AltamontCowork Closing

[Mike Pihlman]

I wrote this on my Facebook page.  But, before I paste it here I would like to thank ALL of those among you who helped me TREMENDOUSLY over the years (you know who you are from private conversations).  You are my inspirations, and, please keep up the fight for collaborative, open, work!  I became too old (at 63) to continue the fight from this direction, but, I will continue from another (you will have to read my pasted posting to the end!).  

To all the new people here (by new those who came after May 2009)...good luck and do not ever give up, or change the values that you believe in....

COWORKING (without a hyphen) ROCKS!!!

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AFTER 67 months of trying (65 of those at a loss), we will closing AltamontCowork on Dec 31, 2014.

COWORKING in Tracy, CA WILL happen sometime in the future; when the CULTURE changes sufficiently to understand the beauty of, and embrace: Open, Collaborative, Work. 

When will that happen???? I suspect 5 to 20 years. 

Why that long??? 

Here is the clue: Those accepting, and fully embracing, this kind of work environment are just NOW 25 years old or YOUNGER. It will take 5 to 20 years for the oldest of them to "grow" sufficiently (and for us old farts to die off so they have the road ahead free of us) to have a major impact in the world. 

THEN the world of collaborative work will change, but, only then. The circle of life. The youngsters of today will embrace collaborative work in the future....hail to them! 

Tracy, CA Residents: When you see that next COWORKING location open up here....all I ask is that you have a fleeting memory of AltamontCowork....as we will ALWAYS be the first! 

We have met many wonderful people and made some wonderful, lifelong, friends. There have been fun times and hard times. But, I appreciate each and every one who supported AltamontCowork (or Tracy Virtual Office...who remembers?) over the years. 

The very very special people among you know who you are. (Yes, Tom Gardner knew....)

BUT....Like in Harry Potter: The Phoenix rises. 

On Jan 1, 2015, YeOldeTechy (does anyone remember?) will rise again as: TechyMike

http://TechyMike.com/ 

Cue the music from "Jaws".....haha

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Buy From Amazon and help ForCarol.com. Click on this link: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/45-1499304

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Mike Pihlman

AltamontCowork / ForCarol.com (501c3)

95 W. 11th Street, Suite 205

Tracy, CA 95376

Phone: 209-608-4340

Web: http://AltamontCowork.com

[Chad Ballantyne]

Hey Mike,

Sorry to hear.  We, who have launched in non metro areas have many, many hurdles to over come!  Seems each year for us we come to the 11th hour and something comes through to keep us going.  Being the first is the hardest and you guys, like others, will and should be remembered as pioneers.  You sacrificed and invested in your members and that will see a return for Tracy.

Blessings on your next adventure!

Chad

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[Sabrina]

Hi Mike,

I've been enjoying your posts, your encouragement for coworking, and your spirit of positivity for about 3-4 years now and I will certainly miss your presence. I'm a Bay Area ex-Pat in Plymouth England now, which in a way is probably a lot like Tracy: geographically and work-culturally a little bit off the mainstream pace. Our coworking space has been around for only 1/2 year, so needless to say I have been absorbing a lot from this group in the few years before we started and of course the 6 months since we launched. Wishing you all the best in your next adventure. I'm sure your positivity will bring you much delight in the future. Best -Sabrina

[Jane Behr]

Mike, there's no way for you to know how much of a positive impact you've made on those around you.  Ean and I very much appreciate the time you spent with us and the advice you gave us. Best of luck in all that follows!

Jane

LompocLAUNCHpad.com

[Jacob Sayles]

Thank you for everything Mike!  You have been a great addition to the conversation here and I hope we cross paths again soon.  

[Jerome Chang]

Mike, I’ve always appreciated your insights in this discussion group as I’m one of those few along w/ Jacob who have been around just as long.

I look forward to hearing about your next endeavor.

JEROME CHANG

WEST: Santa Monica
1450 2nd Street (@Broadway) | Santa Monica CA 90401 
ph: (310) 526-2255 

CENTRAL: Mid-Wilshire
5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea) | Los Angeles CA 90036 
ph: (323) 330-9505

EAST: Downtown
529 S. Broadway, Suite 4000 (@Pershing Square) | Los Angeles CA 90013 
ph: (213) 550-2235

[Alex Hillman]

Dude, your perseverance is epic. 

It sounds like you’re in good spirits about the whole thing, and as others have said, you’ve undoubtably left a mark on your local community, as well as this one here on the Coworking Google Group over the years. 

Thanks for being a member, and a leader, in both of those communities. 

-Alex

[Craig Baute - Creative Density Coworking]

Hey Mike,

Good luck and I appreciate all of the commentary and leadership in this group. You did something new for your small community and you deserve praise for that. I'm from a small town as well and I moved to Denver to start our community but I have hopes of bringing it back home in the next few years. 

The first person is always the educator and sometimes it may not work but you made an impact.

Please stick around.

Craig 

[Mike Pihlman]

Thank you all so much for the supportive emails, they mean more to me than you can imagine.

Someone here in Tracy, CA (an ex-member) has decided that AltamontCowork and COWORKING in Tracy should live on. So in true California/ Silicon Valley tradition, I sold AltamontCowork to him. !!!!

He takes over ownership Dec 31. 

Starting in Jan 2015, really now, TechyMike.com will blog about technology and, of course, COWORKING.

Thanks again for all of your support and wonderful thoughts.

Mike

Mike Pihlman
TechyMike.com
209-608-4340 
Tracy,  CA  95376

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