Co-working
[co-working - as jelly but edited (??)]
[co-working - as jelly but edited (??)]
Jelly began in the US almost a decade ago, when two freelancers decided it was time to escape their own four walls and reconnect with the world… and in particular the world of home-workers and small businesses like them. Their monthly meetings became known as a ‘jelly’ for the bowl of jelly beans on the table between them! The phenomenon has now spread globally and Jelly groups are springing up all over the UK… including here in Wolverhampton and now in Dudley!
If you work from home and need to ‘get out’ of the spare room or the garage, or if you’re already ‘out’ in an office or a retail space, but need some ‘time out’ to focus on back office tasks and connect with other small business owners, then Jelly is for you. If you’ve worked in the corporate environment, moved out to do your own thing but miss being part of a supportive community of like-minded people, then again Jelly is for you. If you’ve tried other, more formal, structured or sector-focused business groups, but didn’t feel they met all your criteria, then give Jelly a ‘go’… it’s different!
So what happens at a ‘Jelly’?
If you work from home and need to ‘get out’ of the spare room or the garage, or if you’re already ‘out’ in an office or a retail space, but need some ‘time out’ to focus on back office tasks and connect with other small business owners, then Jelly is for you. If you’ve worked in the corporate environment, moved out to do your own thing but miss being part of a supportive community of like-minded people, then again Jelly is for you. If you’ve tried other, more formal, structured or sector-focused business groups, but didn’t feel they met all your criteria, then give Jelly a ‘go’… it’s different!
So what happens at a ‘Jelly’?
• Firstly, as noted, Jelly is something of an informal gathering – no suits, no 60-second pitch and no agenda – it’s your business and this is your space and your time to work on it… in whatever way suits you.
• Yes, there’s a start and an end time for each monthly Jelly, but you can drop in and leave whenever you want – stay for the day or just for an hour… you can even pop in, pop out and pop back in if you need to.
• Each Jelly space is different – from coffee shops to corporate spaces to community halls – but there’s free wifi, free parking and… a must!!... great food to buy nearby (the essential entrepreneurial ‘fuel’!!).
• Always a little confusion – and perhaps trepidation! – but Jelly is NOT networking… it’s a place to build and nurture your own personal and professional networks: to share expertise, experiences and ideas.
• And a space in which to build your business, through collaborative working, sharing news and views, passing on information on events and opportunities in the area… not to mention the latest business gossip!
• We welcome a very diverse range of businesses – from ‘techies’ to therapists and everything in between – but also those who’d like to start their own… and want to know what it’s like to take the plunge…
• All you need to bring is a laptop or tablet… or a notebook and files for the ‘tech’ averse out there! – you can even bring a (quiet!) craft project or something a little more ‘hands on’ if that works for you.
• Yes, there’s a start and an end time for each monthly Jelly, but you can drop in and leave whenever you want – stay for the day or just for an hour… you can even pop in, pop out and pop back in if you need to.
• Each Jelly space is different – from coffee shops to corporate spaces to community halls – but there’s free wifi, free parking and… a must!!... great food to buy nearby (the essential entrepreneurial ‘fuel’!!).
• Always a little confusion – and perhaps trepidation! – but Jelly is NOT networking… it’s a place to build and nurture your own personal and professional networks: to share expertise, experiences and ideas.
• And a space in which to build your business, through collaborative working, sharing news and views, passing on information on events and opportunities in the area… not to mention the latest business gossip!
• We welcome a very diverse range of businesses – from ‘techies’ to therapists and everything in between – but also those who’d like to start their own… and want to know what it’s like to take the plunge…
• All you need to bring is a laptop or tablet… or a notebook and files for the ‘tech’ averse out there! – you can even bring a (quiet!) craft project or something a little more ‘hands on’ if that works for you.
For more information on Wolverhampton & Dudley Jelly – including the latest updates – join our Facebook group or drop us anemail. To book a space at our next Jelly click on our monthly Facebook event link or visit our Eventbrite page or Meetup group.
For more information on the concept of Jelly – including articles and blogs on ‘doing your own thing’… and doing it brilliantly! – visit the UK Jelly website - and read our blog on our own experiences of being a new to Jelly.
For more information on the concept of Jelly – including articles and blogs on ‘doing your own thing’… and doing it brilliantly! – visit the UK Jelly website - and read our blog on our own experiences of being a new to Jelly.