Introducing Dimension Mill
Located in Downtown Bloomington, Indiana, Dimension Mill (The Mill) is home to over 100 freelancers, remote-workers and entrepreneurs. Here's what Community Manager Jessika Griffin has to say about their new space!
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
Dimension Mill opened in October 2018 and is a part of a larger project, the Trades District, in Downtown Bloomington, Indiana. We started The Mill to support and provide a physical home for the rapidly growing entrepreneur, remote worker, and innovation communities. We want local entrepreneurs to launch and accelerate companies [in order to] to create jobs and increase wages.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
Dimension Mill is in a 103-year old building, previously the Showers Brothers furniture factory. The Showers Brothers factory played a huge role in Bloomington life, and had much more progressive hiring practices than other companies in their time, including being the first furniture factory in the U.S. to hire women. We have 19,000 sq. ft. of coworking space, private offices, and dedicated event space.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
Seeing organic connections happen every day. It's amazing to watch a community develop right in front of your eyes and exciting to play a role in facilitating those connections.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
People love to help each other. Just experiencing the close proximity in a shared office space allows people to make friends, help each other on projects, and share resources. There's a lot of un-exciting work to make a coworking space successful, but the payoff for the community is huge.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
Anne was an amazing member of the Cowork Btown community (the community before it evolved into The Mill) and has been a huge help in transitioning members throughout Dimension Mill's acquisition of Cowork Btown. Anne's sister lived in Bloomington, teaching at Indiana University and had been trying to convince her to move to Bloomington for years. In 2015 while visiting, her sister showed her Cowork Btown while it was at its second location on Walnut Street. Anne was impressed and since she and her husband telecommuted anyway, they sold their home in Chicago, packed up their cat Curtis, and moved to Bloomington, at which time Cowork Btown was in its third location on Rogers Street in the historic Frosted Foods building.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Find your champions before you start. You will need help in all sorts of ways that you didn't anticipate.
Introducing The Hatchery
The wave of childcare within coworking spaces is comin' in hot and The Hatchery, located in Columbia, Missouri, is doing it right. Here's what Amanda Quick, owner of The Hatchery, has to say about her space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We opened our doors in July of 2017. The idea was planted in 2014 when friends of mine were talking about a space in Frontenac, MO. It was a restaurant with two open childcare rooms and extra rooms for crafts, yoga, etc. The space allowed parents to eat and/or work while their kids played, mom and me yoga classes, high noon tea time, and hosted birthday parties. The part of this business that stuck with me was that the parents could get have a moment of quiet time or tackle their to-do list while the kids played. It also gave them a chance to be around like-minded individuals to share struggles and successes. Once I got home from that event my mind started racing. Why wasn’t this more common? Could Columbia handle something like this? Could I create something like this? That was the beginning of The Hatchery!
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
Our space is right around 3,000 square feet. Our layout contains 4 open workspace areas, 1 dedicated desk area, 1 conference room, 2 reservable private offices, 2 dedicated offices, our on-site childcare room, printing, secure wi-fi, and a kitchenette. It’s bright, simple, and clean. We aspire to be a place where you can come in, sit down, and knock out your to-do list and not worry about clutter, dishes, espresso machines, etc. With having the childcare we have a lot of parents - the random parenting stories from our members create some interesting conversations!
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
When I see an “ah ha” moment happen, when two members start collaborating on a project, or when a parent can sit down and take a deep breathe while their kiddo is being played with - those are my favorite things.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
Ha! So many things! How much I would love to create processes to make things run smoother was very unexpected. A big surprise was just how much things add up on the expense column - the little things you don't think about in the beginning. The unexpected thing is the way you can help someone by just having the space available.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
There really are so many! One that sticks out is that one of our members came in [to our space] working remotely from Colorado. Since being in our space, [she] has taken an idea, started her own company and used multiple people in our space to help get started. Hearing her and another member work on her website is extremely exciting!
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Build your community first. Find what the need is and create the space that solves the need.
