[Coworking] Re: We are setting up a podcast studio. Any advice?

[Trevor Twining]

Hey Craig,

There's no easy options here, just trade-offs. So you're going to need to 
understand your intended use more. 

Our first studio fit in a rubbermaid box and cost less than 500 Canadian 
dollars. We added things over time as people expressed interest. Now we 
have mobile kit and a studio kit. We just make the room available to our 
subscribers. No extra charge. First come, first served. Treating the room 
also made it better suited to hosting and participating in webinars, 
conferences, and video recording. So we also got a light kit, a green 
screen, and now we're getting into more video work as well. 

Add some versatility to your mic setup by going with the ATR 2100s. You'll 
get a great-sounding mic that works in rooms with some noise, but can also 
just plug into a computer using USB. This makes it easy for someone using 
the studio solo to just hook up direct. 
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATR2100-USB-Cardioid-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B004QJOZS4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics=UTF8=1523530223=1-1=atr2100

A mixer will make it easy for people just getting started to use the audio, 
but you'll need an audio interface rather than a mixer if you want each mic 
to be on a separate track. A mixer will take each of those tracks and 'mix' 
it down to two stereo tracks, which then goes into the computer's typical 
sound card. An audio interface takes each input and brings it directly into 
the computer. This means you can enhance each track independently. The 
trade-off is that it's more complicated to edit the audio in some ways 
(more than we have time for here). The long and the short of it is that 
producers will all have different expectations, and you'll need to be ready 
to cater to them and explain how your setup works so that they can decide 
if it's suitable. We found that people with existing shows were already set 
in their ways about how they wanted their setup to operate. One way we 
moved past that at first was we targeted people who had no podcast 
experience and helped them get started. So our gear was the first gear they 
used.

Lastly, you're going to get more bang for your buck by spending some of 
that budget on sound treating the room. How's that set up? 


Happy to assist further if I'm able.


On Monday, April 9, 2018 at 7:26:34 PM UTC-4, Craig Baute - Creative 
Density Coworking wrote:
>
> I just had a coworking friend from Charlotte stop by and he mentioned how 
> much their podcasting studio is adding energy to his space. So I talked 
> around and I can feel some of the same excitment building in our community 
> when I bring it up here.
> So we are converting an interior office into a podcast studio. I want it 
> to have professional equipment that is easy to use. This isn't going to be 
> the highest end but good for business to make quality podcasts that sound 
> great. We are doing this for a few reasons:
>
>
>1. The community wants one - granted not many but three members would 
>use it
>2. Offices aren't exciting to me. 
>3. Competition is high in Denver for offices so this interior one sits 
>up 2 to 3 months out of the year and doesn't pull in much money, $500, 
> even 
>when it is rented.
>4. It's new way to get people to create is fun and is a driver to 
>building a community
>5. Anytime you give your community a tool to create it builds an 
>opportunity to bond over.
>6. It should bring in revenue than the office. I'm hoping for 50% 
>higher.
>
> I'm coming at this from a fairly naive perspective right now so I would 
> love some feedback. Here is what I'm thinking. The podcasting studio will 
> cost me around $700 in new furniture, purchased from IKEA. I'm looking into 
> this equipment which will cost me about $1500.
>
> 4 of these mic set ups, 
>
> https://www.amazon.com/Rode-Procaster-Booming-Kit-cable/dp/B00D390QZO/ref=pd_sbs_267_5?_encoding=UTF8_rd_i=B00D390QZO_rd_r=DZAKK8A0ZPHPCEQ2QSS0_rd_w=mr88U_rd_wg=fpqG9=1=DZAKK8A0ZPHPCEQ2QSS0
>
> 4 channel mixer
>
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EDRUQXC/?coliid=I9QYQX1O17AXM=PMLMWDDYP2ZY=0_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
>
> *Does anyone have any experience with a podcasting studio, things to try, 
> pitfalls to avoid, etc?*
>

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Re: [Coworking] Vaping in the space

[Trevor Twining]

We absolutely do not allow it. 

They are vaporizing chemicals to be inhaled. When they do that, it’s not just 
the person choosing to inhale them; it’s all the people around them who are 
also forced to inhale. Vaping or smoking in the presence of others who choose 
not to is an intimately violent act.

Trevor Twining
trevortwin...@gmail.com
905-324-5575
twitter/skype/linkedin: trevortwining

> On Feb 28, 2018, at 3:05 , Kevin Haggerty <kevinrhagge...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Would love to have as many of you as possible weigh in with what your 
> personal policies are. It's honestly not something I even thought about until 
> I found out what of our members had been vaping in their office. I have never 
> smoked and know very little about vaping, so I don't want to be reactionary.
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
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Re: [Coworking] Do you have an broad age mix of members?

[Trevor Twining]

Cowork Niagara
Youngest member: 22. 
Oldest member: 70ish


Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 12, 2018, at 12:01 PM, Carolyn Cirillo  
> wrote:
> 
> Doing some research on membership at coworking spaces and would love to hear 
> from any operators who have a broad mix of ages. 
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> Carolyn Cirillo
> caro...@carolyncirillo.com
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Re: [Coworking] Name protection

[Trevor Twining]

So much this I can’t even articulate it beyond shouting: “THIS!"


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining

> On May 11, 2017, at 10:17 , Alex Hillman <dangerouslyawes...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I am not a lawyer - if you're playing the "protection" game then you should 
> definitely be asking a lawyer, not us ;)
> 
> But here's my .02: at this stage, this is another distraction.
> 
> I don't have a horse in this race, and I don't care how you spend your money, 
> but you have to ask yourself...what are you actually protecting here? Are you 
> in this for making your community better, or to spend your days waging war 
> with a couple of knuckleheads in your neighborhood?
> 
> To quote a longtime friend: there's two ways to build the biggest building in 
> town. One is to tear everybody else's towers down. The other is to build the 
> biggest tower in town. 
> 
> You already avoided going into business with them. Now step above them by 
> working with abundance mindset. Work on making your community so great that 
> nobody could take it from you no matter what they try. 
> 
> If you want to start a coworking space, you're gonna want people who are 
> business savvy...but also who are generous and collaborative. Otherwise 
> nobody wants to help each other. 
> 
> Which means it's so important for you to lead from the top, and resist the 
> instinct to clam up and defend yourself every time somebody else does 
> something stupid. 
> 
> Again. I have no horse in your race. I'm just noticing your reactiveness, 
> calling attention to it, and suggesting that you've got a longer game you can 
> play.
> 
> -Alex
> 
> p.s. I also just watched "The Founder" - great example of the many reasons 
> I'm suspicious of JV's ;)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.
> Better Coworkers: http://indyhall.org <http://indyhall.org/>
> Weekly Coworking Tips: http://coworkingweekly.com 
> <http://coworkingweekly.com/>
> My Audiobook: https://theindyhallway.com/ten <https://theindyhallway.com/ten>
> On Thu, May 11, 2017 at 9:55 AM, Heather Lavergne <heather.laver...@gmail.com 
> <mailto:heather.laver...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> I would say that it's a fairly small amount to pay to protect something you 
> have worked so hard for.
> 
> Watch the movie Founder...
> 
> Heather Lavergne
> 512.689.2698 
> 
> > On May 11, 2017, at 8:02 AM, Kevin Haggerty <kevinrhagge...@gmail.com 
> > <mailto:kevinrhagge...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> >
> > So, for those of you who have been following, some of this is repeat info, 
> > but the short summary is this:
> >
> > We were working with landlords who pretended to believe in our idea to 
> > bring coworking to our community, jacked up the rent to an unbelievable 
> > amount they knew we couldn't pay so we have to walk away, and are now 
> > trying to do the space without us -- which we now suspect was they plan all 
> > along.
> >
> > Additionally, I've gotten wind that they even intend to try and use the 
> > name we'd been using for the movement, Cowork Gloucester VA.
> >
> > I own and have always owned the domain (www.coworkGloucesterVA.com 
> > <http://www.coworkgloucesterva.com/>), as well as the Facebook, Instagram 
> > and Twitter accounts with the same namesake.
> >
> > Yesterday, we created our LLC with the same name, filed our trade name 
> > paperwork with the County, got our business license with that name, and, I 
> > think, checked all of those boxes.
> >
> > Additionally, I also filed for the trademark online, and here's where my 
> > question comes in:
> >
> > In order to finalize the trademark, I need to pay another $275 for the 
> > filing fee. I'd rather not so that if I don't have to. Do you think the 
> > trademark is overkill, or is it necessary? With all the other things I've 
> > squared away, even without the trademark, wouldn't infringement be easy to 
> > prove if they try and use our name?
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > --
> > Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com 
> > <http://discuss.coworking.com/>
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Re: [Coworking] Update on Coworking in Gloucester, VA

[Trevor Twining]

We've had it happen not once, but twice!

