FREE WEBINAR: Why Co-working's Good for Business?

Join us free, from the comfort of your desk, to find out more about co-working and why it's good for your personal and business development, particularly if you work at home or in a small team.


The Mussel Club is kindly hosting Space on Tap's first 'Net Meeting' for 15/20 minutes at 10 am on Friday 10th June.

CLICK HERE to find out more or to book your free place

Free space ... in the Cloud

Co-workers getting down to business
in our Tyneside Cinema pop up office

Another great co-working day was had at the Tyneside Cinema on 10th May, with co-workers enjoying an inspiring office for the day as well as a free heritage tour around this amazing art deco building.  

Jeremy Scally, LittleBigFish

Our SpoT Chat after lunch, led by co-worker Jeremy Scally from BigLittleFish, centred around Cloud Computing, helping co-workers to understand what it is, and for the group to share their experiences ...

There was a really broad spectrum of knowledge in the group of 12 co-workers, from literally none at all (and really willing to learn from scratch!) to professional expertise (but still managing to up some tips during the chat!). Everyone agreed they'd learnt something during the session so a big tick for everyone involved :)

FREE CLOUD APPLICATIONS
Co-workers shared their tips on free Cloud applications that they were already using and that they were happy to recommend - here's a quick list - we obviously can't endorse any of them formally, but we're looking forward to trying some of them out!

DROPBOX - Free File Sharing/Storing - great for sharing photos and large documents, but also if you need somewhere to store documents/emails etc for you to access remotely

FLICKR - Photo storage and sharing

JING - Allows you to take a picture or make a short video of what you see on your computer monitor (both free and paid for versions available)

MAILCHIMP - Email newsletters to up to 2,000 subscribers and track results with free version

SLIDESHARE - Provides online access to powerpoint presentations, documents and videos 

SKYPE SCREEN SHARING - Allows you to share your desktop screen with whoever you're talking to on 

SURVEYMONKEY - Online survey tool - free version is very useable and recommended by many, although most of the reporting and features come in the paid for version

VIMEO - An alternative to YouTube for sharing videos

If you have any questions or comments about any of these Cloud products, feel free to post them here and we'll ask Jeremy from BigLittleFish and others to respond.  

IF YOU KNOW OF OTHER USEFUL FREE CLOUD PRODUCTS PLEASE POST DETAILS IN THE COMMENTS TOO ;)

Video Blog - Why co-working's good for business, Dona Skaife

VIEW THIS SHORT VIDEO BLOG by Dona Skaife, WBS Accountants, who explains why Colleagues on Tap co-working days are good for her and her business.

If you'd like to join Space on Tap at a future Colleagues on Tap co-working day CLICK HERE to check out future events.
If you're interested in hosting your own co-working day, get in touch help@spaceontap.com

Feature on homeworking and co-working on Radio Teesdale

Listen to this short Radio Teesdale feature on homeworking and co-working including interviews with Jayne Graham, Space on Tap, Ruxana Mahdi of Barter Angels and Gary Hosey, one of our co-workers at The Morritt Arms, Greta Bridge in March.

http://spaceontap.com/assets/files/Radio_Teesdale_on_Colleagues_on_Tap_24-3-11.mp3

Networks recommended by our co-workers at the Quadrus Centre Boldon

A successful Colleagues on Tap co-working day at the Quadrus Centre in Boldon, South Tyneside, last week provided us another opportunity to chat about networks we're collectively involved in, and that have borne fruit by way of new contacts.

We promised to share the group's recommendations, as follows:

MUSSEL CLUB: http://www.themusselclub.com/  The Mussel Club has formed groups across the region, meeting in local restaurants.  Format includes a key note speaker and networking before and during dinner.  Its new website includes the ability to connect with other members plus a net meeting facility so members can hold their own webinars free of charge.

WOMEN-ONLY

NEWCASTLE BUSINESS MUMS: http://newcastlebusinessmums.co.uk/  Tends to meet every couple of months during the evening around the Newcastle area.  Again features speakers on a whole range of business issues. Very relaxed and informal - a great introduction to networking for business mums who're a bit out of practice!

