Yelp, Google reviews, and http://newworker.co/mag/all-articles/ among others would be channels for outreach, to find people who wrote about coworking but aren't paid for it, as would the WorkAtJelly.com listserves and wikis. Also work co-ops of all kinds could count as coworking if virtual coworking counts, and would have many of the same issues but different solutions and fun and innovation as "coworking", and I think would benefit this group.
Alex Linsker, Collective Agency, Portland Oregon On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 5:29:12 AM UTC-8, Will Bennis, Locus Workspace wrote: > > J.C.'s post does point to what I take to be the greatest loss for this > discussion group: that it is almost devoid of participation from people who > cowork and don't also have some deeper connection to the movement. But I > suppose that's the nature of the beast? Is there *ongoing* value in a > coworking discussion group for *members* of coworking spaces? > > My sense is we'd all benefit from getting greater input/perspective from > that side of the coworking world (the member side), though I'm not sure > that side would benefit from taking the time to give it. > > I do wonder if there's some tweak we could do as a community here that > would make this list more diverse in terms of who can get benefit from > being on here so that coworkers too could participate and add their > perspective and also feel as though they're getting value from doing so? > > On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 2:22:25 PM UTC+1, Will Bennis, Locus > Workspace wrote: >> >> Hi J.C.: >> >> I'm sure there are people out there who share your need and would want to >> cowork with you over the Internet and for whom a physical coworking space >> isn't the solution. Unfortunately, I don't think this list is the best >> place to find those people. As you might have gathered from the replies, >> most of the people active on this list are coworking space proprietors or >> are otherwise invested in the coworking space industry or the coworking >> movement. That's not by design. In my opinion it's just by virtue of what >> has kept a consistent group actively interested in discussing *coworking*. >> >> Anyone know of a good non-affiliated discussion list where "coworkers", >> or people seeking to be coworkers, congregate? My guess--J.C.--is that >> you'd be better posting this question on some group where digital nomads, >> location-independent professionals, freelancers, home workers, teleworkers, >> etc., congregate. But I don't know where that is (or if those groups suffer >> from the same trait of hosting primarily people who build their careers >> around that topic, rather than the participants in those activities >> themselves). >> >> I'd love to hear others' suggestions for where to find this niche. Or >> J.C., if you find a place to post this inquiry that brings you success, I'd >> love to hear where you found it. >> >> Best, >> Will >> >> On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 10:23:56 AM UTC+1, Jeannine wrote: >>> >>> We are workinig towards this as a community, the impulse came mostly >>> when we shifted form one space to 2. The secopnd space is a sort of a >>> daughter location, which has options the original space simply did not >>> have. (I know th espace isn't supposed to matter. But when the webshop >>> has taken up all the tables with inventory and packing materials, or the >>> importer is sending home machines on pallets which have to be put >>> somewhere, it starts to matter. A lot. lol) >>> >>> It isn't quite mature yet, but it has been a really interesting ride so >>> far. >>> >>> For a Euro-development, the newest initiative/proposal we are discussing >>> is to stop with the discussion group thing altogether and move to Whatsapp >>> groups for this function. Not sure how that will go, but I guess I will >>> know in a couple of months. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> >>> Jeannine >>> On Monday, January 19, 2015 at 3:26:47 AM UTC+1, Alex Hillman wrote: >>>> >>>> Hey J.C., >>>> >>>> I’m honestly not sure why people are getting all fussy about this, it >>>> seems to me like your goals are totally reasonable to accomplish. >>>> >>>> I don’t get the sense that you’re trying to avoid a coworking >>>> space…maybe you’ve even tried it but because you’re often on the phone it >>>> didn’t work out. >>>> >>>> The #1 problem that coworking solves is loneliness (which it sounds >>>> like you’re dealing with), and there’s more than one way to skin that cat. >>>> :) >>>> >>>> *Two anecdotes of encouragement for you, JC:* >>>> >>>> 1) completely separate from the coworking space that I founded, I run >>>> what could easily be considered a virtual coworking community. In fact, >>>> here’s an excerpt from the page that people see when they sign up: >>>> >>>> The members of this particular community pay more than most of the >>>> members of the coworking space - quite happily. :) >>>> >>>> 2) Indy Hall’s “virtual” coworking community might look like an add-on >>>> to the coworking space, but we treat our discussion list & chat room as >>>> full fledged places to gather in the same ways you’ve described. There’s >>>> banter and motivation and support. We do Photoshop Fridays (you don’t need >>>> to be good at photoshop, trust me) and swap music videos on Youtube, help >>>> each other with problems ranging from technical to business to DIY home >>>> improvement projects, planning lunch & trips.... >>>> >>>> Are these interactions a complete replacement for the coworking space? >>>> No! Of course not. >>>> >>>> But for: >>>> * the people who like you, JC, have a constraint that keeps them from >>>> working in the coworking space... >>>> * the people who have jobs that *require* them to be at another >>>> office, full of coworkers that they DON’T enjoy talking with... >>>> * and the people who have a whole host of other reasons that physically >>>> relocating themselves just isn’t practical, but WANT to be a part of a >>>> community of likeminded people who they’re happy to call their coworkers... >>>> >>>> we’re really proud of what we’re able to offer, and the members really >>>> love having a way to contribute to the energy of the community from >>>> wherever they are. >>>> >>>> I wrote a bit on this list ( >>>> https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/coworking/CFsjTAEPP2g/oRegOZbfIPYJ >>>> ) >>>> last year about how we launched an online community membership to focus >>>> even more on opening the “door" to people want a community of coworkers >>>> but >>>> can’t use the space often or ever. >>>> >>>> -Alex >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ------------------ >>>> *The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.* >>>> Join the list: http://coworkingweekly.com >>>> Listen to the podcast: http://listen.coworkingweekly.com >>>> >>>> >>>> On Friday, Jan 16, 2015 at 6:08 PM, J.C. Amaya <[email protected]>, >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hey all! My name is JC and I do phone sales out of my apartment but am >>>>> finding it kind of difficult to stay focused. I'm usually pretty >>>>> disciplined in the office but at home by myself it's way too easy to get >>>>> distracted and goof around, especially since my job is commission only so >>>>> there's no one to get on my case when I slack off. What I'd like to do is >>>>> get together with a few other professionals and create a regular google >>>>> hang out for people who work from home but want to sort of recreate the >>>>> office environment. A little banter, a little motivation and support. >>>>> This >>>>> would probably work best with others who cold call from home but I'm open >>>>> to working with anyone who's interested. If anyone is interested in >>>>> trying >>>>> it out, shoot me an email. >>>>> >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> 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. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>> an email to [email protected]. >>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>> >>>> -- 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. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
