Social Space for Social Change

This blog post originally appeared in techvibes.com as part of a series about Coworking around North America.

Coworking, as we’ve mentioned, is a movement that brings entrepreneurs and freelancers together in one space to share values and creativity while still being independent. Like all coworking spaces, you are sure to meet and discover new and different companies. This week, we are bringing you 10 Carden - a quiet congenial space where one can share what they’re doing or planning with like-minded people.

Julia Grady & Annie O’Donoghue opened 10 Carden in downtown Guelph, ON because they knew there was a real opportunity at hand to create an inviting multi-purpose meeting space and office space for organizations that didn’t need a full-time office. “We realized that a lot of organizations struggle with day to day sustainability, and that a shared space could alleviate some of the work, leaving them with more time and resources to do their work. And fundamentally, we believe that all groups have so much more to gain from working collaboratively,” says Julia.

10 Carden’s space is a bit different than most; they focus on not-for-profit organizations that help develop social change. “It made the most sense for a NFP to be working to bring together other NFPs, incubate new ones and also work with the for-profit social change businesses,” Julia explains, “Time, effort and funds put into 10 Carden all go to furthering the mission of the organization and we’re able to harness more community power this way. If 10 Carden wins, we ALL win.”

Being nonprofit, they have a committed team of volunteers to operate the space. And membership is not exclusive to NFPs: “We don’t make a distinction between [them]. It’s the long-term goal of social change that is the driver. The for-profits we support are generally small business or emerging social entrepreneurs,” says Julia.

The community is made up of individuals and members working on social change. “[They] are [all] very community-minded, collaborative, open to sharing and innovative. Expressive, fun, passionate and plugged-in are all other ways we’d describe our members. You’re going to discover a new social change project/workshop/group that tweaks your interest. This is where the real potential is.”

All members go through a detailed application because “part of [their] long range plan to harness the collective energy of all our member organizations. So, knowing about their missions are size, sustainability, etc is key to us being able to move forward together.”

To encourage growth and movement, individuals and organizations at the space can make requests for things they would want to add; programs they’d like to see run, ideas for expansions, and other services. They even have filing cabinet space members can book, a shared fax/printer/copier, a store-front window display and a projector & screen with seating for 50.  The space also hosted an art show and sale that showcased original art, photos and poetry celebrating big tree(s) on March 20th.

The expansion of 10 Carden is still underway. “We see the public meetings, discussions, workshops offered by both 10 Carden and our list of more than 30 organizations as something that will continue to grow over the next year.”

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Coworking – It’s about the people

This blog post originally appeared in techvibes.com as part of a series about Coworking around North America.

This is the second part of our series on the growing Coworking movement and some of the spaces that have embraced the philosophy, both locally and abroad. The aim of the movement is to create a community of cafe-like collaboration spaces for developers, writers and independents.

In 2008, Patrick Tanguay and Daniel Mireault noticed the lack of spaces that catered to its independent workers, freelancers and entrepreneurs. “We first started toying with the idea as we were both freelancing and were either working from home, at our clients’ or in cafes. We wanted our own place – a professional yet cozy place where we could work and be surrounded by like-minded individuals without feeling guilty of sipping our latte for 3 hours just to be able to use the local cafe’s WIFI network.” So, just as the Coworking movement was emerging, they introduced Montreal to its first coworking facility and named it Station C.

Station C is situated in an area known for arts, an indie music scene and rich cultural heritage, giving their space a cool, relaxed vibe and to pull in a mixture of entrepreneurs.

Aside from the apparent practical benefits of being in a space designated for work, members of a coworking space soon discover the unexpected benefits of being part of the community.“The key contributing factor that makes coworking appealing is the people. [They] make most of what interaction and opportunities possible [because] collaboration is a big part of the coworking movement,” says Daniel. Their space has enabled freelancers and entrepreneurs to have focus, gain resources and create connections. “Some have said they work better, have better concentration, have more motivation. Some made new friends.” Besides coworking, Station C holds various events at their space such as BarCamps, meet ups and the occasional informal cocktail evenings.

