True Sky Credit Union’s ‘Hangar 46’ business incubator nears completion

Southside location to open first, then Newcastle

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OKLAHOMA CITY (Free Press) — True Sky Credit Union* is developing a new phase of its ongoing expansion that involves providing resources for those who want to start new businesses.

“Hangar 46” is the name given to both the southside and Newcastle business incubators now nearing completion.

Members who are starting new businesses can get coaching from True Sky executives and staff while enjoying a conducive environment with workspaces, Wi-Fi internet connections, conference rooms, and small offices.

The southside Hangar 46 is in the front of their new operations center and faces the street at 9301 S. Western in Oklahoma City. The other will be at their new location still being built in Newcastle.

“Pioneers”

At the recent Midwest City branch ground-breaking, Free Press asked President and CEO Sean Cahil about the new Hangar 46 locations.

True Sky CU
Sean Cahill, president/CEO True Sky Credit Union OKC. (BRETT DICKERSON/Okla City Free Press)

“We know there are a lot of pioneers out there that want to start their business,” Cahill told us. “They want to contribute to the economy, they want to put together a product or service that’s really going to be meaningful to their neighbors and they may just not know how to do that.”

Cahill said that the member/entrepreneur may “have the right idea” but just doesn’t know how to piece everything together. That’s where Hangar 46 comes in.

True Sky CU
Greg Hill, Director, True Sky Credit Union OKC. (BRETT DICKERSON/Okla City Free Press)

Greg Hill, on the True Sky Board of Directors, talked to us about the value of providing the Hangar 46 service to members.

“Our mission has always been to serve the community,” Hill told us. “Basically, to try to give a community what they need and that’s a perfect opportunity.”

“Someone can come in with all the expertise, all the resources, it really is going to play well in the community,” Hill continued. “Now you help someone and can make a difference, not only in their life, their family’s life, but the community.”

How it will work

Unlike other established coworking spaces in Oklahoma City, Hangar 46 is more of an incubator intended to give people with an idea for a new business a foothold and the guidance needed to launch and spend six months to a year growing the fledgling business.

Then, once established they can move into their own quarters as others come into the incubator to start their business.

According to Jay Foote, Chief Experience Officer, they will begin to open the southside space to FAA employees and recently retired FAA employees first who are wanting to start their own business. Then, they will open the program to FAA contractors.

As the third phase, they will open the program to True Sky members who want to start their own business.

True Sky executives have looked at other incubators in the process of developing their own.

“We’re all looking for the same thing, which is how do you get somebody the type of the tools and you know, the space necessary to move on,” said Foote.

“We look at this as a gift back to our membership,” Foote told us.

Foote said that they don’t see Hangar 46 as being entrepreneurs’ “forever home” like some of the other coworking spaces in the City. “We’re hoping to be that bridge that gets you started and lets you get going and then at that point, move on and grow.”

Southside Hangar 46

Free Press met with Foote and other executives at the southside location Thursday. The space was it was in its final stages of completion with just a few things still to be completed by construction contractors.

True Sky CU
Conference room in southside OKC Hangar 46. (BRETT DICKERSON/Okla City Free Press)

It is an expansive space that gives True Sky plenty of capacity to engage with a number of entrepreneurs at once.

The space features:

  • Stand-up tables for short collaborations.
  • Seated workstations similar to other coworking spaces in the city.
  • Attractive multimedia conference rooms of different sizes.
  • Small individual offices plus a receptionist/facilitator.

Available expertise

Vice President for Marketing Jessica Smith is eager to get started with entrepreneurs who want to learn about how to make their ideas but also the how-tos in many areas.

“All of our members will have access to our experts at the top level of management and leadership from marketing, which is my expertise, and then moving on to information technology, accounting, and all of those areas that may be deficient for a certain entrepreneur. We can help them with that,” said Smith.

“Entrepreneur spirit”

Ricky Cabello, Business and Community Development Specialist grew up on the south side of OKC in the heart of the Hispanic community.

He said that when he first heard about it he was excited because Hispanic culture has an “entrepreneur spirit.”

But, he said that “a lot of them don’t know where to go for advice” and that’s how Hangar 46 will be valuable.

“The sky’s the limit,” said Cabello. “This gets me really excited.”

*True Sky Credit Union is one of our sponsors. This article was reported as any other and not provided by True Sky.


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Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.