Coworking: A New Way to Network!

Sampling of our attendees

UPDATE: Try Coworking for Yourself!  Join us on Tuesday, April 19th @ Cake and the Beanstalk!  Get all the details and register here.

Recently, Cheryl and I were asked to present to the International VA Association on the topic of Coworking for their Expert of the Month series. We ran a quick poll at the beginning of the presentation asking participants if they had ever participated in Coworking. Remarkably enough, 80% of the audience had not!

One week prior, we hosted our own #EECoworking event, and received all sorts of questions from participants, looking for a better understanding of the Coworking concept. “Was it a seminar?” they wondered, “What does it cost?”, “Why do you run these events for free- what is the benefit for you?”

Our response- quite simply “Because we believe in investing in our local entrepreneurial community.” It’s true, our events are free. We’re not selling anything or requiring anything in return. It takes a reasonable amount of our time to plan, coordinate, market and run the events each month. Our time during the event is mostly spent facilitating introductions between attendees, and we couldn’t be happier about it!

Coworking, at it’s core is about reciprocity- the giving and exchanging of information. It’s the most collaborative, encouraging, authentic type of networking that you can engage your business in.

Our events are structured in such a way that you can come and get a modest amount of work done, get your burning business questions answered, learn about a new tool that can streamline your business, make a new friend who could potentially become a JV partner or introduce you to a client, and most importantly- have a genuine, engaged conversation with other local entrepreneurs and share about your business. Our participants consistently say that they always leave our events with at least one great piece of information to help their business.

In comparison to other types of networking groups- we don’t require you to bring in a certain number of leads for the group, and our casual environment is worlds away from walking into a giant room filled with people you don’t know, and trying to explain what you do in an elevator speech. Just come over, grab some coffee, open up your laptop, get some work done and make some new friends who are doing all sorts of interesting things in their businesses!

We’d love to have you out to join us! And whether you’re here in Philly or around the country, here are some great coworking spaces you should definitely check out!

Conjunctured in Austin

In Good Company in NYC (ladies only!)

Indy Hall right here in Philly!

LooseCubes – find a space around the country!

Learn more about all of the coworking options available to you via our shared presentation below!

Finally! True B2B Event Comes to Philly on 10/18/10

The Philadelphia Business Expo

Connect with hundreds of small business owners, marketers, and professionals. Make new contacts, network and grow your business!

Finally, an event that is focused on true Business to Business alliances and connections.  Build, Sell, Grow (event coordinators) have gone above and beyond to ensure that this event is as selective as possible when selecting exhibitors.

As a special bonus to our readers, the Biz Expo team is offering substantial discounts for our small biz/entrepreneur friends looking to exhibit. Contact Troy Dennis @ troy@buildsellgrow.com or call him @ 1-800-455-9610 and just mention to him that you read it here to SAVE!

We are excited to participate as an exhibitor at this year’s event, so please stop by to visit our booth to say hello and to share about your business!  In addition to the great *FREE* networking opportunities, there is a great schedule of sessions for the afternoon:

Philadelphia Business Expo Schedule

2pm
YOU, INCORPORATED ………… Business Possibilities For You In America Today
by Communications Concepts

3pm
Your static website is dead; The rise of CMS.
by Brio Solutions

4pm
Determining If Your Business’ Website Is An ‘A’ or ‘F’ Marketing Tool
by Inverse Paradox

5pm
Aggressive Marketing that Works
by Build Sell Grow

Event Details:

Time: 1:30-6:30pm

Location:

Investing in Your Business– Plan a Retreat!

A few weeks back, Cheryl and I headed into Philly to spend some QT focusing on our business.  It was a time of discussions, brainstorming and strategy as well as implementation of several tasks that were on our seemingly endless laundry list of to-do items.  The core focus of our trip was to (1) spend time together to make sure we were  on the same page with the direction of the company and (2) devote a concentrated amount of time without interruptions to really focus on where we’ve been and where we’re going with Entourage.

This is the second “retreat” I have taken for my businesses.  The first, last year, in Atlantic City (alone!) I spent 3 days focused on compiling the masses of notes and ideas I have had along the way, determining where I was personally going with my work, mapping out goals for the next year and developing my focus towards how I was spending my time.  Both times have been an incredibly productive experience for me as a business owner.  Because we now tangibly see the value of the investment, Cheryl and I decided to share our story to encourage others to plan one, and to share pointers for a successful retreat.

