So Culture Co-Working has been up and running for 3 months now but it feels so much longer. It is almost like that it has always been there perhaps this is simply due to the fact that I have been thinking and planning the business for a much longer time. My father gave me a great piece of advice, he told me that when he walked into his business everyday he always asked himself what one thing could he do today to make it better and that is something I try to do myself. He also told me to be patient but that is proving a lot harder!
Along with patience you need to be able to laugh at yourself and things. Things can and will go wrong everyday whether it’s you managing to lock yourself out of your premises, getting drenched cycling into work (the showers were great that day) or the wrong glass arriving for a window, it’s going to happen and all you can do is laugh.
I have spoken before about the quote “Getting comfortable with the unknown” and this is so true. You have a plan in your head and this is how it’s going to work and this is what I will do, unfortunately it doesn’t quite work out like that. This is when you need to come up with solutions and sometimes I have had to think outside of the box. Having a good network of people you can ask for advice is invaluable. Challenges are what help you to grow and become better at what you do.
You have to make decisions that are hard and you hope they are right but you don’t know until they are done. I have no doubt I have made some wrong decisions but also right ones, what I really hope is that I have made more right ones then wrong ones. I always keep sight of the end goal for Culture and every decision is taken on the basis that it will move us closer. It may involve doing something differently and taking a bit longer but you have to think long term.
Ultimately though it has been really enjoyable seeing an idea that you had start to succeed and grow. There is huge satisfaction in seeing people coming in and really enjoying using your space and when they start to come back or bring their friends in it is a great feeling. Yes it is hard work but when you are building your idea it doesn’t really seem like work so to speak. The core of Culture is the community and everybody that has joined has helped to create a vibrant and interesting community and that is what Culture Co-Working is all about.