Introducing Colorado Workspace
In Colorado's beautiful Vail Valley, high up in the Rocky Mountains, you might be fortunate enough to call CO Workspace your coworking home. Here's what space owner Lonnie Leto says about their new and improved workspace.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
Our first exploration of coworking came 4 years ago when we opened Simpatico-working in our current space. At the time it was in response to demand from our local chamber and business association. We had available commercial space and tried it out on a smaller scale. Based on Simpatico’s success and continuing shifts in workforce demand we recognized the opportunity to expand and create a coworking space with real intention and that provided what many local business people need without all the things they don’t. Today Colorado Workspace is made up of more coworking space than its predecessor and we’ve added a ton of mechanisms and events to foster networking, idea sharing, and personal and professional development. If you like Simpatico, you’ll LOVE Colorado Workspace.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
Colorado Workspace is 25 private professional offices on two floors and space for 100 coworking “nomad” members (those without an assigned work area). We share our building with the Dusty Boot Roadhouse, one of Eagle’s iconic bar restaurants. The Dusty Boot will cater meetings and provides a great place for lunch or a drink with clients and coworkers. We also have "The Community Room” at Colorado Workspace, which is just what it sounds like. During the day it’s part of the coworking space, but after hours it’s a place for movie showings, professional development, art classes, yoga classes, you name it. We extend that space to the community to program free of charge with events and classes. It truly is the community’s room.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
The people that I interact with here every day. Our tenants and their contacts share different professional backgrounds and have different experience and outlooks on business. Obviously, you don’t get that working from a home office, but there is also a collaboration and general interest in others’ success that I haven’t seen in traditional office spaces either.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
For us, it’s watching a tenant go from nervous about committing to any office space while trying to keep costs down to launching a business and then talking to the same tenant a few months later, and they are ready to take a private office or multiple offices because their business is flourishing. That’s the best.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
My favorite story about our tenants is the story of the Colorado Workspace concept, branding, and launch. We intentionally used professionals from our space for branding, graphic design, website, public relations, and marketing. Another tenant did our build out and construction management. We figured we should practice what we preach in terms of collaborating with other coworkers in the space. Turns out it was a big success and proof that coworkers can and do successfully collaborate.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Do your research and take the first step! It’s professionally and personally fulfilling and the people you meet make all the difference.
Task Up Builds on Local Knowledge to Build National Community
At the center of everything the owner of Philadelphia’s Task Up coworking space does is a knowledge and love of all things local to Philly.
As an owner-operated coworking space in the heart of Philly run by a Philly-raised community manager, members and visitors can tap into years of local knowledge from the best local businesses to partner with to the best places to grab a beer.
“We love answering questions about the city and offer recommendations to unique dining experiences and entertainment to out of town guests,” said Owner Qing.
Qing has lived in Philly for years and, prior to opening Task Up in June 2018, he worked for a company that specialized in business development for local brands (which teed him up perfectly for the coworking business).
After a year of planning and brainstorming the design, Qing opened up the space in one of the ritziest neighborhoods of Philly. Task Up sits in the corner of a building on the second floor and takes up 3,040 square feet. Members get access to amenities such as coffee, fruit-infused water, phone booths, printers on demand, meeting rooms, and freelancer bars for collaboration.
Task Up encourages members to make an impact
The best part of the Tasks Up community is the hustle of its members. Each morning, Qing walks in and hears the background music, videoconferences, phone calls, and conversations that wake the space up.
Qing and his crew do everything they can to create an environment where members can channel this energy into creative, professional, and personal pursuits.
This energy is unique. So unique that members have often stopped in their tracks when they first visit, released a deep breath, and said an audible “WOW!” according to Qing.
But Task Up isn’t just about helping members make their businesses better, it also strives to encourage members to make both the space and the world better, too.
Within the community space, Qing has seen members step up to help with dishes, clean up the space, show up on the weekends to work, and bring in their kids to create a more holistic culture.
To make an impact beyond the walls of the coworking space, Task Up encourages its members to be carbon footprint neutral by using recyclable disposable cups, making reusable utensils available, and starting an adopt-a-plant initiative.
So how can aspiring coworking space owners develop such an intentional, close-knit community? Qing recommends planning the space early on, from the details of the layout to the furniture to the events. That way, you can hit the ground running and focus on the people that fill your space.
Introducing Vibe Coworks Poulsbo
Our friends at Vibe Coworks Poulsbo have just completed the construction of their new space, and we couldn't be happier for them! Find out what co-owner Alanna has to say about what makes their space a staple for their members.
After 17 years spent living and working in major cities across the globe; the water, mountains, good schools, relative affordability and the strong community of Seattle’s West Sound region were calling. But there was one major hangup: the region’s tremendous ‘quality of life’ does not always offer tremendous ‘quality of career’. That reality is at the heart of why Marcel Imbach and I founded Vibe Coworks: we believe in a life where you can be the master of your own career, from wherever it is you love and chose to live. This is home for us, and if that meant building a coworking space from the ground up, then that’s sure as hell what we would do (and did!).
