Some simple adjustments to your response could make your (and their) lives easier...describe how it works/what it does first, then give it a name (coworking!) that they can associate with it for the rest of the conversation! It sounds like you're already doing that, Cadu.
The other aspect of using the word coworking involves tying it back to the roots of where coworking came from...Brad Neuberg, who first associated the word "coworking" with the basic ideas of working alone, but together, and the founders of the Hat Factory, and Chris, Tara, and others who set up this group in 2006. Educating people about the roots of this broader community, and not just your specific venture/space/community, puts a lot of things into perspective for people who haven't heard of it before! -Alex /ah indyhall.org coworking in philadelphia On Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 10:22 AM, Cadu de Castro Alves < [email protected]> wrote: > Will, > > I have the same problem here in Rio, because the coworking concept is not > familiar to the people. > If someone ask me what about is my business and I say "it's a coworking > space", this one usually don't understand. > So, I'm getting used to saying that my business is about a place to support > startups and small business, > that we host events and everything that can bring value to these kind of > people. > > I always say the term "coworking" and explain the idea to them, because I > think it helps to spread the concept. > Some people ask me what is the meaning of coworking or why we call our > space as a coworking space. > > My two cents! > > Best wishes, > > Cadu de Castro Alves > BeesOffice Espaço de Coworking @ Rio de Janeiro > Telefone: (21) 2233-5126 / 8464-3958 > Website: http://www.beesoffice.com > Skype: beesoffice > Twitter: @beesoffice > > “The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented > the other three, HE was a genius.” - Sid Caesar > > On 14/07/2010, at 10:56, Will Bennis, Locus Workspace wrote: > > Hi all, > > In a LinkedIn coworking group that I'm in (maybe it's "the" LinkedIn > coworking group? :), someone posted the following discussion question: > > "...[w]e are discovering that the term coworking is causing > confusion.Which simple phrases have you found to effectively relate > coworking,especially in print media?" > > I thought it was worth opening that question up to this group as I've > run into this same problem and still don't have a good solution. The > confusion I've experienced comes from the fact that coworking is so > similar (in meaning and spelling) to co-worker. If I say I have a > coworking space to someone who isn't already familiar with the > concept, their immediate reaction is often to assume that it's > something to do with a place for co-workers, and though perhaps > curious about what that could possibly be, it's not something they > think they're looking for (even if coworking is exactly what they're > looking for). > > Anyone have a nice pithy phrase (or phrases) that they think really > communicate the core idea? > > Thanks! > > Will > > -- > 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. > > > -- > 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]<coworking%[email protected]> > . > 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 [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.
