OS Handbook

Concept

• Origins of "Coworking"
• Defining Coworking

Start-up

• Setting Prices
• Staffing Requirements
• Breaking Even
• Location
• Security
• RFID
• Testing the Waters
• Approaching a Business Model
• Affiliate Relationships

Operations

• Managing Members
• Noise Control
• Cleanliness
• Encouraging Collaboration

Culture

• Constructing a Culture
• Selecting Members
• Space Design

Finances

• Circular Economy
• Financial Planning
• Price

Marketing

Support

• Government Suppport
• Significant Legislation
• Educational Institions
• Community

Coworking Community Collaboration

• Ways to Improve the Coworking Google Group

Media Coverage

Stories

• Case Studies & Research
• Individual Space Stories
• When Coworking Fails

Signficant Conversations

https://groups.google.com/d/topic/coworking/KMPqrlHygEU/discussion - McCoworking is Here https://groups.google.com/d/topic/coworking/xh2nKkEB1Ks/discussion - Coworking Space Management Software

Categorized Google Group Conversations

Concept

Coworking is a global movement to create work spaces that value openness, community, accessibility and sustainability. Coworking spaces are emerging around the world because people want to work around each other, even if they aren't necessarily working with each other. Many people use Internet cafés, coffee shops, or lunch venues as a way to have some sort of social atmosphere while working, but these alternatives don't provide many of the services that have made coworking spaces so popular.

Origins of "Coworking"

The term "coworking" can be attributed to Brad Neuberg, a web coder for Google. He coined the term "9-5 group", but the term didn't stick. He came up with the term "coworking" while reading Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath, a book about making catchy and appropriate names. In 2005, "coworking" was used to describe The Hat Factory in San Fransisco [ref] and the first "coworking" space was born. In the early years, some people spelled coworking with a hyphen (co-working) but now almost everyone spells it without a hyphen.

While the history of the name coworking can only be traced back five years, the act of coworking has been around for much longer and many people operating "coworking" spaces are still unaware that the term exists, or the coworking community, exists. TheCube in London, for example, called themselves a "conceptual work/play space" before someone told them that they were actually a "coworoking" space. When people introduce themselves and their space to the Coworking Google Group, they frequently say that they had no idea that the term "coworking" existed so they'd just describe the space. Often, people in coworking spaces have no idea that the term exists.

Defining Coworking

Dusty Reagan from Austin suggests that Coworking can be defined as a "noun and verb": as an idea, a space and as a practice. For example: I am going to a coworking space so I can do some coworking.

Alex Hillman, the co-owner of Independents Hall and a member of the Coworking Google Group describes coworking as a "clubhouse for anyone who doesn't have their own office". If you normally work from home, cafés, or libraries, you might want to try coworking. You get to work next to smart, interesting, creative people from more industries than you can imagine." This doesn't describe every aspect of what coworking entails, but it's a nice start. Alex also suggests using some sort of word association, explaining the concept of coworking and its historical roots before introducing the concept. This way, people are more likely to be intrigued and increase the likelihood they'll remember the concept.

Alex O'Byrne from WeMakeWebsites defines coworking as "Co-working is about achieving economies of scale without being a big company. Be prepared to share your skills, contacts and experience with other co-workers and you’ll find they do the same for you. The result could be a new contact that becomes a client, or discovering a new tool that helps make your company more efficient. In short, it’s about being open and part of the community by treating each other as comrades and not competitors."

Cadu de Castro Alves of BeesOffice in Rio De Janeiro recommends that people develop their own elevator pitch explaining coworking so they can get as much information across in the shortest amount of time.

Not a Fairytale: Americas First Public Food Forest

Hungry? Just head over to the park. Seattles new food forest aims to be an edible wilderness. Seattles vision of an urban food oasis is going forward. A seven-acre plot of land in the citys Beacon Hill neighborhood will be planted with hundreds of different kinds of edibles

[Not a Fairytale: Americas First Public Food Forest]

[goodville news]

Use Your Talents Give More Receive More

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, I used everything you gave me.Erma Bombeck

[Use Your Talents Give More Receive More]

[goodville news]

How To Make Peace With Imperfection

If you look closely at a tree youll notice its knots and dead branches, just like our bodies. What we learn is that beauty and imperfection go together wonderfully. Matthew Fox

[How To Make Peace With Imperfection]

[goodville news]

The Business 9 Women Kept A Secret For Three Decades

Somewhere in West Tennessee, not far from Graceland, nine women -- or "The 9 Nanas," as they prefer to be called -- gather in the darkness of night. At 4am they begin their daily routine -- a ritual that no one, not even their husbands, knew about for 30 years. They have one mission and one mission only: to create happiness. And it all begins with baked goods.One of us starts sifting the flour and another washing the eggs,

[The Business 9 Women Kept A Secret For Three Decades]

[goodville news]

Researchers Nurture Innovative Biofuel Crops in Israels Desert

Fears of global warming and its impact on our environment have left scientists scrambling to decrease levels of atmospheric carbon we humans produce. Now, Tel Aviv University researchers are doing their part to reduce humanitys carbon footprint by successfully growing forests in the most unlikely place deep in Israels Aravah Desert.

