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Strength In Numbers: Small Business Owners Should Band Together

This post was inspired by a good friend of mine, Justin Brady.  He is relentless in pursuing meaningful relationships inside and outside the business world he operates within. His video from Ignite Des Moines is included at the end of this post.  The idea for his “Networking for Nerds” talk came from guiding me through some of these tips at a real event.  I was intrigued by his honesty and willingness to help me. I told Justin point blank I would love his great advice to be disseminated farther than that night. Thankfully, he came and did the talk.

Justin affirms my belief that being a small business owner makes you part of a select group of people that are not afraid to strike it out on their own. He proves that we are all in this together. We need to stick together. We need to know what others are doing. We need to have an idea of each others clientele. Even more specifically, each others IDEAL client. The importance of referring preferred clientele can not be understated.

Refer someone to business you love but aren’t sure they know you.  You may kick-start a relationship and a line of referrals in the process. Word of mouth is a powerful force. If you are disengaged in the local business community (or a jerk), no one will be sending business your direction. Fight against the urge to silo yourself. Helping other small businesses out is EASY and it costs you NOTHING.

Again, we are all in this together. There is strength in numbers. Let’s use math and common sense to our advantage.

Now, take a minute or five to learn a thing or two from Justin.

Networking for Nerds Guide by Justin Brady in PDF Format (with a bonus tip!)

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By Daniel Shipton – December 3, 2008

Strive for Rings of Inclusion

This is the first post in a series of posts that show how common the roots of coworking and Open Source are. Illustrating the commonalities was the focus of my talk at Highlight Midwest and I believe it is worth writing some of those thoughts and concepts down.

Coworking and Open Source communities are built around including people.  A closer look reveals that there is different levels or rings associated with being included in a coworking or Open Source community.

Rings of Inclusion in an Open Source Project

Core developers make up the innermost ring on most Open Source projects. Non-core developers, active forum members, outspoken mailing list participants, and power users make up the next ring or rings.  The outer rings of the project are made up by users who attempt to stay informed about the project or those who are not users but simply keep abreast of its ongoings.

Rings of Inclusion in a Coworking Space

Full-time desks and the space owner are usually at the middle of most coworking communities. The next level out is the part-timers and others that frequent the space during the day.  Another ring out are those participating in events held at the coworking spaces. A good example of coworking Rings of Inclusion is found in the plan descriptions of Citizen Space.

Allowing participation at many different levels is one way that coworking and Open Source create thriving communities.  Utilize the Rings of Inclusion concept for your community. You won’t be disappointed.

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By Daniel Shipton – November 11, 2008

Coworking Shines as a Viable Solution in Economic Downturn

We Are In an Economic Downturn

Practical and Tangible Reasons To Cowork

  • Free Coffee
  • Cheap!
  • Varying Levels of Membership
  • Free WiFi
  • Bill Consolidation
  • Mobility
  • Month-to-Month Freedom

Intangible, Yet Extremely Vital Reasons to Cowork

  • Built-in Networking Opportunities
  • Community Sustainability
  • Interpersonal Advice
  • Camaraderie
  • Motivation
  • Strong Sense of Values
This is not and exhaustive list so if you have reasons you would like added leave a comment.
(img via Google Finance)

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By Daniel Shipton – October 27, 2008

Lessons Learned in Community Building

Over the last few months I have learned a many lessons dealing with how to build a successful community.  When I started thinking about creating a coworking space in Des Moines I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  I knew it would take a couple of months of searching for the perfect location. I knew it would take a few weeks to implement my vision once the lease was signed. I knew I wanted to build a community around the coworking space that I came to call Impromptu Studio.

Community Trumps Any Individual

The recipe for creating a successful community is quite simple: Never forget that individuals are community is king.  Community-wide engagement is instrumental in making communities thrive. It is crucial to provide access to avenues for socialization and the free exchange of ideas.  Online avenues could be websites, blogs, forums, e-mail lists, Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace. Real world avenues could be group meetings, luncheons, or organized events.

Take Concept Buy-In at Face Value

It is easy for folks to say they love your idea or concept.  It is easy for those same people to say they would jump at the opportunity to take part in what you are creating. However, Alex Hillman of Indy Hall says it best, “If you build it, they won’t come.” Constantly remind yourself that talk is cheap. Instead, find ways to engage your community that will create meaningful connections and bonds. Having more than cursory involvement in your community is absolutely paramount to your success.

Live In A Glass House

We all think we can mask our real motives behind our interactions with others….the truth is, people can usually see right through your thinly veiled intentions.  Instead of hiding what are motives, why not ask or tell your community what you are up to. Community resentment is not a situation you want to find yourself in. Be proud of what you are doing. Let them know what you are up to!  Having a community rally around you is a great feeling.

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By Daniel Shipton – October 23, 2008

Working With GIT’s Subversion Support

1. Checkout source:

git-svn clone svn+ssh://path/to/trunk

2. Work Work Work then:

git commit (/path/to/file/or/dir/ or -a)

or

git add /path/to/file.extension
git commit (/path/to/file/or/dir/ or -a)

3. Repeat  Step 2 Ad nauseum

4. Sync up with svn repository again or to sync up any time(see 7 for stashing uncommitted changes):

git-svn rebase

5. If there are conflicts:
Fix offending file/files

git-add offending file/files
git-rebase --continue

6. Commit work back to svn repository

 git-svn dcommit

7. To sync with uncommitted local changes (stash, sync, restore stashed changes and delete stash)

 git-stash
 git-svn rebase
 git-stash apply
 git-stash clear

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By Daniel Shipton – February 25, 2008