In addition to the scenario I outline in that episode, there was also a guy who 
came out to our weekly jellies. He thought the community bit wasn't important. 
Filled with impatience disguised as enthusiasm, he set out on his own. 

He opened five months before us a block down the street. That was slightly more 
than 3 years ago. 

They're still struggling with less than half occupied. 

We're now negotiating a takeover of that space in addition to where we just 
moved so that we can give those on our waiting list the community engagement 
they're looking for. 

The moral of this story is community matters. More than anything. Build the 
community first and everything else becomes a function of serving that 
community and far easier to solve. But you have to give it the time it needs to 
happen. 


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining

> On May 9, 2017, at 4:35 PM, Kevin Haggerty <kevinrhagge...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Oh I plan to be nice, and to smile, but if they try and use my trade name, 
> theyz gonna get sued. ;)
> 
>> On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 4:09 PM, Angel Kwiatkowski <fccowork...@gmail.com> 
>> wrote:
>> Oh brother! and looks like my crystal ball still works :) In such a small 
>> town, you'll want to keep an olive branch firmly extended even if you have 
>> to grit your teeth a little.
>> 
>> angel
>> 
>> 
>>> On Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 12:26:02 PM UTC-6, Kevin Haggerty wrote:
>>> Angel,
>>> Thanks, and good suggestion! We're actually looking to open up fundraising 
>>> in the next few days, and one of the things we're hoping to do is offer 
>>> discounted memberships for those who sign up in advance (as many of you 
>>> have done).
>>> 
>>> Additionally, I got some "fun" news this morning. Apparently, the landlords 
>>> of the place we were looking at previously are now planning to still try 
>>> and do a coworking spaced out of the property, and they plan to call it 
>>> Cowork Gloucester VA.
>>> 
>>> My plan was never to call the venue that, but it was always the brand used 
>>> to promote the movement, so they're definitely infringing and potentially 
>>> adding market confusion.
>>> 
>>> I now believe my suspicions have been confirmed and that they intended to 
>>> push me out with an outrageous offer and attempt to do it without me.
>>> 
>>> As soon as I heard the news, I went online and trademarked the name, Cowork 
>>> Gloucester VA. I also own the website, and all the social networking 
>>> accounts. Next, I plan to go down to the county and register there. So, 
>>> weird strategy on their part, but if they move forward, they may end up 
>>> funding my coworking space. :)
>>> 
>> 
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Re: [Coworking] Educating your local community about coworking

[Trevor Twining]

First off, this might seem crass, but nobody cares about our industry, and they 
shouldn't have to. The stories that you need to tell are about what you do for 
your members. Who are your members? What do they do? How does belonging to your 
space improve that? Look for those stories.

We participate with our local Chamber of Commerce by advocating with them on 
issues that matter to freelancers and single-person businesses. We actively 
tell stories that resonate with the memberships of both groups.

Our local economic development officers understand the impact that our space 
has on the city and region/county, and are also starting to understand how 
important the indy workforce is to the economic health of our community. We 
built that understanding through stories.

We support the local tech, writing, and graphic design communities by hosting 
meetup events. Those people, who are not all members, see how we support and 
encourage their personal and professional passions. The story is found in our 
shared interests.

There's a bunch of other communities not mentioned here, but the approach is 
the same; we find stories that resonate with them, and then get involved where 
it makes sense. If it doesn't, then we just don't pay attention to them.

More than a couple sentences, I know. But there you have it :D

TT


---
Trevor Twining

> On Sep 8, 2016, at 4:55 PM, Bernie J Mitchell <ber...@berniejmitchell.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> I am rubbish it this but I bet Trevor from http://coworkniagara.com/ does ;-) 
> 
> Have a remarkable day
> 
> Bernie J Mitchell
> 0777 204 2012
> 
> Do you use Trello? 
> 
> Sent from my mobile device
> 
> *Unless we agree otherwise, this email conversation is confidential.
> 
> 
>> On 7 September 2016 at 20:39, Cat Johnson <thehouseof...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi everyone
>> 
>> I'm working on a blog post to help coworking space operators educate their 
>> extended communities about coworking. While not all spaces struggle with 
>> lack of awareness around the industry, for some, it's a big issue.
>> 
>> Do you have a tip to share? Something that has worked well for you?
>> 
>> Just a sentence or two will do and I'll link to your space in the post.
>> 
>> Thanks!
>> Cat
>> -- 
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Re: [Coworking] Coworking space podcasts

[Trevor Twining]

Subscribing now, Bernie. Thanks! I'd love to do an episode with you, let's 
book a date. Message me off-list to set up.

TT

On Monday, June 6, 2016 at 11:21:46 AM UTC-4, Bernie J Mitchell wrote:
>
> Hi Trevor!
>
> We have done 20 episodes so far and Coworking Niahara gets mentioned in at 
> least four! ;-) 
>
> Latest one here: 
> http://www.atworkhubs.co.uk/podcast/straight-outta-work-hubs-20/
>
> ALWAYS up for a chat about this! And S happy to help anyone else 
> who wants to get going.
>
> (We also make OuiShare Radio -https://www.spreaker.com/user/ouishare - 
> cowokring, collaberation, makers etc.) 
>
> I have been meaning to connect with you guys for an episode! - Lets do it! 
>
> Have a remarkable day
>
> Bernie J Mitchell
> 0777 204 2012
>
> Do you use Trello?  <http://berniejmitchell.com/blog/>
>
> Sent from my mobile device
>
> *Unless we agree otherwise, this email conversation is confidential.
>
>
> On 6 June 2016 at 16:06, Trevor Twining <trevor...@gmail.com 
> > wrote:
>
>> Hey everyone!
>>
>> Do any of you here record podcasts for your coworking community? What’s 
>> happening, tips, tricks, cool conversations, and that sort of thing?
>>
>> I’m planning one for ours, and was looking for some segment ideas. 
>>
>> Also happy to share our format concept once it’s put together over the 
>> next week.
>>
>> 
>> Trevor Twining
>> Cowork Niagara
>> http://coworkniagara.com
>> Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
>> twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>
>

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[Coworking] Coworking space podcasts

[Trevor Twining]

Hey everyone!

Do any of you here record podcasts for your coworking community? What’s 
happening, tips, tricks, cool conversations, and that sort of thing?

I’m planning one for ours, and was looking for some segment ideas. 

Also happy to share our format concept once it’s put together over the next 
week.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining




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Re: [Coworking] Re: Newbie here looking for some pointers

[Trevor Twining]

When we started our weekly meetups for Cowork Niagara, there were only four 
people who came out to the first event. I remember thinking that we were never 
going to get where we needed to be with that number!

But over the weeks and months that followed, people started coming out more 
regularly. We grew in number so that, by the time six months passed, we had 20 
or more people coming out on a regular basis.

