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One To One Innovation Workshops @ THECUBE Coworking Space

As THECUBE continues to move towards generating innovation within its community. We have been testing this process for a couple of months and we are now ready to launch it amongst the enterprise community.

The innovation workshops are part of the membership program for THECUBE, we hold them every Tuesday and Friday. The workshops consist of innovation theory based on neurological and psychological research followed by an implementation strategy.

The innovation workshops are also available to the general public and for more information, contact hello@ideaengineeringagency.com.

For more information on the theory behind the workshops, please look at Idea Engineering Agency, which  is the innovation agency behind THECUBE.

Using Coworking Spaces To Transition from Corporate to Enteprise

We are really lucky to be living in times of change, you can feel it in the air. We are hearing people ask core questions about their careers and economy; How do I create value? How do I create a career that is fulfilling financially and to society? Is the current corporate structure sustainable? etc.

These questions are acting as exit catalysts for corporate people, however what happens once you take the plunge into enterprise?

Working From Anywhere
There is a perspection that once you leave the vertical structure of the corporation you have the liberty to work from anywhere. However, most of the time you end up working in your home office without changing from our pajamas. Once the initial novelty of wears off, the feeling of isolation begins to set in. There are no more watercolor moments, or after work drinks, or the general buzz of a social environment. This can be a lonely and maddening experience. This where choosing the right place to work comes into place.

Coworking spaces are a great place to start, granted we have a biased opinion, non the less they provide a better community feel than serviced offices. After making such a big change in your life its great to have a space that houses other people who are going through the same thing. Coworking spaces make you feel like you are part of something familiar again, it’s a bit like going to the office, except you get to do what you want.

Mimicking Behaviour
The other difference is finding yourself away from familiar behaviours. There are no colleagues to banter with or share ideas, there is no one to delegate to, or even someone who can just pass on a tip.

Coworking spaces tend to mimic some of these behaviors. You have the set-up of an office, you have new ‘colleagues’ who can help move your idea forward and you get to chat about current events. We are social animals and we need to this type of interaction to feel connected and even to release dopamine, which is the neurochemical responsible for generating ideas. Plus patterns are comforting as they are familiar, which is what coworking spaces offer – a new place to go and interact with ‘colleagues’.

Making The Decision
Even before you set foot in a coworking space, you first have to make the decision to take the plunge. How do you decide? Most coworking spaces offer really competitive pricing, so join for one month and observe what is like to be an entrepreneur. Go to the events and meet people who are doing it, ask them questions about their process. Seeing other people creating their own business will make it more tangible for you, which will then minimize the fear.

About THECUBE Coworking Space
THECUBE offers events that are open to the community, creating an opportunity for people to come by and see what its like to make the transition from corporation to enterprise.

How To Get The Best Out Of Coworking

As the trend of coworking continues to rise, why should you actually join? Below are some do’s and don’t about coworking, so you can get the best user experience.

Do’s

1. Introduce yourself to people in friendly and open manner
2. Be giving with your contact list
3. Look for a space that is open and clean, so you can focus and create better ideas
4. Listen to music, which stimulates you, but mind the volume.
5. Join in and contribute to events
6. Offer your knowledge and experience to others
7. Come with an open mind so you get as much feedback as possible.
8. Share your idea with others. You never know how people are connected, it may land you a resource or client.
9. Divide your coworking time with other spaces to give your brain and projects variety.
10. Join a space with a diverse community to build your resources, network, and knowledge.

Don’t

1. Sit in a corner with your headphones on and leave without engaging with anyone or the space .

Why Join A Coworking Space

1. Build contacts
2. Low overheads
3. Meet new people who can help grow and inspire your idea
4. Give your project focus

Day Rate at THECUBE Coworking Space

We understand that it can daunting to commit to a lot of new things at once, so if you are considering taking up an office for your new business, THECUBE coworking space has a day rate.

Day Rate: 20 pounds

Half Day: 10 pounds

For more information, please email info@ thecubelondon.com

Happy New Year 2011 From THECUBE Coworking Space

Happy New Year!!!

We have a great year ahead of us, there many plans for THECUBE to transition from just being a coworking space into a place of innovation.

We will be interviewing CUBERS one year on to see how they have build their businesses. There are many more events to come with interesting speakers and topics. Finally, we will be introducing different platforms to instigate collaboration and ideas.

One of our CUBERS Alastair Dryburgh asked me a question when we were discussing goals -  What would you do if you couldn’t fail? Its big, so it really forces you to think outside comfortable parameters.

I think that will be our motto for 2011, so What Would You Do If You Couldn’t Fail?

We wish you a great new year.

THECUBE

Coworking at THECUBE London

Coworking has not yet launched in the same way as Europe, so there is still plenty of scope for definition in the UK. One of the main reasons we switched from calling the space a conceptual workspace to co-working was because it gave us clear semantic meaning. We were finding it hard to define what we did in less than a sentence, so when we learned about coworking we were happy to start using the word immediately.

As we continue to observe our members, we are moving towards more purposeful use of the word, it is not just about desks in a space, but a community. And it is not just about ideas but creating sustainable economy. It is not an overnight process but one that we tweak nearly everyday, finding new knowledge, tools, and examples to help  provide our members with the best possible space.

We are committed to helping entrepreneurs and feel that it is everyone responsibility to kick start the economy.

Our space also offers the regular office tools like meeting hire, virtual office plans, deskpsace, wifi, etc. however it is the innovation tools and community chat really make THECUBE unique space to work from.

