At 804RVA, we're always looking to get to know one another to find work and social connections. In this series, we ask some questions of 804RVA coworkers to help you get a better sense of who's who around 804RVA and how to work and engage with them. Next up, Tommy Nicholas, a web/mobile app developer What's a day in the life? Get up, try to be less afraid and more awesome, drink a few beers, stare into my dog's beautiful eyes, and go to sleep. Somewhere in there I manufacture some "internetz" and "appz" and meet with cool people. Favorite food and drink? Avocado (I put it on everything!) and Guinness because it's lighter than you think and it's delicious. And I love craft beers. Where can we find you on a random weekend? I’ll be at Urban Farmhouse during the day and Sticky Rice at some point at night. In between, hopefully I’ll be on an adventure. How did you begin coworking at 804RVA? My startup TheCitySwig had an office here in 2011. I usually spend my time at 804RVA networking (it's amazing the extent to which it's helped my business), coding, and drinking. What are you currently working on? A mobile app to help you remember people's names. And Coffitivity.com What's one thing the market's missing? So many things, are you kidding? The market has like NOTHING. Everything is wide open. Live in the future and build what’s missing, which is everything. Tommy Recommends:
Connect with Tommy on Twitter @istommydrunk and via email.
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At 804RVA, we're always looking to get to know one another to find work and social connections. In this series, we ask some questions of 804RVA coworkers to help you get a better sense of who's who around 804RVA and how to work and engage with them. Next up, Eva Colen, Director of Regional Recruitment at Teach for America! Tell us a little about yourself. I've been in Richmond for 3 years and when I'm not traveling for work, you can find me at Mekong's bar or watching live music. I'm currently working to open a Teach for America placement site in central Virginia. What's your food and drink of choice? Seafood - mostly shellfish and bourbon/ginger or any sour beer. What motivates you? Social justice, anti-oppression, anti-racism, equality, love, education and education reform. Virginia's had a 400 year history of States' rights over Civil rights and I'm interested in changing that. What keeps you busy while at 804RVA? Usually I'm clearing my inbox or working on special projects like creating training manuals for new recruiters. For example, how to use social media tools for networking and marketing. What's your favorite thing about coworking at 804RVA? I travel a lot in my current role, but I've really enjoyed getting to know everyone. And it's nice that there are no cats trying to help me type while I'm working. :-) Eva Recommends:
Connect with Eva on Twitter @EvaColen, or email her via Gmail or TeachForAmerica. by: Larkin Garbee Are you working on a side project, startup, or building your portfolio? Do you want to meet other like minded people and be motivated by fellow makers, creatives, and innovators?
You don't have to be at 804RVA every single day to get the benefits - in fact, you can start coming after hours! Every Thursday after 6pm, 804RVA Night Owls is a fun & productive member-run working session for people that have full time jobs but want to work on a side project...as well as students and people who just prefer working after dark! Night Owls is included with any 804RVA membership, every Thursday, (including our $25/month basic membership). Yep, you can work at 804RVA 4 evenings a month for as little as $25 - plus you're plugged into the entire 804RVA community for discussions & events outside of Night Owls. If you're already an 804RVA member, just drop by. If you're not a member yet, sign up for a free pass and tour so we can help you get started! We'll be coworking from 6pm until midnight! Read to become a member?-- click HERE. To view our meetup page and see who is coming, click on the night owl pictured below: 804RVA's Lead Coworkaholic We all know that Larkin Garbee, Chief Imagination Officer at 804RVA, is a little bit crazy. Crazy about craft beers – her current favorite is Copper Kettle’s Mexican Chocolate Stout. Crazy about pickles – the best homemade pickles are at Garnett’s. And of course, she’s crazy about co-working and entrepreneurship in Richmond. “Richmond is evolving and we’re seeing a creative class of people designing things they’re passionate about that also have a social impact,” Larkin said. To foster growth within this “creative class”, 804RVA is rolling out a series of mentor programs for start-ups and developing new collaboration methods for the 804RVA community.
