Why We Believe in Cross-Pollination
This week, The Hive RI’s Queen Bee Tuni Schartner was a featured guest blogger on Hub Digital Marketing’s weekly blog & newsletter. Amy Levesque Fields of Hub Digital is a Hive coworker. She and Tuni, owner of TRS Strategies, both run their own boutique marketing firms but often partner on client projects. This is a perfect example of the shared service offerings that are a huge benefit of coworking!
Check out the original blog and more by Amy of Hub Digital Marketing here.
cross-pol·li·na·tion [kraws-pol-uh-ney-shuhn, kros-] noun
- Botany. the transfer of pollen from the flower of one plant to the flower of a plant having a different genetic constitution. Compare self-pollination.
- a sharing or interchange of knowledge, ideas, etc., as for mutual enrichment; cross-fertilization.
Well, clearly we’re relating to the latter definition here!
At The Hive, we have a mix of small business owners, writers, artists, technical folks, marketing professionals, remote sales people, entrepreneurs, scientists and many more. We respect everyone’s right to privacy, but offer the opportunity to share what it is that we do. The person working next to us might be able to design our logo or write our next press release, and conversely, we might be able to help them write their business plan, or handle their books!
The Hive was established with a mission to always encourage collaboration between members and so far, it’s working. We’ve been (officially) open for 3 years and what has already happened here is pretty awesome!
We believe that a coworking environment in general, and The Hive specifically, is the perfect place to set up shop for a small business looking to grow organically. Coworking spaces are environments that promote positive energy and new ideas – innovation through collaboration. Your network of fellow coworkers provide a huge referral network, for your clients and colleagues when they need services your business can’t provide. Coworking spaces offer a network of professionals who you can throw ideas around with, discuss some of the newest trends with, and discover how you can bring innovation to your clients. As a collaborative work environment, there is always a small business owner around to help guide you through the difficult and sometimes confusing process of starting, or running, a business in Rhode Island.
Coworking is a relatively new concept for Rhode Islanders, but it’s a concept that encourages original thought, new ideas, and business development. It fosters independent growth in a heartening environment. It’s the right place for many to begin, or sometimes continue, their journey of business ownership.
Based in the historic Lafayette Mill complex in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, The Hive RI coworking space provides inexpensive working space, conference and meeting areas and professional amenities such as copy machines, printers as well as high speed internet. Local artists, businesspeople, lawyers, engineers and other professionals come together at The Hive to work independently, but not alone. The Hive is open from 9-5, Monday through Friday, welcomes walk-ins and offers affordable rates for daily, weekly and monthly use. The Hive hosts weekly lunchtime networking events and is also available for group events at non-working hours. Please visit http://www.thehiveri.com for more information on coworking, or www.millatlafayette.com for information on spaces available.