[Researchers Nurture Innovative Biofuel Crops in Israels Desert]

[goodville news]

Start Up

What inspires someone to start a coworking space? Is there a calling of sorts? How does one even find out if coworking has a chance at being successful? I think the first step is to have some sort of a motivation to start a coworking space. Coworking sounds interesting so most can really see how coworking can be an interesting idea, but once the motivation is there the next progressive step would be to do research. One needs to gauge the external environment around them. When you venture into Starbucks or someplace that houses free Wi-Fi, how many people do you see working on a project of sorts? Do you think these people would be interested in coworking? If so then you have a starting community. There has to be a need in the community for coworking or one needs to create that need in order for coworking to be successful... or even for the idea to even come into fruition.

Starting a Coworking space can be frustrating; one never realizes how difficult it is and how much there is to take into consideration. After the initial business plan unfolds, the most important thing to do is take the interests of a coworking community to heart; find out their needs and interests and build upon these principles. The best way to find out how people really jell together is through surveys.

Setting Prices

Another great startup question is how much to charge coworkers for using the facility. I think the answer to that question depends on the location for example: there is a formula for break even, for profit, etc, but the most important factor is location and size. These factors contribute most to figuring out the total costs of things. Also, I cannot stress enough how important the location of a facility is. A space in New York City needs to make a heftier profit than a space where the taxes and real estate are lower. There should be some sort of correlation between price and location.

Purchasing Internet

Mark Gilbreath states “to plan out your broadband needs over time." He suggests that this will guide to the needs of your coworkers while simultaneously balance your ongoing expenses. He also suggests going with basic broadband and then adding more broadband to your Internet package to accommodate your needs as time goes by. It is wasteful to purchase an unnecessary amount of broadband that might go unused and put a dent in your budget.

Staffing Requirements

Staffing seems to be another issue that one should take into consideration when starting a coworking facility. Do people hire a manager, do-it themselves, or run on a part time basis? Staffing seems to stem from how the place is run and how much revenue it generates so that it can pay to have a staff. Another great idea suggested by Jeremy Neuner is to build employees into a business model. It is also a great tool to incorporate people into a given community.

Breaking Even

Geoff DiMasi and Alex Hillman have addressed the issues of startup questions and suggest when starting a coworking facility the main goal is to know how to sustain it. Coworkers should think of a coworking facility as a club house; this is your space. The right questions have to do with maintaining something you are helping to foster and grow. Ask yourself what you can do to improve and sustain your club house. Design your business model around the community's needs, not your desire to “squeeze every dollar out of a square footage”. Alex feels that “each space is tailored to the community that exists." In other words, you won't break even and reach sustainability unless your community wants you to.

Security

While external safety is important, internal safety is important as well. There needs to be some sort of security within the space so people are at least under the impression that their things are safe within the confines of a space. Curating the people who walk into a space allows for a certain degree sense of safety. So does positioning more permanent workers away from high traffic areas and keeping temporary workers in the periphery or the space and near the exits. As far as access to the the building goes, restricting access to certain people (like the manager or space owner) will help regulate who gets into the building and reduce exposure the theft. You can also have key fobs made or certain passwords that individual people can enter with with some sort of tracking devise to monitor who comes into and out for a space; this way, if there is a theft, space managers can have information about who was in the building at the time. Installing lockers or giving members who rent a desk a locked drawer is a great way to prevent theft, but the most important tip is to encourage the community to remain aware of security threats, provide them with community policing strategies and clear directions for reporting suspicious activity.

RFID

To figure out a compensation for coworkers, Jeff Gunther, a Coworking Google Group member, suggests running on a RFID system which allows for one to check on a coworkers activity level within the facility. The RFID is a security system that many coworking spaces use to keep their community and space safe.

Testing the Waters

Most people would assume that they need a marketing strategy to start a coworking space but Jacob Sayles of OfficeNomads states that to successfully launch a coworking space, one must do the opposite of marketing. Instead of relying on people to come to you, you must go to them and appeal to their interests. Sayles suggests that the best way to sell the idea of coworking is to get involved with the community, plan events, and begin interacting with as many people as possible. The idea that 'if we build it, they will come' does not apply to coworking and that it's better to think of a space as "for the community, by the community."

