Last year, Capsity had over 10 interns during the Summer. This year we decided to be a little more focused and the primary interns were with one of the new companies in the office: Asobuyo. Meet Susan and Ronado! We asked them to write a little bit about their experience working with Asobuyo and the coworking environment.
Susan:
Before beginning my internship at Asobuyo I felt nervous about starting my first job, not knowing if I was going to be working with rude co-workers, and I thought I was going to feel alienated from the rest. I was concerned that I wasn’t going to be able to do the tasks correctly and I would turn out disappointing my supervisors. The first day I did feel a little isolated from the rest, as if I didn’t belong, but in a matter of just one day I felt a lot more comfortable with my co-workers and my working environment. They are very kind, outgoing, and dedicated individuals. They helped me feel welcome. The environment is great. It isn’t your usual “office space” it is more like a “spot” where I can focus to get the job done without feeling so uptight like a typical office.
Throughout my internship here I have taken a lot of skills with me and have also learned more about the marketing business. I got a better understanding about how social media works, how essential it is to communicate with others, and how to adapt to a working environment. I met some interesting individuals and Asobuyo, most importantly, reminded me that having play in my life makes my living style a lot more fun. That is why I thank Asobuyo and ARI for giving me this opportunity and unforgettable experience!
Ronado:
My first thought when I learned that I would be working at Asobuyo was “what is it exactly that this business does?” All that I had known before hand was that they want to “build communities through play”. I wasn’t sure what that meant at the time but I was really eager to learn more. Now that I have been working here and attending the events that they have put on I have learned that Asobuyo’s aim in basic terms is that they want to promote more fun into people’s lives. They believe that life just shouldn’t always be about serious things but to have fun once in a while.
I like this idea because I know a lot of people when they’re older then to put their focus on things that have priority over things such as; socializing or spending time with those that we care about. I don’t necessarily think that being serious most of the time is a bad thing but if it makes us feel miserable then maybe we should try and change some things within our own lives. That is why I think having fun in our lives will make the things we focus on that much easier. I know the people who are a part of the Asobuyo team take their jobs seriously but still manage to have fun in the process. The way they want to promote having fun is the “Go Buyo Night” social events.
Not only does it give people the opportunity to have fun but to also have an opportunity to socialize, something we don’t always get the chance to do when we’re only focused on work, school, or whatever have you. From my internship I have learned how to make my life more fun. It has definitely taught me to take some time out for myself to enjoy life and to not take things so seriously, I would definitely recommend this internship to somebody just for the simple fact that the focus isn’t just about getting the work done but to also have fun as well. I will always remember what I took away from this experience from Asobuyo because it doesn’t matter how focused you are on something because if there is no fun in it then what is the point of doing it.
Capsity Offices, like any business, has had to go through it’s own ups and downs. You do a 90 Day plan and then find out you have to make an adjustment for which some times they are minor changes and some times they are major. And as such we’ve been taking the last few months to rethink our model and the community we’re building in relation to the challenging economic times as well as the entrepreneurial opportunities.
So what are we waiting for and how come we haven’t revealed what we’re working on? Isn’t the best part about a Roller Coaster ride the anticipation? Here’s a little peek at what’s to come:
New team members
New buildings and locations
New community members
More strategic alliances
New services targeted at small businesses and independent professionals
Updated Packages/pricing with more amenities
Updated calendaring system
Videos
In the mean time, we’ve added a little button on the bottom right corner where you can chat live with us when we’re online. Feel free to drop in, give us a call, or email us.
Yep, we’re still here! We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience with our rather lite presence in the last few months. Rest assured our Entrepreneurial Fueling Stations will soon be coming out of their cocoon period. The New Year has brought us a lot of new faces, new projects, and new opportunities, and as they say, change is good! We’ve taken in a lot of feedback from our internal community members as well as external insight.
If you’d like to know what the community’s been up to, here’s a brief list of what’s been going on:
1.) We have many new coworkers for which a section on this website is being created to showcase the awesome community of people that we have the opportunity to work in and around.
2.) We’ve been exploring more of our own neighborhood. Luigi’s Pizza and Jalepeno’s sure are getting a lot of business.
3.) Testing out new workshops and Meet-ups. We’ve already started playing Game Nights on Mondays. Where else could a person have to pay $25 million for a city called Diamond Hills?
4.) We have 6 interns working for various companies in our Coworking space. Prepare for Intern Wars!
5.) Key areas of our Midtown Coworking space are being streamlined and organized. It’s like treasure hunting in our own office!
