Commonplace Community Coworking

Had a blast at Black Tech Saturday! Amazing energy! So much passion, wisdom, and support. Learned a ton and connected with so many people. Fired up to try some new things in our own community! Thanks Johnnie, Alexa, and all the others who make this huge event happen on the regular. Can't wait to catch our next BTS soon! #community #coworking #work #welcome #connection #contribution #entepreneurship #supportblackbusiness #tech #solidarity #peerlearning #detroit #313 (Music: No Time for Dreaming by the late great Screaming Eagle of Soul!)

We recently got an awesome after hours tour of Ann Arbor's newest coworking space! It's beautifully laid out. Offices, desks, lounges, classrooms, conference rooms, balconies. (They're even installing an outdoor movie projector!!) What more could you ask for in a space. Hats off to the amazing team at Bamboo on another awesome space. And thank you for always being so welcoming when we're in town. And for always being willing to share your experience and knowledge with your neighbors to the North! #community #coworking #work #welcome #connection #contribution #michigan #annarbor #entepreneurship

This past week we helped our third TC SOUP. And what a night it was! We heard pitches on freshwater exploration, positive psychology for founders, family-friendly recreation, and regeneratively farmed flowers. In true TC SOUP spirit, the audience was engaged, curious, and, most of all, passionately supportive. The music was groovy and the tacos were spot on! Thank you to our amazing presenters, Mark, Veronica , Bill, Jack, Dandan, and Laura! Thank you to our awesome attendees! Your questions, contributions, and conviviality make this event what it is. And thank you to all the people who made the evening possible, including MEG, Dana, Willard, Matt, Tiff, Noah, Josh, Tucklor, Tony, Isabella, and any other awesome humans we may have left out. (And thanks Michael Kent for the awesome photos!) See you for our next event on Wednesday, August 28!

SOUP's On! Join us tomorrow night, Wednesday May 29, for some live music, tasty tacos, and oh yeah four awesome pitches from great local early stage startups! Our awesome presenters are tackling everything from wellness to conservation to circularity. We've got flowers. We've got Flabocce. We've got freshwater exploration. And we've still got a few tickets left. See you there! https://lnkd.in/gQvt6C4V

Over tacos today, Chase (FirstIgnite) and Broc (Stocked) talked about their experience in the Conquer Accelerator while Bradley with the MSU Research Foundation answered questions from the assembled entrepreneurs. It was an awesome gathering of passionate humans, important work, and carnitas. Not to shabby for a little impromptu Commonplace Community Coworking lunch and learn. (Thanks Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities for letting us crash in your space!)

Yesterday we had the privilege of hosting a group of Central Michigan University entrepreneurship students who are working on incredible community-changing and industry-reshaping endeavors. Everything from sustainable fashion and localized supply chain verification to professional and life skills training for formerly incarcerated folks. So cool to hear how entrepreneurship education can be applied in a real-world context to improve communities and help solve some of our stickiest problems!

We're always grateful for the opportunity to play a small role local in this growing, local-founder lead movement!

Once a month, we hold "Waffle Wednesday" for our members. We love being able to put (objectively marginal) waffles in the stomachs of amazing humans. This month, we were incredibly lucky to team up our friends at Rotary Charities of Traverse City to host "Connecting w Changemakers x Waffle Wednesday!" With so many amazing local changemakers, community builders, social entrepreneurs, and purpose-driven leaders crammed into one space, you know the conversations were incredible! (It's also probable everyone went back to their corners of our community and had to take a mid-day nap.) Thanks to everyone who took time away from doing work which matters to grab some breakfast carbs and to spend time with one another. Thanks also to Michael Kent for grabbing some great images (more to come.) And to the Commonground Cooperative, Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, and NoBo Mrkt teams for helping us host this event. #community #coworking #work #welcome #connection #contribution #waffles #changemakers #rotary #leadership #socialentrepreneurship #communitybuilding

Another great Founders First Friday last week! We were all deeply grateful to hear from Pete Martin at the Michigan Founders Fund. He shared his very personal and moving story about feeling compelled to leave the community he knew and loved, to build his business in a more supportive environment. He also talked about moving back, raising a family, and doing work which matters. This past FFF was also a great chance for us all to talk about the role local founders can play in addressing social and environmental challenges in Northern Michigan...provided they have the support right here to scale their startups and aren't forced to move elsewhere. (We see you Austin. Stay weird. Stay 1,442 miles away.) Thanks to local founders at Riley's Candles, FirstIgnite, Stocked, and Josh Traeger for bringing the donuts! And thanks to all the other very busy local founders who give their time to help make this monthly event happen. You know who you are! #founders #first #friday #community #camaraderie #solidarity #support #peerlearning #entrepreneur #ecosystem #supportlocal #work #welcome #connection #contribution