Haven’t closed your space? Please read this carefully and take it to heart

🦠 COVID19 Response
1

If you run a coworking space or any other kind of flexworkspace and you’re wondering how or if you should keep it open right now, I have something to say that you aren’t going to like.

You won’t have any members in the future if they are sick or dead.

Close, please.

Do not wait for the government to force it. Do it because it is the right thing to do. Do not debate of your local orders include or exclude coworking. They don’t know we exist.

If you are contemplating the future of your space based on lost revenue (and the repercussions) I have news for you.

Your priorities need work.

Human lives can be rebuilt, but only if they aren’t lost entirely.

For an industry that preaches the benefits of collaboration I am seeing a lot of selfish, short-sighted, careless behavior.

If this hurts to hear, I hope it makes you think.

If you are a member of a coworking space that hasn’t closed yet, talk to the owners. Assure them that you will help any way you can, but that you NEED them to show you that human lives matter more than income right now.

We will figure it out.

I will be sharing everything we do and learn to keep Indy Hall growing and thriving during this time, in hopes that it helps others. I’m sure other industry vets will share, too.

Yes some spaces will close forever. Maybe yours.

Many will rebuild. New models will be developed. Our communities will become stronger in the face of a common enemy. If we invite our members into the problem, we can find new solutions. That is what collaboration is really about.

But we can only do that if people start to take this seriously and close immediately.

Please take the rest of this weekend to figure out how to close by Monday. Yes it’s terrifying. I went through it a week ago when I had just landed after 40 hours of travel.

But we did it. And this week our community has been figuring it out together.

You can read all of the communication that I’ve made public here, in case it helps you communicate with your members or develop your own strategies.

  1. Initial message and plan, Friday March 13 - https://www.indyhall.org/posts/15586-our-covid-19-response-and-planning/
  2. Escalated plan, full closure, Monday March 15 - http://indyhall.org/covid19
  3. Initial operations and mail plan, Wednesday March 17 - http://indyhall.org/covid19-mail
  4. Initial online community plan, Thursday March 18 - https://www.indyhall.org/posts/15913-covid19-doing-community-online/

We’re in this together. Please act accordingly.

Alex

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Thanks, Alex. This guidance is so important.

Like Indy Hall, Stacks Co. in Doylestown, PA closed as of Sunday, March 15th.

I was interacting another coworking discussion group yesterday and was taken aback and so disappointed by the resistance to closure.

Thanks again. Much needed.

3

Lots of people in my DMs asking how to close without going out of business.

If you are concerned about going out of business while being closed, I want to try to help ease your fears and think strategically.

Decided to host a video discussion sometime in the next 2 days, but need to clear some time to do it first.

RSVP here and stay tuned for more info: https://page.dangerouslyawesome.com/covidclose