One way to start up a coworking space would be to venture into a Jelly. According to Brian Massey, Jelly's are temporary coworking arrangement that usually take place in offices, coffee shops or other group meeting places. Jelly's allows for the camaraderie of a work environment without having a permanent attachment to a facility and are considered a great way to see if people can really "jell" together and productively work in a shared environment

Approaching a Business Model

The business model of a coworking space all depends on who the space is catering to. Is there a specific office culture that a space wants to cultivate? What type of business model (i.e. break even, non-profit, for-profit) would a space need to sustain itself and keep its users, owners and managers happy. Facilities run on many different types of business models. Break-even spaces often make a small profit that it circulates back into the space and community. This is a common approach for established facilities. For-profit models can function, but they do not offer much else besides basic amenities. Non-profits models exist, often as a sponsored project of a larger nonprofit organization that's interested in maintaining a community space. Most start-up coworking spaces are converted from old work spaces to now turn a profit for a company. Through research, it seems as if most coworking facilities run on either a break-even or for-profit model. I have come across a few non-profit spaces but these often exist within larger facilities such as a library or traditional office space. It's hard to create a non-profit coworking community when the majority of the community makes just enough to keep themselves afloat. [why?]

Alex Hillman, of Independents Hall, suggests that location and profitability are directly correlated because each location caters to different types of people with different types of needs, so the business model must be adjusted to fit these needs. Indy Hall broke even in it's first year and TheCube in London broke even in it's first 3-4 months. [ref needed]

According to a recent survey posted by Joel Alas on deskmag.com, "65% of European coworking spaces are privately operated by commercial companies, 25% receive outside funding, 13% of coworking spaces run on a not for profit basis, 2% on a private basis, and the remaining 23% are seen as more of social enterprises." There are some differences between the European countries. For example, France is said to run almost entirely funded by outside sources in one way or another.

The operators of TheCube in London really delve into the psychology of coworking. They claim it is important to make sure that a location is truly ready for coworking. Having a diverse community will lead to interesting and unique members with different cultural experiences, and it will also become an attraction to prospective members. They also suggest starting up a location in an up and coming neighborhood. The reason being that the negative psychology that is normally attached to a developed area will not affect a coworking space. A space in an undeveloped area will have room to flourish and not have to live in the shadow of other developed and successful businesses. Many developed areas have a stigma attached to new startups especially one that houses entrepreneurs that cannot promise success. The key is to try and create a magnet to pull people towards your coworking space. People should find a way to test out an area to see if it is really ready for coworking. Many people want to startup a coworking space, but the area might not have the same mind frame as you.

Another great tip that the TheCube suggests is getting to know the local establishments, try to see if you can form any partnerships, familiarize yourself with the economy of the neighborhood, attempt to spot trends in the community and get a feel for the type of community that you plan to house your coworking space in. The trick is to try and see if people can find coworking useful in an area. Also, get a feel for the area and establish if a location desires coworking or if you will need to create that desire for coworking.

As the legal part of the business plan, Jerome Chang of BLANKSPACES in Los Angeles suggests that a coworking space owner should “absolutely incorporate.” LLC licensing protects from business related liability as well as making it easier for “tax pass throughs." He also suggests a LLC because it is a great way to separate business from one's personal life. It is also a way to protect yourself and your community.

The most important thing is to have a business plan because it will become a road map of sorts and allow some groundwork on how to start a business or coworking space. Communities should play a significant role with how a business plan and model are structured. Jacob Sayles emphasizes that you cannot possibly run any sort of business without taking the needs of the community into consideration. He also mentions that “Without the community you don't have a coworking space. It is important that you have the community behind you before you dive into executing your business plan. As a space owner, you should be very in touch with the community and these same people will be the best indicator for when it's time to go forward.”

Operations

Managing Members

A coworking space is usually managed by those who purchase the space. Sometimes there is one owner, but most of the time a space is managed by multiple members. Most individuals who start up a coworking space have experience with managing or starting up companies.

The way managers delegate differs from place to place and most places and depends on the people available and culture of the space. Most spaces "do their own thing" and have a unique set of software solutions and business practices. For example: Todd O'Neil at C4 Workspace requires everyone who enters his space to sign into a managed Google calendar. This allows him to keep track of drop-ins and to curate who is welcomed into a space.

Having a mission statement or a set of core values will help a manager delegate better. Tara Hunt who is the space owner and manager of Citizen Space in San Fransisco, thinks a mission statement and publicized values help her delegate tasks to members. She uses "the pillars of her space" to motivate participation.

• Collaboration
• Openness
• Community
• Sustainability

Noise Control

There are a number of obstacles to effective management of a space's culture. Whether a space will feel like a library, a bar or something in between is determined by the culture.

