Hussle and Meditate, a new collective space in downtown Phoenix, held a grand opening on Sept. 4 to announce its unique business model that aids both hard work and mental wellness as it bridges the gap between them. Owners Steven and Ebony Anderson shared what the space means to them, and how it all began.

“We want to show that you don’t have to work to the point that you are mentally broken in order to be successful,” said Ebony Anderson, a full-time community college professor in her hometown.

“I want to promote this new style of what success looks like. We are not the generation that is gonna be unhappy in a job for 40 years just to pay the bills. That is not this.” Ebony’s objective is to redefine the mentality that people use when approaching professional goals, she added.

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Their mission statement reflects this, describing it as a “collective space that promotes spiritual health while in the midst of pursuing your professional endeavors.”

Ebony Anderson, 33, and her husband, Steven Anderson, 32, said their target demographic is millennials and anyone older, who need somewhere to work and mentally recharge within the same space. Ebony Anderson emphasized how this perspective led to her creation of Hussle and Meditate in the first place.

“I made the floor plans before we even leased the space. It was a vision that I saw and I was going to make it happen.”

Hussle and Meditate is located on the second floor of 130 N. Central Ave., where it is accessible to entrepreneurs and professionals in the city. It offers an environment with desks and co-working spaces, as well as a private conference room area, appropriately named, “The Hussle Room.”

To support spiritual and mental wellness, it provides a “meditation oasis room” equipped with ambient lighting, comfortable seating, and calming music. There is also a private “green room” with access to massage chairs and complete solitude to rest and recharge. Those who want to use the amenities can purchase access passes, ranging from one day to all month long, as needed, at hussleandmeditatellc.com.

The Andersons are originally from Detroit, where the journey for their business began. Ebony Anderson explained their hometown influence, and how they made their shift to Arizona.

“We found a home in Phoenix. The 313, Detroit, is a city of hustlers, and that is something that has built us. It is how we breathe; it is the ideology behind being a small business owner,” said Ebony Anderson, “Arizona gave me that. The energy here is something that I’ve never experienced, and I’ve been all around the world. I stopped and said, ‘Oh, I think I found home.’”

Co-owner Steven Anderson recalled the moment his wife presented her business idea.

“She called me at my traditional job and said, ‘Do you trust me?’ When she came to me with the vision, I was floored. I said, ‘This is it, let’s go,’” he said.

Steven also touched on the homage the collective space has devoted to their roots in Detroit, sporting an on-site retail section called “The 313 Shop” showcasing Detroit-inspired apparel, and local snacks shipped directly from their hometown. The name takes the form of the late American rapper, Nipsey Hussle, whose music made a tremendous impact on Steven’s mindset for the project.

Those who toured the space expressed their enthusiasm for a location that combines work and mental health. One couple, Jack Tan and his wife, Winnie, attended the event and were impressed to see a space so focused on the well-being of its customers.

“I love the meditation room, and I’m excited to use the space to explore more about the chakras,” said Jack Tan, referencing the meditation oasis experience. The shop also features various healing crystals that target different chakra areas.

Steven and Ebony Anderson illustrated their goals for future customers with a closing quote that Ebony often shares with her students in Detroit:

“Sometimes you’re on the freeway for so long you don’t know where your exit sign is, you just drive. It’s important to have those times where you say ‘Okay, this is my exit, this is when I meditate,’ and then go back and get your hustle on,” she said.