Posts tagged colab

Jennifer Way had been working out of her house for the past 15 years. Moving into CoLab was a big change, but a change that has been worth it.

Jennifer Way

She moved Way Solutions, founded March 1, 2004, into CoLab in June 2010 after hearing about the new downtown coworking space at The Social Media Club of Nashville. Way Solutions provides HR consulting, including executive search services, for companies and coaching for job seekers. The company has worked with clients of all sizes, from start-ups to major firms such as CareerBuilder, Amazon.com and Microsoft. Jennifer also writes blogs for CareerBuilder on job searching and landing the right post.

CL: How much did you know about the coworking movement before moving into CoLab?
JW: I wouldn’t say too much. It was something I had never considered. I love being virtual, and I didn’t know if it would make sense for me because I travel. That changed when I started doing more local business and becoming more active in the Nashville community.

CL: Are you happier now working here than where you were working before?
JW: Yes. First of all, I think it offers my business a legitimacy that I didn’t have before. It solves all my problems when I have clients from out of town. We have meeting spaces, and I can bring them somewhere. An added bonus: any time I sponsor meetups or community activities, I can have them meet here.

CL: What are some activities that you have hosted at CoLab?
JW: I’ve hosted job seeker receptions, writers meetings, social media technology group functions and participated in lunch and learns.

CL: What do you think about working Downtown?
JW: I love it! I love being in the heart of Nashville and participating in more of the events that go on downtown whether it be the art crawl or music. Everything seems so close and convenient.

CL: How has the location helped your business?
JW: The location has allowed me to expand my network, resources, access to vendors and technology awareness. Working downtown allows me to have more resources at my disposal.

CL: Does it help to be around other professionals?
JW: I’ve found that the spirit of collaboration here really lives up to the name. That doesn’t mean everyone is here all the time or at the same hours. CoLab is flexible in nature. Everyone is really supportive of each other’s businesses —  even businesses that would seem to compete are supportive of one another.

Website: www.waysolutions.com
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CoLab’s mission is not only to create a vibrant, creative community but also open its doors to the larger Nashville community.

So when CoLab’s Nashville Director Kailey Hussey was approached by Firefly Logic to team up to give GiveCamp a home here, she knew it was just the kind of way she wanted to show support in the community.

Microsoft’s Chris Koenig came up with the idea in 2007 to host a weekend-long event where software developers, designers and other skilled volunteers donated their time to help non-profit organizations with work they might not otherwise afford.

“We are a starting place for growing companies, and I think we can be a starting place for non-profits as well,” Hussey says.

Firefly Logic, a local software development company, filled CoLab’s space with nearly 50 volunteers working on projects for 10 different non-profits. Over the course of 48 hours from Jan. 14-16,  the volunteers met with the non-profits, determined what they needed and completed the work. Volunteers designed and renovated websites, edited web content to make it fresh and trained non-profit representatives how to use donor database software. Completing all the work needed was a daunting task, considering the time constraints.

“We were very much trying to prioritize what they were asking for that would have the most impact,” says Ben Henderson, a partner at Firefly Logic. “We had to be realistic about what could be achieved.”

The event was a complete success, and is something CoLab is interested in hosting again next year. “I sat in on the ending presentation where everyone showed off what they had done,” Hussey says. “It seemed like it was a really successful weekend.”

Give Camp was the second such even CoLab has hosted so far ─ In July they hosted a similar event, Designathon ─ and Hussey plans on it being just the beginning. “If we can help someone get their start I am more than happy to be involved in projects like that.”

In fact, one of the non-profit agencies that benefited from the July event, YouthTurns, is based at CoLab Nashville. YouthTurns works with children whose parents are in prison by providing counselors, mentors, educational programs and other support so they don’t repeat the cycle of incarceration.

Interested in joining a community that makes a difference? Come check us out.

Daniel Heacock, owner of Supplybuy.com

Daniel Heacock is a pioneer.

He is CoLab’s first tenant on the 3rd floor of the Wells Fargo building in downtown Nashville and the first tenant on the floor in more than five years.

Heacock, whose has a background in computer programming, owns and operates Supplybuy.com, a one-stop online office supply company he started in December 2009. Supplybuy.com uses third party suppliers and ships to anywhere in the continental United States. While Supplybuy.com hopes is to be on the forefront of the e-commerce supplies, the company’s main goal is to provide great service and build trust within its customer base.

“The Internet causes uncertainty among people,” says Heacock. “Some are still unsure about putting their credit card numbers online. At the end of the day, customers will use and return to your site if you have built trust.”

Like many entrepreneurs, Daniel worked out of his home at first. As Supplybuy.com expanded, the business could no longer be confined to the four walls of his bedroom, and he found a listing for CoLab of Nashville on Craigslist. He moved into CoLab as soon as the third floor was ready.

