Coworking is really just one thing.
Coworking has finally been getting the attention it deserves lately. It seems every time I open up my computer, my Google alert is sending me an article about a new space opening up or a coworking brand expanding. I see the commercial real estate industry coming around and delivering studies on how coworking will be a substantial portion of the market in 10 years. I see the big names in the market jockeying to create deals and to become household names. I see local and federal government programs that recognize the industry and seek to participate in the momentum. This made me think. What caused the transition from coworking being referred to as a fad to it now being referred to as the solution for officing in the future?
I went directly to the obvious. It must be the money. If private equity, venture capital, big corporations and now banks are investing and participating, then that must have been the catalyst right? Possibly, but no. Those organizations are all chasing the need and desires and habits of their clients. They have to. Because that is where the money is at.
Ok, then, so what caused their clients to adopt and pursue coworking? I think I was overthinking it. It really is simply one thing:
I believe that it is humankind’s consistent desire to be connected. If you think that sounds a little too pie-in-the-sky, lovey-dovey, hippity-dippity, then consider this: The average person spends 11 hours a day on social media. Why? Some will say that it is a growing epidemic of narcissism. Funny to hear, but I don’t buy it. I believe it is because people are drawn to be connected to something. A thought, a purpose, a passion, or simply just another person. The next biggest consumption of our time is our work. People spend ⅓ of their time at work.
A growing number of us have the ability to work from home (projected to be more than 40% of the workforce by the end of 2020). The rest of us commute on average one hour a day, spend ⅓ of their day working, 11 hours on social media, and sleep has to fit in there somewhere. Not to mention that 55% of adults are married and should be spending some quality time with their significant others. Oh, and let’s not forget that 53% of adults have at least one child. No one wants to ignore their kids, so factor in some good Mommy or Daddy time. So you would think that time management would be the issue, not connectivity, right? Wrong. It all comes back to connections. The quality of those connections is as important as having them in the first place.
Where we work, how we work, and who we work with, either positively or negatively impacts our everyday. As you can see, it's not just the ⅓ of our life we spend doing it. So let’s bring this back around to coworking.
Coworking is finally getting the attention it deserves because of what it truly provides for people. One thing. Quality connections. Let me explain how.
For the 40% that have the luxury of working from home, yes you have reduced your commute time, but you have brought your work into your home. From the beginning of time work was performed outside of the home for a reason. Your brain needs a disconnection from the two. Work should have a stopping point. When you place those two in different locations it allows your brain the time to separate them. This in return allows you to relax, switch gears, and be more in the moment with those that you share that domicile with and a better quality connection on a regular basis. Coworking allows you to choose a location close to you (hopefully), reducing the commute, giving you separation from work and home and giving you valuable interactions and connections with new people. Something by nature we strive to have. Not to mention getting dressed every day really does a positive mental impact. (You know who you are, pajama bottoming wearing people on video calls….I know you’re out there!)
For those working for companies considering the idea of coworking, here is where the magic happens. Coworking not only allows you to reduce your commute and work in a professional environment, but it also allows you to make connections that you wouldn’t otherwise make at a campus where everyone works for the same company. It is the perspective of those that don’t live in our ecosystems of work that we constantly find so valuable and seek out.
So you see, coworking is really one thing. Connection. The desire for that connection has driven the growth of coworking. Connection is what continues to make it valuable to the people who cowork, and connection is what will provide its success in the future.
That's why Proximity continues to work to connect the world’s mobile workforce. (Don’t hate the plug, hate the perfection of the plug…..just sayin’.)
P.S. - This is a mission that we don’t take lightly and one that we believe is essential to the future of work. We are grateful to all of you that have helped pave the way and continue to support the connections in the network.
Introducing Main Street MI
Proximity is excited to introduce Main Street MI, Clarkston, Michigan's newest coworking space to the Proximity Network! Located in a repurposed 1880's carpenter shop, Main Street MI offers open concept spaces as well as individual workspaces, wifi, printers, and free coffee! We caught up with founder Brandon Still to hear more about his space!
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We opened in 2019. Our mission is to bring coworking into the “main street” towns of Michigan where amenities for small business owners, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and work-from-home employees are not as common as they are in the bigger cities.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
Our building was built in the 1880s as a carpenter's shop. Through the years it has served carpenters, blacksmiths, as a general store, antique store and now a coworking space! It is two stories, each about 1200 square feet. We have private offices on the second floor and the ground floor is all open concept. We provide great wifi, basic printing, 24/7 access and plenty of free coffee from our local coffee shop. The original hand hewed wood beams and a rough and worn-wood 150-year-old wood floor are the centerpieces of our otherwise white-washed and ship-lapped interior.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
My favorite part of operating a coworking space is meeting all of the different people who come in to check us out. We are situated in a town of only 900 people on the edge of metro Detroit and it is amazing how many “hidden” entrepreneurs and startups there are in this small town!
