Several people have expressed interested in this, and we’ve considered something like this in DFW for our next office. Especially in metros that are magnets for people fleeing blue states, these could be attractive to quickly get set up with an aligned professional community.
Any thoughts on what this could look like, best way to execute, etc?
This is an interesting idea. I wonder if it could be connected also to the homeschool / micro schooling concepts in that maybe there are hubs for remote workers, homeschool coops/communities, micro school pods, etc. So perhaps, the idea is a bit broader and helping give it more scale.
Being in a blue state, this is needed. A safe haven from corporate dictations and pressure.
This could be very cool. A couple quick thoughts:
might be an opportunity to launch these in small towns as well at low cost. There are lots of aligned remote worker folks moving out to the country, and are starving for office comraderie. Would think 10-20 “anchor tenants” could justify the cost of smaller rural offices.
because we’re not libs we could do cool stuff like having a cigar/whiskey lounge side of the office
these shared work spaces would accelerate community building/cross pollination and coordinated local political action. Have seen this modeled in smaller ways in TN currently.
How important do you think being in a currently desirable location is? What would be most important criteria if you were to office in such a place?
My sense is some sort of homeschool/microschool support infrastruction + coworking optimized for remote workers could anchor an entirely new community for people looking for a distinct way of life.
I’d certainly use a coworking space like this if one was available. The most important criteria would be location/accessibility so it seems the first step would be to find and coordinate local networks that are most eager to have a physical destination like this. DFW appears to be a good place to launch as well as other metro areas in Texas and maybe Florida.
Having used several coworking spaces in the past, the most attractive quality is being surrounded by likeminded individuals and the community that is curated through events, happy hours, showcases, networking opportunities, etc. Obviously, an environment like this which is not dominated by a left-leaning culture would be incredibly refreshing and the first of its kind I believe
Could churches be a partner in something like this? Many have buildings with underused office space.
From what I know, non-profits leasing their property to for-profit businesses is generally a no-no, although maybe there is some way to do it (without threatening your non-profit status) in a small way.
And these – coworking and micro-schooling / pooled homeschooling – also seem to me united as impactful projects requiring minimal startup and working capital tbh.
This hits me as something of a chicken and egg conundrum.
How do these groups find each other? Does the infrastructure need to exist first? (Come join us at the Co-working space!). Or does the community network need to exist first (hey guys, let’s all move to WV or TX or FL of SC) and then everyone uproots together to go start something.
How do these networks form with enough gravity to dislodge families? That may be where a church serves as an anchor point! Or an aligned employer/startup that captures the first few families.
A lot of Home School families are strongly rooted in their community and the thought of uprooting to start a new, yet unseen community would be daunting. The thought of moving my three boys out of their current community is heart wrenching! And as much as the current climate in Maine may require a move, it is no less easy. Although I am hearing more and more up this way who are looking at their options.
How do we help link people together for this purpose? Or will it only happen organically?
David you are right that there are ways to do it. Actually it is ok to do if you are careful but your local real estate tax exemption is key to preserve. You just need to account for it properly, and be clear about it in your filings with the IRS. Many churches lease out their steeples for cellphone towers, and often a parish hall is leased for events. Another source of income is a rector’s house or clergy house, which is not being used but can be leased out. I am not an expert, consult a local real estate attorney and CPA for guidance.
From what I understand, each jurisdiction handles these exemptions differently.
Churches often lease out their Sunday schools for for-profit preschools during the week. A museum has a gift shop, of course. Colonial Williamsburg used to separate out its for-profit operations, as I recall, including hotel and retail.
In the UK, the whole Virgin company from Richard Branson started in a church basement. The rector took inspiration from a kid wanting to sell records, and an empire began.
Any idea on aligned co-working cummunity between Houston- colledge station? I liked the idea that develops long-term values like education for futures generation and community-scale healthy environment. A suburbs away from big city seems to be more conservative and less polluted. Like to see any ideas from similar people/group in similar region. Familywise, home schooling becomes micro-community-backed schools.