Turning 3
Filed under: Announcements, Events, From the Business Side, Independents Hall
Today is September 1st. That means one thing (ok it means a few things):
Indy Hall has now been open for business for 3 years.
Congratulations to all of us for spending the last 3 years (or some subset thereof) making Philadelphia a better place to make a living doing what we love.
I have a lot to say and a lot on my mind and in my heart, but I’m going to keep it brief for a change and let each of you say your piece instead.
Feel free to use this post and it’s comments to share sentiments, experiences, visions, excitement, joy, friendship, memories, and whatever comes to mind when you realize that before 3 years ago today, Indy Hall was an idea shared by a community, and now it’s one of the greatest things Philadelphia has to offer.
WHERE IS THE PARTY!?!?
For the last 2 years, as well as the re-opening in May of 2007, we’ve thrown an epic party to commemorate our history of accomplishments.
This year, we’re keeping it low key. I invite everyone to head over to – where else – National Mechanics tonight after 6:30pm.
Why no epic shindig with lots of hype?
I think we’re a group noted for action. I want a NEW action to celebrate, rather than a memory of one.
Sooooo let’s plan a MASSIVE multi-product/business/group/whatever launch party to celebrate some of our NEWEST accomplishments a little later this fall. You’ll be hearing more about ways to get involved with that in the coming weeks.
That said – National Mechanics – 6:30pm – you know the drill.
Indy Hall Town Hall – Monday, July 12th, 5:30-7pm
Filed under: Announcements, Community Support, Events, From the Business Side, Independents Hall, coworking
It’s been many months since our last Town Hall meeting, nine of them in fact. That’s a problem!
For the newly initiated (or anyone who has started hanging around Indy Hall in the last year), Town Hall meetings are Indy Hall’s best way of updating community members on large issues that we expect will prompt discussion. As great as our online forums can be, offline events like this have been extremely valuable for important events in our history, including our decisions to grow into this new office last year that we’ve all come to call home.
As we CONTINUE to grow (which is still remarkable to all of us), it’s long overdue we initiate another one of these discussions. In it, we’ll be providing some transparency into Indy Hall’s growth (including membership statistics), as well as some of the new and interesting ideas we have to address some of the pains associated with growing.
We’ll be holding our next Town Hall meeting this upcoming Monday, July 12th, from 5:30 to 7pm right here at Indy Hall.
After a round of introductions from everyone in attendance, the presentation portion of the Town Hall will be led by Geoff and I, and last ~30 minutes at the most. After the discussion, we turn to members from each membership level for some feedback. And then the floor is open more generally for discussion.
Its important to note that these events are NOT for members only: the general public is welcome. In the past we’ve had city council members as well as members of the press present. We think this level of transparency lets us operate the way we know best.
Also, this serves as yet another opportunity to get to know your coworkers, and hopefully get to know Geoff and I a little better as well.
Since this event is open to the public, we’re going to ask people to RSVP so we can plan for seating and space usage: http://anyvite.com/a9urvwzxga
In the end, our goal is that you have some insight into how things are continually evolving at Indy Hall, and what that means for you. There are always opportunities to get involved in new ways, suggest and implement your own ideas with our support, and make this place even better. We wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want to be, and that means a lot to us.
Its up to you to attend and include your voice. We can’t wait to see everyone’s faces on the 12th!
May 18 – Creative Directors Meetup @ Indy Hall
Filed under: Announcements, Community Support, Education/Workshops, Events, Independents Hall
Some months back, I was giving a tour of Indy Hall to Joe Rinaldi, an agent for Aquent focused on interactive design, development, and interactive project management. He’d been expressing interest in Indy Hall as a resource for some of the talent that he works with, but also loved what we were up to in terms of being a regional catalyst for encouraging creatives to interact with one another.
He’d remarked how much he’d like to come work from Indy Hall, and shared that a number of other people he works with who have offices to go to feel like they don’t have a reason to check out Indy Hall…and we agreed that it’d be valuable to find a way to give those people the opportunity they’d been looking for.
Joe’s been rallying a roster of Philadelphia’s finest Creative and Art Directors from agencies including Happy Cog, TMX, Tierney, Stick & Move, Vanguard, Comcast, Digitas, One Trick Pony, Red Tettemer, WellFed and more, for an evening of unique conversation about the challenges facing creative leaders.