The environment that Station C has created supports an open community that encourages collaboration and gives entrepreneurs opportunities and projects they wouldn’t normally have come across. There is a constant energy at the space that sparks creativity among the designers and web developers. Getting a number of smart, passionate, like-minded individuals in the space creates a buzz around the office as they bounce ideas off one another. “Having access to a bunch of talented and smart individuals on a daily basis is also a bonus when you’re looking to fix a bug in your script or trying to figure out which page layout is more intuitive,” says Daniel.
“Where we differ from most coworking space though is the amount of effort and money we put in selecting and designing the space.” Being designers themselves, Patrick and Daniel had custom tables made for their space and furnished it to their standards. “Pat and I wanted to make sure people feel comfortable and enjoy their work environment enough to want to stay for several hours a day,” explains Daniel.

Patrick Tanguay and Daniel Mireault have successfully put Station C on the coworking map by creating a space where individuals can connect and build a community of support.

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Camaraderie in Coworking

This blog post originally appeared in techvibes.com as part of a series about Coworking around North America.

The future of work is evolving. The recent economic downturn has encouraged the growth of independent knowledge workers and entrepreneurs willing to strike it out on their own. This group of workers, armed with their laptops, smart phones, and web apps, can work from their homes or coffee shops. However, an alternative option has been gaining popularity amongst this group over the past few years. Referred to as ‘Coworking’, it’s a movement to create a community of cafe-like collaboration spaces for developers, writers and independents. Pioneered in San Francisco by the Hat Factory and Citizen Space, these places provide a space for web workers, consultants, freelancers and entrepreneurs to work independently, together. In the coming weeks, we will be highlighting a few spaces that have embraced this philosophy and its new breed of workers.

A perfect example would be Rachel Young and Wayne Lee. Seven years ago they were freelancing out of cafes with friends and local writers for, what they called, ‘creative’ sessions hoping to get out of the isolation and rid the distractions of working from home. Realizing that they were building the same foundations for a business, they recently launched Camaraderie, a coworking facility located in Toronto.

“Wayne knew firsthand the value of co-working, so we decided to open a space we could both work from and open it up to the community,” Rachel says, “because cafes have their own set of issues. “There’s the expectation to purchase something every hour so it’s not considered loitering, the noise of the coffee grinder whirling mixed in with the music in the background, and to face the dilemma of what to do with your laptop when nature calls.” And when you’re working from home, “sometimes the video games call too strongly or the bed is too comfortable, says Wayne, “regardless, isolation is still an issue any freelancer has to deal with. While it can be great to focus, we are still human and still need some sort of social interaction to maintain balance.”

Based on years of facing these challenges, the two made sure their space provided a perfect harmony of seclusion to find focus and communication for networking. At coworking spaces, you can expect to meet a diverse community of outgoing entrepreneurs and freelancers with many opportunities to participate in open source projects. “It’s a productive work environment where one could hold client meetings, leave their laptop when they run out for lunch, and drink unlimited coffee or tea. Most things that an entrepreneur or freelancer would need is already here, plus more. All they need to do is walk in with their work implements, take a seat, and get going.”

Camaraderie’s large workspace includes two meeting rooms and a communal kitchen surrounded by white walls and dark floors. Adding to that, tenants are welcomed to a stunning view of a beautiful park right by the building. Transportation is also made easy as the nearest subway station is in walking distance. Rachel and Wayne plan to get a transit pass discount program for their tenants and even want to work on healthcare coverage for their full time members!

Camaraderie truly presents a great relaxed, organized, idea-driven, resource-sharing workspace by integrating the basics of a cafe in a functional environment so lonesome entrepreneurs and freelancers are able to mix and share ideas to progress and gain… camaraderie.

