Missing that Human Touch? Start Coworking at Jelly!
Saturday, November 3rd, 2007
As a newly minted entrepreneur, working from home and without a partner (for now), one of the things I have started to contend with is a lack of social interaction. While working for a large company I was very used to having lots of group discussions, meeting new people (networking), going out to lunch, etc. These are essential activities at any relatively large organization, since keeping communication flowing and maintaining understanding is the only way to effectively harness the collective work effort of many people. Failure to maintain coordination will generally lead to the common phenomena of working hard, pulling in different directions, and getting nowhere.
On the other hand, the challenge is a different one when working alone for extended periods, as freelancers, consultants, telecommuters, and solo entrepreneurs often do. As social beings, one of the main ways we grow and thrive is through interaction. Like it or not, we need the mental and emotional stimulus that comes from working with others. Good working relationships can help us stay out of the intellectual and emotional ruts that can sometimes kill creativity and productivity. Of course, the inverse corollary applies as well, making the choice of cofounders/coworkers in an early stage venture like mine critical.
The new bi-weekly solution to this lack of social interaction (or perhaps even just a stale office environment) is Jelly. Jelly is just a semi-organized gathering of people who want to work in a different more social environment… a lot like working at a coffee shop and actually meeting all the interesting people working around you. I attended the very first Austin Jelly yesterday, and can say that while productivity took a bit of a temporary dive, morale definitely improved, and I met a great bunch of interesting people… many of whom could become future business relationships or even friends.
So, if you are experiencing a bit of social interaction drought at work, come join us at the next Austin Jelly on November 15th.