Here’s what we recommend to ensure a successful investment of your time (and money!):

1- Pick a nice place. Go for swank, go for a place that inspires you!  Since you will be spending a majority of time in your room, you will want to feel motivated and comfortable.  Make sure the location has free wifi in your room, and select something that has a fridge so you can pack some snacks for yourself.  Also look for something that is convenient to other restaurants so you can quickly grab a bite or get some fresh air.

We stayed right in Rittenhouse Square in Philly, and took full advantage of the energy of the city and the amazing eateries all within walking distance.  Both times I stayed at boutique hotels for insanely low rates, so explore your options.  Shop around and try to be flexible with your dates to get the best pricing.  I have stayed at both of these hotels while on “retreat”  so they are the two I recc:

• The Chelsea Hotel in Atlantic City - (note- do not stay in the Annex!) Last Fall I got an amazing rate of under $50/night to stay there during the week!  It’s right on the Boardwalk and is not a casino!
• Hotel Palomar in Philly – a Kimpton property.  We loved this place and had not one complaint!  It was priced similar to other luxury hotels in Philly (under $200 for a Fri night).  Plus.. bonus.. animal print bathrobes!  Notice we did not include those pix!!

2- Go there with a plan! This is not meant to be a time of personal rejuvenation (ie sleeping all day!).  While you should focus on feeling relaxed and inspired, it’s important you have a clear set of goals in mind.  In the case of Cheryl and I, we developed a 2 page agenda listing all of the items we needed to discuss together, to do tasks, goal setting, etc.  While it was a lot of ground to cover in 2 days, it was so important that we both be on the same page with our plans- especially given the fact that we don’t see eachother on a regular basis.  Use this as you plan your trip and be sure to print out any collateral material you might need on-hand as you work through your list.

3- Capture all of your thoughts in a clear way. Given that this is not only an investment of your time, but a financial investment in the growth of your company, make sure you are results-focused and able to reference all of your thoughts once you get back.  What works best for you?  In my case, on my private retreat last year, I purchased some of that big white artist’s paper and a full set of Sharpie pens in diff colors.  I’m very visual, so it was helpful for me to capture my thoughts, goals and my overall vision for the future in a way that made sense to me.  I left with pages and pages of colorful notes! For Cheryl and I, we took rigorous notes throughout the 2 days (some neater than others, esp when Sangria was involved!!).

4-  Ask the hard questions and set overall goals for the business. What’s working in the business?  What’s not working?  What new personal/life changes have now come into play that may affect the business?  In our case, Cheryl had recently had a baby (Logan!) and I was implementing a new time management system with my preschooler.  Schedules and priorities are always in flux (esp as moms!), and in our case it was important to communicate that and set realistic goals and plan around it.  Being honest with yourself is the only way to set a clear, realistic path to success.  Be sure to spend time at the end of your retreat nailing down the overall goals that have developed out of your brainstorming time.  Capturing these goals is important as you make day-to-day decisions about the business, but also as you review it in the months to come.

5- After the retreat: Implementation! Now that you have taken notes in a way that makes sense to you, it will be easier for you to develop an action plan for all your new ideas.  Take all of your notes and put them into an action plan with specific to-do tasks for you (and your business partner).  We are even going so far as to enter date-related tasks into Basecamp as milestones assigned to each of us to confirm responsibilities we agreed upon.

Investing in your business is the best way to move it forward on every level.  Both Cheryl and I found this to be an amazingly effective use of our resources and time.  The two days were filled w quality time together, strategic thinking and yes.. amazing meals (thank you Steven Starr!)!!

As a business owner wearing so many hats each day, we each need to take the time to rejuvenate ourselves and the business to move it forward.  We both enjoyed this so much that we plan to do it again in a few months.  Next time, we plan to spend a greater amount of time being strategic about personal strengths and weaknesses, incorporating tools like Meyers Brigg and we want to really incorporate personal rejuvenation as well (ie spa time!).

It’s good to be a business owner!  Make sure you are taking steps to both enjoy and be strategic about your own growth!

Join us for Coworking Day on 9/17!

EE Coworking and Networking Days are here to stay in 2010!