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
We were really fortunate to have had the unique opportunity to co-develop our entire building from the ground up, together with the property owners, architects, and neighboring tenants. The result of that is a spectacular space that is truly built-for-purpose. Vibe is located on the second floor of The Centennial, and is bursting with natural light. Our 6,000 square foot space includes a variety of different shared workspaces, meeting rooms, phone booths, private offices, an outdoor deck, and a phenomenal community kitchen. The fact that our neighbors within the building include a cafe and chocolatier, a farm-to-table restaurant, and a destination liquor store is icing on the cake.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
Hands down, our members. Seeing people run with big dreams and be supported in that by all the new people they’ve met here in the Vibe community is beyond inspiring.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
People are constantly finding ways to leverage membership at Vibe in unexpected ways that we'd never even thought of before. It’s fantastic and really speaks to what we attempted to do: create a platform that can adapt to the needs of the people who call this place home.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
It’s the little things, really. The startup that is now expanding with the help of advice and recommendations that they received here at Vibe. Hearing that members who met here are now meeting up for social events on the weekends. Seeing consultants grow their practices vis-a-vis relationships they’ve built here at the space. And perhaps most strikingly, the supporter who came in last week to share that, after five years of trying to build her consultancy business, it was through the 6 Month Startup program here at Vibe that she realized that she doesn’t want to run her own business at all, leading her to close her business and get hired on at a job that she absolutely loves. That’s a huge win in my book.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Do it! Be audacious in your vision, know what your strengths are, and build to those. Make sure that you’ve got a powerhouse community of supporters, advocates, and trusted voices built up around you. Done right, the connections and collaborative projects born within the walls of coworking spaces will no doubt change the world. We need more of that.
Introducing Cornerstone Studios
We just opened August 1st, 2018. I opened Cornerstone Studios due to a [lack] of affordable commercial real estate properties that would work well for the wedding and event industry. Also due to a healthy dose of crazy.
Introducing VAULT Real Estate Community
VAULT Real Estate Community is a specialized coworking community for those in the real estate industry in Grand Junction, CO. This former bank has it's original, signature vault door and a modern and sleek look in addition to several great amenities. Here’s what co-founder Scott Schindelar has to say about their space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We officially opened the doors in February of 2018. My co-founder Matt and I wanted a place where like-minded businesses could network and generate contacts and referrals in-house as opposed to joining networking groups all over town. We also wanted a beginning-to-end solution for experts and novices in the world of real estate.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
We renovated a bank from the 1960s into a 10,000 square foot up-scale executive product that didn’t exist in Grand Junction. We have local beer on tap, a coffee machine that makes cappuccinos/mochas/dirty chai with the touch of a single button, a ping pong table, showers, flexible meeting space that can support over 100 people, dedicated symmetric gigabit fiber, a building administrator that serves all of our in-house businesses, and great mountain views. The building was designed to be ultra-modern with lots of open space.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
I love getting to work, grabbing a delicious dirty chai and talking real estate with the other businesses in the space. Whether it is Bill Grace with Pinnacle Homes teaching me about subdivision development or Bonnie Lamb with EXP Realty going over last month’s market trends, there is a lot of information in this building. I love learning and appreciate accidentally acquiring all of this knowledge by having conversations with my work neighbors.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
The most surprising and unexpected thing about operating a coworking space is the number of compliments a nice smelling bathroom can earn.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
Lots of stories. You become fast friends with all of the members.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
My biggest piece of advice for someone opening a space would be the need to lock in charter members. The more people talking about the space the better! Don’t paint your walls white. The cleaning challenge is an unnecessary burden. And provide snacks! People love snacks :)
Introducing The Fort
The Fort in Mammoth Lakes, CA is pretty dang cool. With one location downtown and another on the mountain, it's a perfect place for tourists and locals alike to get some work done. At The Fort, ski boots double as "work boots" and they even have a sparkling water dispenser. We asked co-owner, Ananda Ybarra, some questions about their space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We opened our space in the spring of 2018 but we had been thinking about it for at least a couple years prior to that. Since we are in a rural area our internet access was excessively slow until the Digital 395 project was completed locally a few years ago, and that improvement to our infrastructure was the first time working remotely in Mammoth Lakes was truly viable. We are also a resort destination that is excessively busy on weekends and holidays, and not busy midweek most of the year. We wanted to not only foster a new workforce here locally but also provide a space for our visitors to have the option to work in an emergency or extend their visits knowing they can get their work done while out of the office.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
As part of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, we have two locations, one is at Main Lodge with views of the ski resort and about 1000 square feet, and one in downtown Mammoth Lakes, which is about 3700 square feet and the main hub for our regular members. We provide 24/7 access to our downtown location, coffee from a local shop, sparkling water, and some spaces where people can relax on a couch or play some ping pong. What makes us special is also one of our best amenities, we offer our members who sign up for a year membership an Ikon ski pass for the winter and bike park pass for the summer.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
We love being able to provide a needed amenity that is appreciated by so many people. As a resort community situated between Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Reno, we have a lot of members that don’t live locally and enjoy the flexibility to be able to work in an office-like space instead of their hotel room. We also allow local non-profits to use the space for meetings at no charge, providing a needed amenity in our community.