The most important parts at this point are patience and consistency. You need 
to give the community room to grow, the same way you would a seed. It will grow 
when the conditions are right, but only as quickly as it’s supposed to.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
cel: 416-201-2254




> On May 26, 2016, at 1:50 , Tony Bacigalupo <tonybacigal...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Thanks for sharing, Tiago!
> 
> It's OK if you let a space pass you by. When your community is ready, the 
> right space will present itself. 
> 
> Have you organized any events? A happy hour, or dinner party? 
> 
> Tony
> ---
> New Work Cities <http://nwc.co/consulting> - Helping people build better 
> coworking cultures.
> Open Coworking <http://opencoworking.org/> - Championing the global coworking 
> movement.
> Latest projects: Impact Coworking Program 
> <http://nwc.co/3/impact-coworking-program> and the Ultimate Coworking Toolkit 
> <http://nwc.co/toolkit>
> 
>  <http://tonybacigalupo.com/> 
> <http://twitter.com/tonybgoode> 
> <http://facebook.com/tonybacigalupo> 
> <http://linkedin.com/in/tonybacigalupo>
> 
> On Thu, May 26, 2016 at 11:31 AM, Tiago Vasconcelos <talvasconce...@gmail.com 
> <mailto:talvasconce...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> hey guys, been busy...
> 
> no community yet, started a fb group trying to narrow freelancers in my area, 
> very slow feedback. also sent a few hostels in the area pitching the idea and 
> trying to feel how many turist could bw potencial clients. only one reply 
> asking for a get together to understand the business.
> 
> i've found a place for the cowork. it has around 70m2, already has a kitchen, 
> bathrooms etc.needs some work but it costs €250/month and there's the 
> ppssibility to start paying after 2 months.
> 
> now i'm aafraid of diving in this because i don't have a community yet.
> 
> just sharing some developments on COWorkPeniche with you guys.
> 
> best regards,
> tiago
> 
> --
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Re: [Coworking] Co-ops and Coworking: the best-kept secret in coworking.

[Trevor Twining]

Alex, this is fascinating. I want to make sure I understand: are you saying 
that anyone can walk in off the street and have no financial stake in your 
organization, but still participate in making decisions?


Trevor Twining
trevortwin...@gmail.com
416-201-2254
twitter/skype/linkedin: trevortwining

> On Mar 29, 2016, at 8:38 , Alex Linsker <alexlins...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> This is a great thread. I'm interested in talking with everyone who has a 
> co-op or workplace democracy and is interested in sharing more best 
> practices. 
> 
> Collective Agency started very similarly, out of Jellies, then we did 
> presales. Members have not wanted to be a legal co-op and have not wanted a 
> board, and voting rights are without needing buy-in, like voting in a city or 
> village. We went too far in the direction of members-only, and lost some 
> serendipity, but instantly got that back recently at open events. We are a 
> workplace democracy, and have been described as a "hybrid model" between 
> being a workers coop and a buyers/members coop. We are a member organization 
> of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives; sister companies in Portland 
> include Equal Exchange, People's Food Coop, and CityBikes. We were a member 
> of WorldBlu and won awards in 2013.
> 
> Alex Linsker, Collective Agency, Portland Oregon http://collectiveagency.co
> 
> -- 
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Re: [Coworking] What do you call your coworking community members?

[Trevor Twining]

Family.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
cel: 416-201-2254


> On Mar 25, 2016, at 4:03 AM, Ramon Suarez <ra...@betacowork.com> wrote:
> 
> Betacoworkers, members, coworkers 
> 
> -- 
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Re: [Coworking] What are your plans for April 28th? (ie: take your children to work day)

[Trevor Twining]

We do one every year.  The kids come in, we share some stories about the types 
of work that we do, and we let them work on what they want to for a little bit. 
We go for lunch to one of the local restaurants downtown, and then we share 
some things that they should think about if they want to work for themselves. 
Very low key. The kids love it because we involve them for the day. They’re not 
watching us work…they’re working with us.

The bottom line for us is that they see this as just another normal type of 
work, and that’s important to us. For so many years people thought of this kind 
of work as a last resort. Now people can make it their first choice.

The future is bright; and it’s independent.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining




> On Mar 22, 2016, at 1:42 PM, FredXchange Community Manager 
> <i...@fredxchange.org> wrote:
> 
> I'm wondering how different coworking spaces deal with this day. I've worked 
> in different places where the kids spend some time with their parents, then 
> they also put all the kids together at some point to give the kids tours of 
> different parts of the company or organization. 
> 
> In a coworking space, there isn't really much to tour. It's just tables, 
> chairs, and desks. Most of the concepts that typically come with issues that 
> affect a broad spectrum of the coworking community have no appeal to kids. 
> I'm hoping to wrap my head around how we can be welcoming to the families 
> here, not distract those working, and offer something that is of interest and 
> value to the kids who might come. 
> 
> I think that there could be a real appeal to our local community if they know 
> that we are welcoming to and understand the life of a coworking parent and/or 
> family, but I also don't want to approach the situation haphazardly and end 
> up having a bad day for anyone. 
> 
> Anybody else wondering about these things? Have any suggestions? Thoughts? 
> Experience? Tales of woe or success?
> 
> Any and all conversation, input, or advice is welcomed! 
> 
> 
> Thanks a BUNCH! 
> 
> -Kim Merritt
> Community Manager
> i...@fredxchange.org
> The Foundry
> Fredericksburg, VA
> 
> 
> -- 
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Re: [Coworking] Team building for members?

[Trevor Twining]

Sure, Jen. I’m happy to!


A group is closed once it forms. In ours we all put some money up front ($200). 
If you’re late twice, your money is gone. At the end of the term (ours was one 
year), you either distribute it back, continue on another term, or do something 
fun with it.

A new member could join a mastermind if it is starting a new term. The MM group 
needs to build trust within its membership. There’s a lot being shared in these 
meetings. 

Our  self-led group meets once a month. I’m aware of some who meet bi-weekly. 
Given the intensity, I don’t think it would be common to meet weekly. 

We have five members in our group. Each member gets 30 minutes to talk about 
whatever they want. The other members listen, ask questions, offer advice and, 
most importantly I think, call out BS when it pops up. This is why you need to 
build trust in the group; it can sometimes feel really uncomfortable to get 
called on language or thinking that’s holding you back.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining




