Mark: Good article. Having grown up in a small town in Kansas, I like the idea of coworking spreading to rural areas. I'm looking forward to seeing how the Radford space goes. I also think the economic development angle is quite interesting.
Keep us posted. On Sep 19, 6:56 am, "Mark W. Kidd" <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi folks, > > Here is my piece on coworking (full article at the link). The Daily > Yonder has a readership which writes about and works on economic > development in many rural areas in the US. I think this will be the > first time most of their audience has heard the term 'coworking,' and > hopefully it will get folks interested. > > If any rural space owners or catalysts are interested in being contacted > by that audience, I think it would only enrich the article for you two > give a couple-sentence pitch for your space and its location in the > comment area. Maybe it will be a chance to connect with someone who > works in policy or funding in your region. > > ------ > > http://www.dailyyonder.com/how-coworking-can-work-small-towns/2011/08... > > *Coworking to Quick-Start Rural Innovation* > > In a new model for "the office," diverse groups, local business people, > and drop-in workers share space, wifi and expertise. Why not in your town? > > By Mark W. Kidd > > When we arrive at CoCo, a year-old coworking space in St. Paul, > Minnesota, about two dozen members are occupied at desks on the second > and third floors; several other folks cluster by the kitchen, where > coffee is fresh. This is where "the library meets the coffee shop," a > phrase common in co-working literature, because the analogy fits. > > On our tour are leaders and advocates from Central Appalachia who are > interested in applying the coworking model in rural areas. Also present > is Carl Mitchell, President and CEO of Virginia Economic Bridge > <http://www.virginiaeconomicbridge.org/>, which is adapting coworking at > its new facility in Radford, Virginia, set to open fall 2011. This visit > is an opportunity for Mitchell and fellow staff member Kimber Simmons to > compare notes with their counterparts at CoCo. > > Coworking refers to a shared work environment and a set of community and > cultural values that guide the development and operation of office > space: facilities where freelancers, entrepreneurs, telecommuters, and > drop-ins work side-by-side. The benefits of a coworking space come from > allowing independent and startup ventures to bypass rote logistical > obstacles, like obtaining office or workshop space, and from valuing a > free-form collaborative environment for sharing resources, expertise, > and ideas. > > Read more... > <http://www.dailyyonder.com/how-coworking-can-work-small-towns/2011/08...> > > -- > Mark W. Kidd > Roadside Theater - Thousand Kites - Appalshop > > 606-536-0115 (cell) > roadside.org > thousandkites.org > appalshop.org -- 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.
