[Coworking] Re: Coworking Business Plan
Are those files available for download somewhere else? I'm on the new version of Groups, and I don't even get the message above. Thanks for the resources everyone, this place has been an amazing help! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/gvsVMqr_xacJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
[Coworking] Re: Coworking Workshop on Sunday 9/18
Thanks for offering this Alex! I'll be traveling (in Seattle), and if I can find internet access and the right environment (not Starbucks), I'll be joining in. I'm MOST interested in turning our jelly into a great coworking space. Shenoa (@ShenoaLawrence) Room to Think (@rm2think) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/i5L5ogb64DcJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
Re: [Coworking] Coworking in Petaluma CA
I'm not super familiar with the backstory behind SoCoDepot (or bzhive) other than the info on the wiki. I can say that having lived in Sonoma County, I would guess that the correct implementation of a coworking group has enormous potential. Walk into the back room at Aroma Roasters in Santa Rosa any day and you can see several people pecking away at laptops (and not Facebook). There are a some solid communities in user groups and other community groups that would be great to reach out to. As awesome as Sonic.net is for internet service, they don't reach out to the boonies of west county, and those folks could be prime candidates for being a part of a coworking community. Santa Rosa JC has 30,000 students per year last time I heard, and many of these people stay and work and open small businesses in the area. All this tells a great story of potential. Hit me up if you want to circulate some info, I still have friends and contacts in the area and I'd be happy to pass along word of meetups/jellies to some web developer types. I'm super excited for you! Shenoa -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/0biX203yGmAJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
[Coworking] Do you have support from your city?
We are exploring a relationship with our city through the Economic Development office. I have read a few tales on the group, and we are definitely proceeding on a friendly, yet cautious basis. Can any of you tell me about specific arrangements you have with your city? And is it okay if I share your experiences? Our current thoughts are as follows: we are developing a specific type of membership model to include outside companies and agencies: the Biz Membership. This provides 8 days of floating passes to be shared between the entity's employees. This was originally developed with a few local tech companies in mind. Basically, they have their own space, but we want to provide a way for them to be a part of what they're building. It occurred to us that this would be a nice way for the city to be involved as well. The 8 day passes can be shared between departments and would give them a taste of what we're building. At the same time, it would provide micro-businesses with a direct line to the city, which is normally not readily available. I'd love to have your perspective, both on what we're trying to do and on what you've done. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/wPh_nX8QDhgJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
[Coworking] Coworkwarming Party
We've been fortunate to receive a lot of support from other groups in our efforts to bring the first coworking group to our area. One of our closely associated Meetup groups has offered to throw us a Coworkwarming Party, which takes place tomorrow night. They asked us to put together a Wish List, which we're circulating about our own distribution channels as well. Monday was our soft opening, and we definitely have a lot of things we need to fill in our 1800 sq ft of space. We've borrowed 10 desks to start us out and are using a lot of our initial budget to buy comfy chairs. We've been selective on our other purchases to see how well this party idea works out. It's been a little hard to resist the urge to dig in and start filling the space with THINGS, but now that we're three days in, I'm glad we did. Members are already helping us out by tapping their own resources in creative ways. I feel like people are getting more involved in what we're building. It feels like we're setting the stage in a way that will strengthen the community. Yep, I was paying attention to Alex and many of the other awesome people who've shared knowledge on the groups! Here's a link to the meetup event if anyone wants to see how it's being put together: http://www.meetup.com/doctype-society/events/69355422/ We've already signed up 14 members and we're only on day 3. FEELS GOOD! Can't wait for tomorrow night. Cheers, Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/ikYUoce-exIJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
[Coworking] Re: Finding new coworkers
Something that's been successful for us is direct invitations. We also do some of the programs you mention, but also incorporate reaching out to people in a specific way. Being proactive and sending messages from person to person is where we see the most successes. I think it also sets the stage for later friendships/partnerships within our group. We're still fairly new and experimenting with what works, but so far this has been very helpful. Keep in mind that you are building something that people WANT to be a part of. Talk about how it's the biggest and most exciting thing that's happening in your town. We're mid-sized, and I do honestly think that there's nothing as innovative as what we're building. I'm willing to bet it's the same in your town. Talk big, think big, dream big! Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/8oZvL1thlCUJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
[Coworking] Our first media coverage!
