Free Workspace for Those Impacted by Hurricane Matthew

As Hurricane Matthew approaches the East Coast, we’ve decided to open our doors to those individuals impacted by the storm. If you are in need of a workspace, CoWorkTampa will be free for you to use for the next two weeks.

We understand the frustrations of being displaced during a storm, but we hope CoWorkTampa will be a great place to get some work done until things return to normal.

Sending a special thanks to Uhsome.com for helping make this possible. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

Wishing everyone a safe and productive week!

Internship at CoWorkTampa

This is my second summer internship experience, however it feels like the first time. Last year I worked at a multinational bank, where I would sit at my small desk and perform statistical analysis. It’s funny how our paths sometimes go in completely different directions; how our preferences change. I’ve always liked marketing and the entrepreneurship environment, and CoWorkTampa combines both worlds.

Right now, I am mostly helping Chris and Ryan to keep their social media platforms updated, which is very interesting, as social media is used by almost all of the business in the U.S. It is a great tool to market yourself, keep track of your advertising investments, and especially, create a bond between the business and the customer. If a business can use social media effectively through things like providing quick responses to inquiries and frequently producing new material, there will be a strong positive correlation between social media use and client retention in the long run.

However, learning new skills is just 3% of the task of an intern, the other 97% is networking. We still live in a people’s world, where the most powerful tool you can have is interpersonal skills to create new relationships with others. I can’t think of a better place to meet new people than CoWorkTampa, as they provide office space to a diverse number of well-known companies and start-ups, giving me the opportunity to meet great entrepreneurs. Another important identity shift all interns (including myself) should make is to become more internally oriented, as opposed to externally oriented, meaning we should take full responsibility for the outcomes in our life and become the action takers. Blaming external factors for everything that happens to us just strengthens the ego.

CoWork Tampa to be Trump Tampa HQ

Most political campaigns seek out small vacant storefronts or strip malls to temporarily set up shop locally.

Usually, these are not-so-aesthetically pleasing (or particularly desirable) setups with dead wires coming out of the floors, cheap office furniture set up in a not-so-feng shui manner and blank walls that seem to hum in the glow of fluorescent lighting.

After all, they won’t be there very long, so why get hung up on aesthetics?

Not so for the Tampa leg of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, though.

That campaign, which should be kicking into gear after Super Tuesday and ahead of the March 15 Florida primary, has instead chosen to go the hip route: it’s rented space at CoWork Tampa, a locally owned spot where professionals (typically, ones who work remotely) can rent workspace rather than contend with noise and shoddy wifi at a nearby coffee shop.

It’s not the first time CoWork Tampa has been the site of political events, at least on the local level. Tampa City Councilman Guido Maniscalco held multiple events there during his run and to celebrate his victory.

Politics aside, having Trump’s campaign staff working the phones and basing their ground game out of the West Tampa site is a big deal for Chris Arnoldi, co-owner of the space, given the attention it brings the site.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “I’d probably have to pay thousands of dollars to get this kind of press.”

So, how did he land that deal?

Basically, someone he works with is a Trump supporter. Said supporter reached out to local campaign officials.

“And that got pushed up all the way to one of his senior advisors,” Arnoldi said.

Since they announced the Trump campaign would be setting up shop there, they’ve been catching grief on social media from Tump’s critics. After all, a place like CoWork seems to be tailored toward Millenials — not exactly a popular demographic for Trump (we admit we may have made ajoke or two about the larger-than-life candidate here and there as well).

Some have gone so far as to say they’ll never use the space again.

Arnoldi said he hopes people see the space, which has also hosted staff from the likes of Nike, Tesla, Solar City, Lyft, Special Olympics, American Society for Suicide Prevention, as politically neutral.

“In the past our space has shown support for both Democrats and Republicans,” he said.

5 Social Media Errors That Will Hurt Your Small Business

Social media is an always-changing web marketing strategy. The everyday users are in the millions and it offers a limitless audience to advertise your business. It’s very effective. Still, a lot of small business owners fall short to comprehend how to use it the right way. As these websites continue to evolve, it’s worthwhile to know the latest social media trends and refrain from making the usual mistakes that can be disadvantageous for you. Continue reading “5 Social Media Errors That Will Hurt Your Small Business”