Through this dialogue, he’s hoping to foster collaboration and continue to catalyze the creative community in Philadelphia to share the amazing work they are creating.
Seeing how nicely this fit with our mission, it was clear that we would want to host this event and give those creative directors a reason to visit!
The next meeting of this group will be at Indy Hall tomorrow, Tuesday May 18th at 6:30pm. Creative Directors of all levels of experience are encouraged to join for hearty discussion, pizza, and of course some drinks.
If you’re interested in attending, we ask that you drop Joe an e-mail to let him know the headcount for the refreshments. Otherwise, we’ll see you at Indy Hall! Holy moly that was fast! We actually filled up! If you’d like to be included in information about future events, you can drop us a line and we’ll pass word along to Joe.
IndyHall Member Profiles: Mike Nicholaides
Filed under: Announcements, Community Support, In The News, Independents Hall, coworkers
Today I got the chance to sit down with Mike Nicholaides, a full time member of the IndyHall family. Mike, like a number of other coworkers at IndyHall, spends his days crafting line after line of code.
“I developed an academic coaching application to help students working on their thesis stay motivated.”
Where were you while I was a full time student, semi-professional procrastinator, Mike?
Now, as an aspiring champion of logic, I thought that putting lots of coders into one space would create serious competition when it came time to find work. Mike assured me this simply isn’t the case.
“Intuitively you’d think this situation would create a lot of competition, but it’s not the case. It turns out that the people you meet are more likely to help you find a creative solution to your problem than to try and take your work.”
Like many inhabitants of the Hall, Mike sticks around because of the valuable connections he’s made since becoming a member.
“I knew after a few days I couldn’t go back to working at home. It’s really about the connections, these people who are expanding my view, my ability to do things.”
It’s not uncommon for people to take interest in Indy Hall initially because they see the potential to find collaborative work in the community. For some, it happens right away and other times, it takes awhile. In the end, they end up finding value in places they never sought it.
“I haven’t gotten any work yet through being here, even though that was the primary reason I came here. Even then, it’s been totally worth it.”
Really? No work yet? I didn’t buy it. Then Mike admitted,
“Well, Bula talked to me today about doing a mock up for an app he’s developing and Bill wants me to do some JavaScript for him.”
There, was that so hard?
Thanks for your time, Mike, it’s a pleasure having you as a member of IndyHall.
Looking forward to meeting Bula, Bill, and more? You will…just keep an eye on our bi-weekly newsletter (subscribe over on the left) or subscribe to this blog!
New Event Series! Meet the…
Filed under: Announcements, Education/Workshops, Events, Independents Hall
We’re kicking off December with a new monthly event series, “Meet the…”. A mashup demo and meetup event meant to get community members a chance to meet cool people working on cool things. Our show-and-tell events continue to be one of our most popular recurring events, and this is only a slight derivation from that.
Our first event happens to be tech, and the person you’ll meet happens to be a developer, but one of the things we pride ourselves on is the diversity at IndyHall. We’re looking for people to host “Meet the…” in the future from other disciplines. Business, music, education, architecture, authors… anything goes at IndyHall.
The first event, on December 1st at 6pm, will be presented by the VP of Engineering at Apstrata, a very exciting “cloud” technology. From the team,
Apstrata will present their Cloud-based Data Hub for the Realtime Web. The Apstrata Data Hub is a an easy and cost effective way to store application data in the Cloud. Easy because it offers a document-style database through a set of APIs that can be used from any Web or Mobile client. Cost effective because it eliminates the need for a custom application server. Apstrata has a unique set of rich features like integrated user management, field level security on document data and server side scripting that makes the Data Hub a perfect compliment to rich client environments like Javascript, Flash/Flex, iPhone and Android.
Ryan Murray, VP of Engineering at Apstrata, will give an overview of the Data Hub and dive into some code examples of how this can be used in practice. If you are a Web or Mobile developer you will find this session interesting, and a new approach to building applications.
An interesting sidenote is that Apstrata’s parent company, element^n Inc, is the company that our friends from New Work City actually shared space with for the last year at 200 Varick in Manhattan.