We've been open at our own dedicated location for 3 weeks now, and the first bit of media coverage just came out: http://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/2012/07/coworking-group-gets-literal-with-room-to-think/ Feedback welcome! I'm hoping there will be more opportunities in the future to have conversations about what we're doing. If you can see any specific areas in which we need to improve our dialog (quotables), please let me know. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/8oxtdlqZn5kJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
Re: [Coworking] Our first media coverage!
Thanks Alex and Tom! I think the credit for this goes to having spent a year together in jellies before we opened. Doug and I didn't really do any planned prep, we simply talked about coworking the same way we do with potential members. On a side note, on week 3 we've grown to 19 members. This from 14 on day 3 when I last posted. :) Cheers, Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/KeWKAjqjGv0J. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
[Coworking] Re: 501c3 // nonprofit spaces?
I'm in a similar position. We incorporated as a 501c6, and were able to secure a few initial sponsorships that make our move-in costs bearable. However, we now need to look at structuring an ongoing sponsorship program. The most helpful advice I've found so far in searching the groups is this note from Alex: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/BwgDFlzEwUU/wYTrMiKs1CMJ I haven't really found anything more specific than that. We love our sponsors, and they love us and we really want to find more of those great connections in the community. I'm working on a draft of a Sponsor Packet right now, and wouldn't mind brainstorming a bit. if you want to chat offline sometime (via email or videoconference), I'm game. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com On Wednesday, July 25, 2012 7:44:35 AM UTC-7, Denver Hutt wrote: > > Does anyone know of any spaces that have been founded as nonprofits? We > recently got our 501c3 status (woo!) and I'd love to hear how others are > are going about fundraising and sponsorship opportunities within their > spaces. > > We are pretty adamant about *not* becoming Nascar with branding/naming on > the walls, desks, furniture, ect and while we have had *awesome* community > support thus far, we are beginning to reach beyond our initial > rounds/circles to continue our efforts. What has worked best for you/your > spaces? > > -d > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/EikwHsOKbakJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
[Coworking] MOAR amazing press for our new coworking space
Another great write up for Room to Think, published over the weekend in our local paper The Tri-City Herald: http://db.tt/OMHwhrl1 Taking the time to talk community really does make a difference. It feels so amazing to see our values and what makes our group special discussed in an article by someone who's never actually seen our space. As much fun as it is to describe our location or the low membership fees, I am *incredibly* glad that my main priority all chats is our community. Especially when the results are this wonderful. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://www.rm2think.com/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/VB_Lr99ndi8J. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
[Coworking] Presentation - "I Believe in Coworking, and So Do You."
I was asked to put together a presentation for a barcamp over the weekend called "I Believe in Coworking, and So Do You." https://vimeo.com/49987779 (sorry for the quiet audio) The audience was mostly peers, with some experienced coworking folks and others new to the idea. I kept it casual and intimate because I thought that worked well for this crowd. It went well, and I'm thinking about adapting it for a few different purposes. We're fundraising (non-profit) and also reaching out to other organizations in the community to find good connections that will help us grow our membership and events programs. I'm curious about any feedback folks might want to give on how I can best accomplish that. I'm very comfortable talking to my peers and potential coworkers, but less so to sponsors and business orgs. Pointers and critiques very welcome! Side note for Susan at Office Nomads: There's folks from other coworking spaces in our audience, and some of the discussion afterwards leads me to think we'd benefit from a local coworking association (IE: Coworking Field Day, FTW!). I'd love to hear what your research brings up. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/OBRY0r9zfEQJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
Re: [Coworking] Presentation - "I Believe in Coworking, and So Do You."