6.) We’ve designed new pricing that we’re excited to provide to everyone new and existing. Stay tuned as we’ll be updating the Benefits section.
7.) Capsity Parks has moved completely to the 2nd floor at our 2nd location and we’re working on the interior design. Also check out changes at Pangaea Café and the other new businesses joining us at the Parks!
8.) And finally, don’t forget to put in your Calenders our Open Coworking Fridays: February 26th! Food, Games, and Serious Play.
And there’s much more for us to unveil! In the mean time, our Sacramento Midtown Coworking space is available for enrollment (sorry folks, no Full Times offices available at the moment as we have a waiting list now) or let us keep you informed through our Newsletter. And…and…please do drop by as we’re doing a Food Drive for the River City Food Bank (thanks to City Life Church for bringing in the bin) until Easter.
What can we do as small business owners and entrepreneurs when we have to run our businesses, plan our businesses, live our personal lives, and all the while stay healthy? Everyday we challenge ourselves mentally, physically, spiritually, and of course financially. Yet at the end of the day, if we get sick, it’s essentially game over. See an article from the WSJ that addresses this issue of business owners getting sick and not being able to afford healthcare. One particular group in Sacramento is not going to let that happen without at least trying to fight and that’s the Coworking Entrepreneurs of Sacramento.
Sac-Coworking has been working hard to find solutions for Sacramento Coworking offices such as Capsity Offices and The Urban Hive. They’re looking at how we provide affordable health services and products to the coworking community at large. So they’ve given us the opportunity to work with them in the 1st steps towards finding those solutions.
Come and visit us at Capsity Offices at The Parks. We have plenty of goodies for you:
- Coffee and food from Pangeae Coffee Shop
- Massages (yes that’s right), provided by 3rd Avenue Atelier between the hours of 10 and 12.
- Ice cream coupons,
- Gym coupons,
- etc.
It will also be a Free Coworking Day at Capsity Offices for you to enjoy the facilities as you wait for your shot to be administered. On Free Coworking you can come find a desk space and jump onto the WiFi.
Sacramento will join hundreds of partners from across the globe to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week 2.0, Nov. 16-22, 2009. The goal of the week, founded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, is to inspire young people everywhere to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity. More than 75 countries are carrying the banner, including Australia, Brazil, China, France, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa and the United States.
Locally, Global Entrepreneurship Week highlights the resources available to and success stories of green, women-owned, high-tech, agriculture, service, live music and art business. Last year, Sacramento GEW activities attracted more than 700 people to seven unique events. This year, the event platinum sponsor is Entrepreneurs’ Organization-Sacramento. Learn more at http://sacgew.com or on twitter at http://twitter.com/sacgew
About Global Entrepre neurshi p Week / USA
Global Entrepreneurship Week 2008 involved an estimated up to five million young people in thousands of events across 77 countries with the specific aim of developing enterprising ideas to tackle both international challenges, such as poverty and climate change, and more specific problems in local communities. Global Entrepreneurship Week / USA is: sponsored nationally by the Kauffman Foundation and the Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence; founded globally by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Make Your Mark campaign; sponsored globally by NYSE Euronext, IBM and Ernst & Young; and, supported by JA Worldwide, Endeavor, Entrepreneurs’ Organization, DECA, YPO-WPO, and National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Learn more at www.unleashingideas.org.
Here is the schedule that is planned for this year’s GEW:
Being a Sole Proprietor and creating an At home business has a lot of perks. You save money on rent, you can work in your pj’s, you have easy access to food, you’re in a comfortable setting, you can set your hours, and you don’t have to worry about moving files from office to home. And now with today’s mobile technology it allows business people to work even more efficiently from home. The benefits of working at home are wonderful. But isn’t there still the lingering feeling of something missing?
The goal of this article is not to analyze At Home Businesses but more so to discover the symbiotic relationship that an At Home Office and a Coworking Space in Sacramento can do for someone that is currently working from home or is thinking about starting a business in this down economy.
I think the balance of working at home and a shared office space in Sacramento is found through:
1.) Finding the right boundaries for your work schedule
2.) Being aware of the non-tangible costs of having all of your work at your home
3.) Finding a community that understands what it means to run a business
4.) Leveraging the business concierge from a network of people that you trust
Finding the right Boundaries
When I’m at home in the evenings, if I have access to a Laptop or my iPhone I’m checking email or getting documents filed. I realized that having too easy of access to my work enabled me to work, but I found I wasn’t enjoying my surroundings at home. Staycations just weren’t the same. The physical boundary was critical in establishing the line between what I would do at home and what I would do for professional work. The door to the den just wasn’t cutting it as a boundary. So by creating a physical boundary of not bringing work home I was able to clear my head in the evenings and feel better about my business quality of life.
