This month, we met with Natalie Batlle, the founder of Juno House, the first private members club designed by and for women with an emphasis on holistic well-being and professional development. In the quest for a work-life balance that is often challenged, Natalie wants to respond with sisterhood, female collaboration, and diversity in the service of creativity in a privileged space. While pregnant with her second child, she decided to embark on entrepreneurship. She shares with us this great adventure, the power of curiosity in her life, and her special connection with Barcelona.
Curiosity Club of Barcelona: Hello Natalie! Can you introduce yourself first?
Natalie: Of course. My name is Natalie Batlle, and I am the founder and CEO of Juno House, the first lifestyle club built here in Spain for women.
Curiosity Club of Barcelona: Can you tell us about a challenge you have overcome?
Natalie: Actually, it’s interesting to share that during my journey with Juno House, I was pregnant at the time, so it all happened simultaneously. The challenge was finding the determination, will, and focus to move forward with such an ambitious project. The idea came to me while I was pregnant with my first son, Elliot. While I was fundraising, I became pregnant with my daughter, Chloé. There was a moment when I asked myself: should I continue down this path, or should I stay in my really nice corporate job? Which was, you know, much safer. I decided to pursue my dream. Chloé was born into the chaos of entrepreneurship, so it was definitely a challenge. Balancing family life is always a challenge.
Curiosity Club of Barcelona: What is your relationship with curiosity?
Natalie: I think I am a very curious person by nature. To get into business and create something, you have to be curious and optimistic. In fact, Juno House was born from a place of curiosity. It started with a big blue-sky question: what would happen if we created an oasis for women to thrive and come together, across different generations and cultures? What would happen? So, I think we build curiosity into everything we do.
Curiosity Club of Barcelona: How important has curiosity been in your life when it came to creating a new project?
Natalie: When I moved to Barcelona, I felt a bit out of place. I wanted to live here as a life decision, but my career was in New York. I had given up something big. And when I gave that up, it was because I wanted to create something even bigger. There was this curiosity: can I do that? Could Barcelona host a members’ club like this? At that time, it was already booming in London and New York. So, curiosity led to everything. I am becoming a mother, now what? If it was not for curiosity, I wouldn’t have created Juno House, because I’d just be content with the status quo. I believe curiosity is really the key to innovation.
Curiosity Club of Barcelona: And which woman would you invite to your ideal party?
Natalie: I love this question. I’m going to choose two. One I’ve always mentioned because she’s an idol: Michelle Obama. I want to meet her, so I’d definitely invite her to my party. I worked on the Obama campaign. My background is in politics. I’m also from Chicago, and she’s from Chicago. So, Michelle Obama is coming. I’d also like to have Frida Kahlo at the dinner party. I think you need someone a little wacky and eccentric, someone super interesting and provocative, to make a dinner party more fun. So, I will go with her as well. Also, because we love female artists and everything involved here at Juno.
Curiosity Club of Barcelona: And what do you like the most about Barcelona?
Natalie: I love that we’re in this idyllic place with both mountains and sea. I think it creates a balance for people. It’s a great place to be in the world. For me, the best things about Barcelona are the geography, the weather, and the lifestyle. I also think there’s a boom in creativity here, as Barcelona is known for its culture and design. As an entrepreneur, this beautiful city inspires me.
Curiosity Club of Barcelona: You wouldn’t be here without…?
Natalie: I wouldn’t be here without a tribe of “madrinas,” and when I say madrinas, I mean Juno House, because I understand that’s what today is all about. I wouldn’t be here, sitting in the Juno House podcast studio, if it weren’t for the fact that so many women have championed us and opened doors for us. It’s a very collaborative project, in terms of its origins and the hope of giving back to the community moving forward. It was really like a tribe of women who took us in and said we have to bring this to Barcelona, we’re going to support you, we’ll be your first members, we’ll invest in this, and we’ll support this. All our development has been organic; all our development has been through word of mouth, and all our successes have been based on the fact that real women support and love what we do. It’s not possible without a female tribe.
Thank you Natalie!
