Two things from the London Coworking Assembly

Happy Friday London Coworking Community Builders!

The real magic in this industry happens when we join the dots between operators, researchers, and local authorities.

We've been rebuilding the London Coworking Assembly from the ground up to do exactly that - the Coworking Values Podcast, the Unreasonable Connection in-person events, and how this community connects.

Something has become very clear along the way.

The companies that enable people to take part in our Unreasonable Connection events aren't buying visibility. They're enabling participation.

That is a completely different energy from bashing out the market rate for a banner ad or negotiating how many product features go in the newsletter. And it's a stronger trust builder than any ad you can imagine.

We want to build the entire London Coworking Assembly on that principle: participation, not lead generation.

Starting today, the London Coworking Assembly is 100% reader-funded. No ads. No pay-to-play. Independent journalism and research, funded entirely by the people building coworking communities.

We're calling it the Founding Citizen tier. £100 for the year.

Here's what it makes happen:

• Keeps the Coworking Values Podcast free and public
• Private podcast feed - raw, unfiltered, turned up to 11
• The new Parts Unknown series: hunting down a coworking space in every location Bourdain visited in his show
• Funds the Coworking Citizenship research project
• Pays Urban MBA students to work on our projects
• Sends 10% to European Coworking Assembly projects
• No ads. No sponsors. No gimmicks

Our first Founding Citizens are already in.

The art of gathering.

This weekend a group of European Coworking Assembly folks from Greece, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and me are gathering here at Nowhere Desk in Arcos de Valdevez to talk coworking community building.

Over the last few weeks I've been at Flexible Space Association, Creator Day in Poole by You Are The Media, the London Coworking Assembly Unreasonable Connection at SPACE4, Finsbury Park and our regular LiveGalicia coworking pop here in Vigo.

I'm looking for a scroll-stopping new way to say "it's so important to get together and talk" - but it IS that simple - it is!

I'll be documenting all of this on the Coworking Values Podcast and London Coworking Assembly over the next few weeks.

And the NEXT chance to get together is next Wednesday, online, for the Coworking Alliance Summit with Ashley, Hector and myself.

We'll open with Peter Block, author of Community: The Structure of Belonging, helping us set the scene for our discussions on coworking community building and local connection.

If you're already registered, your job this weekend is to personally invite 5 people who need to be in this conversation. If you're not, grab your spot now.

Register for the Coworking Alliance Summit

(Check with your local coworking alliance for ticket codes!)