hi there my name is Chris Cooley and I’m a guide and facilitator for creating
a guide and facilitator for creating
a guide and facilitator for creating sustainable co-working communities today
sustainable co-working communities today
sustainable co-working communities today I’m going to explain what it takes to
I’m going to explain what it takes to
I’m going to explain what it takes to create one of these communities why it
create one of these communities why it
create one of these communities why it pertains to all of us here today and how
pertains to all of us here today and how
pertains to all of us here today and how to do it through a system that I’ve
to do it through a system that I’ve
to do it through a system that I’ve created called flexible sustainability
created called flexible sustainability
created called flexible sustainability let me start with a story about human
let me start with a story about human
let me start with a story about human evolution the goal of early human beings
evolution the goal of early human beings
evolution the goal of early human beings was quite simple stay alive
was quite simple stay alive
was quite simple stay alive however our brains began to produce
however our brains began to produce
however our brains began to produce feel-good chemicals every time we
feel-good chemicals every time we
feel-good chemicals every time we collaborated incentive to continue
collaborated incentive to continue
collaborated incentive to continue working together basically our brains
working together basically our brains
working together basically our brains are hard-wired to be a community so fast
are hard-wired to be a community so fast
are hard-wired to be a community so fast forward a few years to today and we have
forward a few years to today and we have
forward a few years to today and we have this collaborative model called
this collaborative model called
this collaborative model called co-working well what is co-working first
co-working well what is co-working first
co-working well what is co-working first I’m gonna start with what co-working is
I’m gonna start with what co-working is
I’m gonna start with what co-working is not co-working is not a coop coop is a
not co-working is not a coop coop is a
not co-working is not a coop coop is a model where all of the participants own
model where all of the participants own
model where all of the participants own an organization and establish a
an organization and establish a
an organization and establish a predetermined outcome co-working is not
predetermined outcome co-working is not
predetermined outcome co-working is not an incubator in an incubator a governing
an incubator in an incubator a governing
an incubator in an incubator a governing body provides a system that a member is
body provides a system that a member is
body provides a system that a member is required to follow in its most basic
required to follow in its most basic
required to follow in its most basic form co-working is a group of individual
form co-working is a group of individual
form co-working is a group of individual business owners sharing amenities like
business owners sharing amenities like
business owners sharing amenities like Wi-Fi 24/7 access kitchen facilities
Wi-Fi 24/7 access kitchen facilities
Wi-Fi 24/7 access kitchen facilities desk space etc this concept works really
desk space etc this concept works really
desk space etc this concept works really well in revitalized vacant spaces and in
well in revitalized vacant spaces and in
well in revitalized vacant spaces and in the words of a property manager that I
the words of a property manager that I
the words of a property manager that I have collaborated with brings life back
have collaborated with brings life back
have collaborated with brings life back to our buildings here’s the kicker
to our buildings here’s the kicker
to our buildings here’s the kicker though even that is not truly what
though even that is not truly what
though even that is not truly what co-working is co-working is ultimately
co-working is co-working is ultimately
co-working is co-working is ultimately about a community these are people who
about a community these are people who
about a community these are people who support and embrace one another and
support and embrace one another and
support and embrace one another and collaborate in a very organic way so
collaborate in a very organic way so
collaborate in a very organic way so what do I know right
what do I know right
what do I know right well back in 2006 I created a branding
well back in 2006 I created a branding
well back in 2006 I created a branding and design company and I knew really
and design company and I knew really
and design company and I knew really quickly that I needed to get out of my
quickly that I needed to get out of my
quickly that I needed to get out of my apartment and start to interact with
apartment and start to interact with
apartment and start to interact with other like-minded people so I started to
other like-minded people so I started to
other like-minded people so I started to explore
explore
explore different environments and different
different environments and different
different environments and different opportunities to share these experiences
opportunities to share these experiences
opportunities to share these experiences and I spent time in an incubator shared
and I spent time in an incubator shared
and I spent time in an incubator shared offices and even other co-working spaces
offices and even other co-working spaces
offices and even other co-working spaces only to be disappointed that none of
only to be disappointed that none of
only to be disappointed that none of them quite fulfilled exactly what I was
them quite fulfilled exactly what I was
them quite fulfilled exactly what I was looking for then an opportunity arose
looking for then an opportunity arose
looking for then an opportunity arose for me to work with an amazing
for me to work with an amazing
for me to work with an amazing connection I don’t say we’re
