I am in the process of fostering a startup community and launching a nonprofit coworking space here in Wichita Falls, Texas. My main goal is to strengthening our Entrepreneur Ecosystem and usher in a new economy powered by entrepreneurialism. In order to help foster a startup community, my team will be sponsoring events, programs and doing several Jellies, Coworking Popups, and Startup Grind Wichita Falls. “Wichita Falls had its oil boom days. The next boom we see will be the Entrepreneur Boom!” - William Wells.
Hi Williams
Congratulations. Your posting sounds like mine, a year ago. Meetup has proven to be an effective platform for hosting cowork events and other entrepreneur events in my area (where we now have 1 cowork space and hopefully more soon). We have 200 members and 50% engagement. http://www.meetup.com/Engage-for-Entrepreneurs/
I would also recommend (if you’re a Facebook type) to start a Facebook group that brings people interested in coworking, together to discuss what’s going on in the area. Some of those people may not be interested in coffee coworking or coworking popups, but interested in the ‘cool new’ thing called coworking and/or know people to bring to the table to help you move forward. I took mine from Maui Coworking connection and called it ‘WilCo Coworking Connection’ Feel free to join and see how we do it. We have 154 members https://www.facebook.com/groups/WilCoCoworkingConnection/ The other option would be Slack but it’s bit different than Facebook - someone here could better explain it.
I also (FINALLY) made inroads with the Chamber (of which I’m an individual member). They’re just now doing a MBA research project on the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
I would consider tapping into Sheppard AFB military spouse corps. Although it’s a training base, the permanent party spouses (many of whom are in need of a professional community outside the post walls) would be great to help bring more people to the table. If you need a link to that arena, please let me know.
Good luck!
Thanks Jennifer
I appreciate your advise and it is good to know what works so that I don’t have to find out the hard way.
Right now I am stuck in Meeting Hell Limbo (meetings to discuss when to have meetings crap). I am working with the Nonprofit Center of Wichita Falls to start this under their nonprofit umbrella and it is a slow process. It is the best way we have fund our vision with grants, funds, and gifts.
My main interest is having a positive impact on our local economy. I am sort of following Waco’s example, if their nonprofit coworking space can help launch 60 new businesses, which created almost 300 new jobs, then Wichita Falls can too.
BTW: Happy Birthday! You made it through your first year with your meetup.
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On Monday, October 5, 2015 at 4:32:00 PM UTC-5, William Wells wrote:
I am in the process of fostering a startup community and launching a nonprofit coworking space here in Wichita Falls, Texas. My main goal is to strengthening our Entrepreneur Ecosystem and usher in a new economy powered by entrepreneurialism. In order to help foster a startup community, my team will be sponsoring events, programs and doing several Jellies, Coworking Popups, and Startup Grind Wichita Falls. “Wichita Falls had its oil boom days. The next boom we see will be the Entrepreneur Boom!” - William Wells.