Thanks a lot Alex! Those are some really encouraging words. And coming from a veteran like you, my morale is all boosted up now!
On Monday, 13 October 2014 22:12:39 UTC+5:30, Alex Hillman wrote: > > Raghuveer, the good news is that you’re not alone. The kinds of problems > you’re encountering happen everywhere! Unfortunately, people get distracted > by the people who don’t get it. > > At the risk of sounding all “back in my day…”, remember that for > communities like Indy Hall, New Work City, Office Nomads, and others that > started in 2006-2008 we didn’t have anywhere to point for examples. NOBODY > knew what coworking was, anywhere in the world. > > I’m going to tell you the secret: the people you’re worried about aren’t > your members, and most will never become members. So you can stop worrying > about them. > > Don’t try to convince the people who “don’t get it”. That’s an uphill > battle. :) > > *Instead, focus on finding a handful of people who DO get it. * > > Encourage them. Support them. And promote THEIR successes. > > In time, as people see the kinds of successes that come from working > together, more people will come around on their own. > > Focus on *everybody*, and you’ll run out of steam before long. Focus on > finding a a few who understand and believe in the same things as you, and > you’ll find that you never have to “convince” somebody ever again. > > -Alex > > > > On Mon, Oct 13, 2014 at 12:22 PM, Raghuveer Kovuru <raghu...@gmail.com > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> >> Thanks for the reply Tony! Yeah, I am already on the job of convincing >> people about the benefits of being a coworker at our space. The only >> challenge that I have is overcoming the local mentalities about cost. They >> run like this: "Ohhh! Rs. 5000! I would get an air conditioned private >> cabin for that!" " I need a corner to work. I wouldn't involve much in >> events. So will you give me a discount?" and so on. Haha. >> >> So wrecking my brain over what plan to come up with and bolster all these >> people. I am planning of holding an event with a celebrity speaker that >> would pull crowds and request the speaker to put in a few words about the >> advantages of coworking! >> >> >> On Monday, 13 October 2014 20:07:33 UTC+5:30, Tony Bacigalupo wrote: >>> >>> Raghuveer, rock on brother! Your space looks amazing and I'm glad to >>> hear you're looking to bring the true community culture to coworking in >>> your world. >>> >>> I'm curious when you say this: >>> >>> In Hyderabad, every space likes to call itself a coworking space and >>>> all they do is provide desks and people work in relative isolation! Our >>>> space wants to break that barrier! It has been a week now and there is >>>> footfall. However, people here mistake coworking to any other shared >>>> office >>>> or executive space and ask for fancy interiors, private cabins and air >>>> conditioning. >>> >>> >>>> Despite our effort to convince them of the synergies that can be >>>> achieved at our space, people say they will get back to us and never do. >>>> This is the desk side. >>> >>> >>> I'm finding this to be a common issue as the desk rental industry >>> continues its consumption of the coworking term. But you should be able to >>> identify people who understand, as you do, that it represents something >>> more. >>> >>> In other words, there are certainly other people out there who know they >>> want something that isn't a fancy desk rental space. How can you empower >>> those people to take emotional ownership over the project and help you >>> construct a culture that is so irresistable that others who may be more >>> tentative can't help but want to be a part of it? >>> >>> The reason I ask this is because to get over the default transactional >>> thinking that many arrive with when they start to look at the world of >>> coworking, we must sometimes work to help people to understand what they >>> really want even if they don't quite understand it themselves. Sometimes >>> they need to see it shine through so brightly that it shocks them out of >>> their set ways. >>> >>> So if you can start-- even with just ten or so people-- who really get >>> it, who really buy into it, who really share the same vision as you-- you >>> can define a culture that can perpetuate through hundreds of people across >>> multiple generations over the course of hopefully many years. >>> >>> Look out for opportunities to forge personal human connections with >>> people. When you host an event, make yourself available and let your >>> passion show. When you encounter people who respond to that energy, engage >>> with them personally, face to face. Get to know them as real people and not >>> just as business contacts. >>> >>> If there are indeed people out there, and I suspect there must be, >>> they'll