No silly, their first time coworking.

As freelancers and entrepreneurs, we like doing things differently. And we love being on our own. But it can still be a little unnerving about walking into a coworking on your first day.

What will it be like? What kind of people will be there? Will it be chaos, or will you really be able to get your work done. Can it really be as awesome as everyone says?

To take some of the mystery out of the first time coworking experience, we polled some of our veteran members to see what they remembered about their first day.

As you consider the options available for work space options around Northern Colorado, we hope these personal accounts of community, friendship, and productivity will pique your interest.

If you want to see what all the fuss is about, sign up for a day pass, and hang out with us for the day! No charge. Coffee included.

What do you remember about your first day of coworking?

“Not much — other than it felt good to be out of the house. Real good.” – Julie S.

“ I was thrilled to be headed to a clean, bright shared space instead of the crowded coffee shops that had been my substitute office for so long.” – Beth B.

“Like arriving on the first day of a new school in a sea of unfamiliar faces and trying to understand where common ground was located. There seemed to be a subtle feeling however in everything that was being said that the culture prided itself on being vastly different from the corporate world.” – Ashok A.

What was your impression of the other people who were there on your first day?

“I was very welcomed and that everyone had the same kind of relaxed sense that I did.  I knew it was a good fit.” -Dani G.

“I was unprepared for people to ask me about what I did and to actually be interested in the answer! I loved that everyone was a motivated entrepreneur or professional in their own industry, but we could all share tips or a laugh without hesitation.” -Beth B.

“They all seemed friendly, open, and out-going.” -David M.

What do you wish you had known before you tried coworking?

“That there were other people who were feeling like me: like working at home *should* be a dream, but that it was quickly becoming an nightmare. That independence can come with more loneliness than I like, and that is actually a “normal” feeling that many other people have. My people, at least.” – Julie S.

“I wish I had known how stress-free it would be.  Minimal expectations are placed on others.” -David M.

“You only really start to enjoy all the benefits when you can integrate well with the community. This tricky part is it may be better to not know this before joining so you can add your unique flavor to the culture rather than ‘attempting to fit in’. There will always be an abundance of value coming your way when you first join because everyone loves the new spice that’s been added to the mix, but you must always be providing value in order to receive.” Ashok A.

Looking back, do you wish you would have joined sooner than you did?

“Yes, I would have 5 less lbs on my ass from coffee shop guilt.” Dani G.

“I definitely wish I had found out about coworking sooner…it would have saved me a bundle in lattes!” Beth B.

YES. But it didn’t exist yet here, so I am glad I took the leap as soon as it did. Really, it’s changed my life. Thank you for making it happen and letting me be a part of it.” Julie S.

“No. I think you learn things by having failed and it was important to suffer in a cubicle to see the true value that a coworking space offered. You can’t appreciate and truly understand the meaning and purpose behind the coworking movement until you’ve experienced the polar opposite of it. It just seems like a private or shared office space if you can’t understand the power of community. In some ways, the visions and passions that circulated at Cohere, compared to the apathy of life at my corporate job, is what made it so painfully clear how valuable a community of passionate individuals could be.” Ashok A.

Do you remember your first day of coworking? Share the experience with us in the comments!

Image via Jessica.Tam/Flickr

Guest Post by: Kristin Mastre of Feasting Fort Collins

For most people, participating in any extra-curricular work function is just pure torture. Moans and groans can be heard around the world when a notice of the office Christmas party or the company softball league sign-up sheets appear on the break room announcement board.

But, it’s totally different in a coworking community.

You’re not forced to be there, working with people you have nothing in common with. In fact, a coworking community is so much more fun and supportive than the traditional workforce option, that you actually don’t mind hanging out for some friendly competition. So, when an email about the 1^st Annual “Chili Makes It Hotter Cohere Cook-Off” went around, there were not moans and groans, but exuberant cheers of excitement to hang out, drink some beer, and eat some damn hot chili together.

As the resident food blogger and city restaurant critic, I was asked to sit on the judging panel along side two other lovely coworkers –Skippy and Heidi. I’m not one to turn down a beer or chili, so of course I was game!

