gistfile1.txt

== Coworking ==

Jon Pierce & Brian del Vecchio
heads of popular Cambridge, MA coworking space Betahouse
25 April 2009, BarCamp Boston 4, Boston MA, 16:00-16:40

http://betahouse.org | [email protected]

- coworking space + incubator
- started out when people were working at home but wanted the social interaction with office
- coworking: about community and facilities, not primarily money
	- jon pierce: at first not making money off of the coworking
	- more about community than anything
- betahouse: loft space
- technology and entrepreneurship
- hosting parties, meetings, all to support the community at large
	- to build community, word of mouth, good relationship for the community
	- didn't have to do any marketing to maintain 20 people at betahouse for the past few years
	- check out betahouse.org -- no marketing
- starting betahouse
	- starting small
	- finding a place (sublease)
	- find people interested enough to make a down payment
- if you're interested in starting a space, join google groups coworking
	- http://groups.google.com/group/coworking
- but people are doing it wrong: refi'ing house, 3 year lease, desks, where are coworkers?
	- grow organically through COMMUNITY, compile just in time
	- in other news, start small, grow organically, don't anticipate huge growth
	- have the community first, not the facility first
	- dangerous to assume people will flock in
- 'Jelly' to start off, work with people (like weekly devhouses)
	- then they started to get commitments
- CULTIVATE small DEDICATED, PASSIONATE community of people
	- don't get a space first and try to fill it up
- what are you trying to get out of it?
	- profit? not aligned with coworking very much
	- community? let's not try to make a huge profit, low enough cost, but have great people
- building SOCIAL capital vs. building CASH capital
- build a GLUE that people want to STAY at, for longevity of the space
	- vs. 50 to 100 people
- space is just to SERVE community
	- 20 people at betahouse, 50 enthusiasts in the community
- selective based on limited space
	- diffusion in acceptance
	- being selective b/c of limited space gives YOU leverage
- incubate startups in betahouse that have grown to 6
	- grow out of the space eventually
- cultural things: dog friendly? music? how does community agree?
	- lead by example: set example by playing music upstairs
	- upstairs LOUD, downstairs QUIET. people decide
	- day to day involvement in community
	- talk and negotiate about music, conscious on how it affects others
- citizenspace, new work city
- coworking is NOT: resource to rent out for money or convenience
	- it is REALLY REALLY ABOUT COMMUNITY.