What’s truly special is seeing how our name is not just used to reference the actual space, but as a way to positively describe a type of person in the town (i.e. “Fort members” over “remote professional entrepreneur”), or as a moniker for a subsection of the town’s community. I don’t just work in a coworking space, I feel like I’m an ambassador for the culture our members create.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
The different types of businesses and people who end up using the space. Running a coworking space, you expect certain personalities to show up—those involved in marketing, management consulting, remote-professional-entrepreneur etc., but what’s amazing is how people in other lines of business have found a way to utilize the space. We have members who own a local catering company, develop VR software, Olympic athletes who are back in school and filmmakers editing their independent films all making the space work for them. It’s great to see people think outside the four-walls-and-high-speed-internet and realize the space is more than just an alternative to going to a coffee shop.
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
Watching our members that come from different backgrounds and have completely different jobs not only form friendships but realize how each other’s expertise can work for them is always exciting. We have a member that owns a car detailing business who joined after attending one of our workshops open to the public. His business has grown since joining the Fort, and he credits it to the people here who he’s been able to interact with and ask advice from.
Also, since we do offer ski and bike park passes through our membership, we love hearing stories about people from different walks of life making plans over their morning coffee to get in a little outdoor activity together.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Don’t fret too much over all the amenities that you can offer. The community that you bring in the space and what you are creating is the biggest selling point, and that community vibe starts with you. Be open and flexible to the creative ideas your members have when it comes to activities or events you can host, and what the space can be. Whenever someone compliments the Fort, we usually say, “Thanks, but it’s really the members that make this space great. We have some really amazing people here… and yes, I’m also a big fan of the sparkling water dispenser.”
Introducing Innov8HQ
We're excited to introduce you to Innov8HQ - our first space in New Zealand! It's the first collaborative workspace in the city of Dunedin and has been drawing some seriously large crowds. Everything about Innov8HQ reveals captivating elements of local Māori culture, an Eastern Polynesian people with deep roots in New Zealand. Here's what founder Heidi Renata has to say about their space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
We opened our doors on October 8th, 2016 and the idea was created to inspire, support, and mentor businesses from startup [all the way] through globalization. It's the first indigenous founded coworking space in the world.
Tell us about your space. How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have? What sort of quirks make it special?
It's considered the "Google office" of Dunedin with its colours and energy. The model itself is based on the ancient tradition of Māori Culture (my native heritage), modeled around Marae (Māori for a meeting place for tribes), inspiring powerful tribal resource and economies.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
The people (this whole business is about our people), our visitors and our residents.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
The outcomes we have produced. With over 15,000 people through our space since opening and 100 events, 45% of our resident's businesses have quadrupled in size since being here. We remove their real estate distractions so they can focus on the real demands for business (growing it).
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
I love how the community has become its own family, sharing and caring for the space itself, cross-pollinating ideas and experience [while] sharing workflows.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Focus on how you can curate culture in your community versus commercial outcomes first. The people will drive the revenue streams if you get the community landscape right first. Your residents/visitors will become your referral mechanisms and this also helps drive marketing campaigns as you continue to recruit. Make sure you have a great team who all share the common interests of your business. Integrity is key.
Introducing The Fellow Coworking
We're happy to welcome The Fellow Coworking into the Proximity network! Based in Manhattan, KS, The Fellow Coworking is a 3,800 square foot center for coworking, a variety of events, and a place where an eclectic group of workers join together to hang out and get stuff done. We asked co-founder, Josh Hicks, some questions about their space.
When did you open your coworking space and what enticed you to do so?
My wife and I started dreaming about a shared workspace in the fall of 2015, when we were both working from our home as photographers, but didn't know coworking existed until early 2016. We brought a few partners on to help us launch what is known today as The Fellow Coworking. Our grand opening was April 22nd, 2016 after a grassroots, 8 week, complete building renovation. Our main goal of opening was to serve as a professional, creative workspace... to get work done.