When people are too noisy: The first step is to politely confront people about the issue regarding the noise level; perhaps people aren't aware of how boisterous and loud they are. If noise is an issue in a coworking space, set up some noise control rules that are outlined in a policies handbook that people must obey. Another way to limit noise is to politely ask people to limit phone calls or to designate different spaces for different activities: such as a phone call space, a brainstorming space, a quiet space, etc. While people should be warned ahead of time that coworking is not usually done in complete silence, everyone needs to be aware of the noise level. The idea is to be mindful of others; just because you can work with a lot of noise and distractions doesn't mean that others can. Be conscious and learn to pick up on social cues that dictate that people do not want to be disturbed.

While you cannot dictate how people behave, you can designate specific areas for noisier people. Many people do require a lot of talking in order to flesh out ideas or handle situations with clients. Most noisy individuals aren't purposely being rude, their daily tasks probably require them to talk more than the average coworker. Placing people in an environment where talking is welcome and separating these people from those who prefer a quieter atmosphere will make for a happier coworking space. Some spaces that are designated for writers (who usually prefer to work in the quiet and uninterrupted) require that a space remains as quiet as possible and will probably go as far to completely restrict the noise level. Noise control really does depend on the space. Some spaces are known to be noisier than others based on the culture of the work space and the type of industry people are working in. I think it also depends on whether one attracts boisterous individuals as well.

Cleanliness

Some people like to say coworkers should treat the space like it's their own home, but lots of people have very messy homes so I think it's better to treat a space like a friends home. In theory, you probably wouldn't disrespect a friend by neglecting to clean up after yourself the same way you would put off doing so in your own home.

A great way to prevent potentially problematic kitchen qualms is to set up some ground rules and explain them to everyone in the space. Also, it is important to have the means to go about cleaning up after oneself. Its important to make sure that a sink and dishwasher are large enough to hold the piles of dirty dishes that can accumulate daily and have have cleaning products within reach that are readily available for people to use. In the morning, give the kitchen a quick wipe down with a disinfectant to clean up a little before starting your day. If a space is clean it is more likely to stay that way because people will not want to taint it. While cleaning up after oneself and disinfecting the kitchen are great ideas, the best way to thoroughly clean is to opt for a cleaner to come in and thoroughly clean a space. Hiring a cleaner and how frequently they clean depends on the size of the space, the number of people occupying the space, the amount of people using the kitchen daily, etc. On other words, each space is unique.

Encouraging Collaboration

Coworking spaces can encourage a great deal of collaboration and openness among their members by doing lots of things:

To assist in collaboration, Eric Marden, a member of the Coworking Google Group suggests having some sort of show and tell daily. This means that he encourages members and drop-ins of a space to tell their coworkers a little about that (s)he has been working on for the day. This fosters a supportive community and can potentially lead to the emergence of community projects, more shared experiences and deeper bonding. People tend to be inspired and motivated by the actions of others, so show and tell is a great way to get started.

Another great way to encourage collaboration is to ask members to paint walls, decorate, build furniture, cook food, make coffee and do other logistical, physical tasks. Members contributions, even small ones, make people feel like part of a community and that they've left their footprint in their space.

For community collaboration, Ben Henry suggests throwing an in-house fund-raiser to not only benefit the co-working community, but to benefit the external community as well. By organizing the internal community to help external communities, a space can build good will that can come in handy if the space or it's members ever need help from locals. Also, being associated with a good cause or popular local organization can be a great marketing tool.

With so many unique individuals in diverse fields, the most common things one may find in an established coworking facility lots of collaboration among members. A survey posted on deskmag.com even suggests that 87% of European spaces have reported that people within a coworking space have collaborated on a project.

Culture

Constructing a Culture

Coworking spaces are defined by their culture, which is created by the space managers and heavily influenced by members. Unlike typical office culture or businesses, coworking culture evolves from the norms and standards of a space's participants. The philosophy of “Embrace the Chaos” emphasizes that a little chaos is good as it creates a more organic and unique culture. When there are no rules, people are left to their own devises to see where things take them, creating a sense of camaraderie amongst coworkers because they are left with the freedom to self-organize and create. A culture is accumulated through history, so if a coworking space is a new, it might take awhile to establish some sort of culture, but it is okay to set the trend on an intended culture.

The culture of a coworking space depends on the space itself. There are some spaces like Paragraph in New York City that solely markets themselves to writers because of their quiet and private atmosphere. Other places such as CubeSpace in Portland, Oregon have a predominantly "tech" oriented community made up of developers and graphic designers. For the most part, many spaces have a mixed culture with some sort of majority, but there are places that seem to only benefit specific types of coworkers. The Hive at 55 near Wall Street in New York City has a very eclectic mixture of lawyers, coders, marketers, graphic designers, and techies. The more diversity in a space, it seems, the more difficult it is for a coherent culture to arise, but when one does it can be extremely rich and rewarding.

