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!)

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.

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

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.

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

Daniel Shipton is an entrepreneur and leader who is not afraid to carve out his own destiny. He is passionate about creating usable technology and engaging people in digital and real life communities.

Current Projects

His interest in streamlining the business side of small business coupled with his love for Open Source inspired him to open a coworking facility called Impromptu Studio in Des Moines, Iowa. Impromptu Studio opened its doors August 4th, 2008 and has been recognized as a hub for Des Moines entrepreneurs.

Daniel’s background is rooted in the high-performance computing world which allows him to have a unique 30,000 foot view of technology. Identifying trends in the undercurrents of technology and society to create high-value partnerships is his strong suit. The avenue he found for applying these talents came when he co-founded a web service driven firm in called BitMethod.