MUMS BUSINESS CLUB NORTH EAST: http://mumsbusinessclub.com/ Daytime meetings in various locations across the region.  Children are welcome, making this a great way to combine childcare with business networking for women who find it difficult to attend traditional networking events.

NETWORKING ANGELS: lorraine@networknorth.org.uk Another women-only event that meets weekly at 9.30 am every Friday on a rotational basis around the region, including Morpeth, Newcastle, Durham and Darlington.  Speed networking format provides a great opportunity to meet several new contacts during the session.  

OTHERS OF NOTE:

Chamber of Commerce: http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/

Network North: http://www.networknorth.org.uk/

Please comment below to add your own thoughts to this list - the more the merrier!

Sharing networking tips ... coffee and cakes in the garden!

Colleagues on Tap 'SpoT chat' on networking

Well The Morritt did not disappoint.  Another successful Colleagues on Tap co-working day was had yesterday in sunny Greta Bridge, thanks to the wonderful surroundings, the impeccable service and an interesting (if eclectic!) group of co-workers.
Here's a run-down ...  Joining the SpoT team for the day were:

• an electrical and energy consultant keen to help businesses to save and make money from energy; 
• a leadership and behavioural coach who works internationally; 
• a practitioner who uses the arts to promote health & wellbeing and develop professional skills such as creativity, innovation and enterprise; 
• an IT Consultant who creates IT strategies for forward thinking companies; an economic development consultant who's currently working on a project for the United Arab Emirates; 
• a recruitment specialist who works with a global distance learning organisation; 
• an established consultant who 'researches and realises' a whole range of projects in culture, economic development and higher education across the North East; 
• an IT solutions provider who specialises in working with small and home based businesses; and 
• a recruitment consultant who focuses on whatever really matters to her customers across the recruitment process, from support with planning recruitment through to helping people think about how they present themselves through their CVs.

Pop up office in The Morritt's Garden Room

The diversity of the group did nothing but add to the interesting discussions throughout the day.  Although plenty of work was churned out on laptops, the group had plenty of opportunity to share experiences and provide support to each other on topics such as networking and favourite networks around the region, the topic of our SpoT chat, held in The Morritt's beautiful sunny garden.

Co-working in Teesdale

We're so looking forward to taking in the wonderful surroundings of The Morritt in Greta Bridge at our co-working day planned for this Thursday 24th, and if this great Spring weather keeps up hopefully we'll get to enjoy something of the Teesdale countryside over lunch!

The event's a sell-out, and we now have a waiting list, so we're excited about the prospect of doing more events at the Moritt and other great venues around the area in the future.

Radio Teesdale have also expressed an interest in what we're up to, and will be interviewing Jayne Graham who founded Colleagues on Tap co-working days, together with some of our co-workers on the day, for their
Business Programme being aired on 31st March.  Through the interview we'll hopefully be able to connect with a few more homeworkers across Teesdale, and talk about our next co-working event in the area which will take place at NeST in Barnard Castle on 8th June.

For details of other co-working events across the North East region, including in South Tyneside on 5th April, CLICK HERE 

How many co-working spaces does the world need? (article)

"The traditional model of startups leasing their own office, buying their own copy-machines, hiring receptionists, office managers, cleaning services, etc., may best serve those companies which have validated their business models, closed a large funding round, and are flush with cash. For all others, we can expect the market to meet the demand for this new style of [co-]working, with a variety of options that appeal to all types of entrepreneurs ..."


Short article by Entrepreneur Corner that demonstrates the extent to which co-working has become embedded in the US, and that sets out the various types of co-working spaces that already exist - we've found examples of most in the UK too, although little in the North East it has to be said ... for now ... 


CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE 

"The Promise of the Cloud Workplace", Strategy & Business

At Roam Atlanta: services, support, and social interaction. Photograph courtesy of Roam Atlanta

"Freelancers are turning to “co-working” environments for better workplace interaction. Companies could use them to boost productivity".

Interesting journal post From Strategy & Business (free online registration required) 

Reasons to co-work - it's not 'all' about the cakes, is it?!

Co-working space at Newcastle Business Village

The venue for our first co-working day back in June 2010, we revisited Newcastle Business Village on Thursday 17th Feb for Round 2.  The place has changed a bit since we were there last: the workspace is now open and bright, and the Village team were as welcoming and helpful as ever.

