WorkSpace, Vancouver

We found WorkSpace online and have had it recommended by many a hip Vancouverites who are learning to forge new spaces for their work.  Many women do not have the need or cash to pay for a full office.  WorkSpace is a coworking space or shared work environment located in Vancouver’s Gastown district. Our fourth floor loft has meeting rooms, a lounge, and a café surrounding a beautiful open concept desk area.  Workspace provides flexible memberships (not long-term leases) to independent professionals and small firms looking for a better place to work.  Essentially we bridge the gap between working from your home office and working from a traditional office space.

WorkSpace is the perfect place to pay a little and gain a whole new way of working.  Here we interview Dane Brown who is the general manager at WorkSpace. 

LB: Can you describe how Workspace came to be and how it functions?

WorkSpace was inspired by the Queen St. Commons in Charlottetown, PEI.  After visiting the Commons, Bill MacEwen, the founder of WorkSpace, began putting together a business plan for a coworking space in Vancouver.  He spent a year refining the plan as well as securing funding and leasing our space in Gastown.  I joined the company in May 2006 to help with the start up process. We opened in August 2006.

Our members pay a monthly rate ranging from $95 to $595 per month, depending on how often they would like to come in.  We provide everything they need to run their business: desks, a solid internet connection, meeting rooms, printing, faxing, and all the other requisite office equipment.  On top of that we also have some amenities you might not find in a typical office: an espresso bar at which coffee is free for members, a kitchen, lounge, and a fantastic view of the North Shore mountains from every desk.

LB:  How long have you been with the company?

I helped Bill open the space in August 2006 and have been running it ever since.  In August 2008 WorkSpace was sold to the current owners, Jayson Minard (http://mindheap.com) and Linda Minard.

LB: How do you see the contemporary workspace changing?  How does it differ from the past generations of workers?

Oh Canada, the upcoming election

We are not going to sway you in one direction when it comes to the vote, since we are most in favor of the democratic freedoms bestowed upon all Canadians.  Although sometimes unsure as to how this system functions on the best of days…we do LOVE this site.  If you’re a Canadian check out this great website for electing strategically in your riding - www.voteforenvironment.ca

The most important thing is to vote.  If anyone has any other sites they love, please share them with us via email or add them here in the comments section.

 

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MIA in not so fine a dress

Once there was a girl who had a best friend who fell madly in love.  I think you know the rest.  The wedding was beyond-words-great, but we have missed our blog and our readers. 

We have fallen hopelessly in love with you and feel the blessing of this blog more and more each day.  With each positive response (and a new BIG positive response to expand in the works) our hearts get bigger, our minds go wild and we make crazy plans like applying for the W Experts Search , making a crazy amounts of business cards for an upcoming networking event and finding the content we need for the upcoming month’s theme of innovation.  (Please submit if you feel that you or someone you know’s business is innovative!)  With all these varied tasks at hand we feel so good to have a place to come to.  A place to write and a partnership that grows stronger and stronger with each meeting. 

Since it’s Workspace month, I want to talk about this workspace.  Since this is where we work, let us share a little about being online.  When I recently met with a friend Claire who is trying to get her website up for her paintings, she had some questions about the function of a website and the “why’s” of why to do it at all.  When I turned the question on her as to why she felt she needed a website, she said she “felt it was time”.  She also wants to “take herself more seriously”. 

I know, for me, this was a big reason to get my site up and running.  ‘It was time’ for me last August.  Everyone wants to find you online and everyone wants to say they have seen your site.  I told Claire the truth and that was that my site did not make me any money or seem to lead to anything remarkable until I stopped promoting the work in person and started to stay within the online communityto promote myself and my paintings.  What does this mean?  Well, I was leading people to the site through word of mouth and business cards, but it was making no/little impact.  There was already an online community created to look at my work that had been added to and worked on for years.  It had been made by curators and artists and art lovers alike…all for the same good cause of promoting fine art.  Not only was I missing the great potential numbers of submitting my work to online publications, magazines, blogs and interior designers, I was also asking people to kindly “take a peek”.  Take a peek they did, but peeking doesn’t pay.  Peeking doesn’t promote you and peeking surly doesn’t ask the peeker to tell their friends.  People like instructions and people who like you or your work will often do what you say.  So, they peeked, just as I had asked them to do. 