Please welcome them by coming to hang out, enjoy some food and beer at IndyHall on December 1st from 6pm-7pm. We’re asking for RSVP’s so we can plan food and beer.
IndyHall Member Profiles: Johnny Bilotta
Filed under: Announcements, Community Support, In The News, Independents Hall, coworkers
One of the first projects we’ve tasked our new interns Michelle and Parker with is meeting everyone at IndyHall, and getting to know them. Luckily for you, that means that YOU get to know our members better as well!
We’re going to be kicking off a series of member interviews conducted in no particular order. First up, though, is Johnny Bilotta, who is arguably IndyHall’s very first member. Parker begins the interview below the jump!
Parker: Who are you and what do you do?
Johnny: My name is Johnny Bilotta, and in true IndyHall fashion, I wear many hats. Most of my living is made as a freelance creative director and an interface designer. I’ve also administered some parts of IndyHall here and there. Being member number one has its responsibilities. That includes co-hosting Two Guys On Beer, which was founded here at IndyHall.
Parker: Does Two Guys on Beer generate revenue?
Johnny: At the moment, no, but we’re getting close. We’ve been the featured beer video segment on Philly.com for a few months now!
Parker: How did you hear about IndyHall?
Johnny: Alex and I were both contributors and spectators on the PANMA e-mail list, which is the Philadelphia Area New Media Association. We were going back and forth on things we wanted to see improved in Philadelphia. Alex emailed me off list, and suggested we get some drinks, get to know each other, and compare notes. So we met for dinner and beers on a rainy day in April of 07.
I had never heard of the coworking movement before that night. He told me about the idea of IndyHall, asked me what I thought, and I said, “I’m in!”
Parker: What made you decide to join IndyHall?
Johnny: I joined because working alone and not having people to bounce ideas off of became a problem. It was the need for social contact, to talk about things around the water cooler, and even introduce a forum for to find a solution. I have always been a self-proclaimed student of Bauhaus principals, and IndyHall is a shining example of those ideals. It was a perfect fit. The collaborative atmosphere also provided opportunity to work on a grand range of projects. I tapped into a previously unknown market for a creative professional.
Parker: What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve ever experienced at IndyHall?
Johnny: The growth factor of the space as a whole. To go from a few people meeting at coffee shop to an actual space to DOUBLING that space, all with in two and a half years. That is quite an accomplishment, and was very unexpected.
Parker: So you’ve been here since the beginning of IndyHall and you’ve experienced coworking to the fullest extent, and even gained some exposure to the limelight. My question is, could you ever see yourself going away from the IndyHall community or coworking in general?
Johnny: At the moment? No. The community will always be something I would like to stay active in. It is filled with amazingly talented people and been such an invaluable resource in my life.
As far as leaving the space? If the right offer came along and I knew that I was able to help another company, or another initiative like IndyHall, it would be tempting. There have been times that I’ve thought about picking up and leaving Philadelphia again. I think one of the things that keeps me here is the work I do with my IndyHall colleagues, including Two Guys on Beer. I feel like the overall community here is just starting to really get its legs, so leaving it would, in my opinion, be a mistake. I think Philly hasn’t even begun to show the tech or creative world what it has to offer. Give it a couple years, but it’s going to be a fun ride.
IndyHall Town Hall 2
Filed under: Announcements, Community Support, Events, From the Business Side, Independents Hall
In last week’s newsletter (you are subscribed, right?) we announced our 2nd IndyHall Town Hall.
We held one of these back in March when we were first thinking about moving from our Strawberry St. office into something bigger. It proved to be an extremely valuable format for getting the community up to speed, introducing people, and seeing progress forward.
On Tuesday, October 27th, we’re doing it again. The first of what we hope to continue as quarterly Town Hall meetings will allow the entire community, not just the paying membership, to come together to find out about IndyHall’s progress & growth, and continue to be a part of the shared vision.
We’ll be hosting it at our office, 20 North 3rd St. It will begin at 5:30 sharp and we expect it to take 60-90 minutes.
The goals of the Town Hall format are twofold: first, to open up as much information as we can about the business and community operations. Second, to provide a proper sounding board for the fast growing community that inhabits our clubhouse.