connection I don’t say we’re
connection I don’t say we’re collaborating with an amazing group of
collaborating with an amazing group of
collaborating with an amazing group of people to create a true co-working space
people to create a true co-working space
people to create a true co-working space from scratch I was able to use my
from scratch I was able to use my
from scratch I was able to use my experiences and some of the the travels
experiences and some of the the travels
experiences and some of the the travels that I’ve done to start to realize that
that I’ve done to start to realize that
that I’ve done to start to realize that there’s actually two different kinds of
there’s actually two different kinds of
there’s actually two different kinds of co-working one is a real estate model
co-working one is a real estate model
co-working one is a real estate model based on space the other is a people
based on space the other is a people
based on space the other is a people model based on community we start with a
model based on community we start with a
model based on community we start with a example of how the space model works
example of how the space model works
example of how the space model works basically what happens is you get a big
basically what happens is you get a big
basically what happens is you get a big an empty building you remodel it you put
an empty building you remodel it you put
an empty building you remodel it you put members in there so if you have a
members in there so if you have a
members in there so if you have a hundred seats you sell 300 memberships
hundred seats you sell 300 memberships
hundred seats you sell 300 memberships and like a gym hope that everyone
and like a gym hope that everyone
and like a gym hope that everyone doesn’t show up at the same time the
doesn’t show up at the same time the
doesn’t show up at the same time the community version is based on people
community version is based on people
community version is based on people first and the space ultimately becomes a
first and the space ultimately becomes a
first and the space ultimately becomes a facilitator for the growth of those
facilitator for the growth of those
facilitator for the growth of those individuals this is what a true
individuals this is what a true
individuals this is what a true co-working community is all about so
co-working community is all about so
co-working community is all about so what does this have to do with you and
what does this have to do with you and
what does this have to do with you and why should you care about it well
why should you care about it well
why should you care about it well according to a study by Intuit 40% of
according to a study by Intuit 40% of
according to a study by Intuit 40% of the u.s. population will be contract
the u.s. population will be contract
the u.s. population will be contract workers by the year 2020 that’s 60
workers by the year 2020 that’s 60
workers by the year 2020 that’s 60 million of us and it’s a really big
million of us and it’s a really big
million of us and it’s a really big number of those 60 million people the
number of those 60 million people the
number of those 60 million people the majority of them will be considered
majority of them will be considered
majority of them will be considered entrepreneurs work from home
entrepreneurs work from home
entrepreneurs work from home professionals and digital nomads and
professionals and digital nomads and
professionals and digital nomads and these are people that we consider the
these are people that we consider the
these are people that we consider the future of work now these are all people
future of work now these are all people
future of work now these are all people that work remotely typically and so how
that work remotely typically and so how
that work remotely typically and so how will they interact with other
will they interact with other
will they interact with other like-minded individuals without having a
like-minded individuals without having a
like-minded individuals without having a typical office environment the answer is
typical office environment the answer is
typical office environment the answer is they will Co work here’s another big
they will Co work here’s another big
they will Co work here’s another big number
number
number from 2012 to 2017 the number of
from 2012 to 2017 the number of
from 2012 to 2017 the number of co-working spaces worldwide will have
co-working spaces worldwide will have
co-working spaces worldwide will have grown 900 percent that’s pretty
grown 900 percent that’s pretty
grown 900 percent that’s pretty astounding co-working is also a viable
astounding co-working is also a viable
astounding co-working is also a viable business opportunity the majority of
business opportunity the majority of
business opportunity the majority of co-workers work remotely and they work
co-workers work remotely and they work
co-workers work remotely and they work from
from
from home so they can live pretty much
home so they can live pretty much
home so they can live pretty much anywhere and connect with a global a
anywhere and connect with a global a
anywhere and connect with a global a global economy they bring the dollars in
global economy they bring the dollars in
global economy they bring the dollars in and spend them in their local economy
and spend them in their local economy
and spend them in their local economy and thus stimulating that pretty neat so
and thus stimulating that pretty neat so
and thus stimulating that pretty neat so how does all of this work and how do you
how does all of this work and how do you
how does all of this work and how do you create one of these communities cohort a
create one of these communities cohort a
create one of these communities cohort a sustainable co-working community or even
sustainable co-working community or even
sustainable co-working community or even a community in general well I’ve created
a community in general well I’ve created
a community in general well I’ve created us a five step system pretty easy to