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
To date, the most surprising thing about operating our space has been how few people seem to know about coworking. Educating people about what coworking is and the benefits is a daily task and we take joy in recognizing that moment of understanding as it comes across peoples’ faces.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
We have a member who had been running his business out of his house ever since moving to Michigan. It had been putting an incredible strain on his 30+ year marriage as he was not able to separate work life from home life. He didn’t need much space, mostly a place to send emails and make phone calls (and some coworkers to take a coffee break with!). After just a few months, he told us that the coworking space had potentially saved his marriage and that for the first time since moving he had been able to enjoy his new home and his new town.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
While listening to constructive criticism is very important, I’ve found it is equally important to stand your ground and go after your vision. Throughout our build-out, everyone (I do mean everyone, from the mayor and city council to the old building owners, and my mother) had an opinion about all the things we were doing wrong and we heard about it multiple times a day. We are so grateful we stuck to our vision and built a space full of character and imperfections. So, my advice is to listen and genuinely thank everyone who tries to help you, but stick to your dream at the end of the day.
Follow Main Street MI on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram
How to pre-sell your coworking space before you open
As the Director of Community Development for Proximity, I have the opportunity to work with hundreds of coworking spaces across the country. One question that comes up constantly for new coworking spaces is, “What can I do to begin selling memberships at my space before I open?”. This is a great question, and something every coworking owner should be thinking about well before they open.
Having a good plan of action before you open will allow you to hit the ground running, as well as take much of the business risk (and pressure) off of your shoulders. The following steps will allow you to open your coworking space with a bang!
Start with WHY
Simon Sinek said it best, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it”. Being able to articulate WHY you exist, and why others should get involved in the work you are doing is potentially the most important tool in every entrepreneur's tool belt. This is the vision that your future members will subscribe to and will be your company’s greatest value proposition.
Thoughtfully craft your WHY, then tell people as often as you can.
Build Your Community
One of the biggest mistakes I see coworking space owners make is waiting until after their space is open to begin building their community and member database. Let’s face it, coworking is first and foremost about community and is in no way contingent on having a physical space.
I strongly encourage coworking space owners to begin building their communities at least 6 months prior to opening their space. Host a BBQ. Invite people out for coffee, dinner, or drinks. Throw parties or meetups in your community where you invite everyone you know. Host regular networking events and tell your attendees about the coworking space you're working on. The important thing here is to be consistent and to do it as often as you can.
Reminder: Don’t forget to cast your vision by telling people your WHY, and make sure to have people sign up online for your events so that you can start building your email database of potential members.
Start a Newsletter
A newsletter database is an easy place to have people subscribe before your space opens. It will also be one of the most important things you can do to keep a consistent cadence of communication flowing between you and your new community members. Your newsletter should be sent often enough to keep your growing community informed, but not so much that you overwhelm them (a monthly, or bi-weekly email should be plenty). The goal of your newsletter should first and foremost be to provide value to the reader.
As the owner of a new coworking space, you're doing more than just trying to fill a space, you are working to grow a community. Share stories of successful companies in your city. Post upcoming events that you know your members would want to participate in. If you come across helpful articles, job postings, grants, or any other useful tools, it might be worth adding them to your newsletter as well!
Identify Local Partners
In order to have strong, vibrant communities, we must have strong, vibrant entrepreneurs within those communities. This means that the work that you are doing as a coworking space owner is extremely important. Before opening, you should be working to identify local partners and organizations who have aligned goals and objectives with you. Forming partnerships with these organizations will give you additional advocates to lean on as you are getting ready to open. These partners can come into play as speakers at your networking events, sponsors, and as established sources to help you spread the word.
Hard Hat Tours
Is your space still under construction? No problem! Everyone loves feeling like they have the inside scoop on what’s going on and giving hard hat tours of your space while it’s still under construction is one of the best ways you can do this. Set up a system that allows people to book a tour online (so you can put them in your database). Once they get there, you'll be able to walk people through the space, cast your vision for what it’s going to look like, as well as tell them about your WHY. This is also an opportunity for your potential members to envision themselves in your space once it’s done and even offer important feedback. You will want to have all of your membership types figured out by the time you start doing your tours. If someone is ready to sign up during a hard hat tour, you want to make sure you have your membership types, pricing, and system all ready to go!
