1. OurSpace FAQ Sheet
What is coworking? cultivated and newer stronger businesses are
Coworking is a movement to create collaborative born. This culture of growth can generate
workspaces for those individuals who work additional tax revenue and economic value for
outside the traditional office. This emerging this host city.
pattern allows talented individuals to share with
others, complete separate projects completed, Who will be my coworkers?
and obtain necessary feedback. Thus, coworking Independent, creative individuals and business-
is more than a workspace, it is a community savvy folks who wish to get projects completed.
They are artists, consultants, accountants ,
Why Coworking? lawyers, technologists, writers, educators and
When independents form a “collective mass,” others.
they utilize shared social, business and
technological resources and have the ability to Do I need to be an “independent
transform an entire area, whether a neighborhood
worker” to be a member?
or a city. Bacigalupo and Dickert (Bacigalupo,
No! You can be a remote employee of a Fortune
T. and Dicket, S. NewWorkCity, August 2008)
500 company, a governmental agency or a
state coworking spaces assist their local
nonprofit entity.
communities in three general ways:
Providing a space for free-flow of technical What is included in membership?
and creative expertise OurSpace membership will include:
● A strong dose of Whuffie met with
Coworking spaces have a culture of share and
support. This provides for a rapid creativity and collaboration;
● Desk and tables to work from, either
transference of difficult-to-learn knowledge in
the areas of technology and creativity. on a day-to-day or permanent basis;
● Conference room for internal/external
Providing a support infrastructure for new meetings and presentations;
entrepreneurs and others ● Hi-Speed internet connection with
The trials and tribulations of starting up or available wi-fi;
running a knowledge-based business is often ● Free local facsimiles;
a common thread for a community of ● Physical mailing address.
knowledge of workers. By providing people
a way to speak to their fellow entrepreneur, Can I start my new startup company
coworking spaces help make it easier for there?
people to get their businesses off the ground. Absolutely! Members are encouraged to be
entrepreneurial OurSpace, and are encouraged to
Providing long-term economic value without
create new work opportunities for Fort Wayne.
government investment
However, OurSpace is not designed to grow the
Coworking leverages the existing openness of next Google, so if your project gets too big, we’ll
modern entrepreneurs. Members are not be happy to hook you up with the Northeast
simply customers; they are active in Indiana Innovation Center, or other business
maintaining and growing the community. development and incubation organizations.
When many of these talented individuals are
put together in the same room, new ideas are

2. Can a membership be shared among Can I drop in and distribute my
more than one person? information to members?
No. Memberships are not transferable from No. This is a workspace, where people go to get
person to person. Discounted memberships are things done. It's a not a networking function. In
available to companies, organizations and addition, recruitment for MLM businesses is
families who purchase multiple memberships. strictly prohibited.
Will there coffee? Where can I park my vehicle?
Yes. There will be plenty of it. In addition, Currently parking is not included in the price of
members will be allowed to bring their own membership, although it is an issue that is currently
beverages and store them in a refrigerator. in exploration. There is meter parking in the City
of Fort Wayne-owned lot at the southeast corner of
Can I have a desk all my own? Wayne Street and Barr Street, in addition to off-
OurSpace does provide desks for those members street spaces on Wayne Street and Barr Street.
that purchase Workaholic Jo/Joe and Regular Monthly parking arrangements can be made
Jo/Joe memberships. Individuals with Flexible through Denison parking.
Flyer, Weekender, Moonlighter and General
What type of opportunities will there
memberships will be able to work in an open-
be there to foster community?
format space which allows you to actively
collaborate with one another. Workshops
Events focused on shared knowledge
Can I have a business phone line? whether technological advancements,
Currently separate business phone lines are not business development or personal well-
available, thus members are encouraged to use being.
their own cell phones, or use the private Networking
broadband service to set up ad hoc VOIP systems Formal and informal events that
as they wish (ex: GoogleVoice and Skype). For encourages relationships between solo
members that need to make confidential phone proprietors and business professionals,
calls, a private phone area will be available on a including bankers, development
first-come-first-serve basis. professionals, technologist and angel
investors.
Can I play music?
Yes. However, members are to be respectful of
each other, so bring your headphones. What a cool idea! I want more
information:
Blog: www.ourspacefortwayne.wordpress.com.
E-Mail: ourspacefortwayne@gmail.com
Twitter: twitter.com/ourspaceftwayne