.
Emmanuel is committed to ensuring that all staff are well-trained, held accountable for their tasks, and work in a safe environment. A manager is typically on-site to ensure all tasks are completed according to client specifications. Jones Cleaning Group takes great pride in maintaining high standards of cleanliness, and they prioritize delivering quality service. Jones Cleaning Group is ready to accommodate quick requests, often completing jobs within three days to one week’s notice.
SpaceLab Detroit is proud to present two dynamic, concurrent art exhibits that offer a powerful journey through Black identity, memory, imagination, and self-worth. Our spaces on the 7th and 9th floors have been transformed by the visionary works of Detroit artists Darin Darby and Onzie Norman. The public is invited to view the exhibitions Wednesdays through Fridays from 12 noon to 5:30 pm or by appointment and experience this cultural moment firsthand.
The exhibit Afrofuturism is a collaborative series created by Darby and Norman under their artist collective name, UXI (Urban eXpressions Inc). Drawing from Afrofuturist themes, this exhibit invites us to imagine what comes next — futures shaped by Black thought, liberation, design, and technology. The work is bold, layered, and reflective. Through mixed media compositions, symbolism, and narrative forms, UXI transports us into an alternate dimension rooted in both ancestry and speculative vision.
In parallel, Darin Darby’s solo exhibit Resilience delivers an emotionally compelling collection that honors personal strength, healing, and affirmation. The pieces in Resilience challenge us to confront reclaim identity and celebrate the beauty of persistence. Through vibrant textures, layered materials, and Darby’s Laypuzzim® technique, his work offers space for reflection and empowerment. It is a celebration of survival and a tribute to the inner strength that carries individuals and communities forward.
The pieces in Resilience challenge us to confront reclaim identity and celebrate the beauty of persistence. Through vibrant textures, layered materials, and Darby’s Laypuzzim® technique, his work offers space for reflection and empowerment. It is a celebration of survival and a tribute to the inner strength that carries individuals and communities forward.
Together, Afrofuturism and Resilience create a dialogue — one that speaks across time and through the soul. These exhibits uplift not only the visual power of Black artistry but the narratives, ideas, and futures it dares to shape. As we commemorate Juneteenth and honor freedom, these works remind us that liberation is ongoing, and creativity is one of our most powerful tools.
All artwork in the exhibit is available for sale. Viewers are encouraged to return throughout the exhibit’s run and schedule private viewings. Whether you’re an art lover, collector, or cultural explorer, this exhibit offers something to stir your imagination and your spirit.
Onzie D. Norman is a self-taught mixed media painter and wood sculptor from Detroit, Michigan. Onzie started in the field of carpentry in high school and later graduated from the Detroit Carpenters Apprenticeship School in 2003. This craft would play an important role in his artistic development. After a vision in 2013 Onzie begin to draw, which led to his experimenting with painting on wood. Onzie constructs his own canvas out of wood and uses paper, wood, spray paint, acrylic and resin to create one-of-a-kind artworks.
Onzie has worked diligently towards building his art career. His work has been exhibited at Art Prize, the Bombay Artesian Series, National Afro-American Museum in Wilberforce, Museum of Science and Industry Chicago, Agora Essence Festival, Charles H. Wright Museum, Actors Theater in Louisville, Gallery in New York, Xavier University and The Dayton Art Institute.
Onzie’s artwork is in many private collections. Recently his work has been acquired by Don Tuski President of the College for Creative Studies, Bedrock Detroit, actor Charles Michael Davis, NFL linebacker Deandre Levy, Helene Gayle president of Spelman College, and American journalist Stephen Henderson. In 2023 he was selected as the Gucci Changemaker, having his mural, “Botanical City” installed on the side of the Siren Hotel in Detroit.
Darin Darby: Hailing from the vibrant city of Detroit, Michigan, Darin Darby is a self-taught artist who has carved a unique path in the world of art. His creative journey began with sketching comic book characters using pencils, but as he entered his twenties, he fearlessly delved into a variety of mediums such as colored pencils, charcoal, pastels, and acrylic paint.
In a groundbreaking moment in 2014, Darin introduced his innovative art technique, Laypuzzim® (layered puzzled image), which involves meticulously cutting and layering textured materials like card stock paper, mat board, leather, or wood to create intricate artworks. Each piece is a masterpiece of hand-cut colors and negative space, showcasing Darin’s unparalleled talent.
Darin’s artwork has graced the walls of esteemed galleries across Metro Detroit, Ohio, Chicago, Kentucky, and Virginia, and his pieces have found a home in prestigious collections at Henry Ford Hospital in Jackson, MI, the Dayton Art Institute, and the Detroit Historical Museum.
Drawing inspiration from his childhood memories, biblical themes, thought-provoking messages, and often overlooked historical black figures, Darin injects profound meaning into his creations, sparking engaging conversations and pushing boundaries with his art. His passion for storytelling through art is unwavering, driving him to constantly explore new materials and techniques.
As Darin looks ahead with excitement to the future, his dedication to evolving as an artist and continuously pushing the boundaries of his Laypuzzim® technique promises an exciting journey ahead in the realm of artistry.