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 3,800 square feet, including 6 private offices, 1 conference room sponsored by JNT Company, several nooks, a custom phone booth, kitchen, and open spaces with 5' desks to spread out and be productive on. Our amenities are the Proximity 24/7 access via phone app or PIN pad, private mailboxes, all-purpose printer, fiber wifi by WTC, private parking, endless coffee, and a full set of educational workshops. These workshops include Marketing Monday, business financial courses, and hands-on creative workshops like video production and logo design. Our biggest quirks are our creative design throughout our space, and our diverse membership full of incredible human beings that interact like family.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
My favorite thing about operating a coworking space is the people we serve and the passions they bring with them. We have members from all around the world working here. From local doulas to Silicon Valley remote tech workers, to an Ireland based horse breeding blood test company, to florists and photographers, our members range from age 21-65 and are my favorite part about the space. When you get to know each of their stories and why they are in Manhattan, or specifically The Fellow, it makes coming to work every day a pure honor and joy.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
What’s your favorite story about one of your members?
There are so many favorite stories within our membership. One of my favorite consists of a sub-community made up of women. One female member had just moved from New Orleans for her husband's new job and was working remotely from home. Only a few weeks into their new house, she came for a tour and signed up the same day. Our space had only been open for a few months. Now, over 2 years later, she has come to work almost every day of the week and recently had her first child, with another member assisting as her doula. Many other female members surrounded her from day one and many go to lunch together, coffee dates, and continue to support one another. From entering a new city and feeling lonely, to being fully embraced by a community and thriving...this is the definition of why we started The Fellow.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
My biggest advice is to be flexible. Listen to your members. Provide what they need, big or small. Give them "ownership" of the space. Let them move furniture around, make it feel like it's their own. Focus on your members, and you will see success.
Introducing Launch Pad
We'd like to introduce you to Launch Pad! With multiple spaces in the southern and eastern part of the U.S., Launch Pad specializes in building community and connecting members. They define their strategy as "People with Pride. Cities with Soul." and their workspaces do in fact facilitate creativity, collaboration, and of course, soul. We are thrilled to have them join the Proximity Network.
• • • •
When did you open your coworking space?
As one of the originators of the coworking concept in 2009, Launch Pad New Orleans has been a leader in the community over the last nine years. We are now expanding our network of coworking spaces across the country. In the last year, we added Launch Pad locations in Newark, New Jersey, and East Nashville, with a Memphis location opening up this fall.
Tell us about your spaces? How big are they? What kinds of amenities do they have?
Launch Pad New Orleans has grown from 2,500 square feet to 22,000 square feet today. Every membership level includes, but is not limited to, locally roasted coffee in our communal kitchen, blazing-fast Wi-Fi, local artwork, educational programming for startups and small businesses, and community meetups and social events, not to mention being dog-friendly. We aim to facilitate growth and community building in every new location.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
"My favorite thing about operating a coworking space is the opportunity to meet many people from various industries, who I otherwise wouldn't have met. Launch Pad brings together an amazing group of individuals and organizations who all come together in the space. I also enjoy the autonomy and creativity that comes with the role, especially the potential to run all kinds of events." - Cassandra Damascus, LP New Orleans Community Manager
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
"The most surprising thing about working at Launch Pad is the enthusiasm and support from the members. It is more than just a desk or place to work from. The members and staff have truly developed a community and are extremely welcoming." - Cassandra Damascus, LP New Orleans Community Manager
What’s your favorite story of one of your members?
"While we were hosting a Stripe event at our Launch Pad New Orleans location, I met someone who expressed interest in coworking. When he came to test out his coworking membership, I introduced him to a big company in our space, Align, and he ended up getting hired by Align right around the time they closed a huge funding round. To me, this shows the opportunity of a shared workspace and how it can benefit everyone in our community." - Ella Simmons, LP Business Development Manager
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
"My biggest piece of advice is to promote community involvement. This means both the coworking community, as well as getting out there in the city community and supporting other organizations. A coworking space is only as strong as its members, and engagement grows along with community involvement." - Cassandra Damascus, LP New Orleans Community Manager
Introducing NiCHE Workspaces
We're so thrilled to be able to introduce you to NiCHE Workspaces in Boulder, CO. NiCHE is a curated, passionate coworking community located just west of the beautiful Pearl Street Mall. This historic downtown location is an inviting, industrial/modern atmosphere perfect for motivated companies and individuals who are passionate about their work. Here's what space manager Jesse Day has to say about their space.
International Coworking Day
AUGUST 9th is a day to celebrate, cowork, collaborate, and build community with others who are invested in entrepreneurship and sustainability. International Coworking Day is our new favorite holiday!