Panel of Celebrity Judges

This competition was hardcore serious, which totally caught me off guard. I really didn’t have any expectations going into it, other than eating. When I showed up, there was a great chili display in the conference room, complete with a powerpoint slide presentation of the judges, rules and competitors. Not only that, there were various ribbons, an android figure, and the grand prize of a chili pepper-covered apron to compete for. It was awesome!

Here was the line-up of competitors:

• Kevin Udy – “Go Cluck Yourself Chicken Green Chili”
• Ashok Amaran – “ Kiss My Indian Ash Exotically Spiced Chili”
• Nick Armstrong – “ “Nick’s Holy Sith Thawts Hawt And Full Of Tribbles Chicken + Beer Chili”
• Jessica Meisinger – “The Joy Of Cooking’s Hopefully Not Spectacularly Boring Vegetarian Chili”
• Lindsay Ogden – “Chile Verde de la Familia Herrera”
• Dann Frazier – “Scoville’s Delight”

With the hopeful interns fetching the judges Dixie cups of chili to taste, and a crowd full of coworkers intensely watching each critical bite – the competition was on!

Kevin’s “Go Cluck Yourself” chili was mild and balanced. It was a great every day chili, and true to Kevin’s tastebuds – loaded with Udy amounts of salt (you should see him salt his meals while coworking. I’m getting him a salt lick for his birthday).

Kevin's "Go Cluck Yourself Chicken Green Chili"

Ashok’s “Kiss My Indian Ash” chili was super chunky and full of spices – most predominant was the cinnamon. It had a sneaky spice to it where it walloped you in the palate like an Indian ninja. We had no idea what was coming until we were being assaulted.

What was left of Ash's Chili-a lone cinnamon stick. We think someone ate the other one.

Nick’s “Holy Sith Thawts Hawt” chili melted my face off. I’ve never had hotter chili in my life, and I eat some pretty hot food for my job. After the first bite, all of the judges became flushed with runny noses. Then, we were practically writhing around on the floor from the pain. My eyeliner was running as tears streamed down my cherry red cheeks. It was aptly described as “black heat.” Evil. Pure evil.

Jessica’s “Hopefully Not Spectacularly Boring” vegetarian chili was a sweet, sweet reprieve. It was spotted with colorful chunky vegetables swimming in a healing mellow broth. It was runny like soup, and in fact, a bit on the boring side, but you can’t blame her for The Joy Of Cookings’ recipe and their neglect to using spices.

Lindsay’s “Chile Verde” was flat out amazing. Sweet and savory all at the same time, with a slow melding of fresh green chili, tender shredded pork shoulder and ribbons of fat – delightful, sinful pork fat. The freshness of the chili accompanied by fresh tortillas was fantastic. It was almost as if she bribed the judges with tasty masa dollar bills.

Dann’s “Scoville’s Delight” chili was misleading. It should have been called “Divine Swine” or something. It wasn’t hot as he intended it to be, but good LAWD! It was loaded with super-sized chunks of delicious pork, that you hardly noticed the chili. I wasn’t sorry that this lovely farm animal wasn’t saved with a weaved title of “Some Pig,” because it really was a delectable addition to the mild chili base that it wallowed in.

After a brief deliberation, the judges awarded the competitors with their ribbons, Android figurines, aprons and such:

• Best Presentation and chili that best embodies the Android Brand (winner of the Android action figure): Kevin Udy – “Go Cluck Yourself Chicken Green Chili”
• Most Unique chili: Ashok Amaran – “ Kiss My Indian Ash Exotically Spiced Chili”
• Hottest chili: Nick Armstrong – “ “Nick’s Holy Sith Thawts Hawt And Full Of Tribbles Chicken + Beer Chili”
• Best Vegetarian chili: Jessica Meisinger – “The Joy Of Cooking’s Hopefully Not Spectacularly Boring Vegetarian Chili”
• Best Taste and Overall winner (winner of the coveted chili pepper apron): Lindsay Ogden – “Chile Verde de la Familia Herrera”
• Best Name: Dann Frazier – “Scoville’s Delight”

It was definitely a successful 1^st Annual Coworking Chili Cook-Off, with many looking forward to the next competition. I think we’re all pretty thankful that our coworkers have some killer cooking skills in the kitchen. Although, if Nick makes his “death paste” chili again, I might have to hope a health insurance agent starts coworking at Cohere. I’ll need more life insurance.