Note: Some people have a hard time envisioning things, so it’s helpful to have visuals available on site. Have a station with all of your architecture drawings or space mockups. You can also place tape on the ground to signify where desks, furniture, and offices will be.
Grand Opening Celebration
Congratulations! You’ve finally made it to your grand opening. This is your opportunity to go big and you’ll want to leverage the entire network you’ve built over the past several months. Your grand opening celebration will be a time for you to invite family, friends, and community members to your space. You’ve worked hard to get to this moment. Don’t forget to stop and appreciate that you're here. Soon enough you’ll be back at it, hard at work, as there are plenty more things you’ll need to do once you have opened.
Introducing momHIVE
We're welcoming momHIVE to the Proximity Network! This new coworking space just opened on July 1st in Grand Rapids, Michigan in a beautifully renovated historic home. momHIVE is a place for moms to get shit done and offers on-site childcare. They're starting an amazing community of women and we can't wait to see them thrive! We caught up with co-owner Alyssa Cairns who told us a bit more about her space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
[We opened on July 1st!] We started dreaming about a place for moms to get out of their homes, focus on their business/careers, network and build the community that they were missing since choosing to stay at home with their young kiddos. The conversation started in February, we moved into our space June 1, and July 1 we officially opened for business.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
We have a historic 3-bedroom house that has been converted to commercial rental space. It's very charming and comfortable with a kitchenette, spaces to work in groups, quiet workspaces, and the ability to close the huge french doors to create a meeting space in the "living room." We have on-site childcare 4 hours a day in the "tinyHIVE" to let mamas with very little ones reclaim their professional identity and focus on their work/networking & self-care for a few hours a day. We are also located in a boutique shopping and dining neighborhood that is walking distance for many of our members. We hope to make adding coworking and community back into their routines something that they just can't imagine living without!
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
The response and eager catalyzing of our community have been so encouraging and refreshing. This is a space that we (working moms/ women who work remote) ALL have been wishing for - and now is the time for us to create the reality we want to live.
Follow momHIVe on social media: Facebook | Instagram
The Top 50 Events to Host in your Coworking Space
Over the past couple of months, over 2,000 events have been listed through the Proximity Platform. We're thrilled to see the connection that these events bring founders, managers, members and the community as a whole. In our last Coworking Community Call, we discussed the many different types of coworking events and broke them out into seven different categories. Let's take a look at the Top 50 Events to Host in your Coworking Space.
Large Events
- TEDx
- Startup Weekend
- Startup Week
- Concerts
- Block Party
- Summer Bash
- Winter Bash
- State Initiatives (e.g. Go Code Colorado)
- Grand Opening Celebration
- Pitch Competition
Medium-Sized Events
- Movie Showings
- Holiday Parties
- Halloween Party
Small Events
- 1 Million Cups
- Member Breakfast
- BYO Toppings Lunch
- FAC (Friday Afternoon Club)
Family Events
- BBQ
- Movie Night
- Game Night
Educational Events/Classes
- SEO 101
- Marketing 101
- Bookkeeping
- Business Bootcamp
- Coding Classes (Javascript)
- Coding Classes (CSS)
- Sales Strategies to Grow Business
Networking Events
- After Hours
- Meetups
- Business Over Breakfast
- YPN (Young Professionals Network)
- Regional Coworking Meetups
- Coders Only Meetup
Relationship Building
- Member Coffee Walks
- Walkie Talkies with Coworkers
- Office Hours
- Space Bike Rides
- Pub Crawls
- Food Truck Fridays
- Mondays and Mimosas
- White Elephant Gift Exchange
- First Fridays
- Farmer’s Markets
- Member Speed Dating
- Friendsgiving Dinner
- Monthly Birthday Celebration
- Ice Cream Social
- Gamer’s Night
- Monday Night Football
- Superbowl Party
- Waffle Wednesdays
After you’ve chosen your event and ironed out the details, it's time to promote! Make sure you have a process in place for promotions so you’re not reinventing the wheel every time. Connect through multiple social media platforms and always lead them back to your website. With each event, have attendees join your mailing list so that you can reconnect with them for future events. This way, your reach will grow bigger and bigger over time!