We have been working from various wifi spots throughout the city this year, with great turnout at all of our events. Entrepreneurs, business owners, freelancers, and other independents looking to get out of the office and network have been coming together at these events to meet, work, eat, and share business cards. Check out some of our coworkers in our quickie vlog post: http://www.watchuslaunch.com/

This month we are heading to a classic Turkish cafe in Queen Village- Cafe Fulya.

If you are committed to evolving your business in 2010, coworking is for you. Entrepreneur’s Entourage’s Coworking events are a great way to get a change of scenery from your home or corporate office and hang in the presence of some of Philly’s brightest entreps. Our group brings together the open share of ideas and the strength of the entrepreneurial community here in Philadelphia across all industries. Our meetup days are informal and a great way to share your business, make connections, get some work done on your laptop, grab a bite to eat, and gain new perspectives.

“The collaboration, feeling of not being alone, and ability to get out of the house without being in a completely public place is why I am a part of these coworking and networking events”

- Gloria Bell, owner of Red Stapler Consulting

Read more

Networking and Coworking Days for 2010

2010 is off to a great start, with entrepreneurship on the rise and the strength of building a networking community being of utmost importance in our society.  As business owners and entrepreneurs, we are constantly forced to evolve our businesses to stay ahead of the curve  and remain competitive.

If you are committed to evolving your business in 2010, coworking is for you.  Coworking is a great way to get a change of scenery from your home or corporate office and hang in the presence of some of Philly’s brightest entreps.  Our group brings together the open share of ideas and the strengthening of the entrepreneurial community here in Philadelphia across all industries.  Our meetup days are informal and a great way to share your business concept, make connections, get some work done on your laptop, grab a bite to eat, and gain new perspectives.

EE Coworking and Networking Days are here to stay in 2010! We will be working from various wifi spots throughout the city once a month on the second Thursday of each month.  We’ve had a great turnout at all of our events.  Check out some of our coworkers in our quickie vlog post:  http://www.watchuslaunch.com/

Please join us for our next coworking day!

Date: Friday, April 30th, 2010 starting at 10am.

Come and go as you please, but we will be grabbing some food and doing business introductions at 1:00pm

Location: Chapter House Cafe
620 South 9th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Be sure to RSVP here.

Then please tweet that you will be attending, or just follow all of our participant tweets using #EECoworking.

Online Project Management Tool Comparison

At EE, we LOVE to manage projects!  It’s our bread and butter; and as consummate organized planners, we love to map out a project and watch it through to completion.  That said, there are a plethora of tools out there that you can effectively use to manage your team projects (or even just keep info all in one place!).

We use a great platform which both we and our clients love- Basecamp.  This is a fantastic tool that continues to meets our virtual project management needs.  In addition to Basecamp, there are several other leading PM tools out there that deserve consideration.

In many of my circles, we tend to go round and round about which has the best features and is priced right.  Below is a comprehensive review of the three current leaders for virtual professional teams; Basecamp, Central Desktop and SmartSheet.

Basecamp

4 Plans Available:

• $24/mo:  15 projects, 5 GB Storage, Unlimited Users
• $49/mo: 35 projects, 15 GB Storage, Unlimited Users, Time Tracking
• $99/ mo: 100 projects, 30 GB Storage, Unlimited Users, Time Tracking
• $149/mo: Unlimited projects, 75 GB Storage, Unlimited Users, Time Tracking

Note they have 1 FREE plan available- 1 project, Unlimited Users, no file sharing

FREE 30 day trial

General Details:

• Their focus is on communication tools, very straightforward, easy to use technology with video screenshot overviews for each function (very idiot-proof!).
• Basecamp works with a variety of iPhone apps, third-party invoicing and time tracking tools, graphic design review software, widgets, and more.
• Allows for customized domain, color and branding  and logo upload.
• Central dashboard that shows updates and overview of all current projects- ranked by time sensitivity.

Key Features:

To Do List option which can be set to replicate as needed, append to any open milestone and it allows you to assign a person and date to each open to do item.  Note these can be marked for private viewing.

Easy File Sharing sorting and uploading- note the size limits listed above

Message Boards- *Key Feature*- one of our faves!

Keep all project related communication within the project (in Basecamp).  When msg is send from this feature, recipient may respond through their email and it will track (no need to sign in to respond).  Files may be attached here, comments may be posted within the msg (anything to decrease email right!?).