This award recognizes a creative approach that benefits the Fort Collins Community. Owner and “Madame” of Cohere, Angel Kwiatkowski, says she, “was very surprised and thrilled to be nominated for the innovations in business award.”

The nomination recognizes the tremendous contribution that Cohere has made to the Fort Collins community. Established in 2010, Cohere has already had to upgrade to a larger space to accommodate more than 40 members, who enjoy the ability to “be independent together.”

Kwiatkowski has created a space where like-minded, driven individuals can work and experience a community atmosphere they would not have working from home. It provides the office benefits for individuals without an office, giving them an opportunity to socialize, brainstorm and collaborate. It also draws people in to the Fort Collins community.

“Cohere often keeps a low profile but we definitely get a lot of inquiries from start-ups and freelancers who are doing research about moving to Fort Collins. Often times, we’re able to attract these small business owners from larger entrepreneurial hubs like San Francisco where coworking is more well known. When they find out that a city as small as Fort Collins has had a coworking space for over two years, they are very excited to move here,” Kwiatkowski said.

In addition to the nomination for Cohere, two of its members are also being recognized with nominations. Feasting Fort Collins’ Kristin Mastre and Spokesbuzz’s Dani Grant. Mastre is nominated for Business/Innovator of the Year, and Grant for Ambassador of the Year.

Cohere not only provides its members with the resources they need, it also provides our community with a thriving business that draws people to Fort Collins. Find Cohere on  Facebook, Twitter or at their blogto learn more or schedule your free day pass and tour at: http://coherecommunity.com/membership/free-day-pass.

Update: none of us won but we were real excited to be a part of the award luncheon! We were especially pleased to get an inside view on the new marketing efforts for Colorado Tourism. Check out the videos on youtube while you’re at it. 

If you don’t get chills, you’re a monster :)

Image credit: Library of Congress

Carrie Visintainer
Writer
www.carrievisintainer.com

Looking for a way out of the seclusion of working at home – or as she calls it, the “insanity” – Carrie Visintainer found a social, comfortable and safe harbor in Cohere. “I joined Cohere to save myself, and my family!” This wife and mother-of-two was drawn to Cohere’s tremendous amenities that her lovely home just couldn’t offer her, including excellent networking, educational opportunities and inspiring diversions, such as a Dire Straits poster that she swears consistently helps her push through writing blocks! Not only do Carrie’s words flow more freely at Cohere, but she enjoys being a part of a committed group of professionals who strive for personal success.

“As a writer, working from home means sitting in front of my laptop for hours on end, trying to access my subconscious, and crazy stuff like that. It’s isolating. In order to feel connected to the larger world, I joined Cohere. It’s been a great balance for me,” Carrie shared.  The social aspect is one of Cohere’s elements that keeps her coming back for more. “I’ve met a lot of interesting people that I might not have come into contact with otherwise. I enjoy the professional connections, as well as the socializing,” Carrie explains.

As a world traveler with a degree in zoology and a Masters in molecular, cellular, developmental biology and genetics, Carrie is part of the remarkably bright core at Cohere. “I split my time between literary projects and freelance assignments. Mostly I write about travel and science, but I’m open to (almost) anything.” Carrie has experienced the success of Cohere’s networking potential first-hand by receiving a variety of freelance projects though her social and professional connections there.

