coworking presentation, vermont legislator's luncheon
DESCRIPTION
On Tuesday, November 13 the Central Vermont Community Economic Development Corporation, the Vermont Game Developers Alliance, and Local 64 hosted a digital economy luncheon with members of the Vermont legislature. This is the presentation I used to organize my thoughts around the potential of coworking in Vermont. The headline: foster creative clusters and "density" in Vermont towns and cities.TRANSCRIPT
Coworking in Vermont
What’s the Big Idea?
Coworking is an answer to the question,How can we help entrepreneurs and creativesconnect, grow their ventures, and fosterstartup communities?
Open CollaborativeIndependent
Coworkers are
78 percent under 40
percent bike or walk30
percent in web design, development44
self-employed4:5
percent report increased income36
* http://www.deskmag.com/en/coworker-profile-usa-coworking-175
Begun in 1997
Coworking
8 startup rank in the country
percent working in creative cluster4.5
percent of workforce self-employed26
average percentage less a Vermont designer earns18
percent annual growth of creative cluster 5
Is Vermont ripe?
Creative cluster
39 median age of members
average weekly presence, in hours20
percent working in creative cluster53
self-employed4:5
average monthly spending downtown$135
* Local 64 member survey, September 2012
Begun in June 2012
37 number of monthly members
Local 64
Benefits for coworkers• Establish presence, increase productivity• Break isolation, foster networks• Increase density, generate ideas and value
Benefits for towns• Foster creative density, clusters• Renovate, activate empty space• Generate downtown activity
”Coworking has revitalized my one-woman business. Ifeel more productive and far less isolated. It's given mea work community--something that, as a freelancer, isnot naturally built in to my life.
* Local 64 member survey, November 2012
“
Work
Social networking
Professional development
Educational workshops
Community programming
Moving forward• Write coworking insight and technical
assistance roadmap with VCET• Expand value, partnerships with spaces like
Office Squared (O2) Burlington• Explore second location in Barre• Foster joint projects to build momentum, like
Barre Business Plan Competition
Legislative leadership opportunities• Spokesperson for the model• Seek out, participate in networks• Connect the dots in communities• Listen for policy recommendations