“I’ve always loved technology and wanted to be around creative people,” Larkin said, describing her reason for founding 804RVA. She continues, “We’ve grown to 65 members in 14 months, and within five years, I’d like to see a community of 300 members creating products and technologies that have a significant impact.” And true to form, Larkin is focused on developing a solution to house her dream. She’s currently working to raise funds for a 30,000 square foot Innovation Hub located at the RVA Power Plant. Similar to innovation hubs in Portland, Atlanta and other U.S. cities, the RVA Power Plant is meant to engage and retain Richmond’s creative class. “We’ve had so many entrepreneurs move to other cities because they couldn’t find the resources here,” Larkin explained. “I want the RVA Power Plant to provide education and tools to help support start-ups through their early stages.” What exactly motivates Larkin to work so hard building the start-up community in Richmond? “Maybe it’s genetics,” Larkin laughed. “But I’ve been raised with the mentality of ‘if you believe it you can do it’. If I’m not creating something I’m bored.” Even on the weekends, Larkin is creating. CityScrapbook, Larkin’s Pinterest for neighborhoods, will let users build Instagram scrapbooks of their favorite neighborhood photos. “When people talk about their neighborhood, there’s a big sense of connectedness,” Larkin explained. “People see their neighborhood in a different light and with CityScrapbook they’ll be able to share what’s unique about their neighborhood. Eventually I’d like to overlay real estate searches into the app.” If you’re lucky enough to catch Larkin during the day, you’ll probably find her holding a meeting at Lamplighter, setting up an 804RVA Meetup, or hosting a business happy hour at The Camel. But regardless of where Larkin is, she’s always focused on her number one mission: building a stronger community for coworkers, start-ups, and Richmond’s creative class. As Larkin says, “Together, we can be actively involved in a community with people doing good things to make a difference.” Larkin Recommends:
Connect with Larkin on Twitter @804RVA and @iamLarkin, or meet Larkin in person. by: Todd NuckolsOn the evening of June 19 several of Richmond's technical education organizations gathered together under the neutral banner of SyncRVA. I believe the intended end game of the mega meetup will be a web presence of shared calendaring and resources that allows participants in the technical community one stop shopping to find solid networking and career development opportunities. Groups and associations from IT process professionals to hardware hackers and everything in between were represented. At the event Dan Costa, Editor-in-Chief of PCMag.com spoke about some major trends in the industry. Specifically, he highlighted mobility, the stagnation of the PC market and the age of the Internet of Things (connected devices). But beyond that, Dan suggested that we need to get used to living in a share everything world, a "subscription economy". He highlighted quotes from the founders of ZipCar and Kevin Kelly, Wired, "Access is better than owning." While I am not sure that is always the case one could make the argument that in regards to co-working access to a fun working environment is better than owning one. In fact, one new member highlighted that very fact in a recent post as he described not needing to get that permanent office space to get away from the living room table after discovering 804RVA. So, in certain situations perhaps access is better? (I could probably chase that rabbit a while from this point -- but, no!) What was clear from the event is that collaboration can be a powerful concept and I think this effort to create broad awareness of the technical community in RVA is excellent. If coworking demonstrates anything, it demonstrates that we can all learn from each other and often need to bring our shared experiences and expertise to bear in order to succeed. I certainly hope, particularly if you are already a loyal meetup member of a technical group, you will check out SyncRVA.com (which is being built and designed by Shockoe.com) once up and running and plug into the broader community. It should come natural to 804RVAers! by: Brian Bassett 5 Things to Look For in a Coworking SpaceIf you’re thinking about checking out a co-working space, here’s a quick five things that are helpful to finding if a space will be the right fit. 5) Conference Room Availability Meeting potential partners or clients is important to any freelancer or small business and so meeting space can be very important. Feel comfortable inviting a client to your home? Lunch meetings are limited and can get expensive after time … you need a space you can offer that’s quiet and just for you and your appointment. Becoming part of a coworking community could mean putting an end to meetings in loud and crowded coffee shops - espresso machines hissing away and blenders screaming. Be sure your co-working space offers a snappy looking conference room with closeable doors and enough room for any meetings you might need to host. 4) Multiple Workspace Availability Are you jammed in elbow to elbow in one big room with no real separation of space? Do you have to fight off the early risers for the “good desk”? The best coworking spaces provide different places to work, with enough choices in the environment so that you’ll be able to be productive on any day and whatever time that you happen to show up. Couches, tables, open desks, nooks, comfy chairs … there shouldn’t be a bad spot in the lot. 3) Flexible Membership Plans Most people looking to escape the 9-5 are doing so because they feel trapped in that arbitrary schedule. What’s the use of coworking if it isn’t flexible to fit into your life and your specific schedule? Look for coworking facilities that offer multiple types of membership. This will let you get the most productivity and bang for the buck and be flexible enough to bend with your seasonal work needs. 2) Ambiance, Aesthetic, Comfort Yes, yes .. .that’s THREE things, but they do go hand in hand … in hand. The worst thing about working in a traditional office is that they aren’t comfortable, inspirational, or well designed -- they’re designed to be cost-efficient and thus … are non-descript and uncomfortable. Bad lighting, old dirty counters,terrible anti-inspirational “inspirational” posters on the wall … is this a place that’s going to encourage you to work hard and to stay focused? But is it also relaxed and casual enough to be social at the same time? 1) Cool Peeps! It’s called COworking for a reason. Not every day will have the same hustle and bustle, but are there other people around you can talk with? People you can bounce ideas off of? What do the other people do for work and is there a synergy with yours? Are these the sorts of people you’d want to grab a drink with after work? Find out how large the membership is, what kind of work the other members do, and ask the space curator which days tend to be busy or empty. This can help you plan which days