[Coworking] Re: NJ Coworking opening March 1, 2010
Wow - Thanks so much Alex... Your experience is so invaluable and while I've read what you've said from over a dozen others and know that they all make perfect sense, I think that you putting it that way shuts me up and makes me stop wondering if we should to it 'better', 'bigger', or 'whatever' from the door. Thanks again for your experience and support. Steve On Jan 19, 12:21 pm, Alex Hillman wrote: > Having done some "deep diving" into our record keeping over the last 2.5 > years, I'll tell you that the way I was keeping track of things vs. the way > they're tracked today has changed a LOT. Investing in even building > something would have been a waste, until we're as far along as we are now. > > Speadsheets have kept us agile. Until you figure out what works for you and > your members, I'd go that way and then try to streamline your way into other > tools as workflows solidify. > > -Alex > > /ah > indyhall.org > coworking in philadelphia > > On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 10:00 AM, ConvergeNJ wrote: > > Thanks everyone for your feedback and well wishes! > > > I'm beyond amazed, still, that with all of these amazing spaces > > founded by amazingly smart and innovation people, that people haven't > > really gone beyond spreadsheets. Not in a bad way, just surprised is > > all. I suppose it sticks with the bootstrapping mindset of use what > > you have and make it happen, but it just seems so tedious and time > > consuming to hobble things together with spreadsheets and Google > > calendars, etc. Maybe it's not and I'm most likely over-complicating > > things while trying to plan for the long term rather than be prepared > > for the immediate needs. > > > @ Nicole - I'd love to see what Jerome has built. I left you a voice > > mail and sent you a few emails. Hope to hear back from you soon! > > > @ Tony - We'd be honored to have you over for a field trip! We'll also > > be planning an open house / grand opening / ribbon cutting for mid- > > march and will have a limo sent across the river for you! > > > @ Todd - We're opening on the campus of Kean University in Union, > > NJ.Thanks for the tips on what you're using. Do you have Batchbooks > > automatically syncing with Freshbooks? We're going to try to get to > > SXSW this year - I've said that for the past 5 years, but this year > > I'm seriously trying to make it happen! > > > Thanks again everyone, > > We'll keep you posted on the progress we're making over the next 42 > > days until we open! > > Best regards, > > Steve > > > On Jan 18, 2:50 pm, "t...@c4workspace" wrote: > > > Welcome and congratulations Steve! > > > > I'm a New Jersey native. Where are you located? > > > > We use Google Calendar for our scheduling. We have an Event Calendar > > > which is embedded in our website (WP platform). We have other > > > calendars for admin purposes: Conference Room and Community Space for > > > reservations (these are not publicly shared yet.); as well as Admin > > > and Marketing calendars to keep track of who is doing what and what is > > > due when. That's all free. > > > > We use Freshbooks for invoicing through PayPal. We can have a walk in > > > and they can pay almost immediately. Freshbooks costs us $14.95 a > > > month and PayPal takes their cut but we think it's worth it. > > > > We're using Batchbooks for people data (CRM). We have a form from > > > Batchbook embedded in our site so when someone joins on the website > > > their information automatically goes into Batchbooks. And that can be > > > sent to Freshbooks so we can invoice them. Batchbooks is $9.95 a > > > month. > > > > There's some expense there but it's a simple enough backend for non- > > > computer people like my wife to get it and do it with minimal > > > training. > > > > We also looked at Outright.com and Clarity Accounting for bookkeeping > > > but we haven't gone there yet. Outright pulls info from Freshbooks and > > > I think Clarity might do the same. > > > > Good Luck! > > > > Coming to SXSW in Austin in March? We're planning a big coworking > > > shindig! > > > > Cheers! > > > > Todd > > > -- > > 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.
