Staten Island Entrepreneur Honored for Fostering Local Business Community
Hala Maroc, founder of Build A Dream Incubator, will be recognized this weekend for her work creating a collaborative workspace for entrepreneurs and creatives on Staten Island, a project aimed at revitalizing the North Shore business landscape.
Maroc, 33, will receive the honor at the Staten Island Urban Center Puerto Rican/Latino Heritage Benefit Brunch on Saturday, November 16th, alongside Marjorie Garcia of the Boricua Legacy Project. Build A Dream Incubator, located in Tompkinsville, provides a 24-hour co-working space complete with desk setups, conference rooms, a podcast studio, a café, and even wellness amenities like a sauna and fitness room. “I’m honored because the work that Staten Island Urban Center does runs deep,” Maroc said. “To see that [center founder and CEO] Kelly Vilar took something out of being here as well as her relationship with me and my team, is an honor.”
Maroc’s path to entrepreneurship was unconventional, beginning with a role at the College of Staten Island’s radio station, WSIA-FM 88.9, and leading to on-air positions at major radio stations like Power 105 and Hot 97. After a career setback in radio, she founded Badass Bootcamp, wellness workshops focused on self-discovery, which then evolved during the pandemic into wellness kits for essential workers and a kiosk at Empire Outlets. The incubator’s creation followed a lease termination in 2024, which Maroc believes was linked to her team’s social activism. Co-working spaces like Build A Dream Incubator are increasingly vital for small businesses, offering affordable access to resources and networking opportunities.
Currently serving around 30 consistent members, Build A Dream Incubator aims to be a “one-stop shop” for business development and personal well-being, offering educational programming and a “dream team” of experts in areas like marketing and finance. “People come here, and after a few hours, someone will learn what you do — then it ends up becoming a whole project you both work on,” Maroc explained. “It’s become a really cool environment where magic happens.” More information about the incubator can be found on their website. The Small Business Administration offers resources for entrepreneurs looking to start or grow their businesses.
Maroc expressed her commitment to continuing to support the North Shore community and potentially expanding the Build A Dream Incubator model to other underserved areas.