you want to come for the type of interaction that suits you best. Interested? Drop in 804RVA for a free day pass or visit us on our next free to the public Jelly Day! Sign up here! by Brian Bassett Creativity is something that can't be underestimated on any average day at 804RVA, and last week acclaimed local artist Ed Trask definitely kicked it up a notch. In conjunction with the latest RVA "Jelly Day," Ed came to 804RVA to share what he considers a true custom paint job for a vehicle. From talking to Ed about his art, he shared that he's influenced by the culture, traditions and local lore all around him. The same can be said for the co-workers at 804RVA ... it's a good thing to be able to pull from the collective experience of fellow workers to come up with more meaningful solutions to our everyday work. Many thanks to Kelly Ward of Award Web Services who provided some excellent brain food for the co-workers during Jelly Day! Here's some pictures from the day of Ed and his work in progress. by: Brian Bassett At 804 RVA, we're always working to get our coworkers to meet and know each other and find work and social connections. In this new series, we'll ask five questions of 804RVA coworkers to help you get a better sense of who's who around the office. First up, Matt Sadler! What keeps you busy while at 804 RVA? My primary occupation is as an IT consultant specializing in a product called Microsoft SharePoint. My consulting is based in the Washington working with Federal clients, but my job provides me the freedom to work a few days a work in Richmond. I also work as a public relations consultant with a small company that I co-own called Monkey Dish Media. How would you define co-working? Co-working is about people from different companies and different industries working together in the same space. Working together is more than sitting next to people, it’s about sharing ideas. It’s about bouncing ideas off of the graphic designer, talking communication with life coach, and learning about profit margins from a general contractor. How did you begin co-working at 804 RVA? For me, it was simply about the math. I live in Midlothian and my kids go to school in the city. For me to drive them in to the city, it would roughly be an hour round-trip, 30 minutes each way. Finding a place in the city would save an hour of driving each day. I quickly realized the social aspect that I was missing at home, was now available to me a 804 RVA. Working near people made my day go faster and left me feeling energized. Who is someone you would have likely never met, but have really enjoyed getting to know at 804 RVA? Jonathan Kuhn of RDA Consulting. Jonathan is a developer and statistician extraordinaire. I guess I could have met him because our circles overlap, but I would have never had the opportunity to learn so much from such an intriguing fellow. I hate math and yet I can talk about statistics with Jonathan for hours. What's your favorite thing about co-working at 804 RVA? It’s fun to go to work there. I put on some music, greet my friends as they come into the office. It’s somewhere I enjoy doing work. If I’m not in the mood, I don’t go in. It’s up to me and I like it that way. Learn more about Matt on his website, or hit him up at @TheMarinara on Twitter. Why Does Coworking Work?
by: Brian Bassett For many startups, self employed, and even remote workers at big businesses, the prospect of going it alone can seem daunting. Even the most focused individual can get distracted while on their own. While no one likes having someone stare over their shoulder, the general accountability that offices provide can really help. In a building full of turbo charged entrepreneurs, individual productivity can rise dramatically - even as individuals are networking with others. Coffee shops, libraries, squatting at friends’ offices or at home provide respite – but no place provides the motivation to work smarter than a coworking space. Three of the biggest roadblocks for most independent workers are low productivity, less chance of networking and social isolation. In the latest Global Coworking Survey, 80% of co-workers said their business network had grown, 75% reported an increase in productivity, while 86% said their feelings of isolation had decreased. Here’s some reasons why coworking works: It’s Dynamic: There’s a feeling of entrepreneurship among the participants. With other people hard at work and focused on their own passions, it’s easy to be excited about one’s own projects and plans and work to achieve them oneself. Fewer Distractions: Comparatively, there’s much less distraction in a coworking space than at home or in coffee shops or libraries. While there might be a number of other individuals around talking or walking to the water cooler,overall there are far fewer distractions since everyone is focused on their own work, but providing that general sense of being “at work.” Motivation: Seeing others hard at work on their own projects and seeking to meet their own goals, it is personally motivating to kick oneself into gear. It also allows for personal encouragement (“I can do this!”) by sharing in the successes of others along the way. Organization: Some find it important separate work from the rest of their life and so this can improve organization and work flow. Physically getting out of the house helps to focus the time spent at the coworking space. It also fosters that the co-worker only bring “what they need” to the space. Collaboration: With many people across varied disciplines, coworkers can talk with their new friends to tell them what about their projects or get some advice. Coworkers might be chatting with the very person who can provide the right input to finish a project, or uncover a new one. Resources: Big businesses have accounting, sales, marketing, product development and support departments because they allow them to maximize their varied talent. Coworking spaces have wide sets of skills too (graphic designers, copywriters, programmers, etc.) so there’s always ways to build new startups products from new relationships. Friday Rooftop Happy Hour
by Larkin Garbee In most companies, employees rush out the door on Friday to get their weekend started. Well, it doesn't really work like that at 804RVA. In fact, we stick around to celebrate finishing our work week and to hang out. Last Friday, a few coworkers found themselves on the rooftop enjoying good company, nice weather, and an after work happy hour. The conversation was nerdy (to be expected from any of our members) with the focal point being an intense Steve Jobs discussion. We also engaged in a highly entertaining impromtu roleplay scenario with Frank, Jamie & Jonathan acting out a dialog between a customer and client discussing a contract negotiation. Needless to say, it was a great experience and the kickoff to a great summer with coworkers on the rooftop at 804RVA. Sorry you missed it! Here is a photo from the event: (from left to right: Kelly Ward, Dorsey McFadden, Jamie Pinkham). Want to become a member? |
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