Many self employed people need only their laptop and cell phone to get business done… which means any old coffee shop will do when you need to get out of the house. But don’t you hate it when you get there and all the tables are taken, except for that one wonky sticky one? And what about all the interruptions from the blenders and bean grinders? What do you do if you want to meet with someone and appear more prestigious than what Starbucks can offer?
Soon after getting to town, I found the perfect place where I could work and meet with people at London’s hottest club. I mean, this place has everything: Masterminds, Connectors, Dogs, a Party Dungeon, a Zen Meditation/Yoga room, a miniature library, a bank vault that no one has the code for, a coffee shop run by a local guy and an anonymous 3rd party code-named “Joe…”
It’s no wonder there are so many ways to describe it…
During my first tour around Innovation Works, I instantly saw my workspace away from home, better than any coffee shop, and a variety of rooms ideal for private client meetings, mastermind groups, and all the workshops I had plans for.
It didn’t take long before I signed on and got settled in, and I made use of the building as much as I could. Since joining I’ve hosted 5 live workshops, each ranging from 4 hours to 2 days, I’ve held around 15 events for the entrepreneurs networking group I created, and I don’t even know how many private meetings I’ve had there, or how many hours I’ve spent working away at the flex desks or in the commons. And taking advantage of their partnership with 121 Studios next door, I used high-quality audio equipment in a sound proof room to record 2 online courses, and several hypnosis tracks.
And that’s not even the best part…
I haven’t yet told you about the true power of this place – Connecting people. Even for an introvert like me, getting to know the other co-tenants was so effortless. They have a unique culture of engagement and animation, demonstrated in the weekly Salad Club, and monthly Wine Down events, where everyone brings some food or drink to share and hang out together. And along with these and other organized events, offering many ways of meeting and collaborating, is this universal attitude of genuine interest in each other. I quickly went from stranger/spectator to being a member of the family.
The community brought new opportunities for me. I was one of the speakers at Pecha Kucha vol2 in April. In May I got my own booth at the “150 Years of Social Innovation” event. And so many incredible connections from the consultants’ meetings, the welcome desk, even from just sitting at the flex desk – A great conversation, an insightful idea, a new venture can pop up anywhere in the space.
Now, almost a year later, I’m sad to be leaving. It’s truly been a joy to come in and work alongside so many familiar faces, to have a part in bringing others into the community, and to witness the unstoppable power a legion of individuals such as these have in impacting the world.
I’ll be back to visit!
This post is part of a series on my experiences in London Ontario. Click Here to see the rest.
