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LAW FIRM ESTABLISHES PRESENCE AT TAMPA COWORK SPACE

TAMPA, FL, June 11, 2013 – Becker & Poliakoff, a multi-practice business law firm with more than 155 attorneys, lobbyists and other professionals in 18 domestic and international offices, has established a presence as a member of CoWork Tampa to help support the legal and business needs of entrepreneurs, and offer training and counsel to its fellow members.

CoWork Tampa has been providing work space for entrepreneurs and founders in the Tampa Bay Area since 2012, when it established facilities in the old Garcia & Vega Cigar Factory at 3104 North America Avenue in Tampa.  By offering its members and residents access to technology, conference rooms, full kitchen and meeting facilities, together with marketing support and an inspirational and innovative work environment, CoWork Tampa has created one of the Tampa Bay Area’s finest co-working facilities.

“We are pleased to add Becker & Poliakoff to our team,” said Chris Arnoldi, founder of CoWork Tampa. “Our members have diverse backgrounds and skill sets and they share connections, experiences, and advice in an innovative and collaborative environment. Everyone benefits from the camaraderie, collective expertise, and experiences of the eclectic mix of companies and professionals that occupy our space.”

Michael De Biase, an attorney at Becker & Poliakoff, noted “Our attorneys regularly assist start-up and developing businesses with their corporate governance, financing and other critical needs.  This experience is a natural fit with the vibrant and growing Tampa technology and start-up sector. As a part of CoWork Tampa’s vision, we plan to offer training on legal subjects such as investor relations, private equity, strategic mergers, and governance as well as advice on protecting intellectual property and other assets.”

Becker & Poliakoff operates 12 offices in the state of Florida. In Tampa Bay, the office is located at Park Place, 311 Park Place Boulevard, Suite 250, Clearwater 33759. The telephone number is (727) 712-4000.

About Becker & Poliakoff

Becker & Poliakoff is a diverse commercial law firm with more than 155 attorneys, lobbyists and other professionals in 18 domestic and international offices. Celebrating its fortieth (40th) year of serving clients, the firm has eight primary areas of practice: Real Estate, Construction Law & Litigation, Community Association, Customs & International Trade, Business Litigation, Corporate & Securities, Government Law & Lobbying, and the Intellectual Property & Emerging Technologies practice. For more about the firm, visit: www.becker-poliakoff.com or http://www.becker-poliakoff.com/blogs.aspx to access forums on the latest ideas and opinions on legal matters hosted by Becker & Poliakoff attorneys.

“Coworking: Is It Just A Fad Or The Future Of Business.”

Coworking is more than just a fad. We have witnessed first hand what it can do for the community, startups, and established businesses. Coworking is more than an office space. It is an idea generator and catalyst that sets the future in motion.

When different people with different ideas are put in a room together great can things happen. Just this month a CoWorkTampa regular teamed up with ICT Funds to create FeedMe, an app currently in stealth-mode.

I have been an intern at CoWorkTampa and Uhsome for about two months. Everytime I come into the office I am so much more productive than I am at home. In a space that is professional but not stuffy the creativity and the work flows. So many great ideas have come alive since I have been here. It really is amazing to experience. The knowledge that is easily transferred between people in a cowork space is unlike anything else. Coworking will continue to grow. It is the future of business.

Rebecca Keyes

Marketing Major & Intern

Recently featured by TechCrunch (http://tcrn.ch/WRXXfC) and by Entrepreneur.com (http://bit.ly/XF54bi), CoWorkTampa’s very own Black & Denim was acknowledged for their recent KickStarter campaign. Black & Denim is raising funds to help launch the their women’s collection with the help of Maker’s Row among other things. Support Black & Denim and their goal to help revive American textile manufacturing by donating to their KickStarter Campaign: http://kck.st/WVruFb

WHO IS
BLACK & DENIM?

Black & Denim is a Lifestyle Brand sourced and manufactured 100% in the USA.
I spoke with Roberto Torres, one of Black & Denim’s cofounders, who works daily from CoWorkTampa’s shared coworking space and asked him why CoWorkTampa?

“You can work in your underwear in your house if you want to, but coming to a place like CoWorkTampa brings you in contact with like minded people. When you encounter a problem, there’s someone that brings a different perspective.” CoWorkTampa has “real office ambiance”, Roberto adds.

Uhsome.com, a Tampa media and marketing agency, is announcing their February 1st expansion to The Hub in order to accommodate more clients and continue their growth in the Sarasota market.