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Living Luxuriously with Lexie Lamour

Too often, we get caught up doing everything we need to do in life and not much that we want to do. With hectic schedules, meeting demands, and putting in hours and hours of hard work, stress just seems to come oh so easily. Sometimes we need to stop, relax and indulge a little… or a lot. Consider the Kitty Card. It started out as a concept from a women’s social group (Glam City Girls) and is now emerging into a full-fledged exclusive deals card that is being accepted at some of the hottest spots around town. 

Lexie Lamour, president of the Kitty Card, launched it late last year after moving to the city from South Beach with one mission in mind: “To give all women in Vancouver access to that ‘celebrity treatment’ [so they can] feel indulgent, empowered and like a queen.” To do that, “[I] partner with Vancouver’s finest retailers, salons and hospitality businesses. Each of our partnering businesses know to go the extra mile while treating Kitties.” 

Although the benefits from the card may be blissful, establishing it during one of the most difficult years wasn’t. “It’s tough to get credit in this economy, especially when you’re self employed. The hardest and most important part is to get people to believe in your vision. I had a few people tell me to come back in two years and then they’ll talk to me,” Lexie admits, “You have to put in extra work to start but it’s well worth it when it starts to take shape.” From all this she has learned to “be realistic with goals, have focus [but] be flexible and last but not least, take time off.” 

So when she’s not working, the fashion and beauty enthusiast is exploring new shops, beauty products and cool spaces just like your go-to girlfriend. 

Not only does she scope out the most luxurious spots around town, she plans exclusive events for kitties. Some of her past events include a Sex and the City style cocktail party for the launch of the card and Kitty Holiday Soiree Christmas party in Yaletown that included makeovers, and mini-manicures. A regular event to anticipate is her Country Club brunch that is located at a different location every month, so members can experience a whole new vibe. 

Her events have garnered so much attention that cities like Toronto have been asking for their own card. And they may be in luck because she plans on spreading the discounts to major Canadian and US cities in the next few years. She also aims to partner with a swanky restaurant like Earls and is already in talks with a few make-up stores! 

Along with that, be on the lookout for boutiques and lifestyle businesses such as hotels and even limo services. Who wouldn’t want to travel in style? Let’s face it, we all need a good dose of the Kitty life once in a while because like Lexie says “work will be there in the morning and you can’t work well if you’re not well. So grab your Kitty Card and live a little!”

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Nine Bunnies: Following your passion can be so delicious

Who wouldn’t want to take what they love doing and turn it into a career? In this fragile economy, that thought might be put on hold for most. But not for Stephanie Le, who broke the momentum she was in by putting her secure job aside to establish her baking company – Nine Bunnies. Her family and friends provided the reinforcements and she decided that “now was as good a time as any to stop what [she] was doing and reset [her] life the way [she] wanted.” With that, she set aside the money factor and decided to go full force with her passion for baking sweets.

Stephanie’s coinciding loves for baking and cooking have resulted in a daily blog that has been drawing a huge following – Momofuku for 2. This blog documents her attempt at cooking (and eating!) every recipe in the Momofuku cookbook. With this, she hopes to reach a wider audience and push her limits. And though her goals for making it big and being well known are always on her mind, she firmly believes in being involved in the day-to-day production and doesn’t want to sacrifice what she loves to do and be stuck in management.

She describes baking as an “instant gratification” and enjoys the rush of success when a difficult recipe turns out. The same thing could be said about her business, as she plans on running her own boutique bakery in the city one day. “[I] just want a place where I could indulge my baking experiments and where people can pop in before work to get a nice treat before they start their day.” Following her passion and taking a risk has also landed her a long-term contract with a prestigious store in Yaletown within a very short period of time of opening her business.

Some of the most successful business today were businesses that were started during the recession. Nine Bunnies could be a household name in no time with Stephanie as the driving force.

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The faces of entrepreneurship ((asia, entrepreneurship))

In my travel through Hong Kong and Vietnam, I have seen many things but one thing that always captured my attention and heart is the spirit of entrepreneurship.