Newcastle Business Village's
home made chocolate brownies

We filled the space with co-workers by around 10 am, and all set to work using the fast WiFi connection that served us brilliantly all day.  Morning was interrupted only by the Centre Manager, Helen Reed's, home made chocolate brownies (yes really!) which went down a treat (and for some more than others - no names mentioned ...).

After lunch our SpoT chat took a slightly different format to usual, with a useful discussion around the table about  current projects, as well as sharing challenges and queries relating to homeworking.  The range of business activities around the table was diverse to say the last, ranging from a study into solid waste management in Europe through to the sale of Cloud-based accounting solutions.  The collaboration amongst the group, however, reaffirmed the fact that businesses don't need to be operating in the same sector to be able to connect.  The commonality was in the home base from which the companies operate and I suppose the sharing of cupcakes after lunch - other than one co-worker who chose to photograph her cupcake to illustrate to co-weight watchers what she hadn't eaten that day :).

'Those' Space on Tap cupcakes :)

When asked whether they managed to get as much work done as they would have done at home, the responses were mixed, mainly falling between 'the same' and 'more' which is great.  One co-worker said he'd achieved slightly less work than he would have done at home, but qualified that with "It depends on whether you consider networking (which was certainly useful) to be work". Well we do!

For a calendar of co-working days planned for March, April and May 2011 CLICK HERE

Quick co-working poll

WHAT'S THE PRIORITY WHEN CO-WORKING - THE PEOPLE OR THE PLACE? 

Make your selection in our quick poll.

Why people don't co-work (yet)

According to a recent report from Deskmag, the 2010 Global Co-working Survey attracted a surprising number of responses from people interested in the concept, but who have not yet given it a try. 


Of these non-coworkers, 65% said they were seriously interested, 29% were slightly interested, and the remainder were non-committal.  Read more ...
Is there a co-working space near you? If there was, would you use it?

Co-working's about the people as well as the place

The concept of Co-working is now pretty much entrenced in the US freelancing culture, with strong co-working communities having formed around places, events and, as importantly, people, and has proven its worth in providing camaraderie, mutual support and hard business benefits.  

Places

The UK has followed suit, with some great examples of established co-working spaces from Brigton to Edinburgh (and probably beyond), with many co-working communities having formed around the creative and digital sectors where the niche nature of much of the freelancing activity lends itself well to collaboration. 

People

It has been increasingly recognised, though, that successful co-working space is as much about the community as it is about the place (or 'hub').  So as well as the emergence of spaces that provide a structure that accommodates collaborative working, co-working has also been recognised as an opportunity to form a community or network beyond the space.  In fact to the extent that for example when a co-working space closed in the US quite recently the co-workers confirmed en masse that this would not impact upon their ability to co-work - they would literally just uproot and take their community somewhere else - even to the local cafe, as the bonds had already formed.

Creating the community

This said, the community needs a space in which to form, beyond virtual networking. As a hybrid of the US model, 'Jelly' co-working days were introduced into the South West a year or so ago to provide such opportunities, and last June Space on Tap introduced Colleagues on Tap into the North East, formerly virgin territory as far as co-working goes.  

Colleagues on Tap co-working days provide the opportunity for a group of people to form around a pop-up office which is created for the day.  With  now 7 (shortly to be 8!) co-working days firmly under our belts we have a proven formula that provides a plaform for freelancers and homeworkers to enjoy a day at the office surrounded by temporary colleagues, and through this new collaborations have formed.  A nucleus community already exists, with some co-workers having attended several events and forming bonds with likeminded co-workers which now extend beyond the events.  

WHAT'S YOUR PRIORITY WHEN CO-WORKING - THE PEOPLE OR THE PLACE - PLEASE VOTE IN OUR QUICK POLL 

How to be a better co-worker

"Co-working has become a big trend in the tech and startups space - an office full of people working on different things, who have no official ties to one another.  Because of this, it can be hard to get the behavioural balance right ..."  READ MORE 

Join our LinkedIn Group

Colleagues on Tap has formed a new group on LinkedIn - Colleagues on Tap.  Through the group we plan to keep in touch with people who have co-worked with us, and those who plan to co-work with us in the future, provide a forum for co-workers to continue to keep in touch after events, and also chat about all things co-working and Colleagues on Tap.
Join us!

