I want to open the 1st coworking space in my

[Daniel Rivera]

I want to open the 1st coworking space in my region

The closest coworking space to where I live is a 4 hour drive away. I don't live in a technology or "creative" driven community but I feel that a place like this could bring these people together and help foster growth in my community and benefit all involved.

I'm late to the wonderful concept of coworking so I have been using google to find as much information as possible. First and foremost, thank you Alex Hillman for all of your insight. I love stumbling onto your blogs, videos and in depth responses to questions posted by others.

To all who have opened a coworking community - how do you walk the fine line between trying to start a community before you open your doors and having someone run off with your idea and beating you to the punch?

[Alex Hillman]

Daniel - welcome :) and thanks for the kudos. I'm happy you've enjoyed what we share. 

Where are you, by the way? What region?

As far as ripping off your "idea"...your next lesson is how to stop worrying about that. Two facts:

Fact #1) nobody will execute your "idea" the same way as you, even if you give them perfect instructions. I've given away EVERY bit of "secret sauce" for Indy Hall and nobody has managed to clone it. They can't, without first being a clone of me, and even then...it still wouldn't happen. 

Fact #2) most people are lazy. They won't copy your idea poorly...or better than you...they won't copy your idea at all. In fact, you should BE so lucky that they think enough of you and your idea to copy it. 

These facts have nothing to do with coworking or community or even business and everything to do with reality and life. 

Now...an answer with a coworking twist: when you build a community, you're actually building lots of little relationships between you and people, as well as between the people and each other. 

Technically, somebody else could follow the exact same steps, but they'd never end up with the exact same community composition. That's one of the beautiful things about communities: they're unique. Each one has its own fingerprint, it's own DNA. It's uncopyable...or if someone tries to copy, it ends up looking like a cheap knockoff and you're still ahead of the game. 

So get (and stay) focused on what's important: the people and the community. Nobody can beat you at that game. 

-Alex

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[Trevor Chomumwe]

Hi Guys,

@ Alex thank you for the insights. The little bits of wisdom you drop
for us here are pretty helpful. I am working on a coworking space down
here in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and we have our first Jelly in a few weeks
time.

@Daniel Welcome. Hope the journey is an exciting one.

Cheers,

Trevor

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*Trevor Chomumwe*
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Mobile: +263 738 555 913
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[Alex Hillman]

Trevor - Zimbabwe? That's amazing. Good luck with the first jelly and don't forget to have fun :)

-Alex

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/ah
indyhall.org
coworking in philadelphia

[Trevor Chomumwe]

Hahahahaha

Alex YES- ZIMBABWE the coworking bug is here LOL

Will definitely have fun and share our experience with the rest of the group

[Alex Hillman]

I can't wait to see photos!

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/ah
indyhall.org
coworking in philadelphia

[Daniel Rivera]

@alex

I live in south Tx known as the Rio Grande Valley. San Antonio is the closest city with a coworking environment which is a 4 hour drive from here.

Thanks again for all your help. My goal now is to "find my first 10."

[Matthew Straub, Avenue HQ Community Manager]

Daniel,

You're on the right track, I'd say. I opened a coworking space in Northeastern Wisconsin and was struggling getting some buy-in because the concept was totally new here. I opened a space with few known members anyway because I worked out an awesome partnership with a building owner, and because I thought that in a community like this it would make sense to be able to demonstrate what coworking is and what a coworking space looks like. Now we've gotten some awesome visibility and positive feedback, but we're still struggling to grow our membership because I didn't make enough of those in-person connections beforehand.

It sounds like you won't do the same thing, but I can't stress enough how important it is to build your community first and space second. Jellies are really the best way to go. We just started jellies again within our space and they do seem to bring some people out of the woodwork. I set up a new group on meetup.com and got a good deal of unexpected visibility that way.

Good luck!

[ROB C.]

Daniel,

I will just say ditto to what Alex and others have said.  Focus on the community.

My team and I are focusing on just what you are talking about - bringing coworking to smaller communities and suburbs where accessibility to coworking is not as easy.  (We are 30 mins from our closest facility and up to an an hour + from some).  We identified a handful of areas and are working on building those communities through our facebook page, meet up groups and drop ins that we are hoping to start in the next few weeks. 

Try reaching out to your city's Chamber of Commerce and Economic development department.  We have reach out to, and met with several of the Chamber's of Commerce in the given cities as well as the economic development offices of the cities.  We got a tremendous response and connection and response from the city I live in that may get us a space in a new town center that was just approved for construction earlier this week.

You may also look to connect with Jasper Welch, the cofounder of a Durango Space (http://durangospace.com/) in Durango, Colorado, a small town in the southern region of Colorado.  I have reach out to him and am hoping to pick his brain some more as he has successfully set up a space in a small community and in the few emails we have exchanged, has a lot of knowledge on the topic.  In my mind, his story reinforces that above all else, the community makes the space work, even in smaller cities and towns.