> On Mar 7, 2016, at 7:01 PM, Jen Thoemke <j...@connectsworkspace.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi Trevor,
> 
> Thanks for your insights!  I have been wanting to start a mastermind group at 
> my coworking space; Connects Workspace in Golden, Co but am a little stuck as 
> to the best way to go about it.  Can you add a little more detail?  
> -Once you start a group is it closed? or do you allow new members to join 
> existing groups?  How often do you meet?  How many are in a group?  How much 
> do you monitor the group or do you let them self lead?  
> 
> Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
> 
> Jen
> 
> On Monday, March 7, 2016 at 9:20:42 AM UTC-7, Trevor Twining wrote:
> We have a few things that we do in this regard:
> 
> 1) It is accepted custom that when someone is stuck, they can just announce 
> their impediment to the room. Those who are able to hear can decide if they 
> are able to offer assistance/advice.
> 
> 2) We run regular mastermind groups out of the space (it’s also been another 
> way to introduce people to our community and start them down the path to 
> adoption). These are great places for building strong accountability 
> structures between groups.
> 
> 3) Our regular BizTricks meetups encourage people to share things that are 
> working for them in their personal practice.
> 
> 4) Many of us have accountability partners within the space.
> 
> 5) We have an end-of-week celebration where we vent, cheer, feast and drink 
> (alcohol and non-alcohol). We call it Fuck-it Friday, and it’s the highlight 
> of many people’s weeks.
> 
> There’s also many other moments throughout the day where this sort of 
> teamwork is modelled. We’re home of Niagara’s independent workforce; we 
> decided to look out for each other because nobody else was going to do it for 
> us. That mindset needs to run through everything we do in order for people to 
> believe it. I think we do a pretty good job of it, but it requires constant 
> effort to maintain.
> 
> So my advice? If you really want to build this type of togetherness or team 
> culture, then you just start doing it. Find ways to be together. And let 
> everyone contribute to what it looks like. Do it consistently. Over time, it 
> will transform your space and the people in it.
> 
> 
> Trevor Twining
> Cowork Niagara
> http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
> Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
> twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
> cel: 416-201-2254
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Mar 7, 2016, at 10:01 AM, Tony Bacigalupo <tonybac...@ <>gmail.com 
>> <http://gmail.com/>> wrote:
>> 
>> This is something I've been looking at for a long time. 
>> 
>> It seems coworking spaces tend to start off with a lot of momentum, with 
>> members really engaged and excited, but then over time culture erodes into a 
>> state where people tend to just walk in, put on their headphones, and go to 
>> work.
>> 
>> Getting members to participate becomes an increasingly challenging slog. 
>> 
>> One solution, as has been discussed here in the past, is to develop a 
>> culture of empowerment and encouragement, whereby all community members feel 
>> like the space is theirs to build together. Alex writes well about it here 
>> <http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2014/04/community-management-tummling-a-tale-of-two-mindsets/>.
>> 
>> To build on that, I have been experimenting with adding a layer of intention 
>> to the ave

Re: [Coworking] Team building for members?

[Trevor Twining]

We have a few things that we do in this regard:

1) It is accepted custom that when someone is stuck, they can just announce 
their impediment to the room. Those who are able to hear can decide if they are 
able to offer assistance/advice.

2) We run regular mastermind groups out of the space (it’s also been another 
way to introduce people to our community and start them down the path to 
adoption). These are great places for building strong accountability structures 
between groups.

3) Our regular BizTricks meetups encourage people to share things that are 
working for them in their personal practice.

4) Many of us have accountability partners within the space.

5) We have an end-of-week celebration where we vent, cheer, feast and drink 
(alcohol and non-alcohol). We call it Fuck-it Friday, and it’s the highlight of 
many people’s weeks.

There’s also many other moments throughout the day where this sort of teamwork 
is modelled. We’re home of Niagara’s independent workforce; we decided to look 
out for each other because nobody else was going to do it for us. That mindset 
needs to run through everything we do in order for people to believe it. I 
think we do a pretty good job of it, but it requires constant effort to 
maintain.

So my advice? If you really want to build this type of togetherness or team 
culture, then you just start doing it. Find ways to be together. And let 
everyone contribute to what it looks like. Do it consistently. Over time, it 
will transform your space and the people in it.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
cel: 416-201-2254




> On Mar 7, 2016, at 10:01 AM, Tony Bacigalupo <tonybacigal...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> This is something I've been looking at for a long time. 
> 
> It seems coworking spaces tend to start off with a lot of momentum, with 
> members really engaged and excited, but then over time culture erodes into a 
> state where people tend to just walk in, put on their headphones, and go to 
> work.
> 
> Getting members to participate becomes an increasingly challenging slog. 
> 
> One solution, as has been discussed here in the past, is to develop a culture 
> of empowerment and encouragement, whereby all community members feel like the 
> space is theirs to build together. Alex writes well about it here 
> <http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2014/04/community-management-tummling-a-tale-of-two-mindsets/>.
> 
> To build on that, I have been experimenting with adding a layer of intention 
> to the average workday, harkening back to Brad Neuberg's original vision.
> 
> Part of what members look for in coworking is a sense of structure and 
> accountability, two critical things that you have in a typical office but 
> don't get when you work for yourself from home. Coworking spaces satisfy 
> these needs, but only implicitly and partially.
> 
> When I've worked with spaces to provide that more explicitly, through some 
> simple group goal-setting and accountability programs, the results have been 
> spectacular. For people who don't actually work for the same company to act 
> more like a team, they need a shared context in which they can feel like 
> they're helping each other succeed and grow.
> 
> I discovered that people sometimes just need clear boundaries and a safe 
> space to open up about what they're doing. Once they have a chance to build 
> genuine connections and a sense of shared mission within that framework, good 
> things start happening fast.
> 
> Happy to discuss more about this topic if you'd like!
> 
> Tony
> ---
> Projects: New Work Cities <http://nwc.co/consulting> • Open Coworking 
> <http://opencoworking.org/>
> eBook:No More Sink Full of Mugs <http://nwc.co/mugs>
> Connect:  Personal site <http://tonybacigalupo.com/> • Twitter 
> <http://twitter.com/tonybgoode> • Facebook 
> <http://facebook.com/tonybacigalupo>
> New: Preorder the Ultimate Coworking Toolkit 
> <http://nwc.co/consulting/toolkit>
> 
> 
> On Sun, Mar 6, 2016 at 9:29 PM, Elizabeth Trice <liztr...@gmail.com 
> <mailto:liztr...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> I'm interested in building higher level engagement of members, and have been 
> thinking about more team-building, orientation training, and other systems to 
> help individuals work more like a team. What are the best practices ou
> t there?  
> 
> 
> -- 
> Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com 
> <http://discuss.coworking.com/>
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Re: [Coworking] Co-ops and Coworking: the best-kept secret in coworking.

[Trevor Twining]

Alex, I think I’ve mentioned before how much IndyHall has influenced the 
creation of our space. Without you sharing what y'all put together there I’d 
probably still be waiting for someone else to have built a space. You should 
come hang out for a bit with Jay Tennier and me and I’ll show you around :D. 
You’re a good bit younger than I am, but I consider you a mentor when it comes 
to what we’re collectively building. :D

We are classified as a member or service co-op; our members have organized this 
business for the purpose of providing a specific range of services to its 
membership. We have a couple more co-ops in the works, and some of those are 
worker co-ops, some of them are marketing co-ops, and one of them is 
potentially a credit union).

When we get to profitability (we’re six months now at break-even, and slowly 
growing), we will decide as a group how to use the money: to reduce monthly 
subscriptions, invest in new gear, stockpile it to purchase our own property, 
or give a rebate at the end of the year. Whatever we do, it’s democratic: every 
member has one vote, no matter how much they invest or how much business they 
do with us. So in that sense, every member is already a partner.

We’re planning to open more spaces throughout the region: when we get there, we 
might offer member shares to raise the capital. These would be preferred 
shares, and so dividends would be paid out on those before the regular member 
shares. But they’d be non-voting.