Catch the recap of this Coworking Community Call below:
Introducing Life Towne Center
Today marks the grand opening of Life Towne Center, and we're so excited to welcome them onto the Proximity Network! Located in Boutte, Louisiana, this space includes conference rooms, on-site courses, free parking, and coffee! Space owner Carla was inspired to open after providing services to veteran-owned small businesses.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
Life Towne Center will open on Monday, June 3, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. We are hosting a free launch party on May 31, 2019, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. I was encouraged to open the space after providing services to Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. I found that the number one cause for failure in their entrepreneur journey was the lack of funding and cost of office/business space. I desired to share the cost and give veterans and small business owners an affordable option to start, grow, or expand their companies.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have?
Life Towne Center's initial space (additions and new space already in the works) is 1,650 sq. ft. of coworking space and a 400 sq. feet and 700 sq. ft. conference rooms. The amenities are networking opportunities, comfortable chairs & office furniture, conference room time, on-site courses and guest speakers, printing and fax options, high speed wifi, free parking, address & mailbox services, free coffee and water, snacks, computers, monthly pop up shop options and free entrepreneur services...especially veterans.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
My favorite thing about operating a coworking space is seeing how many are inspired to start, grow and expand their companies.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
The most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space is the cost of renovations and equipment.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
One of my members started out volunteering with renovations with no intent on becoming a small business owner. By the end of the completion of the project, she had a business in mind and encouraged her family and friends to consider entrepreneurship. Another favorite is a young and very energetic and motivated couple came up with a unique business model and had their vision into existence in three days. They made an appointment to see the building and immediately fell in love with the atmosphere and business model and rented an executive desk, mailbox, and address on the spot.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
My biggest piece of advice is to seek guidance from professionals such as Proximity. Your expertise and assistance are invaluable..., especially with billing!
Learn more about Life Towne Center here and on their social channels!
Our hearts are with Campus Coworking Space
On Wednesday night, Campus Coworking Space, in Jefferson City, MO, was hit by a tornado. Fortunately, everyone in their community stayed safe during the storm, and no one was injured. Their coworking space did not fare so well. A large portion of the roof was ripped off, interior walls were left askew, and much of the furniture, fixtures, and electronics suffered major damage.
We thought it was important to let the rest of you, our community, know what was happening to a fellow space in the Proximity Network. We know that what Campus Coworking Space has built has not been lost because coworking is not about the space, it's about community and we are grateful to hear that their community is still very much intact.
Our hearts are with Campus Coworking Space and we reached out to offer our support and help. We're sending thoughts of healing and strength for their community, and we know they'll rebuild to be stronger than ever.
You can find Campus Coworking Space on Facebook and on Instagram.
Introducing ThePowerLab
ThePowerLab has joined the Proximity Network! Located in Southwest Yonkers, NY, this is where passions come together and collaboration happens. It's filled with amazing local art, event space, lounges, and even home to a parent non-profit organization. We caught up with LaMont Badru to find out more about his coworking space!
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We launched ThePowerLab in May 2017. The idea was sparked when our parent non-profit CGDC (Christian Game Developer's Conference) conducted a needs assessment, surveying residents in Southwest Yonkers. The primary finding was that there was a lack of economic opportunity for many residents in the area. We launched ThePowerLab to create a space to promote economic growth and to fill the gaps that we felt existed in our area.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
ThePowerLab is roughly 2700 sq. ft. We have six offices, a hot desk/event area, lounge, kitchenette, and a small dining/cafe area. I think one of the unique things that make our space special is the artwork that we house. We always have amazing local art hanging at The Lab because of our relationships with local artists and because we frequently hold art exhibitions. The art really brings up the energy in our space and it's usually the first thing that people who visit comment on.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
One of the best things that make operating our space such an amazing experience is the community that we're able to help build. We house a variety of passionate start-ups and community groups so it's always really cool to see how all of our members who have diverse experiences and passions come together and collaborate.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
I have to say one of the biggest success stories has to be an organization here at The Lab called Inclusive Links. They provide services for families who have children with disabilities and when they first started it was just their director Churchill here with a desk. Since then they've grown to be an amazing organization that employs around 8 in office staff, and more than 60 caseworkers who work out in the field. Their success has been huge and it's been amazing to witness.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Once you determine the need, you just have to go for it. Of course, there will be risk involved but that's with any businesses or start-up. I definitely think the reward of creating an amazing space and building a community of leaders and entrepreneurs outweighs the risk, and it will keep you motivated to progress.