Culture is interesting because it really defines a coworking space's vibe. Writers would probably enjoy a quieter atmosphere with just the hum of co-workers typing away on their laptops or hearing the scratch of a pen. Other places like a lively atmosphere with lots of conversation, opinions, advice, camaraderie, and the sharing of ideas. Even though coworking is a work style, it doesn't just fit one mold. Coworking and it's general culture cater to the individual needs of the worker to help people find their niche.

Selecting Members

One of the most FAQs is how a community selects new members. There is no right way to curate and each space owner has its own process. Alex Hillman, co-founder of IndyHall, suggests that space owners let the space curate, moderate, and set the tone. The culture is usually formed when the in-space community finds their place within their coworking space. For example: There is no real need for management to curate when a writer joins a predominantly tech based community. The writer will probably opt for a quieter atmosphere; a space self-curates and in turn establishes some sort of culture. It seems that many places open themselves up to the community and as time goes by spaces seem to self-curate.

Space Design

Part of what defines a spaces culture is the architecture and design of the space itself. It is important to follow basic design concepts such as natural lighting and community centric architecture. The design of a space really draws people in. I was able to speak with Araceli from TheCube in London, she spoke about how her space has designated areas of coworking based on the color of the walls and which floor a person is on. TheCube designates certain areas with a color wall that can emote calmness within the individual and she has another wall on a different floor that is meant to inspire. While a space may have a mixed culture, more often than not types of coworkers would probably orient themselves around like minded individuals. For example: a writer would probably not sit near a person who creates a lot of noise and talks incessantly because most writers need a quiet and calm atmosphere to write. Color scheme in a wall helps categorize and place people in a suggested space so everyone will have a home.

The building a coworking space is in is also an important design consideration as loft spaces, condos and brownstones all have different feels. Finding a building with a story to tell and a way to tie that story into your coworking space is a great way to establish a culture rooted in history.

Finances

Circular Economy

Circular economy is a term coined by members of TheCube in London that describes the barter or gifting that can take place in a space to create an internal economy. For example: if a space owner is in need of a design, they can ask a member who designs to provide the service for discounts on rent and other products and services. This creates a win-win situation but be aware that, if done improperly, these offers can be viewed as impositions and create negativity.

Financial Planning

Financial planning depends on a number of variables

• Type of space
• Number of members needed for the business model to hold and sustain.
• Membership price range and rates for certain amenities, members, and drop -ins, etc.
• How much to charge people also depends on the location.
• Type of business: do you want to make a profit, break-even, or run on a community based model?

Alex Hillman suggests that allowing potential members to help "seed the capitol" by allowing them to pay 6 months in advance is another way to incorporate finances into your business model.

Steven Heath suggests that funding is a huge part of finances. Does a space run on a bottom up approach where the co-workers themselves sit and discuss a price? Does a space run a top-down approach where a space owner delegates to everyone what the price should be and explains why? Funding is a crucial element to starting up a coworking facility. It is imperative that a space ensures that their finances are in order so that a space can have some sort of sustainability.

On the topic of finances, TheCube suggests negotiating a mortgage for a coworking space; one should not have to depend on the sale of desks alone. It is also suggested to keep staffing to a minimum; you want to really give a space that "independent" atmosphere. Another key element is to go out into the community and try to anticipate the needs of the community by surveying individuals who may be interested in coworking.

A helpful hint would be to check with an insurance company to see some of the risks involved in being a space owner. Knowing the risk could help you prevent them and in turn provide guidelines that may reduce your premiums. Some sort of reduction in a coworking space is always needed.

Price

Most people who take the leap into coworking are entrepreneurs who are tight on funds. Finding a good price range and ideal location is of the utmost importance. Will finding a great location with high prices really be the deciding factor in choosing a space and will it attract members? Some people really will pay the money to work in a desirable neighborhood if it fills a need that they have. On the opposite side, will finding cheaper spaces in an undesirable and underdeveloped area hinder your chances of creating a successful coworking community? I think the point the blog is trying to make is to find a space that will cater to the community you would like to build. Not every space is the same and each spaces' needs are unique. The best thing to do is finding what the community values and how to define those values; find out why your coworking space holds more value than a different venue (such as working from home, coffee shop, or even a different coworking location.) When you have something that no other space can offer or you can personally offer something more than working from home or a coffee shop, you then create value. Find a way to figure out what will pull people into your community.