Peeking doesn’t pay

I also said to Claire that having a space online did another thing for me in terms of taking myself seriously.  I had to look at the site too, so when I went to show it to a friend or add a title to a piece and saw that “Gasp!  THIS ARTIST HAD MADE NO PROGRESS!” I knew that that artist was me and that there was only one person to plump up that site and fill it with delicious things!  That motivated me.  In a field that often requires many solo hours, this online space became my buddy, my accountability and my space for good things to show the peekers; a true working space.  This space needed attending to, cultivation, editing and love.  A word that is often used amongst loving and avid bloggers is ‘nurture’.  There is nothing as sorry as visiting a hollow, sad, lonely online space where you think, “GOOD GOD, get that thing offline, so it’s not making everyone so depressed!” When we met with web guru Megan Cole, she said you must “just keep nurturing your space.”  You can tell how much a blogger nurtures their space and this nurture tells you how much energy they put into it and how much heart they have for their blog. 

Gen and I have recently been watching the beautifully tended My Marrakesh about an American woman living-lovely in Morocco.  We have fallen in love with her dreamy writing and when I complimented her on her blog via email, she said “My blog, like yours, is a labour of love.” 

People will always respond to love.  Gen did, and look where that got her!  Meeting with all these fabulous lady-workers we have yet to hear someone say, “Oh, I am doing this for the money.”  Or, “I was told this business was a good idea.”  The working ones who are working wonders are working from their hearts.  We try to follow this as closely as possible and watch our content and measure it by concerns about integrity and heart.  We were MIA and looking pretty in dresses, but we are happy to be back full force in a nurtured space.

Photo Credit: www.ampersandmedia.co.uk/images/peeking.jpg

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MIA in Love

Once upon a time there was a girl who fell in love with a boy. 

They were just kids, but time ticks on, and they decided to play house together. 

One day the boy got down on one knee in front of her family and asked her to spend the rest of her life with him.

Rad Studio Inc.

Their wedding was the stuff fairytales are made of, and the girl was so distracted by bliss that she completely abandoned her blog.  But she is back, and is feeling more growing up than when she left, because she is now in fact married.

         

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Lighthouse does Green Workspace

Light House Sustainable Building Centre is an enterprising non-profit society dedicated to advancing and catalyzing sustainability in British Columbia’s built environment. We offer a range of free and fee-based programs and services out of our 1,300 square foot office, resource and display centre on Granville Island.

Our purpose is to:

• Provide a “first-stop” integrated service shop that connects British Columbians with the inspiration, information, services and skills they need to implement sustainable building solutions.
• Provide education, training and outreach programs that will foster a deeper awareness of and commitment to sustainable building practices
• Support and advance public sector programs and private sector initiatives through community engagement, research, partnership development, technical assistance and consulting services.
• Facilitate and accelerate market transformation and economic development activities for the sustainable building cluster in British Columbia

Lighthouse as it appears from the outside

Loaded Bow:  Can you tell us what Lighthouse is doing that is innovative as your services relate to office space?

Light House:  Light House offers energy consulting and management services to help business owners: reduce utility and maintenance costs; improve building performance, comfort and property value; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; identify opportunities for energy savings; and access government retrofit incentives.

LB:  How are office spaces changing?

LH:Office spaces are becoming healthier for occupants and the environment.  Examples of green features include natural daylighting and ventilation, views for occupants, low-VOC finishes, energy-efficient lighting, and reused/recycled/local materials. 

LB:  What is the workspace like at Lighthouse?

