> Sounds like a "traditional" alliance or org that services all coworking > facilities. Members pitch in a monthly/yearly amount to an org that returns > them benefits, etc.
So, do you think "traditional" is good or bad? -Mike On Feb 7, 2010, at 4:16 PM, Jerome Chang wrote: > Sounds like a "traditional" alliance or org that services all coworking > facilities. Members pitch in a monthly/yearly amount to an org that returns > them benefits, etc. > > ______________ > BLANKSPACES > "work wide open" > > www.blankspaces.com > 5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea) > Los Angeles, CA 90036 > 323.330.9505 (office) > > On Feb 7, 2010, at 7:44 AM, Mike Schinkel wrote: > >> Hi all, >> >> The first thing I thought about when I saw this topic come through was >> "Great, yet another expense on top of all the other expenses we have." >> >> As some of you know we operate Ignition Alley mostly as a service to our >> local startup and freelance community and much less to generate a profit. >> Attending a conference means probably $1000+ in travel expenses and that is >> not attractive. >> >> But then I thought "This need not be like commercial conferences, it could >> be in run like coworking itself as a collaborative for the benefit of those >> who participate and not as a way for someone to make money." So at a very >> high level I'd like to propose the following without having worked out all >> the details: >> >> -- Create a coworking facility co-op >> -- Each facility that wants to can participate in the co-op >> -- The co-op runs the conference >> -- Co-op members work to get sponsors >> -- The co-op markets to economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, >> and major corporations[1] for paid attendance >> -- Co-op members get their cut of the profits which help them pay to attend >> the event >> >> Thoughts? >> >> -Mike Schinkel >> Ignition Alley Atlanta Coworking >> http://ignitionalley.com >> >> [1] Major corporations are starting to look to the coworking model to be >> greener in facility use and to maximize worker/space density to cut costs. >> >> On Feb 3, 2010, at 10:30 PM, rachel young wrote: >> >>> >>> I think an annual coworking conference is a great idea, something dedicated >>> to coworking, not tacked on to another event. Something where we could >>> focus on coworking and community issues, meet each other, see one another's >>> cities and spaces. I'm in! >>> >>> There would have to be a lot of value to it in order to bring these already >>> busy and stretched folks our of their spaces for a few days, though, >>> something that could leverage our buying power for, I dunno, office >>> furniture or health care benefits or travel discounts or something. >>> Something where we can not only have those providers/suppliers sponsor the >>> event to offset costs, but to provide real value that would be worth >>> traveling for. >>> >>> I've been involved in a few organisations that are spread across multiple >>> timezones or parts of the world, and they have decided on location in >>> similar fashions, which is basically that host cities post their proposals >>> and the community votes on where it should be, perhaps one vote per >>> coworking facility. We can build in assurance that it won't always be in >>> the same cities or parts of the country all the time so that people in, >>> say, the west coast don't alwyas have to travel to the east coast. (ie, >>> establish general zones and ensure the annual event rotates between zones) >>> >>> Anyway, I think it is certainly worth exploring, and being an event planner >>> I am all for it. >>> >>> I put your suggested starting topics onto a wiki page >>> (http://coworking.pbworks.com/Coworking-Conference), which I think would be >>> better to collaborate from there. I do think that this would take some time >>> to plan out properly (and give folks some time to save up some money), so >>> if you were thinking of escaping the winter conditions in the next few >>> months, then perhaps sxswi is your better option for this year. >>> r. >>> >>> >>> -- >>> rachel young >>> rac...@camaraderie.ca >>> (416) 801-0196 >>> >>> Find us in person: >>> Camaraderie >>> 102 Adelaide St E, 2nd Floor >>> >>> Find us online: >>> camaraderie.ca/blog >>> twitter.com/camaraderie >>> >>> >>> Woodie Neiss <wood...@gmail.com> Jan 30 09:49AM -0500 >>> >>> Anyone want to get together for the first International Coworking Community >>> Annual Meeting in ummm let’s say a warm, sunny place like Miami? Sort of a >>> one day event where we could discuss best practices, set some protocols for >>> future coworking locations and formally organize ourselves so that we can >>> leverage our combined power? >>> >>> >>> >>> Suggested topics to discuss (feel free to edit/add to/delete/etc) >>> >>> >>> >>> 1) Keys to success >>> >>> a. pricing >>> >>> b. Serivices to offer >>> >>> 2) Managing the bottom line >>> >>> a. Financing the start up >>> >>> b. Negotiating lease agreements >>> >>> c. Managing monthly expenses >>> >>> 3) Marketing & PR >>> >>> a. Building awareness >>> >>> b. How to generate more buzz >>> >>> c. The power of meet-ups >>> >>> d. Leveraging your chamber of commerce >>> >>> 4) Creative suggestions from some of our winning locations >>> >>> 5) How to formally organize ourselves into an International organization >>> >>> >>> >>> Perhaps we could all complete some surveys prior, and then present the >>> results at the meeting as well? >>> >>> >>> Regards, >>> Woodie >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "Coworking" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to cowork...@googlegroups.com. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Coworking" group. >> To post to this group, send email to cowork...@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To post to this group, send email to cowork...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. 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