Mike- I agree that offering private offices is not selling out. In our Santa Cruz location many people merge together to take a "private" office. Most of our offices don't have ceilings, so I consider them part of the Cafe anyway. People take them for different reasons, but the most common reason is that they simply need more space than our Cafe or workstation options provide. They might be a designer or developer and so need a place to house multiple monitors (some of our members have 6 monitors in their office) or design books. Others are lawyers who require a place to meet in private and also shelving to house their law books. So at NextSpace, it's very common to walk into a "private" office and see 3-4 people coworking in their own microcosm. Our membership allows for office members to work in the Cafe as well, so most of these people will come and cowork in the Cafe when they want collaboration or to be social, and will work in their office if they are on deadline or need to be heads down. Of course most of these members could have found space elsewhere, but chose to be at NextSpace precisely because they wanted to be part of the community here.
I know that traditionally the "no option of open" opinion has been held as the credo for coworking, but in my experience as a community manager for 2 years I really think that we open up the world of collaborative workstyles and non competition to a larger group of people when we offer more flexibility in how we define this changing movement. Thanks for allowing me to give my humble opinion :) I wish you all the luck of the Irish in your quest to bring coworking to Tracy and hope to be able to come visit you sometime very soon. Cheers! Iris On Oct 21, 2010, at 9:31 AM, Jacob Sayles wrote: > Mike, > > This isn't selling out at all. Private offices are not against the sprit of > coworking. They confuse the issue for sure. A lot of the talk I've heard or > said on the matter is often trying to explore this blurry line. For example, > the norm is for people to isolate themselves and our tag line is > "Individuality without Isolation". So, when proposing a possible "solution" > it's tricky for us to offer people options to isolate themselves. I mean > here we are trying to demonstrate how isolation causes problems. That said > our space doesn't have private offices to offer so we can punt on the issue. > > There is theory, and there is day to day life and you are in the best > position to know what is "right" for your community. > > Jacob > > --- > Office Nomads - Individuality without Isolation > http://www.officenomads.com - (206) 323-6500 > > > On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 4:54 AM, Ryan Price <ucfbass...@gmail.com> wrote: > MIke, > > I agree with Willie and Jerome. In the space I'm about to open, we don't have > private offices, but that means we are leaving a certain number of potential > members on the curb, if they (think they) need that kind of privacy. > > Peace, > Ryan Price > rpr...@ryanpricemedia.com > @liberatr > 407-484-8528 > > FloridaCreatives.com > Orlando Happy Hour: November 15th @ Crooked Bayou > > On Oct 20, 2010, at 3:49 PM, Jerome Chang wrote: > >> Hi. >> >> I know that some think that offices don't belong in a coworking space, but >> we've found them to be just as critical for the collaboration here. The >> office provides at minimum, built-in meeting space for a team that requires >> a lot of huddle time. Our other enclosed areas (meeting room, conf rm, >> ...even the bathroom) are often already occupied for someone to duck into >> for a private call or similar. Granted, our private offices have one glass >> wall so there's always visual interaction so office residents readily >> experience what's going on in the open areas. >> >> So, in my opinion, you haven't sold out at all! >> >> >> 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 Oct 20, 2010, at 12:44 PM, Willie Morris wrote: >> >>> It's not selling out...it's doing what you have to do to keep the dream >>> alive :) >>> >>> On Oct 20, 2010, at 3:41 PM, Mike P wrote: >>> >>>> I know everyone on this list (or nearly everyone) is doing very well. I >>>> have to say, Tracy , CA is a much different dynamic (remember going in >>>> almost two years ago... I was focused on telecommuting)...but it is home, >>>> so I will not leave, and will try not to give up. And I love coworking! >>>> >>>> In an effort to survive until "coworking" becomes the thing to do in >>>> Tracy, CA...I am selling out a bit and offering two office as Private >>>> offices. I'm hoping that once people see the value of coworking word will >>>> spread, but, I have to get people in here, and I have to be around, and if >>>> the only way to do that is to offer the "Same ole Same ole" the good >>>> people of Tracy are used to....I have decided to go that route. >>>> >>>> "Get the best of TWO worlds...your own PRIVATE office, and the >>>> collaboration and community of coworking" >>>> >>>> Just figured I'd let you all know...thanks to all of your for your >>>> support, hopefully I'll be around past March 2011.... >>>> >>>> http://altamontcowork.com/blog/2010/10/20/two-private-offices-for-rent-in-tracy-ca/ >>>> >>>> Mike >>>> >>>> -- >>>> "Visit http://ForCarol.com and help raise teen awareness about unsafe >>>> driving and encourage parents to enforce curfews! Would you rather argue >>>> with your teen...or bury them?" >>>> >>>> Mike Pihlman >>>> AltamontCowork / ForCarol.com >>>> 95 W. 11th Street, Suite 205 >>>> Tracy, CA 95376 >>>> Phone: 209-757-8862 >>>> Web: http://AltamontCowork.com >>>> Twitter: @AltamontCowork >>>> Facebook: http://Facebook.com/AltamontCowork >>>> Drive Safely! http://ForCarol.com >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> 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. >> >> >> -- >> 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. > > > -- > 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. 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