Carrie says that her time at Cohere is spent typing a lot, chatting a little, cracking jokes here and there and enjoying the view out the window. Regarding her favorite spot at Cohere, she said, “I’m a person who loves change, yet I head for the same seat every time. It’s in the brightly lit room with lots of windows. I also love the kitchen, sofa and fireplace.” Carrie knows at least fifteen other Coherians by name and that number may be on the rise – “If a friend of mine was considering joining Cohere, I would definitely recommend it and tell them it’s a great way to learn and grow, and to feel supported.”

As you may or may not have noticed, there are some unfamiliar faces around Cohere Coworking Community these days (and we’re not just talking about Eva, although hers is arguably the cutest).

Please join me in welcoming….

Madison Crowley, Social media specialist
Chris Lenfert, Freelance designer
Derek Haynes, Co-founder at Scout Monitoring
Dani Grant, serial entrepreneur
Lauren Garrison, independent contractor at Cognitive Change Concepts
Lee Porter, Founder of Innovation News

All of these new members are great because it means the message of coworking is reaching a greater number of the Northern Colorado entrepreneurs who need to hear it. It also means that we’ve got work to do.

The main benefit of coworking is the community and camaraderie it provides. In traditional work environments, this community forms around water cooler chatter or mutual hatred for the TPS Report. As a coworking space, most of us love what we do, so we form connections based on skill sets, or hobbies, or caffeine addiction levels.

Many of us are seasoned veterans of the coworking scene, and it’s easy to forget what it was like to be newb (more on that in a future post). Before you can drink the kool-aid, someone has to invite you to the compound. And in order for new members to have their “aha” moment and become firmly rooted in our community, we’ve got to show them how awesome it is to be here.

Of course, we can’t make people love us. But we can make it hard for them not to. Tomorrow (or the next time you’re here) try a few of these (newbs, this goes for you too!):

1. Sit at a completely different desk than you usually do.
2. If someone comes in that you’ve never seen before, take out your earbuds and introduce yourself.
3. Come to Uncles Pizzeria next Monday, and find out what the heck colunching is.
4. Ask the person next to you what their ideal project would be.
5. Bring donuts (this will automatically make you VIP for the day)

Most of all, just be your awesome, creative selves and never become so buried in your work that you can’t flash someone a smile. Sometimes that’s all that’s necessary to go from feeling like an outsider to a cool kid!

Image via Alan O’Rourke/Flickr

 

Meet Derek Haynes, Web Developer

Co-founder of Scout

www.scoutapp.com

When Derek Haynes uprooted his life in San Francisco and made the trek to “the Fort” (as he lovingly calls it), one of the first things in his cross-hairs was a coworking office. Luckily, he found Cohere, which he says far exceeded his big-city expectations with its strong community, central location, comfortable space, amenities and the dedication and involvement of Cohere’s founder, Angel. He signed up for a membership after his first day checking the place out and can’t imagine working from anywhere else.

“When you’re working for yourself, you’re often doing it because you love the challenge of working on many different things. Everyday I meet someone at Cohere that’s better than me at many of things I do and it’s great to see how they do it,” Derek explained. Derek’s co-workers surely have a lot to learn from him as well – he is the co-founder of Scout, a performance monitoring service that companies like Zynga, The New York Times and Skype love to use. Being surrounded by local talent in diverse fields not only inspires and pushes Derek in his own professional work, but allows him to enjoy encounters that make life special, such as meeting new people, getting coffee with friends and giving and receiving advice. Derek adds, “Working for yourself or remotely for a large company from home can be very isolating. You lose out on a lot of those impromptu things. Cohere makes it easier to experience these moments. It makes me a happier person, which is great all-around.”

Living and working “the good life” is important to Derek and his typical day at Cohere reflects that, starting with a morning bike ride to Cohere, putting his nose to the grindstone for a good chunk of the day and then off to Old Town for lunch – perhaps stopping at 415, a foodie hot-spot behind Cohere that is quickly becoming popular with fellow Coherians.

“Cohere is a terrific melting pot – because it’s a shared space, it attracts people that really want to help and learn from each other. As a new father, it’s incredible to watch our daughter soak up things around her without any direct instruction. The same thing happens at Cohere with the great people that work from there,” Derek explained. How Cohere’s coworking osmosis phenomena works, no one really knows, but Derek knows for sure that Cohere adds to his happiness and success – both personally and professionally.