Milestones- The general key targets for project completion.  Another great feature here- they can feed into your iCal/ Outlook!  Related to-dos can also append onto each milestone.  Basecamp focuses onthis feature which allows for fast shifting of deadlines across the calendar, great for tracking goals. For example, if we were to make a task (To-Do) of writing an article, we could attach it to the milestone.  If the milestone needed to change dates, we could change its date and move all future milestones the same number of days to reflect the change. Basecamp also allows users to configure the new milestones so that they do not fall on a weekend.

Time Tracking- Web based time tracking- team members can enter time related to each task or project.  Comes in handy for PMs, and it has a report function which can be exported.  NOTE- this feature is only available for your team- clients do not have access to this feature.

Writeboards- Another fave here!  Stash all your notes, logins, links and details related to projects here.  Space for comments and note that this can be marked private (so only your team can view!).

One of the best features of BC are their customer service forums which are easy to navigate.

PROS:

• Straightforward, easy to use PM tool
• Great support forums for FAQs
• Great pre-sale website with demos, videos and screen shots
• Customizable branding options
• Strong alliances for app build-out (iphone, etc.)
  

CONS:

• Does not offer any sort of project charts
• Chat feature only available as an add-on- $12-$99 per month
• Does not support high level project tracking like you would see with more $$ PM systems

Central Desktop

From their site: Central Desktop’s Social Technology Platform provides a complete SaaS solution for businesses to collaborate, manage projects and connect their people.

4 plans available:

• Team Plan Free; 2 workspaces, 5 members per workspace, 25MB storage
• Team Plan 1; $25/mo, 3 workspaces, 10 members per workspace, 500MB storage
• Team Plan 2; $49/mo, 10 workspaces, 15 members per workspace, 1GB storage
• Company Plan 3; $99/mo, 25 workspaces, 25+ workspaces, 5GB storage– note this is the only package that includes SSL encryption, custom domain and branding

PROS:

• Offers recurring task assignments
• Offers client and project workspaces as well as company intranets
• Automated work order requests
• Offers project charts
• Optional add-on of web meetings ($35/mo)
• Task creation through email, task prioritization
• Chat function included
• Private and public workspaces
• Lengthy feature list
• Create text and spreadsheet files inside their application (online docs)
• Unique urls available for tasks for quick access
• Positive reviews on their search feature
• Chat feature linked to help desk
• Salesforce add-on

CONS:

• Complex platform, learning curve, not-so-easy navigation
• Confusion surrounding workspace and project concepts

As a reviewer I found their website (what is supposed to entice me to purchase) to be very complicated and uninformative.  No screen shots or bullet points of features were given which makes it a hard sell.  Online reviews from users were mostly positive.  Unfortunately this is why I can’t give a detailed overview of the moving parts!  Central Desktop (in my opinion) has aligned their branding to target corporate clients.

Smartsheet

Unique online collaboration tool designed to “think outside the box” of project management.  It is based on a spreadsheet-like paradigm, but promises collaboration and project tracking.  From their site-  “Great solution for managing a variety of tasks, projects and processes. It has intelligent collaboration capabilities and powerful reporting housed within a familiar spreadsheet interface.”

Pricing: note their pricing is based on “Sheet Creators” and all pkgs have unlimited “Viewers.”

• Basic- $9.95/mo; 1 Sheet Creator; 10 Sheets; 3GB file storage
• Advanced- $29.95/mo; 1 Sheet Creator; 50 Sheets; 15GB file storage; Gantt Charts, Custom Branding, Reporting, Survey Forms
• Team- $49.95/mo; 3 Sheet Creators; 150 Sheets; 30GB file storage; Gantt Charts, Custom Branding, Reporting, Survey Forms, Premium Support Pack
• Team Plus- $79.95/mo; 10 Sheet Creators; 500 Sheets; 60GB file storage; Gantt Charts, Custom Branding, Reporting, Survey Forms, Premium Support Pack
• Enterprise- $149.95/mo; 25 Sheet Creators; 1000 Sheets; 100GB file storage; Gantt Charts, Custom Branding, Reporting, Survey Forms, Premium Support Pack

30 day free trial

Pros:

