Hi folks - My name is Suzi Edwards (of WallFly Marketing, www.wallflymarketing.com) and I am helping a graphic design firm, The Donaldson Group (www.donaldsonmakoski.com) build Group 88, a coworking venture in the lower level of their building on 88 Hopmeadow in Simsbury, CT.
We are targeting entrepreneurs, indies of all sorts, consultants and road warriors as possible members. Group 88 is 2,500 square feet of space that will include a large conference room outfitted for high- tech presentations, 3 offices for anchor members, 5-6 work areas for floaters, wifi, open lounge areas, networking events, admin support from Donaldson, a kitchen, lots of sunlight, secure building and secure areas within the space, ample parking, outdoor patio, walk/bike trails and shower facilities. Simsbury is an interesting area - it's burb-like yet there's tons of activity since it is close to Hartford (which is mostly corporate- like) and near West Hartford and Avon (which are more artsy). Right now we're in the stage of spreading the word while also determining who will benefit most from the space. There appears to be lots of home-based consultants and service providers from: finance/tax/ attorney, HR, high-tech, marketing, web/IT, graphic design/creatives, interior design, education and film/animation due to new tax breaks for filming in CT. I have been doing some market research which has unearthed some interesting revelations about the area - 1) several folks who live just in the next town, have said that they wouldn't drive "that far" when it's only about 10-15 minutes away; 2) the consultant/corporate types in this area want savvy networking that will have a direct impact on their business; 3) the coffee shops are overrun with indies so there is definitely a need for folks who want to improve their scenery and join a coworking community. I see an opportunity to build a coworking space that merges two cultures in this area: established business professionals who could use some influence from smart, young web-savvies with energy and creative backgrounds + smart, young web savvies who could benefit from mixing with folks who have been around the block (so to speak). Am I green to think that it's possible to merge these cultures in a happy co-existence? Give it to me straight coworking cronies. If there are any folks out there who can offer up some advice on building a coworking space that exists in a similar market or non-metro area, I'd be much obliged. Many thanks in advance! Suzi E --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
