New to group - Coworking Management and New Business Ventures

[Mark]

Hi all, 

I'm new to the group and currently looking at opening a coworking space in Leicester, UK.

One of the reasons why I'm interested in building a community is to make connections with developers and other contacts as potential collaborators in the various entrepreneurial ideas that I have.

Currently I run a traditional design agency which is predominantly print based and because we're based in a "standard" office at an out of town office park the opportunities to meet new people and make new contacts are limited, particularly in the web/app development arena.

As I'm looking at moving on and doing something different in the not too distant future, coworking looks like a really good fit for me personally and also professionally, and I was wondering if any other coworking managers/hosts have any experiences of working with people who operate in their spaces?

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Mark

[Tony Bacigalupo]

Welcome to the movement, Mark!

Have you considered getting a larger space that your current agency could be the anchor tenant of?

There is a ton of precedent for agencies that create "hybrid" spaces that are part company office, part community space. Each side of the business helps to support the other. 

It's one of the few sustainable models I've found for coworking on a smaller scale!

Tony

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New Work Cities - I help people build better coworking spaces for a living, and I love it.

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[Jeannine van der Linden]

Hi, Mark,

I am fairly certain that Fumbally Exchange started out just where you are now.  I think you might want to get in touch with them and see if you can start a conversation, They are as far as I know only expanding in Ireland now but 1) I could be wrong and 2) they appear to be open to all kinds of collaboration.

Looks like a promising fit to me.

If you feel shy, drop me an email and I will be more than pleased to put you in touch with each other.

Best,

Jeannine

[Mark]

Hi Tony - that really does seem like a good solution doesn't it?! 

Sadly, after 7 years together my business partner and I have stopped seeing eye to eye on a number of details - one of which is around where the company is located, so alas, moving my existing company isn't on the table... :( in fact, it's got to the point where me staying at my existing company isn't really on the table! 

I think coworking will become a new venture for me, one that I'm very excited to be a part of, and to begin with I like the idea of being able to focus on building a community and a space, without the distractions of running an agency at the same time and in time, I hope to explore other options.

No doubt I will be frequenting this forum on countless occasions in the months and years to come - it certainly seems like an amazing resource and the feeling of community among operators is unlike anything I've come across in any industry! 

Mark 

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[Mark]

Thanks Jeannine!

[Sabrina]

Hi Mark,

I started a coworking space in Plymouth England  - another city that didn't have a coworking space, nor more than a few people who knew what it was. I spent over a year, almost two, running pop-up coworking days (jellies) to introduce the concept to people, went to every networking and meetup group I could find, and eventually - after joining with another person - felt confident that we could get a space and make it work. It was a hard slog, but the space is now running reasonably well, (although I have now moved on to other things, and still enjoy working there!). Mostly though, the space has been a catalyst for bringing together like-passioned people for various community efforts that have been great for the City. We collaborate with the City Council, the University, and the Arts College, not to mention all the digital professionals and creatives. It truly has become a community hub.

Happy to share more of my experiences separately and listen to your ideas. You are right to look to this group for ideas and feedback - it is a fantastic group, and a genuine positive spirit which is a joy to find these days! 

I'll ping you off line to continue the discussion,

All best,

Sabrina

[Tony Bacigalupo]

Awesome Mark! 

Perhaps we can get a gathering of UK coworking people going at Coworking Europe. Seems like a lot of folks are popping up from various corners, and the opportunities for collaboration abound!

Tony

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[Mark van Keulen]

Let's do it! 

I'm sure there's space (in the corner of a pub somewhere) to put some UK folks together. We might be a little backward (so far) when it comes to coworking but if nothing else we're a curious bunch and keen to learn. 

We are however "british" which means that some of us will be reserved, cautious and downright suspicious of other people telling us how things "could" be done.... but screw those people, this is the new age!

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[Jeannine van der Linden]

Hello, all,

I think this is a very good moment to mention that the European Coworking Assembly is organizing the Friday Farewell, after-conference get together after Coworking Europe.

And that we are now talking about having smaller meetups during the conference, in the runup to the Friday Farewell.  It seems to me that we might work together on this!

Woo hoo, collaboration.  :-)

We are mostly working in a Whatsapp group, though we can also work through email. Or we can brainstorm here on this group, I don't mind dancing in public.

Mark, I owe you an email which you will be getting today.

Best,

Jeannine

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[Bernie J Mitchell]

Getting UK dudes together would be ACE.

If anyone knows anyone else in London going get in touch! 

We are podcast with people on OuiShare Radio in the run up - here is Yann, Trevor and I crying about Copass Camp in Lisbon 2014

http://ouishareradio.com/podcast/yann-heurtaux-on-connection-community-events/

Have a remarkable day

Bernie J Mitchell
0777 204 2012

www.berniejmitchell.com

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*Unless we agree otherwise, this email conversation is confidential.

[Mark]

Ha ha that's typical - as my journey to the conference has been planned somewhat last minute, I'm going to be arriving on the Wednesday morning at silly-oclock and then leaving again on Friday afternoon! 

Obviously I'm consoling myself with actually making it to the conference at all - until last week that wasn't even a possibility - but it will be a shame to miss out on the "top and tails" - I promise to try harder next year! ;)

If a meetup of UK located coworking space people happens then I'd love to be involved - even if it's just to say hello and start listening to the conversations that take place!