WHY? Who doesn’t love an excuse to throw a party? We love seeing all of the great things that coworking spaces around the world are doing to celebrate! Festive elements such as sweet treats, decorations, giveaways, contests, karaoke, high fives, and a free day of coworking are making this a day to remember!
“Well, okay. That sounds like a blast.
But what does it mean exactly, and why should I get involved?”
We are so glad you asked.
COWORKING is where like-minded people share a physical workplace environment, but it’s so much more than that. People work independently but have a flexible environment to share values of community, collaboration, and connectedness that you just wouldn’t find at a coffee shop or working out of your home.
Coworking began in 2005, when Brad Neuberg started the movement in San Francisco. He hoped to create an environment that combined independence with the structure and community of an office space. While the movement immediately gained momentum, the energy and focus of coworking today is very much similar to Neuberg’s original vision.
“Even though each of us is doing separate work, perhaps programming or writing a novel, we can feel each other’s presence, run ideas by the community, or take breaks together at the watercooler.”
Coworking has grown to 1.74 million coworkers in 2017 with an expected 5.1 million members by 2022. Memberships across the globe are making a statement, and will most definitely impact future workplaces as we know them.
WHY JOIN THE CELEBRATION?
Yes, August 9th is a day meant to celebrate coworking internationally, but it’s also an opportunity to raise awareness for coworking on a global scale! It’s a chance to connect and remind ourselves that we are part of a movement - part of something greater and bigger than just ourselves.
Working is much better when you're celebrating. If we didn’t already convince you, here are some additional reasons to join the fun:
- Get an up close and personal understanding of what the coworking movement is all about.
- See the power of collaboration and community for yourself. To find a space near you, check out our map of connected spaces in the Proximity Network.
- Coworking represents the future of modern workspaces and most coworking spaces are bright, open, and accessible - designed to make your job easier and a lot more fun!
- If your normal office is a coffee shop, café, or your own living room while still wearing your PJs, think about switching things up for the day! (You can even still wear your PJs. We won’t judge.)
- Bring along a friend or family member. Again, we celebrate working and having fun together!
- Proximity understands the way people work is evolving. We see amazing things happen every day in coworking and we want to spread that good news and celebrate community.
It’s time to get together. Come on!
(Ok, yes. We stole that from Kool & the Gang.)
But really, we’re excited to cowork with you.
Happy Coworking!
Introducing Iron Clad
Our Wamego space opened in 2016 and we opened our Manhattan space in 2017 .
Meeting all of the interesting people and seeing them succeed.
The idea of a shared space is not a natural inclination in the more rural settings where our spaces are located. It’s [been] a challenge to get people to adopt.
The group hug that happened in our online closed group when the father of a member passed away. Mind you, these are all people that had only recently met through Iron Clad and for the most part would not have known each other.
Tell us about your space? How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have?
Iron Clad strives to be a place where people are treated the same no matter their title or position. We offer memberships and facilities for coworking, offsite meetings, and celebrations. Because we have two locations in the area, a membership at Iron Clad allows the use of both spaces - whichever is convenient.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
With our spaces being located in a relatively rural location and coworking culture that has not matured in a way that might exist in a larger city, you cannot follow the recipe of how coworking runs in larger metropolitan cities. It’s not necessarily easier or harder, it’s just different.
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The Question of Why
In leadership roles, it’s rare that we come up for air and take a look around. It was one of those rare times that I had a spark of insight into what was driving Proximity forward at such a blistering pace. It was our people. Moreover, it was not because I was pushing them forward. They were the ones pushing us forward.
So I decided that I should ask WHY? What we discovered about ourselves, our colleagues, our team, and the company was astonishing. The answer to Why was so powerful that it was driving the company forward far faster than any quarterly goal or KPI ever could.
Stopping to ask such a simple question of every person I worked next to had a profound effect on them and most of all, on me. It unites us. It brings clarity. It binds a community.
This clarifying step now is part of the process we make available for each new employee. They get to see and hear firsthand what drives the people around them and, when they are ready, they tell us their Why.
As the CEO of Proximity, I see something more than a group of 20 or so employees. It’s a team that can share a truth tethered directly to what brings them to push so hard for this company. In them, I see the faces, and I hear the words of people that are the foundation of sustained growth. It’s incredible to watch.
A KPI cannot grow a company. All the Level 10 meetings in this world won't build the next innovative feature. The best earnings forecast in the industry will never realize the little pivot your customers don't even know they need yet. It is the people you surround yourself with that will find that needle. It is in those voices—the people whose Why has nothing to do with hitting a metric on a PowerPoint slide—that we see innovation and curiosity and a drive to build something remarkable.
