21 Oct 5 Things We Learned at the 2015 Indiana Coworking Passport Summit
The second annual Indiana Coworking Passport Summit (ICPS) took place last week here at Launch Fishers. The ICPS serves to bring together teams from each of the 32 coworking spaces on the Indiana Coworking Passport for best practices exchanges and networking. The day was filled with speakers like Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann and Gerry Dick, but we also learned a lot from entrepreneurs like Matt Wyatt of Recovery Force. The day was full of insight that we can all learn from, despite our role in the coworking world. We highlight some of our favorite bits below.
Coworking breeds “healthy distractions”
Matt Wyatt spoke on the ways coworking has contributed to the success of his company, Recovery Force.
Matt talked about the way that conversation as a distraction in a standard work environment can be unhealthy for the business and be counter-productive. But conversation as a distraction in a coworking space can lead to new ideas and new connections.
“This type of environment lends itself to healthy discussion when it’s appropriate,” Matt said.
“We’re all smarter than any of us”
If we had given an award for “Best Quote of the Day” it would have gone to Jason Tennenhouse, co-founder of MatchBOX Coworking Studio. Jason led the best practices workshop along with Launch Fishers founder, John Wechsler.
“We’re all smarter than any of us,” Jason said to kick-off the best practices session.
And how right he is. The summit allowed the brains behind coworking spaces to collaborate on ways to improve services provided to members and, as a result, propel the entrepreneurial culture being created in Indiana.
John Wechsler and Jason Tennenhouse
Indiana is becoming home to more and more tech companies
Gerry Dick of Inside INdiana Business spoke to the attendees about the growth of tech companies in Indiana. The list was impressive! He rattled of the names of growing tech companies that were started here in Indiana as well as companies that have moved their headquarters to Indiana from San Francisco and companies expanding from New York City and Chicago to Indiana. If you questioned the growth of tech in our state before Gerry’s talk, there was no questioning it afterward.
The state and its support of entrepreneurship
Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann spoke on the state’s support of entrepreneurship and fielded questions from the audience. It was easy to sense her enthusiasm for small business. “If we’re going to have the success that this state can have, then efforts like this are needed,” she said.
BONUS: Check out the map of coworking spaces and incubators around the state on the ISBDC website here.
Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann
It’s “Coworking” not “Co-working”
Last, but certainly not least, we decided to put an end to the “coworking” vs. “co-working” debate. The group decided the word “coworking” should always be spelled without the hyphen. So take this as your official invitation to jump on the “coworking” bandwagon!
To learn more about the Indiana Coworking Passport, check out the website here.