Uhsome will open their new office at The Hub, which is a creative and collaborative space and community where entrepreneurs come together to develop ideas and contribute toward building a new economy in Sarasota, Florida. Chris Abbott, Uhsome’s director of applications will head the Sarasota location. The new address will be 1680 Fruitville Rd Suite 319, Sarasota, FL 34236.

Uhsome also owns and operates CoWorkTampa, a coworking loft located in Tampa, which offers affordable memberships to freelancers, entrepreneurs and to those who work from home. Uhsome’s success in collaborating with businesses that operate out of CoWorkTampa made The Hub the perfect spot to expand to.

The Hub opened in 2009 with a simple goal: “Create a place where creative energy could thrive.” Since then, the Hub has supported over 100 entrepreneurs and helped launch many successful businesses and major campaigns. They recently relocated to a 40,000 square foot facility that offers coworking, educational facilities and a world-class incubator.

“Sarasota is an up and coming city and The Hub is definitely the spot to be. We like associating ourselves with people doing it the right way.” says Uhsome CEO, Chris Arnoldi.

Uhsome will offer the same suite of professional services at their Sarasota location. This includes everything from web design, development, hosting and consulting to complex iPhone apps, mobile sites and much more.

Uhsome Media and Marketing is an interactive agency helping businesses build long-term digital and social strategies. We have built successful partnerships through delivered results. Our advice is objective and focused on goals and performance. Uhsome helps communicate, orchestrate and manage the digital process. Our proven models link digital activity back to real business results.

CoWorkTampa has been open almost a year now, so I thought it was a good idea to reflect back on our first year in the coworking business. CoWorkTampa moved into the old Garcia & Vega Cigar Factory in January of 2012. When we came in, we had our work cut out for us. The foundation was laid out, but it definitely needed some upgrades and enhancements.

We painted the walls, added ceilings and brought in some furniture for the 11 private offices. It came together great and we were more than pleased with the fast transformation. We still didn’t have our ‘coworking’ open area perfected, but we were getting there.

We started advertising the space via social media sites and craigslist. The private offices went fast. With a private office, tenants got all the same amenities as coworkers. They also received a mailbox, lock for their office and 24 hour access to the building.

Around March of 2012 we were ready to start advertising for memberships. We decided to go with daily, weekly and monthly memberships to start off with. Admittedly, our price points may have been a little on the pricey side. But hey, it’s better to aim high, right? We were getting some buzz but not building the community we really wanted. We realized we needed to do something to get people to our location and show them why it was so unique.

And what better way to get people to come to CoWorkTampa than a party with free food and booze? In July, we decided to invite all of our friends, clients and everyone we knew on Facebook to our official launch party. The turnout was great. Over 75 people showed up to support CoWorkTampa and see what we were all about. We rewarded all of our special guests with a free lifetime membership to CoWorkTampa (we’re so generous, we know!).

The success of our launch party created a buzz. We started getting more inquiries about the memberships but not enough ‘bites’. We listened to what people had to say about the space, their likes and dislikes. One major issue was the hours. We were only operating on Monday-Friday from 8am-6pm. And with many coworkers being entrepreneurs, they needed different hours.

We went back to brainstorming and decided on new membership options, part-time and full-time. For just $37/mth, part time members could cowork on Monday-Friday from 8am-6pm. Full-time members received 24/7 access and a mailing address. All coworkers have access to fast WiFi, six TVs, free coffee and our awesome pool and ping pong table.

Since the launch party and adjusting the membership options, we have about 25 coworkers. We’re building a little community here that is diverse and, most importantly, fun. We’re still growing and trying to make CoWorkTampa the best coworking spot it can be.

Thank you to all our coworkers and everyone who supported us in 2012 and we look forward to continued success in 2013!

For more information, stop by CoWorkTampa at 3104 North Armenia Ave Suite 2, Tampa, FL 33607 or call Samantha at (813) 877-2435.

Looking for original artwork for your home, office or maybe even to gift? We have 12 one of a kind paintings available for sale here at CoWorkTampa! Chay Prieto is a local Tampa artist who creates beautiful acrylic paintings on a variety of canvasses ranging from 2’x3’ to 4’x5’. Each piece of artwork is made from Oliva Tobacco leaves and are great statement pieces for any room. Photos of the artwork can all be seen on our Facebook page.

