Yes, the basic co-working model is so un-complicated that trying to franchise in the traditional sense wouldn't work. What would you be buying? We've been asked to consider "satellite" spaces and we're trying to decide what that means. Offering our support and consultation along with some marketing and networking ideas can work. We even thought the consistent branding can be used as well. But other than that, the value is always in the people and the communities are all different (even 60 Kms away), so cookie cutter would not be reasonable. As far as I can see and read and listen, the best co-working spaces "become." They grow into themselves, therefore to start with a structured "do this and succeed" model would not fly long, I think. This does not mean a solid business plan and strategy is not needed. It is. And starting with a co-workig model, as basic as it is, can help.
We've been blessed to help inspire other spaces to start, as CSI has been an inspiration for us. For the others, we've met with and offered ideas, support, etc. It's great to see them launch and flourish, and whether our little nudge did anything, the community of co-work grows and we need more spaces. Owning stuff and hanging on fast to our ideas is so old school. It's liken to Gordon Mackenzie's Orbiting the Giant Hairball book who presents corporate America to a giant hairball. Ideas become sucked into it and bureaucracy takes over. We don't and shouldn't try too hard to wrap co-working up in a box and sell it. What our economy and our community needs is to offer to our entrepreneurs, small businesses, etc the freedom to orbit, create and experiment, without having to check the company standards guide every time you have a flash of brilliance. I love this quote, and it speaks to this somewhat..."Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Howard Thurman So I guess the short of it is (sorry for the ramble), let's do what we can to keep the ideas and businesses flowing and growing, understanding that our spaces are and will continue to be a major catalyst for that to happen. It's good to be in the community. Chad Ballantyne The Creative Space Barrie, Ontario Canada www.thecreativespace.ca On 2011-03-16, at 9:19 AM, Eli Malinsky wrote: > We use the language of going "deep rather than broad". We will soon > have three locations in Toronto - but we will stop there. And we have > resisted repeated calls for franchising/licensing/replication in other > cities, for a multitude of reasons that are obvious to those on this > list. > > So I think co-working spaces can and do grow - it's just not in the > typical direction! I constantly feel that we are just scratching the > surface of this 'movement' and the possibilities of shared space... > constantly deepening our practice, exploring the potential of the > concept, tapping the potential of our membership.... these are the > areas of growth that we have in mind. > > Eli Malinsky > Centre for Social Innovation > Toronto > > -- > 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. > Chad Ballantyne The Creative Space Director (705) 252-2423 www.thecreativespace.ca -- 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.
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