Introducing Basement Shift
Basement Shift in Casper, WY has joined the Proximity Network! This space is located in a basement, but with the amazing perk of natural light! It's in one of the coolest buildings in Casper - and the first coworking space in the area. We caught up with owner Lyle Murtha to hear more about his space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We officially opened at the beginning of February 2019.
How big is your coworking space?
5,000 square feet
What kinds of amenities do you have?
The standards – Wifi, bottomless coffee, free parking, but the membership is “all in”, which means no extra charges!
What sort of quirks make it special?
We are the ONLY co-work space in all of Casper! We are also located in a basement that does have natural light coming in. It’s likely one of the hippest/coolest buildings in all of Casper (not just saying that….it IS)!
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
I was an entrepreneur at one time, so I know what getting started is like and I know the distractions of working from home. Everyone should have an affordable, professional workspace!
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
That I get more inquiries about event space than I do about the offices/drop-in desks!
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Just do it!
Introducing CO-BALT
We'd like to introduce you to CO-BALT, a beautiful coworking space located in a 120-year-old church building in Baltimore, Maryland. Owner Josh Mente honored the original features of the building, keeping the stained glass and steeple while creating a modern, beautiful, bight, and airy space. Welcome to the Proximity Network, CO-BALT, we're excited about the impact you're going to make on Baltimore!
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We run 3 small businesses (Real Estate Sales Team, Property Management, and a house flipping/rental property business) and we were looking for new space. In that quest we realized that we have the same problem most small businesses do... you are either too big or too small for your space. So we were looking at buildings and came across this amazing space in an old church. Problem was that it was 10k sq. ft and we couldn't use all the space or afford it either. So I went to work trying to figure it out. The answer was let's build a coworking space that our businesses are members of as well. Our Grand Opening is this evening :) .... we opened February 15th.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
10k sq ft and it's a 120 yr old church converted to an open concept office building. It has so much historic character and charm. Original stained glass and chapel ceilings. The entire building is stone and is on the main commercial strip in a neighborhood called Hampden. Its perfect environment for coworking space.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
I love people... so its meeting new people and building a community. I feel like I am part of something bigger than just my businesses. We are helping entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. Its been so full-filling from that aspect
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
At how much people really crave and desire to be a part of something like this.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
There are so many and so new it's hard to pick one out.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Make sure that you use proximity to automate a lot of things. It's more work than you think it will be.... and how vitally important getting marketing and social media up and running quickly. We are virally and organically getting people coming to us. Use the power of the internet to sell your amenities and space. Most importantly create a great culture and environment for everyone and protect that.
To learn more about Co-Balt:
Instagram
Facebook
Website
Join
Introducing IMPACT Cowork
IMPACT Cowork opened in March of this year and we're so excited that they've joined the Proximity Network! This coworking space is located in a beautiful historic building in Kentucky, just across the border from downtown Cincinnati. We talked to Mike Sipple to learn more about this space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We opened IMPACT Cowork on March 4, 2019. We designed it as a place for executive coworking in an effort to convene leaders seeking to create impact. As well as provide a space for leaders to get out of their permanent offices a day (or several a month) to get work accomplished.
We desire to have leaders who understand the impact they have on those around them – both at work, in the community, and in life. We also desired a building that would allow organizations and leaders to have a place to host their next board meeting, committee meeting or offsite retreats. This provides a place for organizations to enhance their impact as well.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
IMPACT Cowork is located in a historic building in the second largest historic district in the State of Kentucky, just five minutes from Downtown Cincinnati. It's 15 minutes away from two major airports - CVG and Lunken Airport, many Fortune 500 and 1000 companies and within walking distance to several local attractions (great space for Proximity Nomads traveling to Cincinnati, OH). The building is 5,100 square feet and was built in the late 1890’s by a prominent family business owner. There are over 40 restaurants within walking distance and easy access to public transportation. Our location has a historical charm with upgraded technology throughout. It makes a great first impression and doesn’t stop there once you are inside.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
To date we have enjoyed the energy of the community. We have been welcomed with open arms by the community as we are bringing vibrancy to this important historic location. The restoration we have completed at our location has received great recognition throughout our region as well.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
Spreading the word. We've been working hard to share the news about our space more broadly. Now we're beginning to take a very specific approach based on our newfound knowledge about who is best served by our space.
Our space is being utilized by business owners, entrepreneurs, and senior level executives. All seeking a great place to host meetings and get work accomplished. This includes our meeting rooms and podcast studio. We did not realize the meeting spaces would have such an interest. This means for us being open, to how others see and have an interest in utilizing the space. Our podcast studio is also beginning to gain great interest.