Share ideas with colleagues through co-working

Pop-up office at Newcastle City Library

Another successful Colleagues on Tap co-working day took place at Newcastle City Library on 19th Jan.  Our first since the Christmas break (and snowy December!) we had a small but perfectly formed group of 7 co-workers (2 were unable to attend on the day through illness and are coming along to our next planned event instead).

Our pop up office was located on the 6th (top) floor of the library, with fabulous views across the city on what turned out to be a bright, sunny day.  The library staff were highly accommodating with our arrangements, and lunch in the Stewart & Co cafe was tasty.

Co-worker Angela Dawson

As well as the usual 'office banter' and chatting over lunch, we also had the opportunity to exchange ideas as a group on the subject of outsourcing, helped along brilliantly by Angela Dawson, a Virtual Assistant who runs two businesses in the North East including her virtual PA service, Dawson VA Services. 

As well as helping us to understand the mysteries of the VA and how to manage a virtual assistant effectively, the SpoT chat also allowed the group to think more generally about which aspects of their business could be effectively outsourced.  As small business owners we tend to do everything ourselves, struggling on regardless, but Angela helped us to realise that in reality this could actually be working against us (false economy?).  By passing on the management of IT, marketing, finance, admin, whatever, to someone who's dedicated to that activity day in day out, you can then more readily focus on the areas you're great at, and do more of it, rather than getting bogged down in things that not only absorb time but also make you feel pretty rubbish too!

Thought provoking stuff and an interesting discussion from which a whole range of perspectives emerged. Some of the group currently outsource quite readily, others were the beneficiaries of outsourcing decisions (marketing, IT, admin), and one co-worker's thoughts on when to outsource was directly related to their pain threshold, rather than business logic - we've all been there!

The real benefit in co-working occasionally with other small business owners is the opportunity to share thoughts on a whole range of business issues in a way that's pretty difficult to do when you work alone.  Business discussions tend to relate to your customer's business, rather than your own, and it's much more natural for these exchanges to occur during the course of a working 'day at the office' than on a planned basis. Co-working works for businesses who just need to consider options, share ideas and gain knowledge in an informal way, as they would with colleagues in a larger business, and of course a change of scene is great for everybody!

North East co-working calendar Feb to May 2011

Find out more about Colleagues on Tap co-working days here


Download a co-working calendar here or click on each venue below for more info


Thursday 17^th February 2011

Newcastle Business Village, Benton, NORTH TYNESIDE

Tuesday 8^th March 2011

Shepherds Dene, Ridings Mill NORTHUMBERLAND

Thursday 24^th March 2011

The Morritt, Greta Bridge, TEESDALE, NR DARLINGTON

Tuesday 5^th April 2011

Quadrus Centre, Boldon        SOUTH TYNESIDE

Tuesday 10^th May 2011

Tyneside Cinema, NEWCASTLE CITY CENTRE

  

REGISTER FREE FOR ADVANCE NOTICE OF FUTURE DATES at www.spaceontap.com/register

Let's talk about co-working

A real interest in co-working has started to develop in the North East.
Space on Tap's Colleagues on Tap co-working days have proven to be a popular addition to traditional networking activity, providing the opportunity for people who usually work from home, or in a small team, to work alongside new colleagues for the day in 'pop-up' offices set up in a whole host of locations across the region.  It has to be said that the Northern part of the region has seen greater take-up so far, although we have now started to receive some interest from business people in the Tees Valley and Durham areas too, and our Spring 2011 programme spans the region from Ridings Mill in Northumberland to Stokesley in Tees Valley/North Yorks.  More details here.

So, let's talk about co-working.  If you want to know more about co-working just ask in the comments section below or email us at enquiries@spaceontap.com

We'd also love to gather your COMMENTS / IDEAS / THOUGHTS about co-working.  Here are a few questions to start you off:

- What's most important in co-working - the space or the people?


- What are the 3 features a co-working space would need to have to make you want to go there?


- What would you prefer, a 'co-working event' or a 'co-working space'?


- Would you be interested in joining a co-working network?


- What's better for personal and/or business development - co-working or networking?