Re: [Coworking] Re: NJ Coworking opening March 1, 2010
Having done some "deep diving" into our record keeping over the last 2.5 years, I'll tell you that the way I was keeping track of things vs. the way they're tracked today has changed a LOT. Investing in even building something would have been a waste, until we're as far along as we are now. Speadsheets have kept us agile. Until you figure out what works for you and your members, I'd go that way and then try to streamline your way into other tools as workflows solidify. -Alex /ah indyhall.org coworking in philadelphia On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 10:00 AM, ConvergeNJ wrote: > Thanks everyone for your feedback and well wishes! > > I'm beyond amazed, still, that with all of these amazing spaces > founded by amazingly smart and innovation people, that people haven't > really gone beyond spreadsheets. Not in a bad way, just surprised is > all. I suppose it sticks with the bootstrapping mindset of use what > you have and make it happen, but it just seems so tedious and time > consuming to hobble things together with spreadsheets and Google > calendars, etc. Maybe it's not and I'm most likely over-complicating > things while trying to plan for the long term rather than be prepared > for the immediate needs. > > @ Nicole - I'd love to see what Jerome has built. I left you a voice > mail and sent you a few emails. Hope to hear back from you soon! > > @ Tony - We'd be honored to have you over for a field trip! We'll also > be planning an open house / grand opening / ribbon cutting for mid- > march and will have a limo sent across the river for you! > > @ Todd - We're opening on the campus of Kean University in Union, > NJ.Thanks for the tips on what you're using. Do you have Batchbooks > automatically syncing with Freshbooks? We're going to try to get to > SXSW this year - I've said that for the past 5 years, but this year > I'm seriously trying to make it happen! > > Thanks again everyone, > We'll keep you posted on the progress we're making over the next 42 > days until we open! > Best regards, > Steve > > > > On Jan 18, 2:50 pm, "t...@c4workspace" wrote: > > Welcome and congratulations Steve! > > > > I'm a New Jersey native. Where are you located? > > > > We use Google Calendar for our scheduling. We have an Event Calendar > > which is embedded in our website (WP platform). We have other > > calendars for admin purposes: Conference Room and Community Space for > > reservations (these are not publicly shared yet.); as well as Admin > > and Marketing calendars to keep track of who is doing what and what is > > due when. That's all free. > > > > We use Freshbooks for invoicing through PayPal. We can have a walk in > > and they can pay almost immediately. Freshbooks costs us $14.95 a > > month and PayPal takes their cut but we think it's worth it. > > > > We're using Batchbooks for people data (CRM). We have a form from > > Batchbook embedded in our site so when someone joins on the website > > their information automatically goes into Batchbooks. And that can be > > sent to Freshbooks so we can invoice them. Batchbooks is $9.95 a > > month. > > > > There's some expense there but it's a simple enough backend for non- > > computer people like my wife to get it and do it with minimal > > training. > > > > We also looked at Outright.com and Clarity Accounting for bookkeeping > > but we haven't gone there yet. Outright pulls info from Freshbooks and > > I think Clarity might do the same. > > > > Good Luck! > > > > Coming to SXSW in Austin in March? We're planning a big coworking > > shindig! > > > > Cheers! > > > > Todd > > -- > 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.
[Coworking] Re: NJ Coworking opening March 1, 2010
Thanks everyone for your feedback and well wishes! I'm beyond amazed, still, that with all of these amazing spaces founded by amazingly smart and innovation people, that people haven't really gone beyond spreadsheets. Not in a bad way, just surprised is all. I suppose it sticks with the bootstrapping mindset of use what you have and make it happen, but it just seems so tedious and time consuming to hobble things together with spreadsheets and Google calendars, etc. Maybe it's not and I'm most likely over-complicating things while trying to plan for the long term rather than be prepared for the immediate needs. @ Nicole - I'd love to see what Jerome has built. I left you a voice mail and sent you a few emails. Hope to hear back from you soon! @ Tony - We'd be honored to have you over for a field trip! We'll also be planning an open house / grand opening / ribbon cutting for mid- march and will have a limo sent across the river for you! @ Todd - We're opening on the campus of Kean University in Union, NJ.Thanks for the tips on what you're using. Do you have Batchbooks automatically syncing with Freshbooks? We're going to try to get to SXSW this year - I've said that for the past 5 years, but this year I'm seriously trying to make it happen! Thanks again everyone, We'll keep you posted on the progress we're making over the next 42 days until we open! Best regards, Steve On Jan 18, 2:50 pm, "t...