For more information about Impact Cowork visit:
https://members.impactcowork.com//
Impact Cowork is part of the Proximity Network so full-time members of any coworking space in the Network can use Guest Pass to drop-in to work there during regular business hours.
Introducing Soar Coworking
We're so pleased to introduce you to Soar Coworking in Tampa, FL! This former-spa offers many amenities, including a pond in the back (that might just have occasional alligators stopping by), a podcast room, multiple meeting and break rooms, and even sparkling chandeliers! We spoke with space owner Paula to learn more about this fantastic Florida space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
July 2017 – I was excited about the concept and think it adds value to the life of work-from-home/café people.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
4800 sq ft. – amenities are coffee, water, tea, mail service (business address), a podcast room, 4 meeting rooms, and staffed reception. The space used to be a spa, and it has kept its spa-like feel (and smell).
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
I love it that coworkers see the value we add, like cleaning and greeting guests. The biggest compliment we get is [in regards to] something we do that is super easy…we make lemon water daily, and people love it!
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
I wish I would have recognized the need for a training space - the largest meeting we can seat is 12. During our first few months, I was fielding requests for larger meetings frequently!
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
A driving school has an office here, and we all get excited when someone passes their drivers test! It’s great to be a part of their joy.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Calculate your break-even time estimate, then add 18 months to it!
Promoting and Marketing Your Events
You understand the importance of hosting events, and you've started the planning process for the next event in your space. Now it's time to start promoting! So where do you begin exactly? You've determined the topic your community is most interested in, you've figured out the who, when, where, why, what, and you have your collaboration partners. It's time to get people to actually take notice of your event and register!
Event Registration
Let's start by creating a registration link for your event. We recommend using the Proximity Platform to create and manage your events! You'll create a name, add a custom image, set date/times, and add a detailed description. Add your location and the maximum amount of registrants. If you need to accept ticket payment, this is where you can link to Eventbrite or another event payment management site. You'll begin to collect email addresses of registrants, and as your space continues to hold events, your email list will grow drastically, which means more people at future events! Tip: If you're using the Proximity Platform as your registration, check out this fun video!
Social Media Promotion
Facebook: Let's face it everyone uses Facebook. However, it's often better to build your own registration database in an event platform (see above). We recommend creating a Facebook event solely for promotion purposes and linking to your registration platform within that event to collect those RSVPs. It's also really important to promote and tease your upcoming event with Facebook posts. Post a few times in the weeks leading up to the event, and more frequently as the event gets closer, this will increase buzz and gain interest. Don't forget to link back to your registration page!
Google My Business: We've talked about this amazing free tool in the past, it's not to be overlooked! Not only can you use it for basic information but it also allows you to post about your events! When you create a post on Google My Business you can select "event", and add important event information (image, time/date, registration link). The event then appears when people run a Google search for your business! This allows you, as the space owner to drive more traffic to your event from those who were already curious about your coworking space.
Instagram: This might be where most of your followers are spending the bulk of their time on social media. You can get really creative with your initial posting of the event and continue to build the promotion from there. Similar to Facebook, increase the frequency of your posts as the event date gets closer. It's also important to use Instagram Stories for promotion. All of your followers can see your content on Instagram Stories, whereas due to the Instagram algorithm, not everyone will see your regular Instagram feed posts. Include more information in the days leading up to the event and use different images and graphics for each promotion to keep the visuals fresh.
Telling Your Community
You've posted all your event information onto social media, now it's time to notify your community! While posting events on social media channels is notifying your community, it's still important to ensure that your core community is getting reminded on a more internal basis.
Newsletters: Consistent emails and newsletters are a great way to inform and educate your community about upcoming events. Link any speakers or organizations that might be involved, as well as including your ever-important registration link!
Slack: This is likely your community's messaging system. Announce your upcoming events here, and set reminders for those who have registered. Create polls to see who still needs to register, who's thinking of coming, who's attending, and even vote on future events!
Posters: This old fashioned yet still effective way of communicating events is still such a great tool. These should be creative and eye-catching to grab the attention of those passing by. Hang posters up in your coworking space, and ask your local coffee shop, universities, libraries, and more if they'll display them. Remember that all event postings should include the who, what, when, where, why, and never forget that registration link.
So you've promoted the heck out of your event and registrations are comin' in hot! Stay tuned, we'll soon cover what you need to know on the actual day of the event to be the best host you can be and make the day run as smooth as possible to keep your attendees looking forward to the next one.
