Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the Indiana Coworking Passport (ICP) Summit, a two-day gathering of Indiana coworking spaces at Launch Fishers in Fishers, Indiana. Not only did I enjoy an evening away from home (hello mom life!), but I left the event energized and ready to move forward with offerings at the HUB 127.
Here are 3 key takeaways from the event.
#1 - Community and Industry Networking are Important and Lifegiving
During open discussion I learned that regardless of size or location, we face many of the same struggles and we are much better at solving them together.
We tackled the unique needs of remote workers, how to get members to attend events (or if events are even worth the effort), how to collaborate with local educational institutions, and -of course - funding.
Managing a coworking space can feel a little lonely...there aren’t a whole lot of us out there. But I now have a network of outreach and support and I’m so grateful. And I’d imagine that if this is true for me, it’s true for you in your industry as well.
#2 - Indiana is Ripe for Business
With incredible people like Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers and
Julie Heath, VP of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), at the helm, our state has a unique window of opportunity for entrepreneurship.
IEDC and the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) are working hard to remove barriers to entrepreneurship because they recognize both the economic and quality of life impact that small businesses make.
For example, one successful business start raises median household income and lowers unemployment rates, not to mention the impact of keeping dollars local and supporting other businesses.
With that in mind, IEDC and ISBDC provide services to both current and aspiring small business owners with the goal of providing the right resource at the right time.
#3 - Coworking Communities are an Invaluable Tool for Indiana Entrepreneurs
Considered entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs), coworking spaces can provide a home base of community and resources to help entrepreneurs thrive. Across the state, you’ll find coworking spaces meeting specific niches:
Bloomington’s The Mill, for example, specializes in early-state technology startups
the Elmer Buchta Technology Center in Petersburg provides maker space and prototyping
Vincennes’ Pantheon Theatre specializes in Ag Tech, supporting a key industry in Knox County
Matchbox Coworking Studio in Lafayette supports early-stage acceleration for small businesses and startups through their MBXax Acceleration Courses
(P.S. You have access to each of these incredible spaces with HUB 127 membership. Ask me how!)
Regardless of specialty, each coworking space in Indiana strives to provide a productive, creative, community work space for its members.
If you’d like to learn more about coworking or the Indiana Coworking Passport, stop by the HUB 127 today and let’s have a chat! And keep an eye on our blog and socials as the HUB 127 shifts and grows to resource Gibson County entrepreneurs.
We know you’re out there and we’re here to help!