Queen City Merge was, in my opinion, a success. No, it wasn’t perfect, but as a 1st-year conference it can only get better. The conference ended on the Reds party deck at Great American Ballpark. As I left I felt a lot of energy, but also a bit of sadness like when vacation comes to an end.

QC Merge was chartered to bring together folks from diverse web disciplines (hence “Merge”) to show how much talent is in Cincinnati for building web companies.  At the least, it got people talking. After the end of Jen Myers talk “Developers Can’t Design and Other Myths,” a rabid discussion ensued about why developers and designers don’t get together more often.  Why don’t developers congregate over here?  Why don’t designers congregate over there?  Should they congregate professionally or at a happy hour?  Cincinnati’s a good city for cross-pollination. Cincinnati’s a bad city for cross-pollination.

Jen’s talk was followed by Alex Hillman. Now, if you’ve followed coworking at all over the past few years, you’ve run across Alex’s name.  As co-founder of Indyhall in Philadelphia, he’s helped create one of the most successful coworking spaces in the nation (note I didn’t say largest, richest, or loudest).  Cross-pollination of ideas, creating community, gathering diverse folks – Indyhall breathes these ideas and the QC Merge debate was like a coworking values game of Scrabble™.

As a web developer, I am fairly active in the local developer communities. I attend the user groups, hackathons, and happy hours.  You know what I find there?  Other developers.  When I look at the local AIGA chapter’s roster of events, I see all kinds of events.  Same for the AMA, and the Adclub.  There are lots of developer events.  There are lots of designer events.  And there are lots of marketing and ad events.  How is it that someone like me who loves going to developer events has never encountered someone from the these other groups (not until recently at least)?  How is it that it takes a two-day conference to start the conversation?

We want Cincinnati Coworks to be a big part of this conversation.  I ask AIGA Cincinnati, Cincinnati AMA, and the like to be a part of it too. We all want the same thing, and we’ll get there faster together.

Cross-posted on my (neglected) personal blog.

The sign arrived just in time for our Open House next Thursday, May 24 from 5 PM to 8 PM.  Join us for some lite bites, cool drinks and great company.

Here is information from the Starfire Council website about our new friends.

Starfire enables individuals with disabilities to become active and vital members of the community. Since 1993, Starfire has offered innovative programs that address the emerging needs of teens and adults with disabilities.

Starfire believes every person has gifts that should be valued and respected. Time at Starfire is spent discovering those gifts and finding the people and places where those gifts are able to shine the brightest. Starfire recognizes that all people want acceptance and need relationships. There is great value to relationships with the community and neighbors so an emphasis on building connection runs throughout each program. Starfire strives to maximize resources and generate new avenues and networks of connections for people.

Every program provides opportunities for individuals to learn and practice their social skills and create strategies for interacting with the community. Click here to learn more about Starfire’s programs.

We look forward to the Starfire gang visiting us again soon!

See  you then!

Oh yeah, we will also feature photography by Tom Kinsel and Jennifer Prine, and D. S. Meyer will present some of his paintings too.

CCW has a start up membership rate of only $450 per month for up to 4 of your people.  You don’t have to worry the added costs of utilities and wifi – they are all included in your rent.  Need extra space to woo that angel investor, but don’t want to interrupt the other members, no problem!  CCW has a couple of conference rooms which can accommodate groups of up to 8 to 10 people.  CCW has off street parking for members and metered parking in front where 4 quarters will buy 2 hours!

When you and your crew have a snack attack, CCW is across the street from ZZ Pizza, walking distance from Parkside Cafe, a mom and pop diner.

For questions about having your start up world headquarters at CCW, drop me a line at marcelina@cincycoworks.com.

Read more about Charlie and his fitness philosophy at 513fit.com.

The March Lunch & Learn is Thursday, March 8 from 11:30 AM to 1:PM.  Space is limited!  To secure your spot, RSVP at http://twtvite.com/lunchnlearn-healthy.

Lorain Pettit, CPA, talks taxes at CCW's Lunch & Learn

Before signing off, we would loved to say THANK YOU to Lorain Pettit, CPA, who presented a wealth of information to help us navigate through our taxes.

Here are just a few of the ways coworking can change your life and career:

1. You’ll get twice as much work done at your new co-working desk than you did at home. Really and truly. It’s reverse peer pressure or something.

2. That side project you’re trying to launch? Now you work side-by-side with a bunch of writers, designers, developers and video people who can help you make it happen.

3. Your client needs a big website? But you can only handle part of the project? See number two. Now you can assemble a team to meet those needs in a flash. Or earn some brownie points with a referral.

4. Avoid elderly shut-in syndrome. Seriously, there’s magic just to getting out of the house and talking with real people. Your cat has already heard ALL your best stories.

5. Keep work from bleeding into every corner of your personal life. It’s easier to create a healthy work/life balance when “leaving it at the office” doesn’t refer to the spare bedroom.

6. You’ll effortlessly keep up with all the latest Internet memes. Like this one. Or maybe this one. And I’ll go ahead and throw in a totally self-serving link.