Are you the next big thing? Has your fledgling company just taken on its first two employees because business is pouring in faster than you can handle it? Right now you’re working around the kitchen table (like those guys up there) but between kids, spouses, and a menagerie of pets, it’s becoming impossible to get anything done.

Or perhaps you’re a seasoned entrepreneur who knows the wisdom of taking it slow, but you lack a network of talented designers and marketers that can help ease your workload. You’ve got the capital for your own office space, but often find yourself meeting clients at coffee shops or working at the library, because you can’t stand the isolation.

You need coworking.

I know, I know. You’ve heard your freelance friends talking about how much they love coworking, but you don’t think it’s for you. You’re not just taking on contract work. You’re building a business. You’ve got proprietary information to protect, and need space for meetings with your 2, 3, or 6 member team.

Coworking is still for you.

According to the hundreds of international coworkers who responded to the 2010/11 Global Coworking Survey…

The following things are important to entrepreneurs and likely, your employees.
86% value flexible work times and the ability to interact with new people
82% value sharing knowledge with others
79% place high value on the random opportunities and discoveries made inside coworking spaces

What benefits can you expect your employees to experience?
85% saw an increase in daily motivation
88% have better interactions with other people
60% organize their working day better so they can relax more at home
86% reported meeting at least 3 helpful acquaintances in the first two months of membership
91% of coworkers are either very satisfied or satisfied with their overall coworking experience
85% plan on staying in their coworking community for at least another year

(OK that’s way more than three reasons…)

Coworking with us at Cohere will unleash the true potential of your employees, and as a result, your company. Instead of limiting your pool of ideas or subcontractors in a tiny office (or kitchen), coworking incubates your business through instant connections to a city-wide network of motivated independent professionals.

In a coworking space, asking for advice, feedback, or parsing out contract work is as hard as turning around in your chair. (The people who can do these things are sitting right next to you, see?) Also, it will give your employees a change of scenery, and a chance to learn from the seasoned designers, marketers, writers, and programmers who work with us every day.

Learn more about the benefits of coworking for small business here, or send us an email about what you’re budget can handle. We’ll work something out.

Image via cyberhill/Flickr

Going green is more than a passing trend—it’s just smart business. Cohere is committed to being as environmentally conscious as we can in our 1,600-square-feet of Earth space, and there are lots of ways that coworking can help your small business reduce its own carbon footprint as well.

Coworking with us instead of making the daily commute into the office can save you (and your company) a bundle of money, fuel, and carbon emissions. If you haven’t yet found a compelling way to convince your boss to let you try coworking, this infographic might help:

Thanks to WordStream.com for letting us use this graphic!

Image via zoovroo/Flickr

Earth Day is almost here! This holiday has brought out the green in people since the 1970′s, but one day isn’t enough. The environment is affected most by the little choices we make every day. Planting a tree or recycling more are nice initiatives, but incorporating sustainable practices into our daily and business operations has an even greater impact.

As entrepreneurs we’re very busy, and time is money. You may think that your business is too small to bother about being green, but earth-friendly choices are actually good for the pocket book as well. And getting involved with local green initiatives can be a great way to build a positive reputation and valuable contacts in the community.

5 Easy Ways To Be An Eco-Friendly Entrepreneur

1. Go Paperless – Printer paper and ink are an unnecessary expense in this digital world. Except when it’s absolutely essential, create all documents and marketing materials in a digital form, and store them in the cloud. Send and receive virtual faxes rather than paper ones. Send your invoices via email rather than mailing them. Send digital PDF proofs instead of print outs. When you must create a hard copy of something, always print double sided.

2. Go Virtual – It’s nice to have face to face meetings, but driving or flying is expensive and leaves a huge carbon footprint. Thanks to free technologies like Skype or Google+ Hangouts, it’s possible to see and be seen by out of town clients without the hassle of traveling.

