By the way, a few exec biz centers are adding/converting spaces over
to "coworking". I doubt they'll have the events and collaboration,
but nonetheless, they think that having a few desks constitutes
coworking and they're labeling themselves as such. This will add
confusion to the public.
Thanks Alex. If/when I talk to ABCN about this option, I'll
definitely get assurance that our coworking goals maintain intact,
regardless if they deviate from exec centers.
Jerome
______________
BLANKSPACES
"work wide open"
www.blankspaces.com
5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.330.9505 (office)
On Feb 8, 2010, at 10:15 AM, James Hackett wrote:
Great points Alex, interesting discussion.
I'm fairly new to the coworking area. This Google group has been
invaluable to me as we put together our space.
--j
On Feb 8, 2010, at 10:00 AM, Alex Hillman wrote:
it's not uncommon for our members to be business center refugees
("I tried working at Regus...that sucked"), and we actively work to
create language and activities to help people understand the
difference between executive business centers and coworking. I know
we are not alone in this mission.
I can't see us aligning with the goals or values of an executive
business center organization, and so, I can't see us working with
one. This feels like potential for serious confusion for
prospective coworking communities, and a distraction for ones that
are already in progress.
Not to say it can't be done, but I'm cautious of how this takes
place.
-Alex
/ah
indyhall.org
coworking in philadelphia
On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 12:51 PM, James Hackett <[email protected]>
wrote:
I have been collaborating with the head of ABCN already. That org
is a global network of exec centers. Coworking technically falls
under a niche within biz centers and I've just proposed to ABCN to
create a new, separate group. We utilize their experience with
alliances and therefore their infrastructure.
Any thoughts or serious objections?
Collaborating with a group like ABCN seems like a great natural fit
for co-working locations Jerome. I'd love to hear/talk more and get
involved.
James
Cruzio Internet
On Feb 7, 2010, at 5:06 PM, Jerome Chang wrote:
Oh. Traditional is fine. I just thought having much further
discussion about a co-op would be reinventingte wheel. From what
I've seen, we have two related proposals:
1. National org/network/co-op
2. National conference
Forming #1 would assign the people/resources toward creating #1
and at the same time, create add'l discussions/collaborations/
benefits throughout the year regardless of the conference.
I have been collaborating with the head of ABCN already. That org
is a global network of exec centers. Coworking technically falls
under a niche within biz centers and I've just proposed to ABCN to
create a new, separate group. We utilize their experience with
alliances and therefore their infrastructure.
Any thoughts or serious objections?
Jerome
On Feb 7, 2010, at 4:13 PM, Mike Schinkel <[email protected]
> wrote:
Sounds like a "traditional" alliance or org that services all
coworking facilities. Members pitch in a monthly/yearly amount
to an org that returns them benefits, etc.
So, do you think "traditional" is good or bad?
-Mike
On Feb 7, 2010, at 4:16 PM, Jerome Chang wrote:
Sounds like a "traditional" alliance or org that services all
coworking facilities. Members pitch in a monthly/yearly amount
to an org that returns them benefits, etc.
______________
BLANKSPACES
"work wide open"
www.blankspaces.com
5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea)
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.330.9505 (office)
On Feb 7, 2010, at 7:44 AM, Mike Schinkel wrote:
Hi all,
The first thing I thought about when I saw this topic come
through was "Great, yet another expense on top of all the other
expenses we have."
As some of you know we operate Ignition Alley mostly as a
service to our local startup and freelance community and much
less to generate a profit. Attending a conference means
probably $1000+ in travel expenses and that is not attractive.
But then I thought "This need not be like commercial
conferences, it could be in run like coworking itself as a
collaborative for the benefit of those who participate and not
as a way for someone to make money." So at a very high level
I'd like to propose the following without having worked out all
the details:
-- Create a coworking facility co-op
-- Each facility that wants to can participate in the co-op
-- The co-op runs the conference
-- Co-op members work to get sponsors
-- The co-op markets to economic development agencies, chambers
of commerce, and major corporations[1] for paid attendance
-- Co-op members get their cut of the profits which help them
pay to attend the event
Thoughts?
-Mike Schinkel
Ignition Alley Atlanta Coworking
http://ignitionalley.com
[1] Major corporations are starting to look to the coworking
model to be greener in facility use and to maximize worker/
space density to cut costs.
On Feb 3, 2010, at 10:30 PM, rachel young wrote:
I think an annual coworking conference is a great idea,
something dedicated to coworking, not tacked on to another
event. Something where we could focus on coworking and
community issues, meet each other, see one another's cities
and spaces. I'm in!
There would have to be a lot of value to it in order to bring
these already busy and stretched folks our of their spaces for
a few days, though, something that could leverage our buying
power for, I dunno, office furniture or health care benefits
or travel discounts or something. Something where we can not
only have those providers/suppliers sponsor the event to
offset costs, but to provide real value that would be worth
traveling for.
I've been involved in a few organisations that are spread
across multiple timezones or parts of the world, and they have
decided on location in similar fashions, which is basically
that host cities post their proposals and the community votes
on where it should be, perhaps one vote per coworking
facility. We can build in assurance that it won't always be in
the same cities or parts of the country all the time so that
people in, say, the west coast don't alwyas have to travel to
the east coast. (ie, establish general zones and ensure the
annual event rotates between zones)
Anyway, I think it is certainly worth exploring, and being an
event planner I am all for it.
I put your suggested starting topics onto a wiki page (http://coworking.pbworks.com/Coworking-Conference
), which I think would be better to collaborate from there. I
do think that this would take some time to plan out properly
(and give folks some time to save up some money), so if you
were thinking of escaping the winter conditions in the next
few months, then perhaps sxswi is your better option for this
year.
r.
--
rachel young
[email protected]
(416) 801-0196
Find us in person:
Camaraderie
102 Adelaide St E, 2nd Floor
Find us online:
camaraderie.ca/blog
twitter.com/camaraderie
Woodie Neiss <[email protected]> Jan 30 09:49AM -0500
Anyone want to get together for the first International
Coworking Community Annual Meeting in ummm let’s say a warm,
sunny place like Miami? Sort of a one day event where we could
discuss best practices, set some protocols for future
coworking locations and formally organize ourselves so that we
can leverage our combined power?
Suggested topics to discuss (feel free to edit/add to/delete/
etc)
1) Keys to success
a. pricing
b. Serivices to offer
2) Managing the bottom line
a. Financing the start up
b. Negotiating lease agreements
c. Managing monthly expenses
3) Marketing & PR
a. Building awareness
b. How to generate more buzz
c. The power of meet-ups
d. Leveraging your chamber of commerce
4) Creative suggestions from some of our winning locations
5) How to formally organize ourselves into an International
organization
Perhaps we could all complete some surveys prior, and then
present the results at the meeting as well?
Regards,
Woodie
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