CoLab: How much did you know about coworking before moving into CoLab?
Daniel Heacock: I really didn’t know much, although it makes a  lot of sense, especially with the economy. A lot of people are self-employed because they can’t get full-time employment. Money is tight and it’s hard to get full-time benefits. Coworking is going to happen a lot more if things keep going this way.

CL: What do you like best about having an office in CoLab?
DH: The opportunity to work with other people doing similar things is great. I’ve met several people I will be working with to some extent, which is something you don’t get at all when you work out of your bedroom.

CL: How has the location helped your business?
DH: Since I just moved in, I haven’t seen much of a difference. The business is growing and we are looking at hiring more people, so an office is necessary. Moving from home into an office space was a smooth transition. Working here, the business will benefit more than from working at home. CoLab also is more affordable than a lot of the other options I was looking at.

CL: Parking downtown can be difficult. Is it worth it?
DH: CoLab helps make the parking convenient. I park less than a block away from the building and get the CoLab rate. I like the downtown location; I feel the buzz.

“For me, mentally, it’s good to go to a place where people are working hard,” says Heacock. “It is definitely a good place to network and interact. It’s neat to be part of something bigger like that.”

For more information on Supplybuy.com:
Website: Supplybuy.com
Email: Daniel@supplybuy.com
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CoLab, Nashville’s first and largest coworking space, hosted a successful Wordpress Nashville meetup this week.

Wordpress has fast become the industry standard software platform for building all types of websites and blogs. Several CoLab members either work with Wordpress or help clients get better results with the popular platform including SearchViz, MetaMarketers, Brand Journalists, Collins Imagery and Kaleidoscope PR.

This week local programer and web developer Peter Mancini gave a presentation on using Wordpress plugins. To download his presentation, click here:http://nectarineimpllc.com/?p=128

Nashville programmer Peter Mancini at the Wordpress Nashville meetup

Thanks to Wordpress Nashville organizer Scott McIntosh for getting this group going. The group will meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at CoLab in the training room. If you are interested in joining this free group, sign up here:

http://www.meetup.com/NashvilleWordpress/

CoLab is a proud sponsor of Wordpress Nashville and offers free use of our training room and projector for meetup groups. Our convienent downtown Nashville location makes it easy to attend.

If you are interested in a tour of CoLab’s coworking spaces, contact us for a tour. CoLab is Nashville’s coolest downtown coworking space and one of the best deals in town for executive suites. Prices begin at $49 a month for full access two days a week, $99 a month for a reserved desk five days a week and offices starting at $385 a month. All memberships include Internet, coffee, copier and fax access and come with access to reserve the training room or one of our conference rooms at no additional charge.

Come by and see for yourself!

CoLab - Coworking space in downtown Nashville

Coworking’ business model rapidly expanding in Nashville

Like many cities, Nashville’s downtown was hit hard by the recession, leaving floor after floor of office space vacant.

John Hussey and his daughter Kailey started a revolution in downtown Nashville by taking long-dormant office space and making it thrive again.

Kailey Hussey, General Manager of CoLab Nashville

The father-daughter team launched CoLab in early 2010, a mix of coworking spaces and affordable office suites on the first floor of the Wells Fargo building at 230 4th Ave N. ‘Coworking’ is geared to freelancers, small business owners and creative professionals who work from home using laptops and cell phones, an increasingly large professional demographic.

The first floor quickly filled to capacity and now has a waiting list. In January, the team plans to expand co-working to two additional floors. The team has filled four vacant floors in a similar Orlando building and has plans to expand to Tampa and some other Southern cities.

CoLab’s office environment has a twist. Its office suites aren’t just inexpensive; they are interconnected. Tenants, who are called members, share amenities and basic services such as Internet and coffee are included. Lounge areas, conference rooms, shared white boards and even a ping-pong table suit a wide range of creative work styles.

“The economic crisis hit many professionals like a flood,” said owner John Hussey. “They were downsized and either went solo or started a new business. Many struggle to conduct business with their laptops and cell phones at coffee shops or from home. They still want interaction with other professionals. What we offer are the amenities of an office without the exorbitant price tag and burdensome lease.”

Shared coworking space complete with a ping pong table

Rental rates for coworking spaces are low – from $79.95 a month for a two-day-a-week desk to $149.95 a month for five days in the shared area. Small offices start at $375 a month.

“Coworking might not be a household word yet, but I predict it’s going to be,” said Kailey, Nashville’s General Manager. “We have discovered a new way to work and we’ve created thriving community in one of the coolest parts of downtown Nashville that’s right next to the historic Arcade and Printer’s Alley.”

For more information, visit www.nashville.colabusa.com