• Video tutorial overviews (before purchase!)
• Designed to work with Google Apps products and Jott
• Sales pipeline included- with alerts,  follow-up and email tracking
• Crowdsourcing-Smartsheet Smartsourcing- def check out their demo on this!  Smartsheet is the only collaboration tool that makes it possible to connect to an on-demand workforce.
• Goals and Objectives tracking
• Product Management- prioritize features, track enhancement requests and manage product launches.  R&D as well as customer feedback options
• Gantt chart views
• View and edit sheets and reports from your iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile or Android smartphone
• Built in calendar and reminders for projects
• Discussion/ comments can be added to any smartsheet

CONS:

• Not a traditional project mgmt tool – must love and appreciate spreadsheets to use this tool!
• Very powerful, but comes with a learning curve- especially since it is so different than other PM tools.  Take the time to educate yourself on all the features
• Newbie on the market, so you know they’ll be working out the kinks

The three choices above each offer their own unique pros and cons.  Consider all three options as you make your decision about which PM system to implement in your business!

Baby Amaya Contest!

• Review posts below (first come, first serve!)  One bet permitted per person.
• Enter your bet for baby’s delivery date (ETA 3/3/10!)
• Enter your bet for baby’s birth weight (typically this is 5.0- 9.0 lbs)- don’t forget to include the ounces!  Reference the latest pic of Cheryl to ensure accuracy! —> —>
  
• If you’d like, enter a quick wish for Cheryl, Avery and baby along with your post
• Post them as a comment below for a chance to win BIG!

We will announce both winners once the baby arrives, and you will have 6 months from delivery to cash in your 25% off prize on any of our packages!

Note- prize is transferable (makes a great gift!)

Do You Love What You Do?– If Not, Get Inspired by Coworking!

With Valentines Day just around the corner, we all have *l-o-v-e* on our minds.  Whether you’re busy planning your weekend away with that special someone, or planning a night out with friends; Valentine’s Day represents a special time of year where we can reflect on all the loves of our lives, and what better way to do that than attend an EE Coworking and Networking Day in Philadelphia!

Given our hectic work schedules and commitment to a work-life balance,  it’s hard to argue that our work which takes up at least 40 hours per week of our lives, is not a major part of who we are.  If you are one, sitting miserably in your cubicle right now, reading this blog post, watching the clock tick down to 5:00 (hey, we’ve all been there!), then this post is for you!

Do you love what you do? Does it wake you up in the morning and motivate you through the day?  Do you feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in your work?  Do you have a great idea, but does the fear of going out on your own and forging your own way seem out of reach?

I’m here (as proof) to tell you that it’s possible!  If that’s not enough, come out and witness other local entrepreneurial dynamos in action! Bring a laptop, or a notebook and come meet and interact with folks who are working their butts off to make their vision for their business a reality.  Come pick our brains, and share your ideas and hear war stories about how we’ve worked to turn a vision into a reality.

The next Philly Coworking and Networking Day will be held on Friday, February 12, 2010 at the TBar on 12th and Sansom.

Take the day off from your cube and commute and come cowork and network with some of Philly’s brightest entrepreneurs and small business owners.  There’s no dress code, and no rules; just a group of people spending a few hours of their day getting some work done, collaborating on their thoughts, having a good laugh and truly loving what they do.

Come join us on Friday and get inspired.. we’d L-O-V-E to see you!

Announcing: Coworking and Networking Days in Philly!

EE Live! We are excited to be a part of the GCECS Summit 2009!

Creative industry types from across the world are coming to the City of Brotherly Love for Innovation Philadelphia’s second Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit on October 5-6, 2009. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a graphic or web designer, business exec, or something in between, there is sure to be something for everyone with more than 100 speakers scheduled for this year’s event. With a variety of panels and workshops, and keynote speakers such as Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert and social media guru Peter Shankman, the Summit is bringing together the best of the best from an assortment of creative industries to network, exchange ideas, and share information. Check out www.GCECS2009.com to register and to see all the latest news about the Summit.

Emily and Cheryl will be giving three presentations, all focused around the topic of “Going Virtual!”
We are presenting on:

• 20 Ways to Take your Business Virtual
• Breaking the Cube: Alternative Workspace- for freelancers and those looking to source them
• Social Media for your Business

We would love to meet you in person and learn more about your creative industry!

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