Introducing RISE Collaborative Workspace
We're still smiling over the fact that RISE Collaborative Workspace has joined the Proximity Network! With their original coworking space based in Saint Louis, this female-focused group has just recently celebrated the grand opening of their new Denver location! RISE gives women an opportunity to be involved in community and business. It's a true hub for female empowerment and we can't wait to see all of the amazing things they'll do. We recently talked with general manager, Sara Butler, to learn more!
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
RISE Collaborative opened in St. Louis in January of 2017 and in Denver on April 1! We opened RISE Collaborative to give impressive women a place to build community, conduct business, and grow personally and professionally. Our mission is to create a pipeline for success, increase women's social capital, and help them level up their game with professional polish.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
RISE Collaborative Denver is approximately 11,000 sq/ft with 14 offices, 10 dedicated desks, and a variety of open workspace and meeting rooms. One of our core values is professional polish so you will see beautiful decor and furniture all around our space.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
Getting to know the members and building community. Our members are some of the most interesting, supportive, and inspiring professionals we've ever known. It's amazing to watch them come together, support one another, and help others grow personally and professionally.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
Stacy was really surprised by the similarities of building community and creating a productive environment in our workspace to being a teacher in a classroom (her former role!)
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
We have two favorite stories. Members who have an office in our space have seen tremendous revenue increases (i.e. 200%!) and doubled their client list along with astronomical confidence improvements that they attribute to working from our space. A member who threw a big event and exclusively used RISE Collaborative members as their vendors - they were really living out the vision of RISE members supporting each other.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
The best advice we ever received was from TechArtista before we opened - if you don't define your community, your community will define you.
Introducing CoWorker Hub
CoWorker Hub in Middlebury, Connecticut has joined the Proximity Network! This space has been open less than two years and has already expanded to meet the growing need in their community. Here's what co-owner Rachel Keyser has to say about her space!
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We opened our space in June of 2017. We decided to open the space I was working from home and just couldn't do it anymore. It had become so isolating, and when I tried the cafes or the library either the internet wasn't good or it wasn't secure. Cafes didn't want people working there, there weren't enough outlets to use, and there were noise distractions. At home, not only was it isolating, but it was very distracting trying to do home errands when I should be working. I learned of coworking spaces, and after some research, I found that they were in the bigger cities and none in my immediate area. I had to drive far to get to one. Therefore, I suggested to my husband and co-owner that if I need it, there must be other people that would need it too. We decided to open a coworking space from a need ourselves.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
Our initial space size was 1,700 sq. ft, and then after 8 months we had the opportunity to expand into the space next to ours in the commercial building from which we lease. We're now at 3,500 sq. ft. We offer a great clean working environment, events that build community at our space, print/scan/copy/fax, free tea/coffee/water to members and their guests, mail for our full-time members, free conference room hours for full-time members (according to their membership level), and free member events. We have been told that our space offers peace and serenity when people come into it due to inspirational quotes, our lovely members and us as the co-founders.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
Our members. Talking with them, and helping them achieve their goals. I also like that the space has forced me to go out and network in order to meet more people that I would learn from, especially since I was a bit new to the area.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
The amount of work that it entails to run or operate a coworking space, and the different situations that it brings with it. This, however, has given me opportunities for growth in that area, so I am grateful for it.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
One of our members left her job to start her own business in the industry she was working. They started with us as monthly members using an office only one day a week to interview potential employees. Her husband eventually also left his job to join his wife as a full-time business partner. They grew to where they were able to rent one of our bigger offices. They continue growing and now hired a part-time admin employee, a part-time sales employee, and 40 other employees that are out in the field servicing their clients.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
You have to be flexible sometimes with potential members, especially in the very beginning. They will grow to be repeat customers to use your other services or levels of service. Also, go for it, but make sure you know what problem or pain-point you are solving and for whom: i.e. who is your target member/customer/avatar.
Introducing Engage Coworking
Engage Coworking has just joined the Proximity Network in Snowmass Village, CO. Engage shares a slope with world-class skiing, and it's the perfect place to work and play! Community Manager Kerri Johnson filled us in on the details of their new coworking space!
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We had our soft opening in early February. We plan to have our Grand Opening party on April 4th and could not be more excited!