Alex, steal away, I love it! On the sponsor front, we do have 4 sponsors that I feel strongly share our vision. They ARE a part of it, and participate as informal mentors and sometimes event leaders. Basically, they're members that can't be here more frequently cause they have their own offices (we love them to pieces). I'd like to find a way to tie more organizations in that share our values and connect with us in the same way. I think that might be a tall order, but it's the ideal. Cyryl - something that might help is a tactic I've seen one of our community members use. When someone tells him an idea, he says, "Oh man, that's REALLY great! You should do that! And you should talk to so-and-so about it. When are you going to do that?" Maybe not all at the same time, but it's proactively encouraging people to share the dream, own it, and run with it. During a keynote at the barcamp this past weekend, we were all asked the question, "Who here has been encouraged by this community to go do something, and then went out and started doing it?" An impressive number of people raised their hands. Jeannine - We're putting heads together with our local library; they're unusually progressive. They want to organize a "Wikipedia Loves Libraries" event, and other educational things. While we haven't done it yet, we anticipate good things in partnering with other organizations. Thanks all for your comments! Shenoa -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/nE-iHs17-4sJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
Re: [Coworking] Presentation - "I Believe in Coworking, and So Do You."
One more thing on the title of the presentation...it wasn't something I would have chosen. I got nominated for that talk. Once I got to thinking about it though, I liked the idea of telling people that they believe in coworking...or at least the values of coworking. I may not have tied it together as strongly as I needed to, but I wanted to point out that those values are already ingrained from our earliest childhood. People DO believe in coworking, but they might not yet have heard the word for it. Especially in this community where most people haven't heard of it. We spend a lot of time just explaining the word. Shenoa -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/coworking/-/Femd_7krlosJ. To post to this group, send email to coworking@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.
[Coworking] Re: Sponsorship Help!
I'm also curious to hear other space manager's perspectives on this. We started out with a few sponsors right out of the gate when we opened in June, under a "one-time only" availability, called the Founding Sponsor. These are companies we'd developed relationships with who wanted to support our vision from the get go. We have a special level of acknowledgement for them, the Wall of Fame, where they appear alongside a list of Founding Members. We asked for $500, and some gave that and others gave up to $1500. For those who gave more, we made up benefits as we went along, extra day passes, t-shirts (to be printed, of course), etc. This was not as well thought out as I would have liked, but it's what we did, and our sponsors seem happy with it. I think that's because we try to involved them as much as possible, offering a year of Basic membership with the sponsorship gave us the excuse to have them coworking with us occasionally and be involved with events. One other sponsorship option we have is the "Internet Sugardaddy" - one of our member companies bought us 6 months of business class internet, they receive acknowledgement on our wifi login page and in a few other spots. So far, involvement has been our guiding principle. I'm in the middle of retooling our sponsorship options, so that's why this comment intrigued me. I'd like to continue the involvement aspect, but I feel like I'm looking for a more robust sponsorship options set, without going into the realm of plastering logos all over our space. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
[Coworking] Re: Pitching to corporations about coworking
Sorry for the late reply, been meaning to speak on this topic. We have a specific type of membership for companies that would like to join us only occasionally. They can of course buy one of the standard membership options, but we built a special Biz Membership package that allows an organization to have 8 floating days per month to mix and match between employees. This could be scaled differently of course, but at this level it allows for a bunch of them to show up on one day or to spread it out over a month. It's allowed a local tech company to send their employees to an "iOS Themesday" event, where all the iOS developers can show up the same day for coworking and a lunchtime brown bag session. A lot of these decisions grew out of conversations with the people in question. There's been an interesting development with that type of membership level. Some organizations have limits on the way they're able to spend funds (IE: The City). They can't support us with a sponsorship, because there's no tangible benefit the city will receive from it. However, because they receive coworking days in a Biz Membership, this level of support fits and they can "Sponsor" us. We're actually finally getting them to take advantage of this membership, so they'll feel more a part of the community we're building. I'd like to hear where this goes, please keep us in the loop. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- 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. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[Coworking] Video spot from the city
