Ask a hundred coworking operators what they sell and most will say community. Ask their members and a good number will describe a nice room with fast Wi-Fi.
The gap between those two answers is where the actual work lives.
Introductions beat events
A well-made introduction between two members who need each other is worth more than a month of programming. It takes knowing what people are working on, which takes actually talking to them.
We keep a simple record of what every member is trying to do this quarter, and we revisit it. Most of our best member-to-member work has come from that list rather than from an event.
Repetition creates familiarity
Community forms through low-stakes repeated contact, not big occasions. The Friday morning coffee cart does more for our floor than the annual party.
Curate the entry, not the exit
Every member is someone every other member has to work alongside. Spending twenty minutes on a tour understanding what someone needs — and occasionally saying that we are not the right fit — protects the room far better than any set of house rules.
Samuel OkonjoHead of Community