Markerting

Jodi Dean, the founder of OurSpace, LLC suggests that there are a few universal ways to market coworking. Her first anecdotal suggestion is to be nice to everyone and hang out in like minded communities. Another great tool to market coworking is to visit the places where self employed individuals hang out like coffee shops, bars and libraries. [Deals with coffee shops - venue people are hangin] She also suggests offbeat places such as galleries, festivals, bazaars, or art shows; the goal is to find your “niche” and people who jell with. Connect with them over shared interests and their unique talents. Use social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and Linkedin. Jodi's final suggestion is to collaborate wit4h local busienss and community leaders. Simply find a way to always have your best foot forward. Be as proactive in the community as possible.

Jacob Sayles introduces the idea of 'reverse marketing' and suggests people reach out and find other to market to instead of waiting for them to come to you. A great example of reverse marketing can be attributed to TheCube coworking space in London. In order to market themselves to prospective coworkers, the founders decided to host the London Design Festival in their future coworking space. They were able to market their space and the philosophy of coworking while simultaneously contributing to the community in a big way.

Dusty, a member of the Coworking Google Group suggests announcing activities or jellies to other local organizations and use them as a tool to spread the word. Leaving a few business cards in a local coffee shop or popular venue can also be an effective way to get your space into the local community's mental environment.

Susan Evans who works out of Office Nomads suggests that space owners should stop marketing their "stuff" such as printers, WiFi, etc. She thinks that it might be the draw to bring people in, but what will make them stay in fostering a community and collaboration. Instead of selling "stuff" sell your culture, values and what your space is all about; market the real aspects of life [insert space here]. She states that people do not comment on how fast the Internet connection is or how much paper is in the printer; people comment on the space itself, decor and art that graces the walls, and it's culture. People often market the amenities when they should be focusing on what makes the space unique and a good investment of time and money. People do not cowork for WiFi, they cowork for community, for collaboration opportunities and to generate business leads. In short, people coworking for all the reasons that don't involve printers, faxes and WiFi, but you should have those things around anyway.

Alex Hillman of IndyHall believes that it is hard to sell the values/benefits of coworking so by default people tend to sell amenities because they are easier to explain on.

Make sure to announce your space, or intention to create a space, to the coworking community, especially the Coworking Google Group.

A Savior At the Grocery Store

Numbly, I left my husband, Marty, at the hospital where I had been visiting two of my children and headed for the grocery store. Since it was eleven p.m., I drove to the only store I knew was open twenty-four hours a day. I turned my car motor off and rested my head against the seat.

[A Savior At the Grocery Store]

[goodville news]

NASA Announces Undersea Exploration Mission

An international team of aquanauts will travel again to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to simulate a visit to an asteroid in the 16th expedition of NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO).

[NASA Announces Undersea Exploration Mission]

[goodville news]

White dress, green wedding

Lindsey Gehl and Ryan Bell have a vision of their June wedding being white - and green, too.The 27-year-olds will pledge their troth in a traditional ceremony, followed by a reception amid the scenic trails and wildlife habitats of the Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet, Illinois, to which theyre donating $600.

[White dress, green wedding]

[goodville news]

White dress, green wedding

Lindsey Gehl and Ryan Bell have a vision of their June wedding being white - and green, too.The 27-year-olds will pledge their troth in a traditional ceremony, followed by a reception amid the scenic trails and wildlife habitats of the Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet, Illinois, to which theyre donating $600.

[White dress, green wedding]

[goodville news]

5 Principles for Inner Transformation at Work

People go to work to sustain themselves and produce value in the world. Yet work environments can also be stressful, filled with challenging responsibilities and personalities, and feel misaligned with our most deeply cherished values. Instead of sustaining us, the workplace can sometimes feel simply draining, and at worst, unwholesome for both ourselves and the world.

[5 Principles for Inner Transformation at Work]

[goodville news]

Support

Financial support for coworking spaces varies. Some places are funded by the members themselves and some are funded by outside sources interested in supporting the community that a coworking space can serve. Some places have an "angel" funder who contributes a sizable amount of money to either the start up or help in sustainability while others are funded by their founders or the community. Sometimes spaces can receive funding from the government. Darrell Silver says that New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg has supported coworking spaces that house startups, which could be seen as a precedent for other local government officials to support the coworking movement. Alan Chamberlain says that people interested in local workforce development helped fund his space in ...[citation needed]

There are many ways to start a space without receiving outside funding. Jonathan Yankovich, a member of a Coworking Google Group, suggests:

• Try to find a space that is owned by the city but going unused. They may donate it for a number of months in the name of economic development.
• Try to find a land owner who believes in your vision. Get a lease with "abated rent" for a period of time. If that is still too risky, ask for a 3 or 6 month lease for almost nothing to see if you can get the idea off the ground. 3 months is a flash in the pan for land owners since they usually think in terms of multi-year leases.
• Start a jelly to develop your community. Get pledges from people in the community. "If we open on a specific date, I will pay this amount Y". You can get checks ahead of time, or just "pledges" to pay, and then use that data when approaching land owners.
• Connect with organizations in the area. Find one or two with a similar mission that can incorporate coworking, and have them work with you. Often their resources or even just the association with their name will be enough to convince landlords to take a chance on you.