LH:  Light House is an open-plan 1,300 square foot office.  It contains 11 workspaces, meeting room and display area for the resource centre.  Targeting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver for Commercial Interiors, the space is fitted out with a number of sustainable features: ENERGY STAR appliances, low-flow fixtures, dual-flush toilet, recycled glass and concrete countertop, recycled flooring and carpet, high-efficiency fluorescent lighting with daylight sensors, and low-VOC paint.

LB:  What is your favourite part about your job? 

LH:  My favourite part of this job is helping our visitors make their homes and workplaces more sustainable.

Lighthouse Interior

LB:  For a woman who is beginning her business and looking to go greener, how can she know what to prioritize?  Do you have a consultation that you offer?

LH:  Light House offers HomeSpa, a healthy and eco-friendly advisory service.  While the service targets homes, our consultants can also provide recommendations to business owners who would like to green their offices.

LB:  What are some savings business owners can expect the more green they go?  (Example: You can receive up to $10 per gigajoule of energy savings.)

LH:  The benefits of green building can be divided into two categories: resource savings and occupant benefits.  Resource conservation (energy and water conservation, emissions reductions, waste and waste water reduction) from green buildings can result in significant dollar savings over traditional construction, although this amount is difficult to approximate as it depends on the upgrades that are made.   Occupant benefits include increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved employee satisfaction.  With salaries and wages accounting for typically 90 per cent or more of a firm’s building-related expenses, even a slight increase in productivity can be enough to justify a switch to a green building.

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Lindsay Nahmiache in Bollywood

Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase just take the first step.  -  Martin Luther King Jr.

Lindsay Nahmiache looks to this valuable quote whenever she faces that internal questioning of deciding what she is about to do in life and career.

Lindsay currently lives in Vancouver, Canada. She went to school at The American International University of London, UK. After which she found herself working for E! Entertainment London (EMEA). Lindsay then decided to move to Mumbai, India and work in Bollywood. She moved back to Vancouver in 2007 to be closer to her family and explore the use of film for social change. Founder of Jigsaw Communications and Co-founder of the Projecting Change Film Festival Lindsay is working to blend commercial films and social activism. This upcoming month she will be working at The Toronto International Film Festival.

Loaded Bow:  After London, you moved to India to work in Bollywood.  Can you describe the environment you worked in?

Lindsay Nahmiache in Indian Dress

Lindsay Nahmiache: Hmm, words to describe working in India… “Fascinating, challenging, inspirational, endearing, terrifying, amazing.”

Whenever people ask me that question it is easy, but difficult to answer. Travelling there is one thing, but living and working there is a complete other. I was lucky to work for an Indian company that was run by two brothers. Their family basically adopted me and I got to be a part of something that was beyond what, at the time, I defined as a traditional workplace. I worked hard every day (10-12 hours/day; there was no such thing as weekends in the Indian Film Industry - likewise with most film industries)  But at the same time there was a huge emphasis on family.  When I would finish work at 10pm, without fail I would be invited to someone’s house for dinner; all the family would be waiting and we would dine together. It was wonderful.

Eating with Family- one of my bosses Aditya and his son Adiraj

LB:  How were you treated in Bollywood?

 LN: Aside from the fantastic family atmosphere, there were also some very challenging aspects to working in India. I experienced a high level of racism for being ‘White” or “gori” as they call it. People would stare wherever I went and try to test my resolve in all business negotiations. As a result I had to build up this strong exterior to make sure that I didn’t become a pawn in someone else’s game. I think that training, balanced with an ability to be compassionate and understanding has helped me a lot in sticking to my instincts and getting things done.

Hope in Bloom

 Roberta Hershon

Breast cancer has reached epidemic levels in the developed world.  In North America, there are few lives that this disease has not touched in one way or another.  Hope in Bloom was born after breast cancer entered the life of Roberta Hershon.  She founded the organization with the intention of creating sanctuaries for breast cancer patients in their very own garden.  Roberta took time to reflect on this important initiative and balancing running a charity alongside her business, Blue Plate Communications.

