What if, if we have the chance to collaborate on a bigger scale, on a far bigger scale than you might think. Collaboration usually adds value for two or more parties who plan to cooperate in one way or the other. That thinking is not holistically, it supports the collaborators but normally excludes a number of players within an industry or market and is most commonly meant to add competitive advantage to an exclusive group.
The coworking industry is a strange industry, it’s new and awesome and has this glossy shine where we all are friends and part of an amazing community and it is an industry where we have no competition. Yes. Really? It seems an appealing thought for many of us but the reality differs in many cases I came accros as coworking space owner myself. Collaboration is difficult, no one wants to put too much at stake, often the first question was (usually openly asked) “what is in for me?” or “what is our benefit?”. That made me think. One part where most of the coworking space owner or managers will agree is that the biggest competitor of the industry is homework. People nowadays have great internet at home and find it very appealing to fire up the coffeemaker and the computer at the same time and start working whilst sitting at the breakfast table, not bothering about wearing pyjamas.
That is one reason to collaborate — to grow the industry — by growing the market size and by getting more people to join coworking spaces. Bringing new people into the game has a positive impact for all players in the coworking universe, and on many levels. However, there is this competition over members and none of the spaces wants to send his members to another space. Every space wants to be the nicest, coolest or best suiting for certain people. That supports offerings of a great variety of services of different spaces for many different individuals.
Establishing a small (boutique) coworking space in the mountains of a ski resort in Bulgaria, I thought we differ in such a vast way that this would mean that we have no troubles collaborating with big established spaces in Sofia to help their members to enjoy a week skiing in the mountains as well as being able to work from a decent space at the same time. We at Coworking Bansko beliefe that having fun together and work hard in a great supporting and uplifting community is the key to success to a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. I was proven wrong. My experiences are rather of a sad story. Inspired and motivated by the lifestyle of many nomads and location independent people, I am convinced that we find a solution to benefit and collaborate on big scale.
Talking to members and friends I got to know details of blockchain technology and crypto currencies. One of our members struggled to exchange currencies and convinced a cafe to pay for his coffee in Bitcoin. Not only he installed a wallet on the managers smartphone but also payed his dues with digital currency in one go. I found this story so unique and the fact that both parties have been satisfied with that solution was striking something within me. The spark was magnified by a story I have read In the book “The Internet of Money” by Andreas Antonopoulos. He elaborates that we currently “live in a new world, a world in which currency is a choice, and not just a choice in terms of use… It’s also a means of expression.”. That got me thinking!
Thinking of coworking and collaboration, I beliefe that we could enrich the entire industry with a crypto currency, to uplift coworking, encourage people to join the global movement and bring benefits in ways we would not be able to deliver otherwise. I am not talking about replacing one currency with an alternative one, but I envision strategies and ways how to benefit all players of that game.
Having established a small group of interested people to work on that topic and having had the support of 20+ people in an unconference session at the CU Asia, I am convinced that this potential will not remain untaped for long time.
Pursuing towards blockchain technology and elaborating topics around #crypto currencies, we have decided to throw an event in the amazing town of #Bansko: Enjoying the nature, skiing and mountain fun, combined with a crypto centred unconference, surrounded by a great community of likeminded people, is the idea of this event. I want to invite you to take part and join our Mountain Crypto event where I will elaborate more the idea of a Coworking Crypto Currency and where a lot more crypto topics will be tackled. Check out the event page and sign up: http://www.mountaincrypto.com.
Enjoy your time, join a coworking community and learn how to live an amazing lifestyle, you’ll be surprised what new ideas bring and add new possibilities to your lifestyle. All the best, in appreciation, Uwe.