- Is co-working for people who work alone, or could larger organisations benefit from it too?

Thanks for contributing :)
Jayne

FACT: Co-working is good for business

FACT:  Co-working is good for business. 

Through Space on Tap's co-working days (Colleagues on Tap) which are held regularly across the North East of England, we help people who work from home, or that usually work alone, to connect with other home-based businesses.  Even during the course of one day it's amazing how quickly a mutually supportive co-working community starts to exist.

Co-workers at a Colleagues on Tap coworking day

We've witnessed new associations being formed between quite diverse businesses, business deals being struck and informal mentoring and coaching starting to emerge.  Through the exchange of ideas and knowledge and some real camaraderie (and, in our case we also add delicious cupcakes into the mix!) business people develop themselves and their businesses through co-working in a pop-up office for the day.

Working alone is great, most of the time, but we all need people around us sometimes to stimulate fresh thinking and help us to remember how capable we are!

Those cupcakes ...

Book your place at a Colleagues on Tap co-working day today.  We have events planned in Darlington/South Durham, Newcastle, Stokesley, North Tyneside and Northumberland, so there really is something for everyone!

CLICK HERE for more details, or for the 'insider view' get in touch with Jayne or Joanne at enquiries@spaceontap.com

For more views on how co-working's good for business check out this post from the Global Co-working Blog

Homeworkers can kick-start 2011 with colleagues on tap co-working days

There's no doubt that homeworking really comes into its own during the Winter months!  Like most, the Space on Tap team hasn't ventured out much, preferring to stay cosy in our home offices and taking advantage of technology to keep in touch with each other and our customers and suppliers.
But now the Festive season's just about over and the snow's just about melted we're really looking forward to getting  back to 'business as usual'.  We're planning new developments for 2011, and are looking forward to bouncing around ideas within the team over the next few weeks.
When you work for yourself, or from home, you can really miss those casual off-the-cuff chats with colleagues that can spark new ideas or help you to think through the way forward.   This is exactly why we introduced Colleagues on Tap.  In a 'pop-up office' that we create for a day we bring together a bunch of people to co-work for the day. With an option to 'do your own thing' while you benefit from a change of scene, or take advantage of chats with new colleagues in a friendly and informal atmosphere, everyone gains something from Colleagues on Tap.
Why not kick-start 2011 by experiencing co-working at a Colleagues on Tap day?  On 12th January we'll be at the wonderful Morritt Hotel just South of Durham (log fires and wonderful food are likely to be on the menu!) and on 19th January you can join us in Newcastle City Centre at the City Library.
CLICK HERE to find out more about Colleagues on Tap or to book your place or email us at enquiries@spaceontap.com for more info.
Happy New Year!
Jayne

Introducing some of our Colleagues on Tap co-workers

Space on Tap's Colleagues on Tap Co-workers
at Cobalt BX Nov 2010
Source: News Guardian

Pictured Left to Right:
Jeremy Scally (Little Big Fish)
Joanne Turnbull (Space on Tap)
Sharon McKee (SEM Communications)
Angela Dawson (Dawson VA Services)
Mike Bell (Mutual Inspiration)
Dona Skaife (WBS Accountants)
Jayne Graham (Space on Tap)
Vicki Stone (Vicki Stone Marketing)
Darren Glanville (Xero)
Tracy Suddick (Tracy Suddick Business Consultant).

Not pictured: Emma Hardie (Experience North Country)

More perfect places and co-working for homeworkers: December 2010 e-newsletter

Hello from Space on Tap and welcome to our last newsletter of 2010 ...  http://bit.ly/SpoTnewsDec10

Camaraderie, clouds (& yet more cupcakes!)

What a great day we had yesterday at another Colleagues on Tap co-working day. 

Space on Tap's 'Pop up office' in Cobalt BX auditorium

Most of the 11 co-workers arrived 'at the office' at the Cobalt Business Exchange between 8 and 10.30 am, and with laptops out, heads were soon down and our colleagues set to their tasks for the day.  The clatter of keyboards and chat from the occasional phone call combined nicely with office banter across the 'pop-up office' - a welcome change for homeworkers who usually work alone.