Our collective Whys will be the reason our company will do great things for the coworking community and the world.
What a powerful tool, stopping long enough to ask Why.
We believe so much in our Whys that we decided to make them public and available to any customer, investor, friend, competitor, or anyone else for that matter.
Our Why's matter, perhaps more than anything else.
A Meeting Space Worthy
One of the most essential elements of a coworking space is the conference room. Without private meeting rooms and breakout spaces, you limit the way that your members communicate within their team and with clients. If your meeting room isn’t comfortable, convenient, and idea-inspiring, your coworking space may be falling short. Let’s take a look at what makes a meeting space a place that your members will want to be!
Comfort first. Have you ever suffered through a meeting with a chair that has you mentally scheduling a preemptive call with your chiropractor? Make sure that your chairs hold an ergonomic design. No matter how modern and beautiful they may enhance the aesthetic, if the chairs are causing people pain, it’s just not worth it. Choose seating that has adjustable height, armrests, and a cushioned seat. You'll also want to make sure that your space is a comfortable temperature for everyone. If you notice members are bundled up in July you may want to take a quick poll in regards to your thermostat settings.
Don’t slack on technology. Coworkers tend to be techie, and nothing will drive them away like outdated functionality in your meeting space. In addition to having a large display monitor, make sure that you also have common adapters available, as well as newer technology like AirPlay so that people can easily share their laptop screens. Also, never underestimate the importance of having more than enough outlets in convenient places!
Booking made simple. Are you managing your conference room bookings in an efficient way? Proximity allows you to manage your meeting spaces with flexible (and user-friendly) booking technology. Mount a tablet outside your meeting space with our custom app to display upcoming bookings at a glance. Members can easily see if the room is currently in use, and even book quick drop-in reservations. Keep another tablet on your conference room table with our internal app to display wifi logins, let your members add more time to their bookings and alert them when their time is up. We think our conference room booking solutions are unbeatable and we’re happy to tell you more about it if you aren’t already using Proximity in your coworking space.
Clean it up. Occasionally all meeting spaces can use a deep clean. Have the carpets shampooed, wash the walls and steam the curtains. What good are those windows if they’re covered in spots? Does something smell funky? Try a gentle air freshener. The last thing you want to do is gross out your members and their clients, so give it some elbow grease!
Feelin’ it. Choose your vibe carefully. The color of the walls, the lighting and the artwork all play an important role in creating an overall Instagrammy vibe. Make sure that your decor is current, in good condition, and not overbearing. Soft lighting, tasteful wall paint and inspiring artwork can make all the difference in creating a productive work environment!
Introducing WingSpace
We are excited to introduce you to WingSpace, a lovely coworking space in Prescott, AZ. WingSpace recently opened their doors and are already doing wonderful things for their community. Recently we asked owner Melanie Banayat some questions about her space.
When did you open your coworking space?
WingSpace just opened for business on April 2, 2018 with 15 members.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
My favorite thing about operating a coworking space is really all about connecting people - the real in-person connections. The idea of creating a workspace that is reminiscent of the TV sitcom, Cheers, where everybody knows your name, is a real motivating factor for me. I’ve been self-employed for many years and understand the impact that isolation can have on the mind and how working from home or a café can result in low productivity. Working in an environment that is designed for business productivity as well as access to a community of thinkers, doers and idea makers helps us remember why we decided to work independently in the first place. Why limit happy to an hour when you can work happy?! It’s good for the soul and good for our local economy.
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
Hmmm? That’s probably a question that I could answer better once I have about 6 months under my belt. However, I must say, so many people stepped up and volunteered their time to help us get the space opened. A wonderful community of people came together to paint, build furniture, clean, and set up systems – it was incredible.
What’s your favorite story of one of your members?
I took Kathy on a tour of the space about two weeks ago. She told me she was tired of working at home – alone, and one week later she joined. When she came in for her first day to work at WingSpace, the place was buzzing with people coming and going. I saw her in a few conversations with other coworkers from time to time. In the middle of her workday she got up and walked around the space to stretch her legs and made her way over to me to say, “This is saving my life!”
That’s that kind of stuff that makes this all worthwhile.
Tell us about your space? How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have?
Our space is 3,000 sq. ft.
We have 1 private office, two shared offices, and an open coworking area with dedicated desks and a variety of seating options for our ‘Frequent Flyers’.