And as Alex said, don't worry too much about someone taking your idea.  My team and are literally working simultanously with another individual who wants to open a space in the same area and for that fact there are at least three other meet up groups with the same aspirations.  Focus on your process and your space.  Don't feel rushed, be methodical and get a solid foundation.  I am actually doing what I can to help the others who want to set up spaces for two reasons.  Spaces are more successful when they have other spaces in the area (See Deskmag coworking survey results).  I think this is because with more spaces, the word about coworking is spread further.  And the second reason is that the other two have slightly different visions that we have.  One wants to develop a makerspace, which I would love to partner with but don't want to get into the makerspace area right now.  So just stick with your vision and you'll be fine. 

But again, focus on community. community and community.  Getting the physical space is the easier part of the equation. 

Rob C.

[Daniel Rivera]

Thank you everyone for you your replies. I've been pondering what everyone has said and really been working on trying to wrap my brain around all the information I've gathered thus far. I already picked a space out and was looking at designs and initial costs. I've scratched all that and gone back to trying to figure out how to start a community. 

The problem: 

I am a full time teacher. I teach high school physics and I am a "semi-pro photographer" at night and on the weekends. That is how I stumbled onto this idea. I got tired of working out of my house. Shooting and meeting clients here has become a problem as my son has gotten older. (keeping the house clean,finding a sitter, etc.)  I wanted a more professional and creative space to work. I started to talk to other photographers that worked in bigger cities and stumbled onto places like weld and work hauss in dallas. I immediately fell in love with the idea and wished that there were places like that here. As I researched more about shared creative spaces and coworking I decided that running a community like that would help bring together people and it seemed like a great thing to be a part of. I would love to eventually leave teaching and run a successful coworking office but it is financially not possible right now. 

The more I think about it the more I feel that initially it will be easiest to find members in my situation - full time job and some passion or hobby on the side that brings in a second income - but can't see people like this coming together for a Jelly.   I feel like my goal of opening a coworking space is slowly turning into a shared office space that rents out meeting rooms (not sure if that is a bad thing or good thing). From what I've read I think a lot of coworking spaces do this, but it seems like I will be missing the community factor that is so important. 

Has anyone started a coworking community of moonlighters or started an after hours Jelly that attracts people with second jobs/hobbies? Any thoughts or opinions on the matter are greatly appreciated. 

[Chad Ballantyne]

We've launched a hacker space NFP called SimCoLab www.simcolab.org which will predominately serve the after hour hobbyists.  It's one good way to maximize a coworking space use (especially if they have a decent basement) for the dark hours.

Chad Ballantyne

705.812.0689

ch...@thecreativespace.ca

Barrie's Coworking Community

Perfect for small businesses, startups and entrepreneurs.

12 Dunlop St E, Barrie Ontario, L4M 1A3

Memberships start at $25/mth

www.thecreativespace.ca

705-812-0689

[Jerome Chang]

Hi. I like your enthusiasm. BUT, it seems that you really have four goals, which seems to be too many:

1. Teach

2. Shoot professionally

3. Run a Coworking space

4. Capitalize on a biz idea before someone else does. 

#3 seems to really be a means for an end, #2.

#4 seems to be important but shouldn't be because #4 is to be first on a Coworking idea (#3) that is a means to an end, #2. 

I would recommend just finding a day office renter who'd be interested in sharing an office with you based on your evening/wknd needs. Opening a Coworking space can't be your third priority. 

Jerome

www.BLANKSPACES.com

[Daniel Rivera]

Thank you Jerome for your opinion. I know I put down a lot of ideas in that last post but I guess it should be noted that the priorities would be closer to: 

1. Teach (because right now that is what is putting food on the table/steady income)

2. Open/run a coworking space with the help of a partner (hopefully over time as a means to an end for teaching) 

3. Shooting professionally has been more of a hobby than a profession but it is what made me aware that there was a niche for a studio rental/coworking environment where I live. 

I can imagine it will be a lot of work and having a full time job (for 9 months out of the year) will probably create problems and force me to burn the candle on both ends, but I think running/owning a coworking space would be something that I would ultimately love doing. And though I don't hate it, at this point in my career, I can't say the same about teaching. 

[Daniel Rivera]

Thank you Chad. 

[Jerome Chang]

Ahhh...then that makes more sense.

Yes, you'll likely be burning the candle on both ends.  You'll need to have staff to operate it then, particularly while you're teaching.

Please be careful about niche coworking in the suburbs.  There's something to be said about having a critical mass of clients and interested parties...many have found out that a general audience for coworking is already pretty niche - a niche of that niche can be of a concern.

Jerome
______________
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