Loaded Bow: You are the Founder of Hope in Bloom. Can you tell us a little bit about its story?

Roberta Hershon:  The idea for Hope in Bloom began in the winter of 2005 when my friend Beverly was in the throws of treatment for breast cancer. I brought her a bouquet of flowers every time I visited and saw how she perked up. When spring was in the air, it was clear, Bev couldn’t take care of her own garden. I rallied all our friends to do the work for her. Again, being able to sit outside and admire her own garden provided an escape from the harsh world of cancer. When she passed away, I decided to honor my friend by bringing joy to others going through breast cancer treatment.

Before Hope in Bloom

After Hope in Bloom

LB: Hope in Bloom has set itself apart from many other breast cancer organizations by seeking to support those undergoing treatment through healing gardens. Can you tell us a little bit about the healing properties of gardens and the value of supporting patients in their living space?

RH:  Hope in Bloom does not plant healing gardens per se. That is gardens filled with medicinal herbs. We plant happy places where people can relax, experience color and fragrance and, hopefully, maintain a positive outlook. It’s our way of helping to distance breast cancer patients from the scary world of hospitals and the daily regimented routine they face. Having breast cancer means being surrounded by an endless sea of white coats, chilly treatment facilities and sterile exam rooms.

Studies have shown that gardens provide people with a beautiful haven to experience the calming effects of nature, which increases serotonin. boosts energy levels and wards off depression. In turn these healing benefits elevate morale allowing recipients to be more receptive to medical intervention.

Before Hope in Bloom

After Hope in Bloom

The western medical community is starting to realize how important the mind/body connection is for patients and have a field of study called psychoneuroimmunology that examines how emotions interact with the mind.

We plant gardens for people to enjoy at home because when people are sick, the simple act of dressing to go out in public can be difficult and traveling to a park or an off-site garden is often exhausting. Furthermore, many people who are ill often have no desire to socialize. And, those with compromised immune systems are unlikely to risk infection by visiting a public place unless it is absolutely necessary.

Amy Osborne: Overseas Midwife

‘If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other’ - Mother Teresa

Amy in the Philippines

Vancouver native, Amy, has been trained at the National College of Midwifery for her Associates Degree in Midwifery. She then went to UBC for her Bachelor of Science in Animal Biology, and is now completing her second year at Saint James School of Medicine.  Amy has traveled to Australia, Japan, Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Sudan, Kenya, France, Switzerland, Peru, the Caribbean, the U.S. (including Alaska), and Mexico. She has spent time working in the Philippines, Afghanistan, Darfur and New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Amy has done over 500 births, with her record shift delivering 10 babies in 24 hours!  Her goals are to return to Africa to work in fistula repairs, work with MSF (aka Doctors without Borders) again, set up clinics in developing countries and train locals in safe deliveries, to go where she’s needed when she’s needed and to live out her life verse (Isaiah 58: 6-14).

Amy is too humble (see the end where I have post all the quotes that are her ’signature to every email and you will see!) to say she’s a trouper, but she truly is a servant to her calling. Please read and be moved, but note that what follows contains some content that may be difficult (but real) to read.  So, if you are reading this and are supposed to be ‘working on that report’, you may want to wait for an ‘alone moment’.

 Amy in the Philippines

Loaded Bow: So, you were trained as a midwife in El Paso, Texas and then decided to go to the Philippines. How did you choose to start your career there?

Amy: The school where I trained as a midwife was set up so that the students did their school and book-work in El Paso andthen their practicum in a free maternity center that the school had set up in one of the worst slums in the Philippines. It was a pretty amazing place to train as a midwife. There is a strong Catholic influence there so it’s a culture where birth control is rarely practiced and the women have pregnancy after pregnancy. For us, this meant that we were able to get the experience we needed in a much shorter time than it would take in North America. It also meant that we would see rare complications due to the sheer number of deliveries we attended. For the women there, it meant that they were often high-risk pregnancies. The pregnancies were too close together, which is hard on a healthy body never-mind a malnourished body.  