Keep the questions coming! They’re useful for the next post :D


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining




> On Feb 18, 2016, at 3:15 PM, Alex Hillman <dangerouslyawes...@gmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> Man, I love seeing the Indy Hall playbook in action like this <3 <3
> 
> Echoing lots of what's been said here - I look forward to a more detailed 
> follow up post :)
> 
> We have a few members that are VERY active in the co-op world and we often 
> get together to talk about how much co-op DNA Indy Hall has. 
> 
> I've also learned a lot about the different kinds of co-ops, including member 
> co-ops, employee co-ops, etc. Is there a specific kind of co-op you chose? 
> Are there any financial benefits to a member-owner, like dividends or 
> discounts? Are new members given opportunities to become member-partners now 
> that you're up and running?
> 
> -Alex
> 
> 
> --
> The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.
> Join the list: http://coworkingweekly.com <http://coworkingweekly.com/>
> Listen to the podcast: http://dangerouslyawesome.com/podcast 
> <http://dangerouslyawesome.com/podcast>
> On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 1:55 PM, Trevor Twining <trevortwin...@gmail.com 
> <mailto:trevortwin...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> Here’s a link to the Ontario Co-operative Association, whose resources and 
> advice were particularly valuable when we set up. If you’re in Ontario, 
> they’re more than happy to offer some initial assistance. If you’re outside, 
> they’re happy to refer you to the group in your area who can help. We’ve 
> become quite involved in the Niagara Regional Co-op Network which is closely 
> connected with On Co-Op.
> 
> http://www.ontario.coop/programs_services/coop_development/starting_a_coop 
> <http://www.ontario.coop/programs_services/coop_development/starting_a_coop>
> 
> It’s a rich resource, but there’s still a lot of jargon. I’ll try to break 
> our experience down in plain language.
> 
> 1. We were already meeting as a jelly group for 18 months before we started 
> with our space, so we had a core community from which to build.
> 2. As we were talking about the mutually-invested community we wanted to 
> build, someone who was already working on a food co-op in our city asked if 
> we had considered the model.
> 3. We looked at the resources at the link above and enough connected that we 
> decided this was the model for us.
> 4. We filled out the incorporation forms ourselves. It took a couple of 
> hours. (I can walk you through if you get to this stage)
> 5. The membership fees from the founding members gave us the capital we 
> needed to create the corporation and get the initial paperwork filed.
> 6. Members pre-paid first, last and as many months as they could up-front so 
> that we could build a nest egg. Some members provided member loans.
> 7. Our membership model also encourages participation that doesn’t directly 
> involve the space, so we have a larger group of members than space users. 
> (our current membership is 70, but less than 30 use the space 1d/week or more)
> 8. With that money in the bank, we we

Re: [Coworking] Co-ops and Coworking: the best-kept secret in coworking.

[Trevor Twining]

Hey Tony, happy to clear up #7.

Membership in the Co-op is a pre-requisite to using our space, but many members 
join our co-op without using the space. If I were to compare it to other 
spaces, I’d say our base membership is similar to the community membership 
offered by IndyHall, except we don’t run an online commmunity (although we’re 
strongly considering it).

A membership is $125 CDN annually. $250 if you’re an organization. All members 
get 1 day/month in the space. If you want to use the coworking space, you 
purchase a monthly subscription on top of your membership. 

We have 70 members in our co-operative. Just under 30 also have subscriptions.

I will gladly take you up on that beer at the next opportunity!


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining




> On Feb 18, 2016, at 2:38 PM, Tony Bacigalupo <tonybacigal...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Trevor, you're quickly becoming my new favorite person. Thank you for sharing 
> all of this! 
> 
> Regarding Step 1... Bravo!!! My heart sings when I see this.
> 
> Regarding Step 7... "Our membership model also encourages participation that 
> doesn’t directly involve the space, so we have a larger group of members than 
> space users."
> 
> ... is there any chance you could elaborate on this as well?
> 
> I'll gladly buy you a beer or beverage of your choice next time we're in the 
> same place. Thank you for being an inspiration!
> 
> Tony
> ---
> Projects: New Work Cities <http://nwc.co/consulting> • Open Coworking 
> <http://opencoworking.org/> • Cotivation <http://cotivation.co/>
> eBook:No More Sink Full of Mugs <http://nwc.co/mugs>
> Connect:  Personal site <http://tonybacigalupo.com/> • Twitter 
> <http://twitter.com/tonybgoode> • Facebook 
> <http://facebook.com/tonybacigalupo>
> New: Preorder the Ultimate Coworking Toolkit 
> <http://nwc.co/consulting/toolkit>
> 
> 
> On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 11:55 AM, Trevor Twining <trevortwin...@gmail.com 
> <mailto:trevortwin...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> Here’s a link to the Ontario Co-operative Association, whose resources and 
> advice were particularly valuable when we set up. If you’re in Ontario, 
> they’re more than happy to offer some initial assistance. If you’re outside, 
> they’re happy to refer you to the group in your area who can help. We’ve 
> become quite involved in the Niagara Regional Co-op Network which is closely 
> connected with On Co-Op.
> 
> http://www.ontario.coop/programs_services/coop_development/starting_a_coop 
> <http://www.ontario.coop/programs_services/coop_development/starting_a_coop>
> 
> It’s a rich resource, but there’s still a lot of jargon. I’ll try to break 
> our experience down in plain language.
> 
> 1. We were already meeting as a jelly group for 18 months before we started 
> with our space, so we had a core community from which to build.
> 2. As we were talking about the mutually-invested community we wanted to 
> build, someone who was already working on a food co-op in our city asked if 
> we had considered the model.
> 3. We looked at the resources at the link above and enough connected that we 
> decided this was the model for us.
> 4. We filled out the incorporation forms ourselves. It took a couple of 
> hours. (I can walk you through if you get to this stage)
> 5. The membership fees from the founding members gave us the capital we 
> needed to create the corporation and get the initial paperwork filed.
> 6. Members pre-paid first, last and as many months as they could up-front so 
> that we could build a nest egg. Some members provided member loans.
> 7. Our membership model also encourages participation that doesn’t directly 
> involve the space, so we have a larger group of members than space users. 
> (our current membership is 70, but less than 30 use the space 1d/week or more)
> 8. With that money in the bank, we were able to sign our lease, get our 
> utilities set up, and hang our sign on the door.
> 9. We have a board of 8 directors, and they help guide the long term 
> direction of the group. I’m still chief resident volunteer 
> cat-herder/tummler, and we’re working on expanding our service offering so we 
> can pay someone to be in this role.
> 10. Annually we have a meeting to review finances, vote on key changes in 
> direction, and when we get to the point where we’re managing a surplus, the 
> group will decide how that’s allocated.
> 
> Next coworking meetup-type thing we do, I’d be happy to present this as a 
> talk in more detail.
> 
> ---

Re: [Coworking] Co-ops and Coworking: the best-kept secret in coworking.

[Trevor Twining]

Thanks all, for your feedback so far.

Sounds like I need a (few?) follow up post(s). I’ll also post some links 
shortly to resources we used. In Canada, most co-ops are provincially 
incorporated, so I assume that in the US each state will have its own co-op 
legislation.

I’ll share what we did here in Ontario, and you should be able to figure out 
how that works in your province/state.

I’m not sure how this works in other countries, but the co-op movement in 
Europe generally is huge, so there should be some good resources on that side 
of the Atlantic.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining




> On Feb 18, 2016, at 11:28 AM, Tony Bacigalupo <tonybacigal...@gmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> Trevor, I think a lot of us are excited to learn more about how you pulled 
> this off!
> 
> I encountered early thoughts on this topic as well, but found it difficult to 
> get a clear sense of how to go about in a way that would be viable. I think 
> any more details you can provide on that would be helpful to others 
> considering similar structures.
> 
> Thanks!
> Tony
> ---
> Projects: New Work Cities <http://nwc.co/consulting> • Open Coworking 
> <http://opencoworking.org/> • Cotivation <http://cotivation.co/>
> eBook:No More Sink Full of Mugs <http://nwc.co/mugs>
> Connect:  Personal site <http://tonybacigalupo.com/> • Twitter 
> <http://twitter.com/tonybgoode> • Facebook 
> <http://facebook.com/tonybacigalupo>
> New: Preorder the Ultimate Coworking Toolkit 
> <http://nwc.co/consulting/toolkit>
> 
> 
> On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 8:53 AM, Jenifer Ross <jeni...@watercoolerhub.com 
> <mailto:jeni...@watercoolerhub.com>> wrote:
> Ditto. Can you provide more details on the financial structure?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 18, 2016, at 10:40 AM, Jacob Sayles <ja...@officenomads.com 
> <mailto:ja...@officenomads.com>> wrote:
> 
>> I'd love to know more about this. I'm certainly sold on the value alignment 
>> but I don't have a sense for how it works. 
>> 
>> On Thursday, February 18, 2016, Trevor Twining <trevortwin...@gmail.com 
>> <mailto:trevortwin...@gmail.com>> wrote:
>> Apologies. I used an internal link. 
>> 
>> Here’s the real link
>> 
>> http://coworkniagara.com/blog/2016/02/10/why-co-operatives-and-coworking-go-hand-in-hand/
>>  
>> <http://coworkniagara.com/blog/2016/02/10/why-co-operatives-and-coworking-go-hand-in-hand/>
>> 
>> Trevor Twining
>> trevortwin...@gmail.com <>
>> 416-201-2254 
>> twitter/skype/linkedin: trevortwining
>> 
>>> On Feb 18, 2016, at 9:40 AM, Trevor Twining <trevortwin...@gmail.com <>> 
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hey everyone,
>>> 
>>> When we were developing the business plan for our space two years ago, a 
>>> prospective member asked us if we had considered setting Cowork Niagara up 
>>> as a co-operative. We didn’t know what that was, so we checked it out.
>>> 
>>> It was the best thing that we could have done. We’re the only co-operative 
>>> coworking space in english-speaking Canada (there’s one other in Quebec). 
>>> I’m now convinced that if more spaces use this model it will help create 
>>> stronger, more resilient coworking communities. I’m sharing this in the 
>>> hopes that it piques your collective curiosity.
>>> 
>>> I wrote a post about it on our newly-launched blog. If any of you have any 
>>> questions about this, feel free to ask.
>>> 
>>> http://cowork/blog/2016/02/10/why-co-operatives-and-coworking-go-hand-in-hand/
>>>  
>>> <http://cowork/blog/2016/02/10/why-co-operatives-and-coworking-go-hand-in-hand/>
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Trevor Twining
>>> Cowork Niagara
>>> http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
>>> Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
>>> twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
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[Coworking] Re: Co-ops and Coworking: the best-kept secret in coworking.

[Trevor Twining]

Apologies. I used an internal link. 

Here’s the real link

http://coworkniagara.com/blog/2016/02/10/why-co-operatives-and-coworking-go-hand-in-hand/

Trevor Twining
trevortwin...@gmail.com
416-201-2254
twitter/skype/linkedin: trevortwining

> On Feb 18, 2016, at 9:40 AM, Trevor Twining <trevortwin...@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hey everyone,
> 
> When we were developing the business plan for our space two years ago, a 
> prospective member asked us if we had considered setting Cowork Niagara up as 
> a co-operative. We didn’t know what that was, so we checked it out.
> 
> It was the best thing that we could have done. We’re the only co-operative 
> coworking space in english-speaking Canada (there’s one other in Quebec). I’m 
> now convinced that if more spaces use this model it will help create 
> stronger, more resilient coworking communities. I’m sharing this in the hopes 
> that it piques your collective curiosity.
> 
> I wrote a post about it on our newly-launched blog. If any of you have any 
> questions about this, feel free to ask.
> 
> http://cowork/blog/2016/02/10/why-co-operatives-and-coworking-go-hand-in-hand/
>  
> <http://cowork/blog/2016/02/10/why-co-operatives-and-coworking-go-hand-in-hand/>
> 
> 
> Trevor Twining
> Cowork Niagara
> http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
> Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
> twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
> 
> 
> 
> 

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[Coworking] Co-ops and Coworking: the best-kept secret in coworking.

[Trevor Twining]

Hey everyone,

When we were developing the business plan for our space two years ago, a 
prospective member asked us if we had considered setting Cowork Niagara up as a 
co-operative. We didn’t know what that was, so we checked it out.

It was the best thing that we could have done. We’re the only co-operative 
coworking space in english-speaking Canada (there’s one other in Quebec). I’m 
now convinced that if more spaces use this model it will help create stronger, 
more resilient coworking communities. I’m sharing this in the hopes that it 
piques your collective curiosity.

I wrote a post about it on our newly-launched blog. If any of you have any 
questions about this, feel free to ask.

http://cowork/blog/2016/02/10/why-co-operatives-and-coworking-go-hand-in-hand/


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining




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Re: [Coworking] Our experience with community-first

[Trevor Twining]

Thanks, Ramon.

I refuse to stop sharing, even though some people misuse it. My main concern 
with misuse is that it spoils attempts for legitimate communities to form. 
There have been three local attempts outside of Cowork Niagara that haven’t 
been successful now, so I don’t want people to get the idea that it doesn’t 
work. I want to keep sharing ‘how’ it works.

What I’ve heard in the past 2 years:

"I can do that myself faster.”
“We’re going to advertise to build the customer base.”
“Our customers are ready now. We can’t wait to build the 
community.” 


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
cel: 416-201-2254




> On Oct 17, 2015, at 7:15 AM, Ramon Suarez <ra...@betacowork.com> wrote:
> 
> Great post. I recently had the same issue with a building owner I was 
> negotiating with. They tried to get all my Financials before we agreed on a 
> price and I did not agree. I understood that they would screw me if I did. I 
> had already spent a lot of hours with them, plus money on architect and 
> lawyers. They got a copy of the Coworking Handbook and we're passing it among 
> colleagues. After a few weeks of silence they called to see if I would be 
> open to manage the Coworking space they are planning on opening. Now they are 
> trying to get one of my coworkers to work for them. Too many people looking 
> for fools instead of partners out there, no wonder they don't understand 
> community. 
> 
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[Coworking] Our experience with community-first

[Trevor Twining]

Hey folks, 

I just wrote this recently and wanted to share. I know it’s a common topic here 
but I don’t think we can emphasize the importance of community-first coworking 
enough.

Also, thanks to Alex Hillman. Were it not for the groundwork laid at spaces 
like IndyHall, we’d still be likely in the planning stages of our space 
concocting all sorts of elaborate schemes to get people through the door.

http://www.trevortwining.me/blog/2015/10/16/community-trumps-capital-every-time.html

Trevor Twining
trevortwin...@gmail.com
416-201-2254
twitter/skype/linkedin: trevortwining

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Re: [Coworking] The Location or the Finance

[Trevor Twining]

Community trumps capital. Every time.

Don’t just get a pre-launch support list. Talk to those people in your 
community. Tell them about the idea of working together in a dedicated space. 
Get them working together somewhere else in the meantime at least once a week 
to see if it fits with them. Then, sometime soon, you all decide that now is 
the time, and you put your money in.

That’s when you know you have both a community and viability going forward.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com <http://coworkniagara.com/>
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
cel: 416-201-2254




> On Sep 30, 2015, at 10:20 AM, Daron Jenkins <djenk...@scenepr.com> wrote:
> 
> Well..that's exactly what I thought. I have a massive community having been 
> powering the indie film community in NYC for more than 12 years.
> 
> So I assume you're talking about getting a number of pre founding members 
> signed up...we are working on assembling an content incubator pre launch as a 
> way to engage with the community pre launch and also a way to gather service 
> providers that early adopters can take advantage of in advance of the 
> physical space.
> 
> Sound dumb?
> 
> On Sep 30, 2015 10:13 AM, "Alex Hillman" <dangerouslyawes...@gmail.com 
> <mailto:dangerouslyawes...@gmail.com>> wrote:
> Hidden option C: you find a community in need, or start building your own. :)
> 
> Without people, you're opening an empty room. Not only does that mean eating 
> costs for a while, it means that people are less likely to want to join 
> because it's an empty room and if they wanted an empty room they could stay 
> home or work from any other isolating location. 
> 
> Not to mention that if you're considering crowdfunding, you've gotta have a 
> crowd to start with :)
> 
> NYC is particularly difficult with high rents and an already huge and growing 
> set of Coworking options. Who do you think isn't being served that needs YOUR 
> Coworking space, wherever it ends up being?
> 
> -Alex
> 
> P.s. This is probably my most popular blog post, and it talks more about this 
> quandary. You're FAR from alone in asking! 
> http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2011/09/how-to-fund-your-coworking-space/ 
> <http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2011/09/how-to-fund-your-coworking-space/>
> 
> 
> 
> On Wednesday, September 30, 2015, Daron Jenkins <djenk...@scenepr.com 
> <mailto:djenk...@scenepr.com>> wrote:
> Ok..so I have never looked at real estate (outside of renting an apartment) 
> so I have what possibly could be a dumb question.
> 
> We're looking at real estate currently for a coworking space in NYC...Do you 
> find the space/location first or do you find/raise the money first? Kind of a 
> chicken or the egg question.
> 
> My thoughts when I originally came up with this idea was to look at spaces 
> that fit our need first to get an idea of how much $$$ we're needing to raise 
> and to get an idea of what the sq footage looked like, THEN, raise the 
> funding (crowdfunding, private raise, sponsors, etc.).
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> --
> The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.
> Join the list: http://coworkingweekly.com <http://coworkingweekly.com/>
> Listen to the podcast: http://dangerouslyawesome.com/podcast 
> <http://dangerouslyawesome.com/podcast>
> 
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Re: [Coworking] Want to offer entrepreneurship classes at your space..?

