There is a brand new office that opened up very recently in close proximity of our coworking space. We have already lost one member to the space. I want to go check it out but I’m debating whether to go as a prospective member, or as honest-to-goodness me who is checking out our competition.
My gut says to go as myself and be honest about why I am there - this is what I would prefer. What can I go there with to be prepared? Partnership? Offers? I’m sure many of you have gone through this… what did you do to make the meeting a positive experience for everyone?
Kaylyn,
Honesty is key.
You definitely want to build trusting relationships with the other coworking communities in your area, so start there.
I believe we should lead by example, live by our own coworking model - collaborate rather than compete.
When other space owner/operators visit Foundery or Creative Blueprint, I welcome them with open arms.
If someone is thinking of opening a new space in Toronto, I’d prefer them to say that openly so I can offer to connect them with helpful people, resources and the support of our local collective.
And I can also give a much more relevant tour if I know what it is they are looking for.
Rather than talking about membership options, we chat about how much we love our members and the honest challenges of running our spaces.
Some of my closest friends and allies are other owner operators. You can now walk to 8 spaces from ours and we are all thriving.
Give them a head’s up, book a 15 minute meeting, and if all goes well, grab a beer later and get to know each other better 
Good luck!
Ashley Proctor
Foundery
www.foundery.is
Creative Blueprint
www.creativeblueprint.ca
The Foundery Buildings
376 Bathurst Street
Toronto, ON, Canada
M5T 2S6
···
On 2016-01-08, at 10:29 AM, Kaylyn Gelata wrote:
There is a brand new office that opened up very recently in close proximity of our coworking space. We have already lost one member to the space. I want to go check it out but I’m debating whether to go as a prospective member, or as honest-to-goodness me who is checking out our competition.
My gut says to go as myself and be honest about why I am there - this is what I would prefer. What can I go there with to be prepared? Partnership? Offers? I’m sure many of you have gone through this… what did you do to make the meeting a positive experience for everyone?
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
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I say go as yourself with the idea of encouraging collaboration over competition. When you start a relationship wanting to work together, then there isn’t an automatic barrier between you. It’s not that much different than bringing coworking members together in a space.
A number of other spaces in Toronto and other parts of Ontario received a message from me when I noticed they were opened or about to open, and I started the conversation wanting to communicate and collaborate. It freaked out some of them but most realised my intentions were genuine, and others welcomed it no problem. This other space could be your next best friend, a chance to band together and help the freelancers and small businesses of Burlington/Halton. Maybe you can offer a joint membership in time. Maybe you can swap meeting rooms between members of both spaces. Maybe together as unit you can talk with City Hall about funding programs for small businesses, co-sponsor events together, or co-write a press release together, and there is strength in numbers… Maybe you can become comfortable with the owners of that space to be able to talk freely about your frustrations about running a space and you can be therapy for one another. None of that will be as easy to do if you do in under a different pretence.
Also, every space is different and has its unique strengths and offerings, and maybe that one member that you “lost” to the new space found something they wanted/needed. Be happy for that member that they can be productive in a great space. Or, perhaps the new space will suck and that member will realise what they had with you and come back.
r.
···
On 8 January 2016 at 10:29, Kaylyn Gelata [email protected] wrote:
There is a brand new office that opened up very recently in close proximity of our coworking space. We have already lost one member to the space. I want to go check it out but I’m debating whether to go as a prospective member, or as honest-to-goodness me who is checking out our competition.
My gut says to go as myself and be honest about why I am there - this is what I would prefer. What can I go there with to be prepared? Partnership? Offers? I’m sure many of you have gone through this… what did you do to make the meeting a positive experience for everyone?
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
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____________________
rachel youngrac…@camaraderie.ca
We’re located at 2241 Dundas St W
(between Bloor and Roncesvalles)
Find us online:
Website/blog and Newsletter, Twitter,
Facebook, Google+, Yelp, and LinkedIn
New Camaraderie locations:
Artisan Market (Toronto) - now open!
We’re a proud member of CoworkingToronto,
Yes, go as yourself. Also, don’t be too prepared at all, that just makes it feel pressured. Just go in and say hello and check out the space. Invite them over to see your space too. It’s only weird if you make it weird.
···
On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 9:27 AM, Rachel Young [email protected] wrote:
I say go as yourself with the idea of encouraging collaboration over competition. When you start a relationship wanting to work together, then there isn’t an automatic barrier between you. It’s not that much different than bringing coworking members together in a space.
A number of other spaces in Toronto and other parts of Ontario received a message from me when I noticed they were opened or about to open, and I started the conversation wanting to communicate and collaborate. It freaked out some of them but most realised my intentions were genuine, and others welcomed it no problem. This other space could be your next best friend, a chance to band together and help the freelancers and small businesses of Burlington/Halton. Maybe you can offer a joint membership in time. Maybe you can swap meeting rooms between members of both spaces. Maybe together as unit you can talk with City Hall about funding programs for small businesses, co-sponsor events together, or co-write a press release together, and there is strength in numbers… Maybe you can become comfortable with the owners of that space to be able to talk freely about your frustrations about running a space and you can be therapy for one another. None of that will be as easy to do if you do in under a different pretence.
Also, every space is different and has its unique strengths and offerings, and maybe that one member that you “lost” to the new space found something they wanted/needed. Be happy for that member that they can be productive in a great space. Or, perhaps the new space will suck and that member will realise what they had with you and come back.
r.
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
____________________
rachel youngrac…@camaraderie.ca
We’re located at 2241 Dundas St W
(between Bloor and Roncesvalles)
Find us online:
Website/blog and Newsletter, Twitter,
Facebook, Google+, Yelp, and LinkedIn
New Camaraderie locations:
Artisan Market (Toronto) - now open!
We’re a proud member of CoworkingToronto,
CoworkingOntario, and CoworkingCanada!
On 8 January 2016 at 10:29, Kaylyn Gelata [email protected] wrote:
There is a brand new office that opened up very recently in close proximity of our coworking space. We have already lost one member to the space. I want to go check it out but I’m debating whether to go as a prospective member, or as honest-to-goodness me who is checking out our competition.
My gut says to go as myself and be honest about why I am there - this is what I would prefer. What can I go there with to be prepared? Partnership? Offers? I’m sure many of you have gone through this… what did you do to make the meeting a positive experience for everyone?
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
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