We've been working on developing a relationship with our local City government (I mentioned this before I believe). Their Economic Development Office has some progressive goals, and our coworking space fits the vision of what they're trying to move towards. They produced the following video spot which will be pushed out via social media, and a part of a longer segment on the local access channel. http://youtu.be/Pkae95NbH4g I'm working on NOT feeling like such a doofus on camera, but it's an uphill battle :) Hopefully this helps some of you with ideas on how to reach out to your local governments. I feel like we've made some good contacts so far, and look forward to seeing where this takes us. Today from one of our members, "You know what's cool? Being immortalized by municipal government." Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- 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. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[Coworking] Re: Video spot from the city
Thanks all! Keep your fingers crossed that this will be the little nudge we need to help break even. Cheers! Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- 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. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[Coworking] Re: Strategic Partnership/Sponsorship Package Help
We just launched a new sponsorship program at Room to Think, the overview is on page 3 of our brochure: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0zkbywiguunc9cw/RoomToThinkRocks.pdf We had concerns about limiting the number of sponsorships, while making sure there was a variety of avenues of support. It's a brand new program, so I can't speak to it's success just yet. Would anyone be interested in doing a Google+ Hangout discussion around this topic? I'm game for setting it up if a few are interested. Email me if you like and we'll arrange a time. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- 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+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[Coworking] Re: Strategic Partnership/Sponsorship Package Help
As a follow up to our new sponsor program, I'd like to share the day's events. We decided to hold a Public Thanking for our new "Coworking Champion Sponsor," a great local tech company called &yet. All decked out in our Room to Think shirts, we invaded their office and started out by recreating the Say Anything boombox scene. This drew the employees out of their offices, and the stragglers were met with a few short airhorn blasts. We followed with a "For They're a Jolly Good Sponsor" cheer, and a "Hip, Hip, AND YET!" I read a short, but very sweet thank you message, and then we rounded it all out with hugs and high fives. Their response: https://twitter.com/andyet/status/298883576827617280 Our follow up: https://plus.google.com/u/0/111971900132549743786/posts I wanted to share this story, because we put a lot of thought into what would appeal to them and their company culture. This is a company that put on a conference this fall where conference attendees rode school buses to the venue and was greeted with a marching band. Silly and spectacular is the best way to describe them. It's a value set our coworking group shares, so we decided to thank them in a way that only they would appreciate. Of course, not every sponsor is going to get the same treatment, but we plan to do a little something special for everyone. And before you ask, we did coordinate with an inside lady so we didn't interrupt them at a bad time. It went over extremely well! My advice is this: if you decide to show someone you love them, skip the flowers and chocolates stereotype and go for something with special meaning. PS - email shenoa.lawre...@gmail.com and let me know what days/times might work if you want to do a G+ Hangout on Sponsor Development. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think http://rm2think.com -- 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+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[Coworking] Our members give me warm fuzzys
We've started a local version of the web industry's blog project, The Pastry Box. Inspired by this excellent site, we decided our community needed some platform to highlight the amazing people and projects in our area. The Pot-Luck features a different writer every day talking about any community or creative topic. Every day, someone brings something to the table. Today's post by a member of Room to Think reminds me of why we are doing this. As a bit more background for the article, his freelance stint also coincides with full time membership at our coworking space. http://thepot-luck.com/natevanderwilt/indie-vs-freelance/ Shenoa Lawrence http://www.rm2think.com — Sent from Mailbox for iPhone -- 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+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
[Coworking] Room to Think closes
I wanted to mention that yesterday was the last official day of Room to Think as a coworking space. I definitely intend to spend a bit more time on a thorough post-mortem, both for the sake of the broader coworking community, and for others in our area that might have coworking ambitions in the future. In leiu of a more detailed explanation, I wanted to summarize: - Coworking is still something I think is needed in the Tri-Cities, WA - Our particular model of leadership turned out to be unsustainable - Broader adoption of coworking was slower than we hoped and finances were all sadface There IS still a community in Kennewick/Richland/Pasco that I think will birth something at a later time. Hopefully our efforts opened the door for them to fly. Shenoa Lawrence Room to Think -- 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+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