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
We are located in Snowmass Village, Colorado, on the Snowmass Mall which is slope side to world class skiing. Our members can come work for a few hours, grab their skis, bikes or hiking shoes and head out the door for a quick ski or ride when they need a break. They can come back and get cleaned up in our bathroom that includes a shower. Our space is roughly 3450 sq ft and it's finished with high-end materials. Our floors are slate and hardwood, we have hardwood trim, sliding and locking office doors, three restrooms (one with a shower), and our desks are all sit/stand desks. We have a “living” area with a couch and chairs for a more relaxed work area. Our conference room has a nice wood table with 6 seats, a whiteboard and television screen. In the future, we plan to add more furniture with a tall and long pub table, more desks, and an additional conference room. We will add phone booths as we get busier. We also have locker rentals to store ski gear, or whatever needs to be stored inside our space within the locker confines.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
I love learning something new every day. My favorite thing about operating Engage Coworking is meeting new people from all different aspects of life and areas of the country that come in to work or look at the space. I find it interesting to hear what people are doing for work and/or for adventure.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
I can’t say it’s a favorite thing and I don’t know if I should tell you what it is. Let's just say people tend to get very comfortable here sometimes.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Give yourself plenty of time to get your space set up for business. It’s not something that can happen overnight.
Introducing Dayhouse Coworking
We're thrilled that Dayhouse Coworking has just joined the Proximity Network from Highland Park, Illinois! This building has been an art gallery, a gym, and is now home to this coworking space with childcare! We caught up with Community Engagement Director, Jessica Erickson to learn more about her space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
Dayhouse members have begun to move in and our grand opening to the public was just recently on Monday, March 11th. Founder Jen Luby was enticed to open Dayhouse because she needed a space to work from herself. She craved an inspiring workspace that offered childcare services and a supportive community.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
Dayhouse Coworking is a 6,000 square foot space in downtown Highland Park, IL. It is housed in a super cool industrial building with exposed brick and beams and in its past life has been everything from a gallery to a gym. Amenities include mail reception, concierge service, soundproofed childcare, and a lactation room.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
Connecting with our members and the larger community.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
The wide range of industries that our current members work in. We have a filmmaker, architect, realtor, consultant, marketing manager, designer and a life coach (and that doesn’t even include everyone!).
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
One of our members is a full-time student and stay-at-home mom of five kiddos. She is using her membership to study as she works her way through nursing school, and eventually medical school to become an OBGYN. We are excited to support her and cheer her on towards her goal!
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Dive into the coworking community and connect with other coworking operators. It is an amazing community - very supportive!
International Women's Day - Firebrand Collective
Today is International Women's Day, and a perfect day to announce Firebrand Collective as an addition to the Proximity Network! This female-focused coworking space just celebrated their grand opening last Friday and we're so inspired by their commitment to building a better world for women. Find out what space owner Megan Hemphill has to say about her empowering new coworking space!
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
That depends on which version of Firebrand we're discussing. We've existed in some form or another for three years! Originally Firebrand Collective worked solely with photographers and provided studio space along with offices. Two years ago, I realized that we could impact so many more women if we embraced a more traditional coworking model. After proving our concept in a smaller space, we opened our doors to the new Firebrand Collective last month and it's going incredibly well.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
When it comes to our space, we are so lucky. Firebrand Collective has 7,000 sq ft in a 127-year old building located in Kansas City's West Bottoms District. It's an industrial, urban space with amazing patina and character. We have open workspace with both Hot Seat and Dedicated Desk memberships, a conference room, small meeting room, and will be adding roomy phone "booths" later this month. (We want the rooms to be large enough that if any new moms need to nurse or pump, they won't feel claustrophobic.) We're lucky enough to be just a few doors away from our favorite coffee roasters in KC, Blip Roasters, so our members get to guzzle as much locally roasted coffee as they want! We also have quite a few member-only events and groups every month, in addition to programming available to members of our broader community.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
It's always the people, our members. The idea of using a coworking space to create a deep-seated sense of community is incredibly exciting and I can't step away from it. Watching those networks form as they get to know one another...I honestly don't know if they realize how much they inspire me just by showing up to work.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
For us, it was the percentage of remote workers that make up our membership. We were completely shocked when we realized that half our members are working for companies out of state! That, and how fast we go through toilet paper...
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
We have one member in particular who has been a huge supporter of Firebrand Collective since our "small space" days. She took a chance on us back then, but for various reasons was never able to utilize her membership. We closed our doors for 6 months while getting our new space ready and as soon as they were open again, Melissa was ready to cowork. The level of support there is so humbling, but so gratifying at the same time.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Do your research, get connected to the coworking community, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
