Nice sign

Don't know why the sign looks cool in black and white, especially as it a rather nifty red and white! The letters are taken from 'works' signs across the city. Each of us has a mug with our initial on, with same style too ... and business cards follow it as well.

YOU GET A FREE MUG IF YOU JOIN US! Come and have a free trial day anytime ...

Mmmm tastes good ...

Exciting food news expected soon in the Spaceworks neighbourhood ... we'll keep you posted!

We're planning some events in the Autumn too ...

Keeping cool

This dog had it sussed this weekend. if you look closely it has a carpet to ensure optimum comfort. Can't help feeling it could do with an accessible drink too.

Spaceworks is nice and cool and if you fell a bit heated then someone is sure to offer to pop out for some ice lollies when the sun is shining. The courtyard has shade too and you can sit out there and eat your lunch or make a call or just loll about or admire our new sign!

Come and have a Fab/99/Magnum with us soon ...

new mugs ... new mugs!

Last week our most recent mug order arrived - the excitement. As you can see above they are new and improved with our lovely red and white logo underneath the initial taken from our collection of 'works' signs around the city.

On the back you say how you take your coffee and tea and then whoever is sharing on that day, yoou can make them a drink ... sadly there was not a space for biscuit preference, although 'any' would do for me.

The space is really working well now and the shared desk/quiet zone combination works well for all, but we'd like to expand soon and get some space.

It does seem to be a good recession business model and its nice to provide a base for people who are growing out of bedrooms!

Follow out musings and hear what we are thinking about @spaceworkssheff

Re-inventing the wheel

Spaceworks overlooks a courtyard which is quite a sun trap once the clocks have changed. It also has some funny bits and bobs hanging around like these millstones. Apparently they were just hanging around and may have been in use when Little Mesters hired space in the local works.

The millstones could be quite a feature in the newly re-vamped courtyard that we are hoping to have later this year. One of our sharers is an architect and he is drafting some sketches which we will put on the blog soon. They are intended to kick start a debate about what people in the surrounding buildings would like in the courtyard. More posts on this soon.

Some new bike storage would be great ... which reminds me that our next Spaceworks bike ride is on Friday 21st at 9.30 from Bragazzis on Abbeydale Road. Arrive early and look at a Cycling Weekly (they have a subscription).

More about us ... Spaceworks in Sheffield!

Be part of our friendly business community for people who are mostly work – or run their businesses - from home in Sheffield.

What are the benefits of joining?

1. Info and invitations to events at Spaceworks such as:

• Grow Your Business seminars
• In the Loop evening discussions
• Last Friday lunches
• Coffee and cake Tuesdays
• Social cycle rides

2. Use of members’ workspace to work, hold meetings or host your events. Workspace packages range from pay by the hour, to 24/7 access and include:

· Easy in, easy out terms

· 24/7 access – use it when you need it

· Printing and copying facilities

· Wi-fi and hard wired internet access

· Shared Kitchen

· Use of a business address

· Secure locker for storage

· Regular free taster days for members – try it out for a day for free

3. Sharing space (or co-working) is good for you and good for your business!

· Research shows networking can really benefit your business. Meet up with like-minded folks in the Spaceworks Community … you might be surprised what valuable know-how a bit of bartering of your skills could bring you and your business.

· Tired of making your own tea all the time? Share those drink making duties around sometimes!

Interested? Give us a ring or email us, have a look at our blog, follow us on twitter or drop in and see us. We’d love to hear from you.

Sophy sophy@spaceworkssheffield.co.uk 07967 144230

Alastair alastair@spaceworkssheffield.co.uk

@spaceworkssheff

Spacetowork.blogspot.com

Spaceworks, Harland Works, John St, Sheffield S2 4QU 0114 275 5571

spacewor kssheffield.co.uk

@spaceworkssheff

Spacetowork.blogspot.com

Spaceworks, Harland Works, John St, Sheffield S2 4QU 0114 275 5571

Wireless, Twitter, chalkboards etc

Its the 21st century and convicts are to get the vote, women have had it a while and not too sure about 'lunatics'.

Spaceworks, being your obvious '21st century local space to work option' (not our new strapline that one) has a nice speedy wireless internet connection and we, blog and we Tweet (@spaceworkssheff).

The wireless is so essential that it almost feels like we don't need to mention it when people ask us what Spaceworks is all about. Yes, we do have printer, kitchen, lockers too.

The blog and Twitter help us keep in touch with the sort of people who would enjoy being part of shared workspace. Looking at the #sheffield on Twitter demonstrates that there are lots of self-employed/freelance/entrepeneur type of people creatively working away around the city, living by their wits. Some of the tweets indicate that some bedroom based workers are getting important social contact through it too!

We still like our blackboard and magnetic wall (behind which is the quiet zone). Stuck to one of them now is the menu for our Spaceworks Christmas dinner ... feel free to come and have a look, we have space to work available now and spaces around the dinner table too. You don't have to wear a paper party hat.

Egg and chips ...

Having Cafe Euro right next door to Sapceworks is a bit dangerous. Full intentions of a baked potato with salad crumbled at the counter as one of their signature egg and chips came past as we queued.

You can get to Spaceworks through Cafe Euro or through the adjoining grey gate (once you've got the code) ... a bacon sarnie can be appealing too, especially with their pre-10am deal.

Get in the zone at Spaceworks

There are a few different places you can sit down to work at Spaceworks. There is the big big table in the centre of the room where you pick a spot and then crack on ... perhaps offering to make coffee/tea before you settle down.

You could sit on one of the armchairs by the window, perhaps for more reflective work.

You could go on a sofa to read that document you've been meaning to read for a while and check the small print.

Or you could go into the zone. Behind our curvy steel divider is a quieter area you can go if you must get that thing written and you must not be distracted. Its cosy and if you are in there then people know you are in the zone, or trying to be.

There is the phone box too if you have a few phone calls too ...

If you want to find out more and come and try a new kind of shared workspace email us: info@spaceworkssheffield.co.uk or call Sophy on 07967144230

Cuts, enterprise and biscuits ...

The impact of the cuts to public spending is a concern in a city like Sheffield, with many public sector jobs and private and third sector suppliers of the public bodies. The government are hoping that public sector jobs will be made up for by growth in private sector jobs. We hope that happens too, but many people will respond to job loss by setting up their own enterprises.

Spaceworks offers an ideal environment for those sort of ventures to develop. Whatever business you are in the same issues come up and a quick tip here or there can make a big difference.

Don't sit in your bedroom with your laptop agonising. Come and have a coffee with us and find out what we have to offer ... bring some biscuits!

thanks for coming

Thanks to everyone who came to the party last night. We really enjoyed it and plan to repeat it in the coming months.

Tidying up was not too bad, we all mucked in and did it and resisted the temptation to refresh with leftover cask ale and crisps.

Although work talk was only a small part of the evening, there does appear to be some support for the idea of providing a next step for bedroom entrepeneurs who want to enjoy some of the benefits of sharing a workspace without the high costs of a whole office lease ... although sharing your workspace if you work in a bedroom does sound like it might offer some opportunities too.

Off to eat some small pieces of cake from the coffee morning ... cup of tea anyone?

21st century works and Little Mesters

We are not keen on the hot-desking term, communal workspace is not quite right either and it is not just shared office space ... perhaps, building on the Sheffield tradition it is a 21st Century Works and the small businesses that work here are modern day Little Mesters?

An often used description of how they worked is remarkably similar to how Spaceworks will work 'A little mester is a self-employed cutlery worker who rents space in a factory'.

While you ponder that the picture is part of a new poster that we are making that celebrates our 21st Century take on the traditional Sheffield Works.