Hi there! We're in Barrie Ontario (www.thecreativespace.ca) Mid-size city (190K)
This is off the cuff, and only from a couple years of experience. Others can chime in and add, subtract and/or clarify. This is really high level. Start with building COMMUNITY - with a few others you like and love to work with and meet in some free space as you can regularly. (good space, decent wireless, comfy chairs and desks) (someones house, coffee shop, library, etc) Duration is up to you and others. Once you have some momentum, plan a more formal gathering like a Jelly, (or a couple) or Meetup where you spread the word to other entrepreneurs, startups to come to an day of coworking. Invite the press and talk about "what could be" referencing other spaces as inspiration, like the NetworkHub in Vancouver! Connect with your local Chamber, networking groups, business enterprise centres, city economic development office, local ward councillors, etc. If there is a University or college, set a time to chat with them to see how the space may benefit their needs or better yet they could partner somehow. Maybe start a Facebook page and see what kind of conversations come up. After a few months (timeline will be different for every community) look for COMMITMENT to take it to the next level and eventually take on some dedicated space. For us it was all about the community as to where they would love to work everyday. For us it was downtown, old building, high ceilings, etc. The timeline could be 3-6-12 months. There are a lot of other marketing things you should do, but a good communications plan will flesh that out. (name, branding, website, social media, etc) Commitment means to enter into a lease, rent where day one your rent is paid and you hopefully have commitment for at least 12 months. I found it took about 6 months AFTER we moved in to then generate the buzz and following to keep the membership flow, flowing. During the entire process and especially after you've found your home, there needs to be CARE. As a space owner operator your role is to care for the membership. Eventually you'll find others to join you in that care. Listen to their ideas, concerns, etc. The space needs to be the community's space. This will help to form the personality of the space. Tell the stories, celebrate the success and learn for your mistakes. Overall, stay connected to the coworking community locally and globally. There's a wealth of knowledge there! I'd recommend subscribing to http://coworkingweekly.com/ and tap into Alex's courses if you can. If you'd like to contact us for more questions, drop us a email. Peace, Chad Ballantyne 705.812.0689 [email protected] Barrie's Coworking Community Perfect for small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs. 12 Dunlop St E, Barrie Ontario, L4M 1A3 Memberships start at $25/mth www.thecreativespace.ca 705-812-0689 On 2013-01-15, at 2:46 PM, Debbie Narver wrote: > Hi, > I live in Nanaimo BC (Canada) and am thinking about starting up a > coworking group here. Love the concept. Any advice on starting up in > a smaller city is much appreciated! > > -- > Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
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