Since we started HeadRoom in September 2014 we have had the pleasure to meet and get to know so many wonderful people and businesses. We have learned a lot since then and have a lot to learn yet but one thing we know is that we absolutely love owning and managing our collaborative co-working ecosystem! Our job is help people grow their business. Simple as that. We do this by providing them with space to run their business, a collaborative environment to access subject matter expertise and referrals and finally assistance with creating a medium term plan to drive them to their ultimate goal or vision.
From a Pros perspective, first and foremost is the opportunity to work with amazing people; people who are prepared to share their greatest triumphs and greatest fears; people who are open to new ideas and always ready to give back more than they receive. That is the power of co-working and the energy that drives HeadRoom forward.
Having more than 60 businesses in our space means that we get the chance to learn about so many different business endeavors. We have multiple start-ups in the fields of food, auto, pharma, publishing, web apps and social media to name a few and then many service providers including CPAs, attorneys, web designers, insurance brokers, PR consultants and so on. All of these businesses are on a journey and in many cases we get to come along for the ride! How good is that!
On a practical level if we at HeadRoom need to get anything done we just need to look at our client list (by the way we call the people who use our space Residents) and find the appropriate skill set or subject matter expertise. Last count was we where using 7 of our Residents to address specific business needs in our company. This of course is a resource open to all our Residents and the true engine of our ecosystem; the access to expertise, resources, knowledge and of very importantly – referrals. Then there’s the opportunity to get to know about the latest gizmo or trend or just an easier or more cost effective way to get something done. Hey have you seen this app? Did you know this platform integrates with Quickbooks? Have you heard of Infusionsoft? What do you use to manage your contacts? These are the kind of quick conversations you won’t be having in your home office anytime too soon!
On the Con side we occasionally meet people who want to use our space for free and can’t understand when we explain that we have to charge them for it. We need to make money too, just like any other business. Then there’s the person with the pc from 1996 who can’t understand why they can’t connect wirelessly with the overhead projector. But they love their PC!
There is a certain amount of worry about being open 24/7 in terms of making sure things are always working but we have done a pretty good job of automating as much as possible and applying technology to solve problems.
Overall though the Pro’s outweigh the cons to such an extent that we hardly even notice them. Having the opportunity to work in such a vibrant and collaborative environment is one of the great experiences of our lives!
Learn more about our coworking spaces in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA, in Media and Wayne, PA.