3. Go Gasless – Since most of us have local clients, it’s not always smart to avoid face to face meetings. But there’s still no reason to get your car involved. Fort Collins is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, so why use four wheels when two will do? Not only will you save on gas, but you’ll never have to worry about finding a parking spot when you’re running late.

4. Go Shareably – Think before you buy, especially if it’s something that you only need for a few hours or days. Cohere creates the perfect environment for recycling things you no longer need or scoring things that would have otherwise been thrown away. Before buying that new office chair, pedal crank, or bunt pan, throw up a request on the Cohere Facebook Group (if you’re a Cohere member and have not yet been added, tell us!). Chance are, we’ve got one lying around.

5. Go Local – Being an entrepreneur has lots of benefits, not the least of which is complete control of your supply chain and the clients with whom you work. This probably goes without saying, but choosing local businesses for office supplies, catering, web hosting, graphic design, copy writing, marketing, legal advice, or happy hour is the single most important way to go green (Hint: a lot of these business owners sit right next to you!). Keeping it in town enhances the local economy, reduces carbon emissions from shipping, allows you to choose sustainable materials, and builds good karma.

Image via opensourceway/Flickr

Kristin Mastre
Food Blogger/Restaurant Critic, Owner of Feasting Fort Collins
www.feastingfortcollins.com

Three years ago, Kristin Mastre would never have guessed that her life would look like what it does today.  When she decided to casually take on the role of restaurant critic and food blogger for the local Ft. Collins area—she imagined an outlet for her creative writing and passion for nutrition—not the unexpected twist of unprecedented, straight-out-of-the-gate success and local celebrity that she actually experienced.  Her writing and reviews for her site, FeastingFortCollins.com, were so well received that she went from casual hobby writer, to professional blogger within a year’s time—a true rarity in the blogosphere and entrepreneurial world.  And, if you were to ask Kristin how she did it—she’d say that she’s not sure she could have done it without Cohere.

Hearing Cohere owner Angel Kwiatkowski, speak locally on the subject of coworking, Kristin immediately connected with the idea. “(The coworking) concept was amazing.  Being at home with two kids, it was so appealing to me—I need to get out and talk to other adults.  (My coworkers) are going to know about adult things like SEO and advertising and I can talk about something other than Playdoh and diapers.”  Little did she know at the time, a break from the isolation of working from home and the perks of adult conversation would be just the beginning of all of the other incredible ways that her colleagues at Cohere would contribute to her professional life.

After just six months of blogging, Kristin was being approached by local businesses who wanted to advertise—something she knew nothing about setting up, and was quickly realizing that the technical side of running a website was beyond the scope of her expertise.   And, right off the bat, her new Cohere community showed up for her.  “I needed to switch blogging platforms—and there was someone there willing to help.  And we’re talking—they are openly giving me help, expecting nothing in return. It’s just this unspoken understanding, when you’re part of the community—you give help and receive help.  It’s been incredible to be part of this collaborative environment.”

For Kristin’s family, working in the evenings was ideal for maintaining her work/life balance, an option she has been elated to have available at Cohere.  During the nighttime shift, she’s met others who are in her same situation—working odd hours to make staying at home with kids possible, or operating additional businesses on the side—connections that make her feel right at home.  Other things that have made her feel at home?  Realizing that these supportive work relationships had evolved beyond the confines of her work life, and that the support she receives is not only for her business—but also, genuinely, for her.

“There was a time when my husband was between jobs, and things were difficult.  During one of the Thursday morning pancake breakfasts (a weekly Cohere social event), they were talking about what they all wanted out of their businesses for the coming year.  I wasn’t able to make it—but (my coworkers) went out of their way to tell me that they had talked about, for me, wanting my business to be so successful that my husband wouldn’t even have to work,” a sentiment that is still incredibly moving and meaningful to her.  Kristin went on, “The thing with freelancing is that it’s not only that it can be lonely—but sometimes you also really don’t feel supported. Everyone at Cohere has this unwavering, undying support.  It’s not just a space to do your stuff—it’s a work family.”  And that, to Kristin, means more than anything.