I think it's important to remember that you can't "create" community. Jacob has an awesome quote in the recent Coworking EU interview video about growing broccoli.
Basically, you can't GROW broccoli. Broccoli does that on it's own. But you can get the richest soil, make sure you water every day, etc, and the broccoli has the highest probability of doing what it's naturally inclined to do: grow! http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/11/encouraging-collaboration-in-coworking/ Try to find ways to get your "tenants" away from their desks and interacting with each other. That's the most important step if you're already in the position you are. I'd also try to shy away from even referring to them as tenants. That's rental-speak, and comes with some baggage and expectations. Members, on the other hand, has a tone of inclusion and participation. Honestly, it's the little things that make a huge difference, not a big "magic wand" type activity or action that changes a room of people into a community overnight. -Alex /ah indyhall.org coworking in philadelphia On Tue, Jan 11, 2011 at 10:58 AM, Bianca Rico <[email protected]> wrote: > This is what we are currently trying to do. Renting desks is easy but > creating a community is difficult. We have currently filled our dedicated > desks and private offices. We have several shared spaces available with > about 4 shared tenants that do stop by on occasion. The members we have now > are great and enjoy the unique concept and work culture we already have , > but we would truly love to be a place where small business or startups can > create genuine connections with other members just like themselves. I agree, > I think without having a community it truly takes the fun part of what > coworking is all about. How have other coworking spaces created this > community? Any tips? > > Sincerely, > Bianca Rico > Client Services > MiamiShared.com > Tel: 305-929-8688, ext. 143 > Fax: 305-397-1250http://www.miamishared.com > > Internet Email Confidentiality > Privileged/Confidential Information may be contained in this message. If you > are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible for delivery > of the message to such person), you may not copy or deliver this message to > anyone. In such case, you should destroy this message and kindly notify the > sender by reply email. Please advise immediately if you or your employer does > not consent to email or messages of this kind. Opinions, conclusions and > other information in this message that do not relate to the official business > of MiamiShared.com. shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it. > > > On 1/10/2011 2:09 PM, Alex Hillman wrote: > > Nuno, > > I think you're describing is the style that many of the best coworking > spaces already operate in. By not focusing on renting tables, spaces, and > providing services, they've (and we've) instead gardened communities of > people that inhabit our spaces and conduct their business. > > In fact, the many many many self-identifying coworking spaces out there > that DON'T do that are missing out on all of the fun. I can tell you from 4+ > years of experience, renting desks is boring and commoditized. Being > involved in a vibrant, dynamic community of individuals and their businesses > is a blast, and the long term rewards are immense. > > We focus on specific things, like helping trust be formed before working > relationships develop, and other environmental adjustments that improve the > output. Essentially, higher quality work becomes a bi-product of higher > quality interactions. > > Some "light reading" to that end: > > > http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/11/encouraging-collaboration-in-coworking/ > > http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/12/the-gap-between-coworkers-and-co-workers-isnt-the-hyphen/ > > http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/12/on-economic-development-centers-and-coworking/ > http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/11/take-interest-dont-fake-interest/ > http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/09/coworking-lets-things-happen/ > > -Alex > > /ah > indyhall.org > coworking in philadelphia > > > On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 1:54 PM, Nuno Borges Duarte < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Hello Peter, >> >> Thank you for your so prompt response. >> >> We mean by NEW when we want to develop the existing concept. >> Coworking with table reting, meeting room, and other services. >> >> We think that we could increase the value added to the companies >> presnt in the physical space, by making part of a network. >> And, by having a virtual coworking space with a dedicated software. >> >> Our project was based on this idea of widding the scope of a coworking >> space. >> We will be present in some exibits and conferences with a own >> space(stand) and invite our coworkers (physical and e-coworking) to >> join us and intereact as a HUB of opportunities. >> >> Hope to be clear, and count on you to help us on our porposal. >> >> Regards, >> Nuno Duarte >> >> On Jan 4, 5:06 pm, IDEA REPUBLIC <[email protected]> wrote: >> > what do you mean with "new"? why do we need a "new"coworking2.0 >> > definition? If you share a little more of your thoughts you might gain >> > some reponse. cheers, peter (cologne germany) >> > >> > On 2 Jan., 18:37, Nuno Borges Duarte <[email protected]> >> > wrote: >> > >> > > Welcome all on this new fresh year of 2011. >> > >> > > We are a group of new entrepeneurs which will set a location in our >> > > city Lisboa (Portugal, Europe). >> > > During this so called Crisis generation, we want to show to all that >> > > opportunies come along during crisis. >> > >> > > We would like to invite you to help us to develep thecoworking >> > > definition, in order to have a new version of corworking space. >> > > Currently there is a new movements of new spaces, and we see this with >> > > a very positive indicator. >> > >> > > We count on you to make a theCoworking2.0. >> > >> > > Best wishes on this new year!!! >> > >> > > Hugs and kiss from Lisboa:) >> >> -- >> 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. > > -- > 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. 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