“Frequent pregnancies result in the death of 60,000 mothers and children each year in the Philippines. Pregnancy and delivery complications comprise the 6th leading cause of death of women of childbearing age. 63% of women are considered to be at high health risk…. In fact, 50% of pregnant women in the Philippines have anemia and 45% suffer from malnutrition.”

Many of these women were dying unnecessarily, simply because they were delivering with untrained birth attendants and they couldn’t afford to go to the hospital if a complication arose. Our clinics served two purposes. We were learning how to save lives during deliveries, and the women were provided with a safe, clean place to deliver their babies.

WORKSPACE - Where we Work

This month Gen and I will be featuring many amazing stories and interviews for and about women working in radical, controversial, unorthodox and innovative work spaces. (In the interview that follows you will read about Amy who has done over 500 births as an overseas midwife!) We are looking at how the current workspace is changing and how work is getting done in this new generation of women who use technology, travel and are working from their homes.

Office Ready

How has the workspace changed? Who are working where? What is the best workspace for you? What does your workspace have that we would envy? Is the contemporary worker more efficient or completely distracted and scattered because if technology? All these questions have been on our mind. Enjoy this month with us as we uncover some of the answers and, as always, if there is anything you would like to see us post about, please write us at zoe@loadedbow.com or gen@loadedbow.com.

Photo:img.alibaba.com/photo/10461318/

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On Getting Interviews and Being Interviewed

Today I was featured on Ofifteen, a blog by a lovely lady named Olan whose focus is on design, DIY and trendcasts and so forth.  There are two thing I want to mention about inerviews. 

Focus on the task at hand

One, is that to secure an interview you must propose your business or article idea to many publications or blogs.  If you look very closely at who would sincerely be interested, you will have much more success.  Time is most valuable to people these days.  To send a mass email to too many non-related publications or blogs is not only a waste of your time, but is considered amongst professionals to be rude.  I was once applying to galleries in Calgary and got a reply back from a lady that said “If you look at our site, you will see that we only show photography.  Please only apply to that for which you are relevant or eligible.”  Cold, yes. Fair, hell yes.  Had I looked at her site?  No, not really….but I had bbc’ed her to a list i was compiling without respecting her by even looking at her SITE!  How rude!

I spend about 15 minutes per day looking up information, applications or grants.  I apply to things like blogs, Western Living, radio programs and home design TV shows with my paintings regularly, but especially when I have a new bosy of work or an upcoming show.  In an average week I may apply for about 6-10 things.  This takes time and sorting, but has proven well worth it!  Authentically networking online is a great way to promote your business, it is free (apart from your time) and can reap some worthwhile rewards!

The second piece of information I wanted to mention was that when you do get interviewed for something special, but sure to be yourself.  Pre-prepared answers don’t always fly and people want to hear about your STORY.  Focus on what sets your business apart.  Leave them something memorable and before you get interviewed remind yourself what the business was founded one, the spark that ignites it and something funny or wild to mention about your business that makes you approachabel and real.  Also, read interviews that strike you as fantastic and ask yourself why this interview spoke to you.  There you will find your authentic voice.  Remember your rights and don’t ever let the interviewer manipulate your word.  If they are trying to corner you just keep repeating the same truth. 

(Example:  I was interviewed about my controversial show Profession of Hurt and a nasty lady from the Prov_n_e newspaper (not shown here) tried to get me to say some really harsh things about why I had done the portraits of the women killed by Pickton.  I just kept repeating that “My focus for the work is commentary on how media presents us with one set of beliefs or ideas about types of people in society.  The show is largely about how the marginalized poor often bear the brunt of these stereotypes.”  She twisted my words and when the article was printed, she had quoted me on much of what we had talked about ‘casually’ after the formal interview had ended.  Don’t be afraid, but just be aware and confident.  Less is more if you are suspicious of the interviewer or afraid of being misquoted.)

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