The morning raced away, helped along by plenty of coffee, and after a quick photo call with the North Tyneside Guardian we collected in The Cobalt's on-site Cafe Meo for a snack and the opportunity to meet some new faces.  What a great group of people, all amazing business people either running their businesses from home or, in one case, a homeworker who works for a global IT solutions company.  The mix was eclectic to say the least!  For those who like lists, our colleagues for the day included:   an accountant, a marketing expert, a wellbeing coach, a business development manager, a web retailer of local experiences, a personal development coach, a management consultant, a virtual PA, an IT adviser ... plus Joanne (Space on Tap ops manager and Colleagues on Tap organiser extraordinaire) and me (space promoter and, in another life, strategic adviser).


Amid the diversity of our companies we had a lot in common.  First, and most obviously, we normally work from home, and all welcomed the opportunity to step into an office environment for a change (we don't want to work in an office every day, you understand, but just now and again's great for a change of scene).  But it goes beyond that.  We all have something to give, in the form of information, knowledge or advice, and  everyone involved willingly offered something to their temporary colleagues during the course of the day.  Advice on WordPress, Cloud Computing (what is it, and how can we take advantage?), contacts for training grants, suggestions on guest blogging, exchange of website links to improve SEO, suggestions for future Colleagues on Tap co-working days, customer leads, diary dates to meet again, and loads of positive input and encouragement.  


The day exuded true camaraderie: giving, without any expectation of something in return.


The SpoT chat 'on the sofas' after lunch (helped along by homemade cupcakes a la Space on Tap) has become a regular feature of our co-working days, and this time provided a great opportunity for an informal exchange of knowledge about how to store and access files, data and software without being tied to your PC or laptop.  The conversation started on ways to collaborate online and share files and data through using tools like DropBox and Microsoft Groove, and evolved to a discussion about Cloud Computing which switched on a few lightbulbs and got us all thinking about new opportunities enabled by powerful software that's now available 'in the cloud' for only £5 or £6 a month. The conclusion after an hour was that there was a lot more to learn but the fog had started to lift - and the lists of 'must do' had become that little bit longer!


Co-workers started to drift off to do school-runs and the like from mid-afternoon, and the pop-up office closed just before 5.  A great day of camaraderie and clouds, confirmed through great feedback from co-workers via Twitter:


**
@BigLittleFish Would like to say thanks to @SpaceonTap for arranging yesterday and hello to @dawsonVAservs@ExpNorthCountry @VickiStonebiz@wbs_accountants
**
@tmsuddick @SpaceonTap Thank you ladies for such another awesome co-workers day! Lovely to catch-up with colleagues, meet new ones and share ideas :-)
**
@DawsonVAServs @SpaceonTap @ExpNorthCountry@BigLittleFish @VickiStonebiz@tmsuddick @wbs_accountants@mike_bell @dazglanville@AbsolutelyGrn thx 4 fab day
**
@AbsolutelyGrn @wbs_accountants @dazglanville@VickiStonebiz @dawsonVAservs@SpaceonTap lovely to meet you all there - great idea, fab day
**
@VickiStonebiz Newcastle Business Mums @SpaceonTapGood day today @ Cobalt, despite problems with car this morning!
**
@ExpNorthCountry @SpaceOnTap co-workers day going GREAT! Lovely to have lunch with a nice group of fellow biz people & share ideas around cloud computing!
**
@YourITA @SpaceonTap Sorry for missed your co-working day yesterday! Must be another good chance meeting new people and work at the same time! :)
**
@ExpNorthCountry @SpaceonTap thanks again - LOVED it! @dawsonVAservs @BigLittleFish@VickiStonebiz @tmsuddick@wbs_accountants @mike_bell@dazglanville

The pop-up office & co-working with Space on Tap

The pop up culture is taking hold.  We're transforming all types of spaces for temporary use across the globe, and the North East region is no exception.  Art galleries become shops, community centres transform into restaurants and unused buildings become artists' collectives.
Read our article 'Pop-up culture stimulates innovation' 

The pop-up office and co-working with Space on Tap


Space on Tap's Colleagues on Tap network is now transforming some of the region's spaces into pop-up offices to provide the perfect place for homeworkers, and people who normally work alone or in small teams, to work together for the day.  