In the tiniest spaces, the most obscure corners and even in the most unusual locations – entrepreneurship flourish.  With all gender, ages and sales tactics – their enthusiasm and smiling faces is a great reminder for me to keep on trying even in the hardest time.

Entrepreneurship happens…

Here in this corner…..

And here on this makeshift mobile meat cart….

And way out here where he lays his shrimping net…

And here late at night because despite her age retiring is not an option….

 

AND finally here, with a little girl who broke my heart and stole it at the same time.  She was selling postcards while I was eating breakfast with my family.  Only 10 years old, she carried a big box of postcards asking me if I want to buy some in Vietnamese.  She said you cannot leave Nha Trang without some postcards to remember it by.  I don’t even think I can form a full comprehensive thought at the age of 10, let alone walk all day to convince tourists to buy post cards.   

I asked her if I can take a picture of her to remember her by, she agrees but only if I let her pose.  She quickly puts her box of postcards and gum down to pose.  She insisted on letting her see the picture to make sure it is perfect.  It is as she is absolute perfection in my eyes.  At the age of 10,  she has already learned how to hustle to support her family.  Of course I bought all her post cards, she was a great little sales lady.

As I prepare to leave Asia in a week time, I hope to return soon to see the same smiling faces and enthusiasm very soon.  They reminded me to be a little less selfish, a bit more appreciative of what I have, work a little harder and more importantly smile a little more. I can’t help alleviate their hardship or contribute in any significant way that matters but I do hope my small purchases made a difference in that day and got them to smile just a bit bigger.

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LYNNsteven: Chic, Sleek and Gastown’s Newest Boutique

As 2009 has proven to be a tough economic time, we’ve seen businesses shrinking, slowing down and even shutting down. Nicole Dennis Durnin  decided to be quite the opposite. She wanted to pursue her dream of opening her own boutique just as the year was ending.

After months of renovating, rebranding, and buying, LYNNsteven boutique in Gastown has finally completed its facelift and opened it’s doors for an exclusive grand opening event on January 28th. Following a quick stint as a popup shop, owner, Nicole Dennis Durnin, has skillfully filled her light and airy space with high end fashions ranging from LA and NYC designers – such as Paige Denim and David Lerner – to locals including Toodlebunny and Jason Matlo.

With cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in hand, friends, family, and fashionistas quickly filled up the cozy space. I had the opportunity to speak to Durnin, who started from scratch and created a fresh, contemporary look in what Vancouverites used to call Hunt and Gather while preserving a vintage atmosphere with the mountainous book stack that doubles as a fitting room. Durnin not only revealed a new look for the store but also a new, clean and simple logo that she created in conjunction with MGB. The chic shop (complete with sleek, white shelves; a swanky, custom-made hanging system; and bright, elegant lights), creates an inviting atmosphere that makes women “feel welcome and at ease [and] that it’s not a stuck up place to shop.”

Amid the creative process with the logo and the pending permit authorization, Durnin spent some time in LA showrooms purchasing items from various designers during LA Market Week. One might wonder where Durnin started on her journey before successfully hosting her debut event. “I did a lot of research through magazines and picked pieces that I liked personally” The boutique is “a complete reflection of my personal style; you’ll find a lot of basics, feminine pieces mixed with edgy pieces,” she explains. “The feedback has been good so far!”

With the transformation intact, LYNNsteven adds a modern touch to the vintage look of Gastown. But it will have to try operate as new fuel for Gastown to run on as it still struggles to be a significant part of Vancouver’s fashion scene. Though Gastown may have a few retail stores scattered along the cobble-stoned blocks, business is not always strong like stores on the elite streets of Granville or Robson.

But Durnin has a vision for the future of LYNNsteven. Her journey and dream of opening her own boutique is not fully complete as the shop is far from being limited to simply women’s clothing. Down the road, she anticipates many additions to her boutique. “We’re going to do men’s [clothing], and I’m thinking big. I’m thinking LYNNsteven Home down the road.”

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