Happy Holidays From THECUBE Coworking Space

Hello CUBERS,

We would like to wish you the very best holiday season and thank you for making this a great year for us!

This time of year is great to reflect on all the great things we have accomplished. Every business at our coworking space has weathered one of the most turbulent economic times, generated clients, and established a brand – that is worth recognizing.

Next year will birth new challenges and we will all rise to them, but for now its time to celebrate and look back at all the great things we have achieved.

Happy Holidays

- THECUBE

The coworking space will close Tuesday 21 of December and open again 3 January 2011.

Web Developers Round Table: What Type of Marketing Are You Using?

Every first Wednesday of the month web- developers get together at THECUBE and discuss pressing issues facing their industry. It is a great platform to air problems as well as get feed back from peers. Below is this month’s discussion and some of the points that were brought up. The discussion is led and developed by the team at WeMakeWebsites

  • Customer referalls are an easy and powerful way to generate new warm leads that are in a similar market to current customers and that you have domain knowledge of (assuming the referred customer is in the same market as the existing customer).
    • No reward required, most people will simply pass on or provide details when asked. They don’t do it without prompting simply because it’s not on their mind.
    • Referalls can be asked for informally, verbally at the end of a project, or as part of an end-of-project/feedback form (or both)
  • Use LinkedIn to find possible leads in second-order network. Ask for an introduction from people in your immediate network. Set the right psychology, if you expect to receive the expect to genuinely give, people are always more prone to help if they are feeling happy. If you introduce people through your linked in, people will naturally feel inclined to introduce you as well. When asking people for an introduction give a specific reason.
  • Attend networking events, not necessarily those related to your industry. E.g. attending a fashion or marine biologist networking event can provide a rich source of new contacts. Increase your ‘luck surface area’ through activities such as this.
  • Find a niche, create a story, show that you have knowledge and passion in a given domain and use this as part of a marketing campaign to appeal those within that market.
  • Write a book, send it out to a select set of contacts. Shows expertise, is out of the ordinary and provokes interest from the other party. Demonstrates domain knowledge.
  • Approach journals in a target industry and offer to write an article on something that you know about. Write objectively so that it doesn’t come across as an ad-vetorial. Make sure you a credited.
  • Give away some part of your service for free to let prospects get a taste of how you can help them.
  • Umbrellas! On a rainy day this have exposure to a large number of people and, well, everyone needs an umbrella at some point.
  • Use social networking tools like Dribbble to promote work without revealing all (either because you’d rather keep the product in stealth mode or because you can’t how all due to NDA). Use this technique on your own website to show work that isn’t launched yet for example.
  • Comment on blogs which are read by your clients to spread the word about your expertise.
  • Write a list of your most connected contacts and then ask them to introduce you to relevant people. Again be specific about how your service will help.
  • Network everywhere as everyone has connections, on the plane, at the gym, book club. Be strategic and find where your clients ‘hang-out’ and engage with them in a more casual level. An article based on networking from CFO of leading company.

About THECUBE

THECUBE is a coworking space which focuses on innovation and enterprise. We help our members by giving them tools top help catalyze great business ideas, which in turn creates innovative and sustainable business.

We also offer the standards of office life such as, desk- space, boardroom hire, fax, photocopying, tea and coffee. We are conveniently located in Shoreditch on Commercial Street E1, so its perfect for City and Creative access.

Collaboration in Coworking Spaces

Collaboration in coworking spaces seems to be a continual problem. On the one hand the member community has to come in and get on with their work and on the other people are coming to coworking spaces to find collaborators.

Solution 1

Create time during the month when members can move away from their desks and collaborate. Create events at different times of the day to vary the flow of people.

Solution 2

Create a space that is small enough to generate accidental or spontaneous collaboration.

Solution 3

Create a database from which to personally introduce members.

Solution 4

Look into tools that can facilitate collaboration

Solution 5

Create casual lounge areas in the space, which are conducive to conversation.

Resources

www.bracketprojects.co.uk

About THECUBE

THECUBE is a coworking space dedicated to innovation. We have a diverse community of entrepreneurs and freelancers as one of our core beliefs is that diversity drives ideas.

We have all the usual workspace and hotdesking facilities as well, from virtual office space to meeting hire.

155 Commercial Street, Studio 5, E1. Nearest tube station is Liverpool Street or Shoreditch High Street.

Meeting Hire At THECUBE Coworking Space

Meeting hire at THECUBE is easy and of great value. We believe in honest pricing, allowing small business start-ups to access a great space without  creating a large overhead.

Below are some pictures of the different layouts during the weekday (9am to 6pm). The whole space is also for hire during the weekend and evening  (630PM-10:00PM) at 45 / 55 per hour.

THECUBE is located at 155 Commercial Street E1 right next to the city and Shoreditch. The nearest tube station is Liverpool street. If you would like to see the space, please give us a call on 02073779279.

Brainstorm Space Hire

Hours (9:00-18:00): £5 per hour (member) £10 per hour (non-member)
Capacity: up to five seated

Facilities included: Tea/coffee, wireless, event planning

Hours (9:00-18:00): £10 per hour (member) £15 per hour (non- member)

Capacity: up to 12 seated

Boardroom Space Hire

Hours (9:00-18:00): £10 per hour (member) £15 per hour (non- member)

Capacity: up to 12 seated

Facilities included: Tea/coffee, wireless, projector, screen, event planning

Seminar Style Hire

Hours (9:00-18:00): £15 per hour (member) £25 per hour (non- member)

Capacity: Up to 30 seated

Facilities included: Tea/coffee, wireless, projector, screen, event planning