find you. Recruit them not just to be customers, but to be >>> collaborators. Good things will happen from there. >>> >>> Best of luck, friend. Keep us posted! >>> >>> Tony Bacigalupo >>> >>> >>> >>> * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- + >>> Personal: twitter <http://twitter.com/tonybgoode> • fb >>> <http://facebook.com/tonybacigalupo> + Projects: NWC >>> <http://nwc.co/> • Meetup <http://meetup.com/coworking-nyc> • NYTM >>> <http://nytm.org/> + Recent posts: What happens when you become the boss? >>> <http://happymonster.co/2014/10/10/what-happens-when-you-become-the-boss/> >>> • Collaborative motivation groups >>> <http://happymonster.co/2014/09/19/collaborative-motivation-groups/>* >>> >>> * + Help: I'm looking for a fab 1-2BR in Brooklyn. Let me know if you >>> have any leads! + Travel plans: NYC now ~ 11/4 • Boulder ~11/4-13 • NYC >>> ~11/13-ish-TBD + Upcoming: IndieCon NYC 2014 >>> <https://indiecon2.eventbrite.com/?discount=thankyousponsors> & NWC's sixth >>> anniversary party <http://nwc.co/spookiversary>. Join!* >>> *-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-* >>> >>> On Mon, Oct 13, 2014 at 9:51 AM, Raghuveer Kovuru <raghu...@gmail.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Hey all, >>>> >>>> I have been researching and following the concept of coworking on >>>> several platforms now and have finally opened a coworking (without the >>>> hyphen) space (Co.Lab.Orate) in Hyderabad, India. We ensured that we are >>>> able to provide affordable desks to startups and entrepreneurs but our >>>> focus is more on community building. This we plan to achieve through >>>> conducting a series of events and workshops that will promote networking, >>>> learning, interaction and collaboration. We also have a dashboard system >>>> that none of the other spaces use. >>>> >>>> In Hyderabad, every space likes to call itself a coworking space and >>>> all they do is provide desks and people work in relative isolation! Our >>>> space wants to break that barrier! It has been a week now and there is >>>> footfall. However, people here mistake coworking to any other shared >>>> office >>>> or executive space and ask for fancy interiors, private cabins and air >>>> conditioning. >>>> >>>> Despite our effort to convince them of the synergies that can be >>>> achieved at our space, people say they will get back to us and never do. >>>> This is the desk side. >>>> >>>> As far as events are concerned, people are showing real interest to >>>> hold their sessions at our space due to our free offerings. But I am >>>> little >>>> skeptical about how much traction this would give our space. We have done >>>> our best to make the space lively, positive and informal. >>>> >>>> Here's a look at the space. Would love some suggestions on attracting >>>> the right kind of coworkers. I really do not want to compromise on >>>> diversity and let it out to a big bunch of people from the same domain. >>>> That would be like giving up on my core values of openness, collaboration, >>>> sustainability and acceptability. Would hate to see it become another >>>> shared space! >>>> ' >>>> >>>> >>>> <https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3B-jhazfDyE/VDvWPsFuBII/AAAAAAAABW0/qZ3mkO9sctg/s1600/Buddha%2B-%2BWeb.jpg> >>>> >>>> <https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-z-1uPt3RLGI/VDvWfOOumeI/AAAAAAAABW8/DGYJepwKHYI/s1600/Conf%2B2%2B-%2BWeb.jpg> >>>> >>>> >>>> <https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ay3s0NzVK5I/VDvW2Hwm_CI/AAAAAAAABXE/VpBILqwIl28/s1600/Curtains-%2BWeb.jpg> >>>> >>>> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m2treN8OrQg/VDvV6J17WxI/AAAAAAAABWs/OcVQSzgLOgU/s1600/Lounge%2B-%2BWeb.jpg> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> You can visit our page at *www.facebook.com/letscolaborate >>>> <http://www.facebook.com/letscolaborate>* and follow us on twitter >>>> *@lets_colaborate* >>>> >>>> You can also visit our site at *www.colaborate.in >>>> <http://www.colaborate.in>* >>>> >>>> Cheers! >>>> >>>> *Raghuveer Kovuru* >>>> *Co-Founder/Tummler* >>>> +91-9985190002 >>>> ragh...@colaborate.in >>>> *Co.Lab.Orate Coworking* >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m2treN8OrQg/VDvV6J17WxI/AAAAAAAABWs/OcVQSzgLOgU/s1600/Lounge%2B-%2BWeb.jpg> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com >>>> --- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "Coworking" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>> an email to coworking+...@googlegroups.com. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>> >>> >>> -- >> Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Coworking" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to coworking+...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. 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