Co-working is a new innovation in networking and takes various forms.  Co-working hubs have been springing up around the country providing permanent bases for freelancers, particularly in the digital and creative sectors, to work alongside each other, although their businesses operate independently.  Useful, value-added collaborations have emerged, as well as the obvious - new contacts and informal business mentors.  


Hubs have also taken a more fluid form as occasional workspace, available whenever you need it, sometimes involving a membership programme which provides a minimum number of desk days in a given period.  NeST in Barnard Castle is a great example of this in action, where artists and digital creatives across the Teesdale area are starting to congregate in the cafe and workspace areas, resulting in new collaborations within and through NeST. 

Our 'before' space at the North East BIC in Sunderland

Then there's Colleagues on Tap, a co-working initiative introduced into the North East by Space on Tap, essentially setting up a pop-up office for the day in a range of spaces, to form a venue for co-working on an occasional basis.  


So far we've majored on business centres, including the Keel Suite at the North East Business & Innovation Centre that was  transformed  from a meeting space to a workspace over night.

Pop-up office ideal for Colleagues on Tap co-working

The pop up office is designed to provide a level of privacy for co-workers while they settle into their day, but also to encourage interaction as people find their feet.  We make sure there are ample electricity points, refreshments and wifi - all you need to bring is your laptop, if you'll be using one on the day.

A morning working session is usually followed by lunch in an alternative space, stimulating new conversations and connections, and this is built on further through our SpoT chat sessions after lunch, where one of our co-workers in attendance offers to facilitate a discussion on a topic of mutual interest to the group - Twitter, facebook, networking, home working and so on.

Colleagues on Tap is now branching out beyond Business Centres to demonstrate the versatility of some of the region's other great spaces.  The next few months will see us set up office at The Morritt, a beautiful 17th Century country house hotel that started its life as a coaching house (full wifi access is also guaranteed!), Newcastle City Library which is a modern space with fabulous views of the city centre from its upper floors, and The Workplace, a vocational learning centre in Newton Aycliffe literally 2 minutes from the A1.

CLICK HERE to find out more about Space on Tap's co-working events, or to book your space to join us at work for a day in the future.

Space on Tap innovates a new form of netWORKing

Well it's official.  Space on Tap has innovated a new form of networking for homeworkers in the North East.  

We've had the traditional networking events (love 'em or hate 'em), the FlipChart Roadshows (level playing field, low pressure sell & buy) and online social networking (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn - easy, convenient, powerful).  Now for something different?

Space on Tap's Colleagues on Tap days combine the best features of all of the above, to create a powerful vehicle for homeworkers (and anyone else who cares to come along!) to exchange ideas, build relationships, meet new customers and suppliers, and (pretty important for homeworkers) get a change of scene.  And the best bit?  It's all achieved in a day's work!    

VIEW VIDEO - WHY CO-WORK WITH SPACE ON TAP

Colleagues on Tap Wednesday (mid-week to avoid the usual slump!) have a pretty simple format.  A Cohort of Co-workers (12 is the optimum) arrive at a planned location for their working day.  Laptops out, coffee made, they set to their 'to do list'.  Over lunch, or coffee, they meet their colleagues for the day, and during a post-lunch 'Spot Chat' they share thoughts and ideas about a business topic of mutual interest, supported by someone with a professional interest in the topic (we don't like the term 'expert'!).  So far topics have ranged from Twitter and Social Media generally to how to network effectively from home.  Future SpoT Chat plans include home office ergonomics, how to clarify the value of your business, and no doubt more Facebook and Twitter.  

Beyond that the day takes its natural course: chats on the sofas, private meetings to talk business, and more work.  

The outcome?  Solid relationships, new customers and suppliers and a renewed energy to get back to the home office the following day.  And we're all about added value too.  We love working with people who care as much as we do about doing business in a fun way.  In our most recent co-working day our friendly IT suppliers, ITA, who specialise in providing support to small and home based business, provided a free laptop clinic for our co-workers. Needless to say it went down a storm and annoying bugs, unwanted pop-ups and out of date anti-virus software are now a thing of the past!  Yay!  Oh, and on added value, there's also the cupcakes ...

Interested in netWORKing while you work?  Book a place at our next event (book early - our last event sold out 2 weeks before it took place!)