We also have 3 bookable spaces:
1) The Zephyr is a small conference room with seating for 2 – 6 people, a desk and chair, flat screen TV with HDMI cord, and a whiteboard. This room is set up with soft seating (four comfortable chairs) for a more casual meeting.
2) The Constellation Room is a large conference room for up to 14 people seated at training tables with a flat screen tv with HDMI cord, two large white boards and a lectern.
3) The Vortex is a small podcast/consultation room for 1-4 people. Includes a table with four chairs, and a white board. This room also has acoustic panels on the walls, so members can bring in their own equipment for podcasting.
All part-time and full-time memberships have 24-hour access and meeting room credits with their membership.
We’re located in the downtown area next to Prescott College.
Amenities include:
• Fast WiFi
• Coffee/Tea/Water Bar
• Shared Printer/Scanner/Copier and Paper Shredder
• Free Parking
• Unlimited access to events and programming
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Pretty much the same advice everyone one else in the coworking industry gave to me – Build Your Community BEFORE You Open a Space! I spent about 8 month hosting a variety of different events, everything from weekly casual coffee meetups, a popup coworking day, a formal Business Idea XChange that was facilitated, and a three-month CoBoss program where 20 participants were divided into 4 mastermind groups that met for weekly masterminds for 3 months.
The second piece of advice is to surround yourself with a lot of support! Because you’re going to need it on those days when everything seems to be falling apart, and also for those days when everything goes right and you want to celebrate your successful day with a few high fives and WOO-HOOs!
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Congrats to WingSpace on your new space! Here's to many successful years of community building.
For more info visit WingSpace:
wingspace.biz
facebook
instagram
WingSpace is part of the Proximity Network so full-time members of any coworking space that is Powered by Proximity can use Proximity Guest Pass to drop in to work at the space during regular business hours.
Introducing Evolve Workplace
We'd like to introduce you to Evolve Workplace in West Saint Paul, MN. We've really enjoyed working with Evolve and watching their community grow.
"It continues to impress me how much Dave and Brett have embraced the culture and community of coworking with Evolve Coworking. At every turn, Evolve has chosen to listen to the needs of their coworkers and support the growth of their members through the offerings and amenities of the coworking space." --Josh Freed, Proximity CEO
We asked co-owner Dave Lundy a few questions about what it's been like to open a coworking space and here's what he had to say.
When did you open your coworking space?
Evolve Workplace officially opened November 15th, 2017. We acquired the building in 2016 and spent about a year building out the space.
Tell us about your space? How big is it? What kinds of amenities do you have?
Our space consists of private offices, multiple conference rooms for 6-300 and large open spaces broken up by group pods for an airy yet cozy feel. With over 26,000 sq. ft. of coworking space, we are one of the larger spaces in the Midwest! Our size allows us to provide unique spaces that may be customized to our members needs as well as fun breakout spaces, including a craft room, game room, podcasting booth, two kitchenettes and a 6,000 sq. ft. conditioned warehouse.
What is your favorite thing about operating a coworking space?
I love meeting new people and getting to know them - both professionally and personally. There are so many times that I connect with people that I doubt I would ever have met without Evolve!
What has been the most surprising/unexpected thing about operating a coworking space?
The most surprising/unexpected thing I have found is why people cowork and how they use our space. As the name implies, Evolve Workplace evolves to meet the ever changing needs of our members and community. That said, our members have held everything from children's birthday parties to 200+ person conferences and they work both "normal" business hours as well as late into the night burning the midnight oil. And for unexpected, I would be remiss without mentioning our honorary member, Rachel the raccoon who stayed over one weekend - ;-).
What’s your favorite story of one of your members?
One of my favorite stories was a member who came in for our monthly Entrepreneur meet & greet happy hour. The member was strongly interested in going out on their own after years of working the corporate life, but had some understandable reservations. After dropping into Evolve for a couple day-sessions and getting to feel the culture and camaraderie only a coworking organization can provide, they felt empowered to take the leap! Its great to see the personal and business growth this member has achieved by trusting in themselves and their supporting coworking community.
What is your biggest piece of advice for someone wanting to open a space?
Get out in your community to gauge the interest and needs of the residents.Coworking is a growing trend, however focusing on what your specific community needs will give you initial direction. And relax, life is too short not to have fun!
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Keep up the great work, Evolve! We love watching what you're doing.
For more info visit Evolve Workspace:
evolveworkplace.com
facebook
instagram
Evolve Workspace is part of the Proximity Network so full-time members of any coworking space that is Powered by Proximity can use their Guest Pass to drop in to work at the space during regular business hours.