@c4workspace" wrote: > Welcome and congratulations Steve! > > I'm a New Jersey native. Where are you located? > > We use Google Calendar for our scheduling. We have an Event Calendar > which is embedded in our website (WP platform). We have other > calendars for admin purposes: Conference Room and Community Space for > reservations (these are not publicly shared yet.); as well as Admin > and Marketing calendars to keep track of who is doing what and what is > due when. That's all free. > > We use Freshbooks for invoicing through PayPal. We can have a walk in > and they can pay almost immediately. Freshbooks costs us $14.95 a > month and PayPal takes their cut but we think it's worth it. > > We're using Batchbooks for people data (CRM). We have a form from > Batchbook embedded in our site so when someone joins on the website > their information automatically goes into Batchbooks. And that can be > sent to Freshbooks so we can invoice them. Batchbooks is $9.95 a > month. > > There's some expense there but it's a simple enough backend for non- > computer people like my wife to get it and do it with minimal > training. > > We also looked at Outright.com and Clarity Accounting for bookkeeping > but we haven't gone there yet. Outright pulls info from Freshbooks and > I think Clarity might do the same. > > Good Luck! > > Coming to SXSW in Austin in March? We're planning a big coworking > shindig! > > Cheers! > > Todd -- 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.
[Coworking] Re: NJ Coworking opening March 1, 2010
Welcome and congratulations Steve! I'm a New Jersey native. Where are you located? We use Google Calendar for our scheduling. We have an Event Calendar which is embedded in our website (WP platform). We have other calendars for admin purposes: Conference Room and Community Space for reservations (these are not publicly shared yet.); as well as Admin and Marketing calendars to keep track of who is doing what and what is due when. That's all free. We use Freshbooks for invoicing through PayPal. We can have a walk in and they can pay almost immediately. Freshbooks costs us $14.95 a month and PayPal takes their cut but we think it's worth it. We're using Batchbooks for people data (CRM). We have a form from Batchbook embedded in our site so when someone joins on the website their information automatically goes into Batchbooks. And that can be sent to Freshbooks so we can invoice them. Batchbooks is $9.95 a month. There's some expense there but it's a simple enough backend for non- computer people like my wife to get it and do it with minimal training. We also looked at Outright.com and Clarity Accounting for bookkeeping but we haven't gone there yet. Outright pulls info from Freshbooks and I think Clarity might do the same. Good Luck! Coming to SXSW in Austin in March? We're planning a big coworking shindig! Cheers! Todd -- 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.
[Coworking] Re: NJ Coworking opening March 1, 2010
Thanks so much for the good wishes and congratulations! Thanks for the registration information as well - would love to hear about Jerome's System! On Jan 16, 9:44 pm, ConvergeNJ wrote: > Hi fellow Coworkers! > > I'm so excited to announce that NJ's first Coworking space, Converge, > will officially be opening on March 1, 2010. We'll be planning an open > house / grand opening for shortly there after. Obviously, we've got > lots of work to do in the next six weeks. The two biggest areas of > support we're looking for is members and systems... > > Members - we've got a handful of extremely eager coworkers ready to > ump right in and commit and another handful ready for part time > coworking. We have a Meetup planned for the 28th of this month and are > trying to get the word out. So please, if you can, spread the word > about our NJ Coworking > Meetup:http://www.meetup.com/Converge/calendar/12301638/ > > Systems - We're exploring tools to use for managing our membership, > taking reservations, allowing online registration, etc. Obviously we > can build something sexy, but that's a ton of time (aka money) that I > don't know that we have right now. I've explored a few systems online > taht might be decent options. And of course, there's the hobbled > system of Google Cal, Excel, Paypal, etc. which would work for a > little bit I'm sure. So my question to you all is this: What are you > using to manage your membership and membership data? How do you manage > your assets (rooms / desks, etc.)? What do you use for online > registrations and reservations? Did you build your own? If so, do you > offer it as a web based solution to others? > > Any input / support /recommendations would be hugely appreciated! > > Thanks in advance, > Steve -- 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.
