Michael Tovani, CEO of Switchyards, Atlanta, GA, With a Big Announcement For the Triangle 🚨PLUS🚨 a Tweener Times Subscriber Exclusive Offer!
We don’t break the NC-only rule often but when we do, there’s a good reason. Switchyards isn’t just an Atlanta story anymore. It is expanding into Raleigh and already operating in Durham, so Michael Tovani is building right here in the Triangle. That makes this one very much a local story.
In this episode, Michael unpacks the story behind Switchyards. We dive into why Michael chose one of the hardest startup paths (consumer + physical), how he built a moat through difficulty, and why investors had to physically visit a club before writing a check.
With Switchyards expanding into Raleigh, this conversation is especially relevant for founders thinking about category creation, brand, and building in the real world.
Highlights Covered
In this episode, Michael unpacks the story behind Switchyards. We dive into why Michael chose one of the hardest startup paths (consumer + physical), how he built a moat through difficulty, and why investors had to physically visit a club before writing a check.
With Switchyards expanding into Raleigh, this conversation is especially relevant for founders thinking about category creation, brand, and building in the real world.
Highlights Covered
- Why “coworking” is the wrong label: Switchyards positions itself as a consumer product, not office space, a “neighborhood work club” designed for flexibility, not full-time desks.
- The hardest startup combo: consumer + physical: Michael intentionally chose a path with high barriers to entry, creating long-term defensibility once scaled.
- Work is becoming a consumer decision: The shift from assigned offices to choice-driven environments was clear even pre-COVID and Switchyards was built around that insight.
- The “third place” opportunity: Not home, not office, Switchyards fills the gap as a social, productive environment people actually want to use.
- Fundraising lesson: make investors feel it: Switchyards requires in-person experience—every serious investor had to visit a location before investing.
- From unfocused to obsessed: Early versions of the business tried to do too much. Growth came from narrowing down to one clear concept and executing relentlessly.
Switchyards is a reminder that some of the biggest opportunities are in rethinking the physical world, one neighborhood at a time.
⏱️ Timestamps
02:10 – Meet Michael Tovani and Switchyards
04:30 – Early career + entrepreneurial origin story
08:30 – First startup + meeting co-founder
10:00 – Raising money on Twitter (early experiment)
11:30 – Atlanta startup ecosystem + Scoutmob
13:00 – Why consumer + physical is so hard
15:00 – What Switchyards actually is
17:00 – The “third place” concept explained
19:00 – Building the first location
21:00 – Raleigh + Durham expansion strategy
22:00 – The “drop” playbook for memberships
25:00 – Pricing model ($100/month)
28:00 – What the space actually feels like
31:00 – Fundraising challenges + WeWork shadow
35:00 – Team structure and operations
38:00 – Why physical spaces still matter
39:30 – Raleigh launch details
40:00 – Fun: the Switchyards mascot “Petey”
04:30 – Early career + entrepreneurial origin story
08:30 – First startup + meeting co-founder
10:00 – Raising money on Twitter (early experiment)
11:30 – Atlanta startup ecosystem + Scoutmob
13:00 – Why consumer + physical is so hard
15:00 – What Switchyards actually is
17:00 – The “third place” concept explained
19:00 – Building the first location
21:00 – Raleigh + Durham expansion strategy
22:00 – The “drop” playbook for memberships
25:00 – Pricing model ($100/month)
28:00 – What the space actually feels like
31:00 – Fundraising challenges + WeWork shadow
35:00 – Team structure and operations
38:00 – Why physical spaces still matter
39:30 – Raleigh launch details
40:00 – Fun: the Switchyards mascot “Petey”
Where to Find Michael Tavani
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltavani/
Front Switchyard: https://www.linkedin.com/company/switchyards/
Where to Find Scot Wingo:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thescotwingo/
Tweener Times: https://www.tweenertimes.com/
X: https://x.com/scotwingo
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This episode of Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented and produced by Triangle Tweener Fund, with creative assets and design support from Walk West.
We couldn’t share posts like this without our amazing sponsors:
Platinum:
NC IDEA: https://ncidea.org
Gold Sponsors:
- Balentine: https://www.balentine.com/triangle-entrepreneurs
- EisnerAmpner: https://www.eisneramper.com
- Robinson Bradshaw: https://www.robinsonbradshaw.com
Silver Sponsors:
- Automated Consulting Group: https://automated.co
- Bank of America: https://business.bofa.com/en-us/content/technology-industry-group.html
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Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:
Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:
- Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/