Awareness of Non-Tangible Costs of working at home
I think there are some costs that we don’t consider when we start our At Home Businesses, some of which include: cost of isolation, cost of distractions, cost of a non professional place to meet
The cost of isolation can sometimes lead to inspiration blocks or solution blocks. As businesses our whole end goal is to be solution oriented with our services and products, so a block means no business.
The cost of distractions is mainly a cost on your time. For every distraction in a day it takes 15 to 20 minutes to refocus. If you work an 8 hour day with at least 6 distractions, and a couple breaks, your day can be spent trying to refocus rather than actually accomplishing anything.
The cost of a meeting space can be crucial depending on who you’re meeting with. Casual acquaintance meetings can work with a coffee shop or even the dining table, but for a professional meeting for a big contract it’s best to have another option.
Finding a supportive community
There was one quote from a friend of ours that said as she was leaving Capsity Offices one day, “You’re lucky that you have a business partner for you to bounce ideas and work with you through the day.” I immediately thought to myself that’s one of the main purposes of the Coworking space: to provide a community for sole proprietors and micro business owners in which they can share ideas and best practices. Business partners can be established without a contract. I think most of us as micro business owners understand that we rely on more than just ourselves to grow our companies. I cherish the fact that I can chat with an attorney, web designer, and a holistic behavioral therapist at different times of the day to get feedback and ideas on different parts of my business. The diversity that comes with a Coworking space in Sacramento is great for getting multiple perspectives.
Leverage the business network around you
Coworking in Sacramento leverages social networking to its fullest by having a community that simply likes working together. In what other space could a video production company knock on another person’s door and ask them if they want to be in a commercial or where the spouse of a business owner can come in and get help with the fax machine? Or to simply get the word out for a charitable event.
Coworking in Sacramento has given me a flexible place to which I can use as an extension of my Home Office or sometimes I see it as my main “Home” office. I could go to a coffee shop but I think there’s a general rule that you don’t inquire with people at a coffee shop what they do for their business. I’m thankful that we have the opportunity to work in an office setting such as Capsity Offices. It’s the people here that make this shared office space possible and make me appreciate the meaning of Home.
Our business model and culture has always been to be a hybrid of ideas and to avoid leaving ourselves and the community we’re a part of in a pigeon hole. But when it comes to describing our services, people are always confused when we say, “Entrepreneurial Fueling Station.” Sounds cool, but what the heck does it mean?
Here are a couple of the points that describe an Entrepreneurial Fueling Station:
1.) Low cost business services such as copy, fax, print, mail handling, telephones, etc.
2.) Motivated interdependent community members, usually business oriented
3.) Collaboratively independent work stations and shared office space
4.) Comfortable and professional meeting spaces for both business and social settings
5.) Physically and Virtually interactive learning environment with fun and creative challenges
6.) Supportive environment for getting things done and learning new techniques
7.) Energized atmosphere for making the work day enjoyable
But even those points aren’t descriptive enough to delineate our concept. So then the next method is to point out what we’re similar to:
1.) Executive Suites and Office Business Centers
2.) Coworking Communities
3.) Commercial Real Estate
4.) Business Incubator
It’s a wonderful thing when people can work on independent projects in a community setting. I think there comes a point in an office setting when you just want to close the door so you can focus. At the same time, you don’t want to be in a dungeon. I suppose it’s all about finding balance for your work day.
I think the most important thing is the flexibility that comes with being in an environment that is both open and allows for privacy. While the environment should provide all of the typical business amenities; it should include as much concierge type services as possible to accommodate the needs of each community member.
The communities that we’re a part are expansive and we’re very fortunate that we can participate and provide services to more than just a 1 or 2 communities. From small business associations, start-ups, colleges, and community based organizations we’ve found some wonderful people to work with and call colleagues. We’re looking forwarding to meeting more groups, more associations, and seeing Sacramento grow!
As I was skimming through Seth Godin’s blog post “Lessons from very tiny businesses” I immediately thought of coworking for the small business. On the very first paragraph he speaks about going to where your customers are. Coworking simplifies this for the small or tiny busineses. Depending on the coworking space you will sometimes find a space with self-employed, freelancers, entrepreneurs or employees of a corporation. So, as a small business you most likely will be doind B2B operations. In this case to me coworking = treasure.