us a five step system pretty easy to
us a five step system pretty easy to follow and I’m gonna walk you through
follow and I’m gonna walk you through
follow and I’m gonna walk you through that step one is to assess the landscape
that step one is to assess the landscape
that step one is to assess the landscape it’s really important to stop take a
it’s really important to stop take a
it’s really important to stop take a deep breath and be excited about
deep breath and be excited about
deep breath and be excited about something but also understand if it’s
something but also understand if it’s
something but also understand if it’s actually going to be possible and that
actually going to be possible and that
actually going to be possible and that people will accept it in the in the
people will accept it in the in the
people will accept it in the in the greater community that you’re going to
greater community that you’re going to
greater community that you’re going to create it in ask people find out are
create it in ask people find out are
create it in ask people find out are they ready for this step two is to
they ready for this step two is to
they ready for this step two is to instill a culture gathering a group of
instill a culture gathering a group of
instill a culture gathering a group of unselfish individuals will be really
unselfish individuals will be really
unselfish individuals will be really important as you begin to walk through
important as you begin to walk through
important as you begin to walk through the next few steps here and also help
the next few steps here and also help
the next few steps here and also help having them understand and stand behind
having them understand and stand behind
having them understand and stand behind the concept is is important as well step
the concept is is important as well step
the concept is is important as well step three is about creating a positive
three is about creating a positive
three is about creating a positive presence you can think of this as
presence you can think of this as
presence you can think of this as branding and marketing and making sure
branding and marketing and making sure
branding and marketing and making sure that what you’re presenting as outreach
that what you’re presenting as outreach
that what you’re presenting as outreach is communicating a very clear and
is communicating a very clear and
is communicating a very clear and consistent message step four is the most
consistent message step four is the most
consistent message step four is the most critical step it’s about empowering
critical step it’s about empowering
critical step it’s about empowering members of your community so your role
members of your community so your role
members of your community so your role is going to be to make introductions so
is going to be to make introductions so
is going to be to make introductions so that people start to build relationships
that people start to build relationships
that people start to build relationships the bonds that they form are going to
the bonds that they form are going to
the bonds that they form are going to also form a layer of safety and that
also form a layer of safety and that
also form a layer of safety and that will allow your members to share more
will allow your members to share more
will allow your members to share more openly with one another
openly with one another
openly with one another remember it’s the most important step
remember it’s the most important step
remember it’s the most important step five is to facilitate growth so
five is to facilitate growth so
five is to facilitate growth so generating opportunities for these
generating opportunities for these
generating opportunities for these individuals to interact with one another
individuals to interact with one another
individuals to interact with one another having events and encouraging them to
having events and encouraging them to
having events and encouraging them to participate is this step 5
participate is this step 5
participate is this step 5 the outcome of all this is a term that
the outcome of all this is a term that
the outcome of all this is a term that I’ve coined called flexible
I’ve coined called flexible
I’ve coined called flexible sustainability you can think of flexible
sustainability you can think of flexible
sustainability you can think of flexible sustainability like a bulb clay you’ve
sustainability like a bulb clay you’ve
sustainability like a bulb clay you’ve given your members
given your members
given your members a the parameters and the materials to go
a the parameters and the materials to go
a the parameters and the materials to go out and start to shape the community in
out and start to shape the community in
out and start to shape the community in any way they need it retains its
any way they need it retains its
any way they need it retains its structure but it’s it’s available to
structure but it’s it’s available to
structure but it’s it’s available to them so in conclusion I would ask that
them so in conclusion I would ask that
them so in conclusion I would ask that all of us remember that we are
all of us remember that we are
all of us remember that we are hard-wired to be collaborative also
hard-wired to be collaborative also
hard-wired to be collaborative also embrace the future of work because the
embrace the future of work because the
embrace the future of work because the chances are you will be part of it very
chances are you will be part of it very
chances are you will be part of it very soon if you aren’t already and use the
soon if you aren’t already and use the
soon if you aren’t already and use the model of flexible sustainability to go
model of flexible sustainability to go
model of flexible sustainability to go out and create your great community
out and create your great community
out and create your great community thank you so much for listening
thank you so much for listening
thank you so much for listening [Applause]
”
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