7. It solves annoying business problems. After whining about bookkeeping, my office mates introduced me to a wondrous thing known as Fresh Books.

8. You’ll build and expand your professional network. Even when you’re too busy to make it to that Meetup/event/cocktail thing-y that you didn’t really want to go to anyway.

9. Your grandma will start to think you have a real job. Maybe your mom, too. It’s something about going to an office that impresses the older relatives.

10. Have you looked at your tax bill yet? Your co-working membership is one more awesome thing to decrease your taxable income.

11. Creative energy is contagious. Being around other people working on awesome projects makes you more excited about your awesome projects.

12. If you’re a parent with kids at home, I hear it’s delightful to work in an adults-only space. No crying or tantrums or impromptu Candyland games (well, most of the time).

13. You’ll have people to bounce ideas off in real time. Not sure if that headline is too nutty? Or need advice on a client issue? Ask your desk neighbor.

14. There’s almost always beer and wine in the fridge. And no one cares if you break it out at, say, 3:30 on a Friday afternoon.

15. Wow, you now have two conference rooms at your disposal for client meetings. Or just to take a private phone call. Aren’t you fancy?

16. When you do decide to go to a Meetup/event/cocktail thing-y to network, you won’t have to go far. We host a bunch of them right here in the space.

17. Want to hold an event for you own industry or professional group? Your membership gives you 24/7 access to the space, and you can hold those events here for free.

18. Umm, sunshine=happiness. And we work in an awesome light-filled loft in a historic building. We’re even convinced there might be a secrete passageway somewhere.

19. You’ll sound (and be smarter) in all those client meetings. It’s easier to keep up with what’s going on in the business and tech worlds when you have office mates.

20. You can still work at home when you feel like it. I do it a couple days a week. A coworking membership doesn’t cost all that much, so you don’t have to feel bad about not going every day.

21. You’ll have real-life co-workers again, but no boss. Or weird corporate rules about what you can put on your desk. It’s the best of both worlds.

22. We know all the awesome lunch spots. And want you to come with us. Just be prepared to hear about the latest Internet meme (see # 6).

23. Co-workers are better than a personal cheerleading squad. They want your business—and your most offbeat side projects—to be smashing successes.

Did you make it all the way to the end of this post? You should definitely set up a time to drop in and work with us. We’re even better in person.

Lorain Pettit, CPA will present the ins and outs of taxes for freelancers.    Lorain’s accounting experience comes from both public accounting and industry.  She has over 11 years experience working for both local (Barnes, Dennig and Co., Ltd) and national (BKD, LLP) CPA firms.  Prior to her public accounting experience she was the controller for a number of local well known businesses.  Companies she has worked with include restaurants, real estate development and management, construction, wholesale/ distribution and not for profit organizations.  She consistently provides timely accurate responses to the needs of her clients.  Lorain has represented clients through the examination process with Internal Revenue Service.

Thursday, Feb. 9 from 11:30 to 1:00

Please RSVP: http://twtvite.com/lunchnlearn-cpa

I think a lot of creative entrepreneurs get so caught up in the BIG IDEA they’re trying to execute that the legal details easily fall by the wayside. You might look up one day and think, “Should I be a corporation or have contracts or something?” It’s important stuff, but not necessarily fun for those of us focused on writing, design, programming or another passion.

Hemm shared a ton of good advice today, but I’m going to sum up a few points that stuck out to me:

1.) Know Your Current Situation If you’re making the leap from full-time employment to entrepreneur, you need to think about your legal obligations to your current employer. Do you have an employment agreement? Or a non-compete? Does your employer own any ideas you come up with while on the payroll? Think through these questions before you make the break.

2.) Not All Entities Are Created Equal We’re talking business entities, here, and it’s a good idea to have one. Forming a C-corp, S-corp or LLC helps protect your personal assets if something should go awry with your business. Hemm suggests steering clear of what he calls the “P words”—proprietorship and partnership.

3.) Keep Your Paperwork in Order There’s proper documentation associated with each type of entity, and it pays to invest in that preparation. Even if you have a one-person LLC, for instance, you need to have a Membership Agreement. Take the appropriate steps to make your business legitimate.

4.) Plan for the Divorce While You’re Still on the Honeymoon Starting a business with your best friend? Or a couple of folks with complementary skills? Now’s the time to figure out who’s responsible for what and how you’ll proceed if one person wants out of the business. As Hemm says, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

5.) Choose a Brand Name You Can Protect Your brand’s name is part of your business’s intellectual property, but some names are easier to protect under the law than others. A generic name (i.e. Hardhat Construction) is harder to protect than something arbitrary (i.e. Apple) or fanciful (i.e. Lululemon). Keep that in mind when you’re choosing a company moniker.

Want to learn more? Don’t miss our next Lunch and Learn. It’s on Thursday, February, 9, with Lorain Pettit, CPA. She’ll be offering up advice on tax issues for small business owners. It’s FREE, so we hope to see you there (I mean, here, at Cincy Coworks)!