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Meet Flip Howard, CEO at Lucid Private Offices
Tell us about yourself?
I am a lifelong entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in the flexible workspace industry. I started my first business at age 12, painting house numbers on curbs, and eventually co-founded University Laundry after college. I’ve always been driven by the “entrepreneurial bug” and a desire to build services that make professional life more efficient. Outside of work, my stunning wife Celeste and I have been married 28 years and have 7 children and 4 grandchildren.
Tell us about your business/industry?
Lucid Private Offices is an upscale flexible workspace provider that bridges the gap between casual coworking and traditional, “sleepy” executive suites. We offer private offices and suites designed with a “white-label” approach—meaning we stay in the background so our clients’ brands can take center stage. Our focus is on providing a professional, distraction-free environment with high-end amenities, hospitality-driven service, and absolute flexibility.
What should we know about you?
I believe that your environment has a profound impact on your psyche and your performance. You can drink a cold beer in a chair next to a motel pool, or you can drink that same beer on a balcony overlooking the ocean in the Bahamas. The drink is the same, but the experience is fundamentally different. Your environment at work is no different. I’ve built Lucid on the principle that your office is a reflection of your business; it shouldn’t just be a place to sit. It should be a place that inspires maximum productivity, but also stimulating, distraction-free, and somewhere you feel proud to bring your guests
How did you get to your current position?
I started in this industry in 2001, back when people called them “executive suites” and “coworking” wasn’t even a word. After building University Laundry, I saw an opportunity in the real estate sector. I took over a struggling executive suite business and spent two decades refining the model. We rebranded from Meridian to WorkSuites, and eventually to Lucid Private Offices, to reflect our evolution into a premium, national-scale brand.
What value do you see in Chamber involvement?
The Chamber is vital for fostering the local business ecosystem. For a business like ours, which relies on a thriving community of entrepreneurs and corporate satellite teams, the Chamber provides the “connective tissue.” It allows us to understand the specific needs of the local workforce and build the relationships that turn a workspace into a community.
What has been a career highlight for you?
Successfully navigating the rebranding to Lucid Private Offices and launching our expansion beyond Texas was so much fun. Seeing our first locations in Atlanta and Phoenix fill up faster than ever was a huge validation of our “hybrid” model. But honestly my proudest moments are celebrating the anniversaries, promotions and accomplishments of long-term employees.
What makes Nashville a great place to do business?
Nashville is a perfect fit for our brand because it has a high concentration of sophisticated professionals who value both culture and productivity. With the growth in Midtown and Music Row, there is a massive demand for workspace that is upscale and professional but offers the flexibility that modern business requires. Nashville has an energy that mirrors our own growth trajectory.
What are key trends in your industry?
The Future of Office is Flex: This isn’t just a buzzword anymore; it’s the new standard. Every location we open fills up faster than the one before because businesses of all sizes—from startups to Fortune 500s—no longer want to be “locked in” to traditional 10-year leases.
The Rise of the “Middle Ground”: For a long time, the industry was binary: you either had “sleepy” old-school executive suites or “foosball and beanbag” coworking. The trend is moving toward the middle—upscale, professional, and vibrant, but without the distractions. We call this private office-focused coworking.
The Profitability of Virtual Offices: One of the biggest trends people overlook is the massive growth in Virtual Offices. It’s no longer just a mailing address; it’s a high-demand service for the growing “gig economy” and remote workforce who need a professional presence and on-demand access without the overhead of a full-time desk.
If you could switch careers for a day, what would you do and why?
I’d go to work for the Texas Rangers. I’m a huge fan and I absolutely love the atmosphere of the ballpark—it is the ultimate example of how a physical environment can dictate your mood and energy. I’d love to spend a day behind the scenes seeing how that “magic” is produced and how they maintain that level of hospitality and excitement every single game. Plus, any day spent at the ballpark is a win in my book, especially with the roof open.