March Lunch & Learn: Brain Food and Office Yoga

Posted under , , , , on February 14th, 2012 by marcelina Leave a comment

The March Lunch & Learn will feature Charlie Levine, founder & owner of 513Fit.  Brain Food and Office Yoga! Charlie is a certified trainer who loves helping people become physically fit through proper nutrition and exercise. Charlie will share with us tips and tricks to keep our brains functioning all day long with proper brain snacks and stretching to keep us limber.

Read more about Charlie and his fitness philosophy at 513fit.com.

The March Lunch & Learn is Thursday, March 8 from 11:30 AM to 1:PM.  Space is limited!  To secure your spot, RSVP at http://twtvite.com/lunchnlearn-healthy.

 

Lorain Pettit, CPA, talks taxes at CCW's Lunch & Learn

Before signing off, we would loved to say THANK YOU to Lorain Pettit, CPA, who presented a wealth of information to help us navigate through our taxes.

23 Ways Coworking Will Change Your Career (and Your Life) for the Better

Posted under , , on February 3rd, 2012 by Michelle Leave a comment

I’m a writer and when I tell people I rent office space, I can tell they’re often thinking, “what a waste of money.” I mean, sure, I could work at home and save a little cash. We have an extra room with a door and everything. But, honestly, there are so many benefits to my coworking membership that I wouldn’t give it up any sooner than my iPhone.

Here are just a few of the ways coworking can change your life and career:

1. You’ll get twice as much work done at your new co-working desk than you did at home. Really and truly. It’s reverse peer pressure or something.

2. That side project you’re trying to launch? Now you work side-by-side with a bunch of writers, designers, developers and video people who can help you make it happen.

3. Your client needs a big website? But you can only handle part of the project? See number two. Now you can assemble a team to meet those needs in a flash. Or earn some brownie points with a referral.

4. Avoid elderly shut-in syndrome. Seriously, there’s magic just to getting out of the house and talking with real people. Your cat has already heard ALL your best stories.

5. Keep work from bleeding into every corner of your personal life. It’s easier to create a healthy work/life balance when “leaving it at the office” doesn’t refer to the spare bedroom.

6. You’ll effortlessly keep up with all the latest Internet memes. Like this one. Or maybe this one. And I’ll go ahead and throw in a totally self-serving link.

7. It solves annoying business problems. After whining about bookkeeping, my office mates introduced me to a wondrous thing known as Fresh Books.

8. You’ll build and expand your professional network. Even when you’re too busy to make it to that Meetup/event/cocktail thing-y that you didn’t really want to go to anyway.

9. Your grandma will start to think you have a real job. Maybe your mom, too. It’s something about going to an office that impresses the older relatives.

10. Have you looked at your tax bill yet? Your co-working membership is one more awesome thing to decrease your taxable income.

11. Creative energy is contagious. Being around other people working on awesome projects makes you more excited about your awesome projects.

12. If you’re a parent with kids at home, I hear it’s delightful to work in an adults-only space. No crying or tantrums or impromptu Candyland games (well, most of the time).

13. You’ll have people to bounce ideas off in real time. Not sure if that headline is too nutty? Or need advice on a client issue? Ask your desk neighbor.

14. There’s almost always beer and wine in the fridge. And no one cares if you break it out at, say, 3:30 on a Friday afternoon.

15. Wow, you now have two conference rooms at your disposal for client meetings. Or just to take a private phone call. Aren’t you fancy?

16. When you do decide to go to a Meetup/event/cocktail thing-y to network, you won’t have to go far. We host a bunch of them right here in the space.

17. Want to hold an event for you own industry or professional group? Your membership gives you 24/7 access to the space, and you can hold those events here for free.

18. Umm, sunshine=happiness. And we work in an awesome light-filled loft in a historic building. We’re even convinced there might be a secrete passageway somewhere.

19. You’ll sound (and be smarter) in all those client meetings. It’s easier to keep up with what’s going on in the business and tech worlds when you have office mates.

20. You can still work at home when you feel like it. I do it a couple days a week. A coworking membership doesn’t cost all that much, so you don’t have to feel bad about not going every day.

21. You’ll have real-life co-workers again, but no boss. Or weird corporate rules about what you can put on your desk. It’s the best of both worlds.

22. We know all the awesome lunch spots. And want you to come with us. Just be prepared to hear about the latest Internet meme (see # 6).

23. Co-workers are better than a personal cheerleading squad. They want your business—and your most offbeat side projects—to be smashing successes.

Did you make it all the way to the end of this post? You should definitely set up a time to drop in and work with us. We’re even better in person.

Death and Taxes Mental Stimulants in Rhyme

Posted under , , , , on January 31st, 2012 by marcelina Leave a comment

OK…well, sans death and Ms. Dorothy Parker, but our next Lunch and Learn will cover the mental stimulants of TAXES.