Thilo, another member of the Coworking Google Group suggests organizing a group of coworkers beforehand who are willing to pay for a space months in advance. By doing this, people might be more accommodating to lease out a space used for coworking.

Government Support

There does not seem to be a lot of government support for coworking in America. According to Office Nomad's website, at least one coworking space in England has some sort of government involvement, but this is a rare case. British Parliament is involved in coworking because they believe that people who have a shorter commute will reduce carbon emissions so some people view coworking as a greener alternative to traditional offices. For now, the closest thing we've seen to public support for coworking in the USA is Mayor Bloomberg of New York City supporting the coworking space his administration funded . Government endorsement and support of coworking would likely make the concept more mainstream and encourage more people to participate in the movement.

Significant Legislation

Coworking is being inadvertently affected by Prop 23 in California. The proposition is set to reduce carbon emissions in the state of California . While this would be a great idea, it also reduces the amount of freedom people have to start a business venture in California. People move to California for opportunity, and if this act passes it will severely limit it. The government has good intentions, but there are people being affected by this proposition that the government doesn't seem to be taking into consideration. In recent years, California has become the leader in clean technology and those who appose this law feel as if California is doing its part to become a greener state, but those who say yes are limiting businesses from flourishing. Those who say yes, really are thinking in terms of reducing gas and utilities pricing. It seems like a good idea for long term, but until the employment rate stabilizes in America, I feel that the government should not think about potentially reducing even more jobs. While both sides do have the right to appose and approve of this right (I can personally see both sides of this act) I feel that as a business owner, if this state law is passed, it could potentially hinder the way people do business. I completely understand wanting to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, but coworking depends on this law not being passed. [rewrite/relevance]

Educational Institutions

There seems to be a lot of students around the globe interested in coworking. Most students are either business, management, or industrial/organizational psychology majors looking to learn more about coworking and have some Startup FAQs and want to research coworking. Some graduate students also want to venture into coworking because they feel that they will do more conductive work in a collaborative atmosphere that a home or a school library cannot provide. Coworking is less about the schools than it is about the students who want to learn about this unique way to work. Sifting through the Google Group, a lot of students seem to want to venture into coworking because they are interested to see if coworking can fit into their lifestyle. Mostly students come into the Google Group to utilize it as a research tool or simply express their ideas on coworking.

Community

Coworking spaces need to get involved with their communities. Places like Independents Hall strive to make Philadelphia a better place simply by working with and for the community. Other spaces such at The Hive at 55 host events that are open to everyone. Really opening up communication between the outside world and your space will not only help you recruit, but you will hopefully be seen as a valuable asset to your community.

Jodi Dean at OurSpace in Fort Wayne, suggests opening up some sort of panel and have it open to both the members and the community. Also, having a venue outside of the coworking space and within the community (like a library or school auditorium) really pushes people out of the comfort zone of their own office.

Tara Hunt of Citizen Space in San Fransisco, likes to hold fun activities to get the community involved such as 'IKEA Furniture Building Day'. The last time she held this event she had 30 people show up and gained 5 members.

Community Collaboration

Community Collaboration is probably one of the few topics that grace the coworking handbook. The biggest example of community collaboration would be conferences like the SXSW Coworking Conference and the Coworking Visa. I was actually at an "unconference" for WeCreate, an extension of TheCube in London. Daria from Hive at 55 attended the unconference and suggested that New York and other cities should collaborate with other spaces in their city or nearby town to create a sort of "metro visa." I thought it was a great idea and a great way to facilitate camaraderie within the coworking community.

There have been a lot of suggested meet ups, but I have no idea if people have followed through or not.

Collaboration seems like something the coworking community should really look into. Coworking is about creating a community and supporting openness. I think these philosophies should extend past individual spaces and Google threads and expand to real live meet ups. Conferences are not only a great way to meet people, but a great way to learn something new and conducive to foster a coworking space and community.

Ways to improve the Coworking Google Group

• Creating a spreadsheet of locations and synthesizing information
• Map how many members there are in each space.
• More contributors please, especially people who
  • Own/manage/work out of a coworking space that has sustainability.
  • Provide universal advise that applies to all coworking spaces and not just specific spaces.
• Coworking VISA and where nomadic coworkers can work
• Coworking Registry.
• More stories about personal experiences

Media Coverage

It's fair to say that coworking is becoming mainstream as the amount of mainstream media coverage seems to be increasing exponentially. NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, the Guardian BusinessWeek and others have all covered the topic, and Inc Magazine featured Tony Bacigalupo from New Work City on its cover. The media coverage mostly covers how nomadic workers have found a place to call home in coworking. Most focus on the personal story of an individual looking for an alternative to working from home but don't fully cover the community that arises from a coworking space. Standard stories explain the concept of coworking, explain the market and and then asks whether people are interested in joining one. They rarely make coworking look like a serious business opportunity. Most of the more serious coverage of coworking comes from local news sources. One way to make coworking sound more substantial is for spaces to focus on the enterprises that exist within coworking spaces instead of repeatedly 'explaining' the concept to viewers. People are taking notice: NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg visited the Hive at 55, which created more media coverage.