Capsity’s 1st Virtual Office opened August 8, 2008. Our initial goal was to provide low cost business services and office space to the small business community in Sacramento. What grew from hours of fortuitous meetings, a plethora of supportive colleagues, and some deep personal soul searching was an Entrepreneurial Fueling Station (What is it you ask? Keep reading dear readers). We’ve celebrated our 1 year anniversary we week ago so we thought it would be fun to do a brief Stages of Evolution and an Acknowledgement Section for Capsity Offices:
Here’s a quick breakdown of our evolution and the people we must acknowledge for those steps:
Stage 2: Virtual Offices and Entrepreneurial Center, thanks to a meeting with Ernesto Delgado.
Stage 3: Virtual Offices and Coworking, thanks to Joe Hruban telling us about Sandbox Suites in San Francisco
Stage 4: Entrepreneurial Fueling Station thanks to a 2 hour brainstorming session with Brian Fischer
Stage 5: Capsity Offices gets a Brand and a Logo thanks to Jake Favour. See the Flame!
Stage 6: Capsity Offices expands to Curtis Park thanks to Pangaea Café!
What we’ve found over the last year with our community of Coworkers and Cohabitants is that the Coworking model has no “original” form. It has existed as multiple forms before it was deemed “coworking”. It’s an ever changing model that allows for growth and evolution because that’s what its community demands of it, so it’s bound to change.
For our First Location, we focused on entrepreneurs, micro businesses, sole proprietors, non-profit organizations, and at home businesses. Through participating in things like My Sister’s House Run for a Safe Haven, Sacramento Global Entrepreneurship week, Sac Bar Camp, U-Can Food Drive, Midtowngrid.com, The Asian Chamber, and many other associations, we found that Sacramento is an amazing place for start-up ideas, collaboration, and community building.
Capsity’s 2nd Entrepreneurial Fueling Station will also include Coworking in Sacramento, but also putting more emphasis on Arts, Technology, and Community building. We’re excited to be in The Parks: located between Curtis Park, William Land Park, Tahoe Park, and Oak Park. The potential for amazing community oriented events and social networking is unlimited.
Lastly we’d like to acknowledge all the people listed below for putting some sort of foot print in our development stages, and we apologize if we missed anyone:
Hi. My name is Meng Vue. I am currently working as an intern at Capsity. Before walking into the Capsity building I didn’t know what to expect. I pictured myself working in a cubical doing paper work, but when I walked into Capsity it was not what I expected.
At first glance when I came into Capsity for an interview I felt comfortable. Somewhere I can settle in and feel at ease. The employees were also very generous. For example, when I walked into Capsity I was invited to have a seat and asked if I wanted any water to drink. This impressed me. Along with the generous employees the environment made me feel like I can relax. The way the furniture was placed made it comfortable and it feels like a lively atmosphere. This lead me to conclude that Capsity would be a great place for me to work and network with new people.
The first week as a Spark at Capsity started on Monday July 6, 2009. It was a great experience! How? Well to start, I had a meeting when I first walked in for the first day. This meeting wasn’t just any other meeting. It was more like a “get to know your coworker” meeting and see what you would want to do for the weeks of being an intern at Capsity. The first assignment was to get familiar with Capsity and the community along with meeting all the coworkers in the building. The first day was getting familiar with Capsity and the coworkers and to be able to get a chance to see my role as a Spark.
Before beginning my internship at Asobuyo I felt nervous about starting my first job, not knowing if I was going to be working with rude co-workers, and I thought I was going to feel alienated from the rest. I was concerned that I wasn’t going to be able to do the tasks correctly and I would turn out disappointing my supervisors. The first day I did feel a little isolated from the rest, as if I didn’t belong, but in a matter of just one day I felt a lot more comfortable with my co-workers and my working environment. They are very kind, outgoing, and dedicated individuals. They helped me feel welcome. The environment is great. It isn’t your usual “office space” it is more like a “spot” where I can focus to get the job done without feeling so uptight like a typical office.
My first thought when I learned that I would be working at Asobuyo was “what is it exactly that this business does?” All that I had known before hand was that they want to “build communities through play”. I wasn’t sure what that meant at the time but I was really eager to learn more. Now that I have been working here and attending the events that they have put on I have learned that Asobuyo’s aim in basic terms is that they want to promote more fun into people’s lives. They believe that life just shouldn’t always be about serious things but to have fun once in a while.