[Trevor Twining]

I'd be interested in adding this to the freelancer curriculum we've been 
working on and delivering and develop the source materials as an open project. 

TT


---
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416-201-2254

 On Jul 28, 2015, at 4:54 PM, Matt D. m...@theskillery.com wrote:
 
 Hi all. 
 
 We've been offering home-grown entrepreneurship workshops (like this one: 
 http://www.theskillery.com/introduction-to-entrepreneurship/) at our 
 coworking space for most of the last year. I'm wondering if any of you would 
 like to offer this sort of workshop at your space, but maybe you don't have 
 the resources/time/etc. to pull it together... is that you? 
 
 If so, would you be willing to chat for a few minutes? Phone, Skype, or even 
 email? No sales pitch - promise. Just interested in learning from other 
 owner/operators who may be noodling this sort of thing. We'd love to make the 
 curriculum and course materials available for others to offer within their 
 communities… so we're interested in learning more. 
 
 Anyone willing to chat? If so, let me know! Many thanks, in advance. 
 -Matt
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Re: [Coworking] What were your initial build-out costs?

[Trevor Twining]

We put a new coat of paint on the walls. ~ $1/sq ft. 

Sent from my iPhone

 On Jul 15, 2015, at 5:06 AM, j...@ironfire.co wrote:
 
 Hey All,
 
 I've been developing my plan for a new coworking space for about six months 
 now and finally reached the point of opening negotiations with landlords this 
 week. Some have already offered to throw in tenant improvement dollars to 
 help with my build-out, which prompted me to double-check my build-out 
 estimates with a local architect who understands the type of space I want to 
 create. I asked him what I should budget for the build-out of a 6,000 sq ft 
 space - bearing in mind that I'm not planning anything opulent - and he 
 estimated (by rule of thumb) $55/sqft. If your eyes are popping out of your 
 head right now, we're on the same page, because that would amount to 
 $330,000!!! So my question is...
 
 WHAT DID EACH OF YOU BUDGET AND/OR ACTUALLY SPEND ON YOUR INITIAL BUILD-OUT? 
 (in total or per sq ft, bearing in mind that build-out does not include 
 furnishings or equipment)
 
 I realize answers will vary a lot based on prior use of the space or the 
 condition it was in when you found it. Most of the spaces I'm considering 
 would be delivered as warm shells, meaning one big empty space with 
 utilities (water, power, HVAC) piped in. So while I'd love to hear from as 
 many of you who are open to sharing, I'd especially like to hear from anyone 
 who started with a warm shell of similar size. Thanks in advance!
 
 Josh Rencher
 Founder, Ironfire LLC
 http://ironfire.co | @ironfireLB
 Long Beach, CA
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Re: [Coworking] Rust Belt/Great Lakes Cities- Coworking Trade Mission!

[Trevor Twining]

Jessica!

Would love to talk about Cowork Niagara being one of those stops.  Hope 
everything’s going well. We’ve just about got our sea-legs here. Reach out if 
you want to discuss more.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com http://coworkniagara.com/
Home of Niagara’s independent workforce
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining




 On Jun 2, 2015, at 11:42 PM, Jessica Edwards edwardsj...@gmail.com wrote:
 
 Hi Ya'll! 
 
 I run a coworking space http://digbuffalo.org//startup business incubator 
 in Buffalo, New York. We have been open for a year now and have been visiting 
 spaces in Southern Ontario and Upstate New York. But, I'd really like to form 
 a Rust Belt City or Great Lakes City tour... I think we have so much in 
 common (both obstacles  opportunities). It would be great to plan different 
 cities to host visitors at different times. 
 
 Anyone have contacts or are running coworking spaces in a Rust Belt city, and 
 would like to discuss? Everything starts with a conversation! :)
 
 My work email: jedwa...@bnmc.org 
 
 Thanks!
 
 Jessica
 
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Re: [Coworking] Why I Ditched my Coworking Space

[Trevor Twining]

The way that I read the article wasn't that it was impossible to build a 
culture, but that the existing culture of the space made it impossible for the 
author to build the culture she wanted for her company inside the existing 
culture of the space. That sort of problem is actually a better solved -- IMO 
-- by an incubation space. 

I think that if you're looking to build your own culture instead of contribute 
to the culture of the space, then coworking probably isn't for you.

PS: I think you did the wise thing by conducting a review of your own cultural 
contribution inputs.


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com
Working independently, together.
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
cel: 416-201-2254



On Jul 8, 2014, at 4:21 PM, Susan Dorsch su...@officenomads.com wrote:

 I think that she (not he - worth noting!) pinpoints a lot of elements that 
 are worth taking note of. Over the years I've noticed that members come to 
 coworking spaces not to be sold things, but usually to fulfill more emotional 
 needs. I heard a lot of that frustration in Rebekah's article, and it's worth 
 taking note of instead of simply shrugging off. Because the emotional stuff 
 is complicated and tough to put your finger on sometimes. But paying 
 attention to it is critical to ensuring the sustainability of your coworking 
 community. 
 
 Sure, we can shrug and say that she should have kept looking for the right 
 space (and I'd recommend that she keep looking - sounds like she hasn't found 
 the right spot yet). But there are a lot of lessons in there that we can 
 glean as well. She specifically calls out that the space was organized in 
 such a way that it was nearly impossible to build a culture. We should be 
 listening to feedback like that - even in spaces where we feel like we've got 
 the culture right. I read this article and dove right away into reviewing 
 our systems here at Office Nomads to be sure that we encourage our members to 
 build the culture here as much as they want to. 
 
 Again, it's easy to shrug off articles like this and point holes in this 
 individual's experience, but look closer and you'll find there is a lot to be 
 learned from her experience. 
 
 S
 
 
 
 __
 Office Nomads 
 officenomads.com  
 206-323-6500(o)
 206-484-5859(m)
 
 
 On Tue, Jul 8, 2014 at 1:09 PM, Aaron Cruikshank aa...@cruikshank.me wrote:
 Sounds to me like this is not the kind of guy who should be in a coworking 
 space.
 I used to get these kinds of guys all the time at the space I used to run and 
 I would always re-direct them to local tech incubators. Not that they're any 
 less noisy or chaotic...
 It sounds like what he needed was a private office but all he could afford 
 was hotdesking.
 
 Aaron Cruikshank
 Principal, CRUIKSHANK
 phone: 778.908.4560
 e-mail: aa...@cruikshank.me
 web: cruikshank.me
 twitter: @cruikshank
 book a meeting: doodle.com/cruikshank
 linkedin: in/cruikshank
 
 
 
 
 
 On Tue, Jul 8, 2014 at 12:41 PM, Susan Dorsch su...@officenomads.com wrote:
 Out in the New York Times (h/t to Steve King - I caught the article via his 
 Twitter Feed): 
 http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/why-i-ditched-my-co-working-space/
 
 There is so much I could say about this article, but I'll just start with 
 saying how useful I think this piece is for any owner/cultivator/tummler out 
 there. Lots of food for thought in there.
 