Stories

Case Studies & Research

The majority of case studies about coworking have been produced by university students.

[List of Student Research Projects]

Emergent Research is one of the only organizations that have done serious research on the topic. The objectives of their recent study [link please]:

• develop a solid estimate of the size of the coworking market (facilities and users)
• gain an understanding of how users view and use coworking facilities
• understand the roles social media and connective technologies play in coworking
• forecast where coworking is going and its role in the future of work.

Some coworking spaces attempt to survey the community of space owners to answer their own questions.

[List of Coworking Space Surveys] Cadu de Castro Alves was an active member of the Coworking Google Group who surveyed the group to answer specific quesitons.

• [link to survey]
• Analysis of results.

Brian R of Carrboro Coworking asked two specific questions: (1.) How far do you live from your coworking space; (2.) How often do you work out of your coworking space.

• [link to survey]
• The majority of people live close, but a few individuals drove more than 40 miles at least a few times a month to cowork.

Kelli Franklin, a member of the Coworking Google Group surveyed the members to find out the answers. While most spaces seem very tech heavy, there are plenty of writers, and consultants laced throughout the coworking group.

Christian, a member of the Coworking Google Group was able to receive around 15 replies in which people spoke about whether or not they had a finished space when they rented/leased/bought a space, where a space found furniture, how to charge, etc.

Individual Space Stories

The majority of the commentary is advise to those who want to learn how to create and sustain a coworking space. Alex Hillman from Indy Hall suggests that in order to ensure sustainability, you have to make a coworking community for the community first; have an anchor of people before venturing into opening a space. The term "if we build it, they will come" does not apply to coworking. He credits most of Indy Hall's success to the fact that the space is dedicated to the coworkers first and not solely to turn a profit. Finding a group of people who share your vision and are willing to cowork before going ahead of finding a space is probably the best solution. Coworking is about collaboration, openness, and addresses socialization needs, making a space dedicated to people in which you have become acquaintances with is a better option than depending on strangers who may ditch your coworking space because they have no allegiance or a space.

Alex also suggests that if any media outlets try to get in touch with a space owner, try to make it a group effort instead of just sharing your personal story. Media coverage tends to focus on the space owner, not the community, so it's important to stress the community and the values and culture of your unique space.

When Coworking Fails

While there are plenty of stories and comments on how to start up a space, market it, write business plans, etc,there are hardly any stories of failure.

Deskmag.com has a blog post about what to do "When Coworking Doesn't Work", Joel Alas elaborates on why coworking at the Treehouse in Brooklyn, New York did not work. The former space owner Matt Tyson and Andrew Personette believe that the biggest reason it was a failed attempt was because it was a secondary project for them. They opened a space because they had a large amount of unused space and wanted to try something new. If they were to ever venture into coworking again, they believe that they should collaborate with someone who has the time and patience to make their coworking space their top priority. If it is just a secondary project, a person is not fully vested in making sure a space is sustainable.

Heather O'Sullivan Canney said that a lot of people think coworking is great , but they also think that because it doesn't cost you any more of less to run a space then why pay? Her biggest issue is trying to find a middle ground for people who are not willing to pay for a space, but want to cowork. She is trying to find the right sort of compromise for potential coworkers and herself. The Treehouse had this problem because people were not willing to make coworking a permanent thing nor willing they willing to pay for permanent membership. [See Deskmag Article]

Spaces also seem to fail because they don't have a flexible business plan that can cater to their members needs. Some people want a permanent space, while others prefer to randomly drop in when they just need to get away from their typical day to day activities. Space owners must make sure the members needs are being addresses and that a core group of members are as committed as the owner in the space's success. Heather supports this point, suggesting that the basis of all successful coworking spaces is the commitment of a core member group.

Another reason why coworking spaces fails is because there simply aren't enough people interested to keep the space occupied. Spaces like NYC and California can house multiple coworking spaces because of their massive populations, but spaces in smaller cities or towns might no be able to support a space because of their small populations and abundance of available spaces. Our Space in Fort Wayne was forced to close its doors because of this issue. One way around this issue is to incorporate traditional private office space into the coworking space. [See Deskmag Article]