An earlier response on this board provided discern about how it was tough to build a community for your coworking space. As I have built OurSpace, LLC, I can concur about the elbow grease that I have applied to building a strong community. It's been quite the journey, and I will share some things, that I learned a long the way:
1. Kindness is the best policy! I have meant jerks along the way, and sometimes I have been a bit short with people, however I have learned that killing a person with kindness is the best policy. 2. Bars and coffee houses are a great place to meet coworkers. Enough said. 3. Festivals and art galleries are another great place to meet the cool people in your town. 4. Find your niche. Recently, I collaborated with a director of an area art museum of to put on a seminar entitled "How to Survive as a Creative in Northeast Indiana." In the audience was a young man, who was a film maker, who was gasping with the issue of how to survive in Ft. Wayne, and use his creative talents. As I have heard from a few other film makers in this area, I decided it was time to take some leadership. Thus, I organized a group who will be meeting in my conference room this week for the 1st time. 5. Don't forget social media - twitter, blog, facebook, meetup, etc. 6. Collaborate, collaborate and then collaborate some more. From local government officials to economic advisors to religious leaders (make sure they can leave their religious tone at the door) to nonprofit personnel to small business individuals, there are a number of individuals who want to help independents succeed, all you have to do is ask. Jodi Dean, Founder OurSpace, LLC Your Space to Be Creative 825 S. Barr Street Fort Wayne, IN www.ourspacefw.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