Lorain Pettit, CPA will present the ins and outs of taxes for freelancers.    Lorain’s accounting experience comes from both public accounting and industry.  She has over 11 years experience working for both local (Barnes, Dennig and Co., Ltd) and national (BKD, LLP) CPA firms.  Prior to her public accounting experience she was the controller for a number of local well known businesses.  Companies she has worked with include restaurants, real estate development and management, construction, wholesale/ distribution and not for profit organizations.  She consistently provides timely accurate responses to the needs of her clients.  Lorain has represented clients through the examination process with Internal Revenue Service.

Thursday, Feb. 9 from 11:30 to 1:00

Please RSVP: http://twtvite.com/lunchnlearn-cpa

5 Things Every Creative Entrepreneur Should Know About IP and Business Law

Posted under , , , , , on January 26th, 2012 by Michelle Leave a comment

Today was the first Lunch and Learn at Cincinnati CoWorks, and we had a great talk from Erich Hemm, the founder and principal of the Law Offices of Erich Hemm, LLC. He’s based here in Cincinnati and helps a ton of start-ups cover the bases when it comes to intellectual property.

I think a lot of creative entrepreneurs get so caught up in the BIG IDEA they’re trying to execute that the legal details easily fall by the wayside. You might look up one day and think, “Should I be a corporation or have contracts or something?” It’s important stuff, but not necessarily fun for those of us focused on writing, design, programming or another passion.

Hemm shared a ton of good advice today, but I’m going to sum up a few points that stuck out to me:

1.) Know Your Current Situation If you’re making the leap from full-time employment to entrepreneur, you need to think about your legal obligations to your current employer. Do you have an employment agreement? Or a non-compete? Does your employer own any ideas you come up with while on the payroll? Think through these questions before you make the break.

2.) Not All Entities Are Created Equal We’re talking business entities, here, and it’s a good idea to have one. Forming a C-corp, S-corp or LLC helps protect your personal assets if something should go awry with your business. Hemm suggests steering clear of what he calls the “P words”—proprietorship and partnership.

3.) Keep Your Paperwork in Order There’s proper documentation associated with each type of entity, and it pays to invest in that preparation. Even if you have a one-person LLC, for instance, you need to have a Membership Agreement. Take the appropriate steps to make your business legitimate.

4.) Plan for the Divorce While You’re Still on the Honeymoon Starting a business with your best friend? Or a couple of folks with complementary skills? Now’s the time to figure out who’s responsible for what and how you’ll proceed if one person wants out of the business. As Hemm says, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

5.) Choose a Brand Name You Can Protect Your brand’s name is part of your business’s intellectual property, but some names are easier to protect under the law than others. A generic name (i.e. Hardhat Construction) is harder to protect than something arbitrary (i.e. Apple) or fanciful (i.e. Lululemon). Keep that in mind when you’re choosing a company moniker.

Want to learn more? Don’t miss our next Lunch and Learn. It’s on Thursday, February, 9, with Lorain Pettit, CPA. She’ll be offering up advice on tax issues for small business owners. It’s FREE, so we hope to see you there (I mean, here, at Cincy Coworks)!

CincyCoWorks is Not Just for Freelancers!

Posted under , , , on January 16th, 2012 by marcelina Leave a comment

Last Thursday CincyCoWorks hosted two events: a Lean Start Up MeetUp group and Judge Fanon Rucker Campaign.  For the Lean StartUp MeetUp meeting the folks at The Brandery.org stopped by to talk about how to be a part of the upcoming accelerator class.  They shared great information on how to apply, what to look for in an Intellectual Property attorney, and various other helpful tips.  There were approximately 30 – 35 folks who stopped by for the Lean Start Up.

Meanwhile…..

In the front of end of CincyCoWorks, the campaign team for Judge Fanon Rucker met for a strategy meeting.  Judge Rucker is running for Ohio Supreme Court.  Pretty exciting to have a state wide campaign team working out our co-working space!

Need space for an event?  Drop us a line at info@cincycoworks.com.  We are more than happy to show you the ropes!

 

 

Five Not So Random Considerations for New Businesses…

Posted under , , on January 12th, 2012 by marcelina Leave a comment

…and Then Five More.”

The presentation will explore solutions to issues and considerations faced by new businesses as they move from a good idea to launch to success.

Here are a few tidbits about our presenter. Erich Hemm is the founder and Principal of the Law Offices of Erich Hemm, LLC, a Cincinnati based firm specializing in business, intellectual property and non-profit law and serving clients throughout North America and abroad. He is licensed in the states of New York and Ohio, and is a registered patent attorney.

Mr. Hemm has also served as a Foreign Trade Associate for the Canadian Consulate General and as a business and marketing consultant, helping local, regional and global businesses create opportunities and expand their markets. He is himself an inventor and business owner, and his professional practice focuses extensively on the issues and challenges faced by new and emerging businesses.

You can reach out to Erich at www.hemmlaw.com

Please note, the date is THURSDAY, the 26 (not the 27). My error in the first post!

RSVP to http://twtvite.com/lunchnlearn201201

Marcelina
Your Friendly CCW Social Media Cruise Director