Imagine a hybrid of a “state of the union” from some community leaders, as well as an opportunity for your voice to have an impact. Of course, with the same level of approachability and authenticity you’ve come to expect from IndyHall.
We have some exciting announcements. But don’t we always?
Attendance isn’t mandatory for members, but its’ strongly recommended. Also, as I mentioned, this is a COMMUNITY town hall, which means it is open to the public. Because of this, we’re asking people to RSVP to make sure we can plan/arrange the space appropriately.
In the past, we’ve had good response and a significant turnout, and we’re hoping for the same this time.
Please help spread the word to other community members and organizations that might want to attend, and encourage them to RSVP.
We look forward to seeing everyone on the 27th.
Show and Tell Next Thursday!
Filed under: Announcements, Community Support, Education/Workshops, Events, Independents Hall
Every month we gather for an adult version of “Show and Tell”! No, not the kind where we take off our clothes…the kind where we show off what we’ve been working on, what we’ve learned, and anything we might have to share with the group!
In the past people have demoed projects, shared new tools they’d discovered that make their lives easier, or told stories about events they’d attended recently.
Like a number of our other lunchtime events, these are open to the public and tend to be well attended.
We’ve still got a few presentation spots open, so if you’re interested in joining as a presenter or an audience member, please let Dana know!
IndyHall & Weblinc play FOOTBALL against I-SITE for charity!
Filed under: Announcements, Community Support, Events, Independents Hall, Indy Hall Fit Club
The European kind, of course. You know, with the round ball that’s black and white.
Big kudos to Johnny Bilotta for “running ahead” with this one, and putting together a KICK ASS team comprised of IndyHall community members and Weblinc employees. For those who don’t know, Weblinc is the web development/e-commerce company with many friends we’ve made through National Mechanics…mostly because Weblinc and National Mechanics are in the same building and have the same owners. Note that this competition is friendly and for a good cause. That doesn’t mean our team won’t stomp I-SITE’s. 
The game will be held at Chamounix North(map) field in Fairmount Park. We’ll kick off at 3pm, and then head for post match pints at 5pm @ National Mechanics. We’d love for you to join us at any point to cheer for us (or the opposing team, if you must). No RSVP necessary.
BONUS: Our long-time friend and community member Kevin Fitzpatrick is hosting a going-away happy hour at the same time at National Mechanics. He’s going to be working overseas for a few weeks (and potentially a few months) and we want to show him how much we’ll miss him by buying him rounds of free drinks. If you can’t make the game, we hope you can make that.
IgnitePhilly is TONIGHT!
Filed under: Announcements, Education/Workshops, Events
I know that not everybody is tuned in to the same channels for news and events, and while it’s been on the IndyHall Calendar, IgnitePhilly doesn’t have much description or meaning to lots of the newer folks.
Tonight is the 4th IgnitePhilly, an event co-organized by a number of awesome community members (including our own Geoff DiMasi).
What is Ignite? It’s a fast paced presentation format. In Philly, it’s REALLY fast. Rock show fast. Ignite takes over Johnny Brenda’s at Front and Gerard and have presenters from all corners of Philadelphia’s most exciting projects and gives them 5 minutes to share something special…without self-promoting.
5 minutes and 20 slides later, your mind has been blown. Go grab yourself another beer. There’s another presentation coming up.
I’m a huge fan of the quote from Brian James Kirk:
“Perhaps the most interesting thing about the evening was that these important players in Philly’s advancing creative communities didn’t get on stage to show off their resume and reel. They used the forum to talk about what others are doing to make a difference…The fundamental takeaway from IgnitePhilly is that that the ability to change the world is more real than ever.”
If you’ve never attended an Ignite, I highly encourage you to make it tonight. Presentations start at 8 but doors are at 7, and you REALLY need to get there early. We’ve sold out a 300+ person room every single time this has happened.
If you want to lock down your spot, there are still some $5 pre-sale tickets available.
All proceeds are going to the Philadelphia Food Trust, so Ignite doesn’t make a dime. Ignite has already raised over $500 in ticket pre-sales so far.
I hope to see lots of new faces tonight, the presenters list is full of some of the smartest people I’ve met, and plenty I can’t wait to meet.