 S
 __
 Office Nomads 
 officenomads.com  
 206-323-6500(o)
 206-484-5859(m)
 
 
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Re: [Coworking] Does anyone in Canada know how it works with CRA and claiming coworking costs + Business use of the home?

[Trevor Twining]

I researched this a bunch when we were setting up our space and this is what I 
found.

NOTE: I'm not an accountant, this is just our interpretation of CRA provisions 
dealing with home office expenses.

So, the regulations say that you can claim office expenses if one of the 
following are true.

You use your home office to meet with clients.
You use the space more than 50% of the time for work.

Many of our members will continue to keep their home offices. They will likely 
have to keep a log of when they come to the space in the same way that people 
who claim automotive expenses keep a travel log to determine the appropriate 
amount of their deductions.

What happens if you're under the 50%? The regulations say you can pro-rate the 
amount based on how much time you are there. So if you're home office takes up  
25% of your home, and you're using it 2 days/week, that's 40%. If your total 
home expenses were 1000, then that would be 40% of $250, which is $100. It's 
just if you're there more than 50%, then you don't have to prorate it.

I'm actually moving out of my home office so that my oldest son can have his 
own room, so I won't be claiming it anymore regardless.

Hope this helps people. Have a great Canada Day!


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com
Working independently, together.
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining
cel: 416-201-2254



On Jun 30, 2014, at 4:15 PM, Aaron Cruikshank aa...@cruikshank.me wrote:

 Hi folks,
 
 I get this question a lot from my clients and friends using coworking spaces 
 - if you have a desk at a coworking space AND you maintain a home office (I 
 use both about 50% of the time each), can you claim both expenses at tax time?
 
 Someone recently suggested to me that you might get in trouble with Revenue 
 Canada if you're claiming a coworking space AND business use of the home 
 deductions.
 
 Anyone had to deal with this yet?
 
 - Aaron
 
 Aaron Cruikshank
 Principal, CRUIKSHANK
 phone: 778.908.4560
 e-mail: aa...@cruikshank.me
 web: cruikshank.me
 twitter: @cruikshank
 book a meeting: doodle.com/cruikshank
 linkedin: in/cruikshank
 
 
 
 
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Re: [Coworking] Do you pay for speakers for lunch and learns

[Trevor Twining]

I think offering exposure as a means of payment is setting yourself up for the 
wrong kind of talks, even though it's clear at the price point that you're not 
looking to make a profit off the events.

We're working on the same kind of series and pulling from the membership to 
talk about things they're interested in. If we were charging for anything, we'd 
probably cover the speaker's lunch or something like that. We're focusing 
heavily on each member supporting the others as a way to growing the 
community's 'connective tissue.'


Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara
http://coworkniagara.com
Working independently, together.
twitter: @coworkniagara, @trevortwining


On Jun 9, 2014, at 10:46 AM, Angela Samuels visionarymeeti...@gmail.com wrote:

 I want to have workshops and lunch and learns at my future coworking space. I 
 plan on charging a small fee for lunch and learns ($5). Do you pay the 
 speakers or in exchange for speaking, or do they get to promote their 
 business for exchange for doing the lunch and learn.
 
 Thanks,
 
 Angela
 
 VisionaryMeetings.com
 
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Re: [Coworking] Idea Phase Market Research

[Trevor Twining]

Hey all,

I just want to reinforce what Alex is saying. The community building model
isn't just the best approach to use when setting up a space. It's the only
model that creates the transformative effects most of us are looking for
when setting up such a space in the first place.

Cowork Niagara has been using this model. Over the past 18 months, we've
been gathering regularly at a local cafe Wed afternoons.

We started out with three people (!). We now have a group of well over 100
that are loosely connected and interested. Of those, 50 come out to a few
meetups a quarter. But we've found our core of 30 people who come out
almost weekly and have agreed that they want to get a dedicated space.
We're sourcing real estate now, and just getting our corporation papers
filed (co-ops are a great model for this financially, btw).

Once you start working with that many people, it is literally amazing and
seems almost magical how the power of the group to solve problems takes
over. To be honest, while at first I thought the idea of community-first
was nice but not necessary, it wasn't until I was immersed in it that I
realized just how powerful this approach is. The difficult part is that it
takes time, and most people don't seem to realize just how much time it
takes.

Anyway, kind of rambling right now, but all this to say that if I hadn't
listed to Alex and others talking about community first, we wouldn't be
where we are today.

TT

Trevor Twining
Cowork Niagara


On Thu, Nov 7, 2013 at 4:33 AM, Susan Jones su...@readysetstartup.comwrote:

 Alex, I'm just launching a once a week coworking day at my house for 5
 weeks before the end of the year. This is to draw together some of the
 people I've been talking to about coworking and develop some community. a
 bit of a pilot project in community development if you like. :-)  Do you
 think I should be asking people to make a (small) financial commitment at
 this stage to participate for these 5 weeks?
 Thanks
 Susan

 On Thursday, 7 November 2013 01:28:30 UTC+11, Alex Hillman wrote:

 Not market research, but community building. It serves both purposes and
 solves countless other problems at the same time: from location selection
 to financing and more.

 Here are a bunch of resources and recommended reading on the topic that
 I've compiled over the years and share most often:  http://betterwork.co/
 recommended-reading

 -Alex

 --
 /ah
 indyhall.org
 betterwork.co


 On Wed, Nov 6, 2013 at 2:13 PM, Adam Warnke warnk...@gmail.com wrote:

 Hey guys,
 I am in the idea phase for a coworking space in Alabama.  I want to know
 if any of you did any market research before starting up or if you just did
 it and hoped there was enough people who had a need for you space.  If you
 did do some market research, what all did you do?
 Thanks!

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skype:trevortwining

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Re: [Coworking] Hand Coworking to the members

[Trevor Twining]

Hey Brydon,

We are already well down that path with Cowork Niagara, gearing up for a 
February 2014 opening. Happy to talk further if you have specific questions.


 On Oct 13, 2013, at 4:16 PM, Brydon Gilliss brydongill...@gmail.com wrote:
 
 I started a coworking space ThreeFortyNine. Lately I've been contemplating 
 how we could engage our members at a deeper level. I'm curious to explore 
 models of shared ownership, co-op etc that engage the membership base. Any 
 links, examples etc, please pass along. I'm less interested in the 
 not-for-profit model but I'm open to it...
 
 thanks,
 brydon
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[Coworking] Coworking in Niagara is a go.

[Trevor Twining]

I'm totally stoked to announce the first coworking space in the Niagara Region, 
Canada. We're calling it the Creatives' Exchange (as a hat tip to an historic 
tavern called the Merchants' Exchange near where we're located). 

This is a seed space set up to basically explore the concept and how it might 
be applied here. We're using the top floor of an old Victorian style home 
converted into office space. There are basically several rooms that could 
support 5-6 people working together in each room, with a common kitchen and 
foyer/lounge area.

If we grow sufficiently in the first year we might explore larger space. We'll 
already be at half capacity on opening day, so it's actually quite exciting 
that this might grow fairly quickly. It seems like people in the region are 
just at the exact right moment to be receptive to this new approach to work, 
and things are coming together quickly.

Thanks to everyone on this list for their guidance over the past few months 
since I started this journey. I hope to learn and share more as we muck our way 
through year one.

Trevor Twining,
skype/aim/gtalk: trevortwining
Twitter: http://twitter.com/trevortwining
LinkedIn profile: http://linkedin.com/in/trevortwining

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