For more information, stop by CoWorkTampa at 3104 North Armenia Ave Suite 2, Tampa, FL 33607 or call Samantha at (813) 877-2435.

About CoWorkTampa
CoWorkTampa offers a place for people who work from home, independent contractors, freelancers and entrepreneurs an open place to work for a reasonable fare. The 6,000 square-foot facility offers a large coworking area, high speed internet, six TVs, access to two meeting rooms with A/V equipment, abundant free parking and a large kitchen area with coffee. CoWorkTampa is conveniently located just five miles from Tampa International Airport and only one mile from I-275.

CoWorkTampa, a coworking loft and learning facility located at 3104 North Armenia Ave Suite 2 in Tampa’s historic Garcia & Vega Cigar Factory, is now offering 24/7 access and lower membership rates to better accommodate members.

CoWorkTampa will now offer two different memberships, part-time and full-time. The part-time membership will cost just $37/mth with access to the coworking facility Monday through Friday from 8am until 6pm. For full-time (24/7) access to the facility, members will pay only $97/mth. Full-time members receive a mailing address and three hours of meeting room time.

“Since the launch party back in July, we’ve took the time to listen to our members opinions about how to make the space better. A lot of people mentioned needing more flexible hours, so we made the adjustment. We’re constantly trying to make CoWorkTampa better for everyone,” says founder, Chris Arnoldi.

The goal of the new hours are to allow entrepreneurs and small business owners, who often have a full time job or go to school during the day, a place to work on their business anytime they need to.

CoWorkTampa has also added a pool table as well as other games to their space, along with 6 HD TVs. The games and TVs allow members to take a break from their work and get to know other coworkers while having a bit of fun.

About CoWorkTampa
CoWorkTampa offers a place for people who work from home, independent contractors, freelancers and entrepreneurs an open place to work for a reasonable fare. The 6,000 square-foot facility offers a large coworking area, high speed internet, six TVs, access to two meeting rooms with A/V equipment, abundant free parking and a large kitchen area with coffee. CoWorkTampa is conveniently located just five miles from Tampa International Airport and only one mile from I-275.

If you are interested in becoming a member (full-time or part-time), holding a meetup, class or event, please contact Samantha at sam@coworktampa.com or call (813) 877-2435 today!

Coworking is changing the way freelancers, small businesses and entrepreneurs are working. These hot spots that offer Wi-Fi, coffee and a place to network are popping up all over the globe. Adjusting from working at home or out of the coffee shop to coworking is a beneficial move.
We have compiled a list of tips to get the most out of your coworking experience.

1. Take advantage of networking opportunities. Coworking is all about the community. You are working alongside like-minded individuals who might be able to help you solve a problem or give you advice. Be appropriate about networking during coworking hours, though. Grab a coffee or go out to lunch to get to know them so you’re not distracting them from their work.

2. Utilize meeting rooms. Do you have a private conference call or need to meet with a client? Coworking spaces usually offer a room or area which you can sign up for a time to use. This is a great alternative to making phone calls in the middle of the coworking area. Nothing is worse than having people scream over each other during important phone calls or top secret meetings.

3. Keep area clean. Keeping the area you use clean helps keep the coworking space neat and tidy. Having chaos from wires, paper and garbage everywhere can hinder productivity. Doing simple tasks like throwing trash away and cleaning your dishes can help keep the space organized.

4. Bring headphones. The sound of your e-mail or incoming messages beeping can be a little distracting and annoying. That cat video you are watching on YouTube might be hilarious and all, but people are trying to work. Using headphones to keep your noise to a minimum is respectful to everyone around you. You might be used to working in silence from home; getting used to the daily buzz of a coworking community might be a bit of an adjustment for you. Investing in a pair of headphones to drown out background noise will help you focus on your work.

CoWorkTampa.com offers an affordable, alternative workplace for those who work from home, are independent contractors, freelancers and entrepreneurs. The 6,000 square-foot facility offers a large coworking area, high speed internet, six TVs, access to two meeting rooms with A/V equipment, abundant free parking and a large kitchen area with coffee. The space is conveniently located just five miles from Tampa International Airport and only one mile from I-275.

If you are interested in becoming a member, holding a meetup, class or event, please contact Samantha at sam@coworktampa.com or call (813) 877-2435 today!

CoWorkTampa has been actively renting space to different Meetup.com groups during non-coworking hours. From book clubs, to trade meetings, business parties and recently a graphic design meetup, CoWorkTampa has provided a convenient location to hold gatherings. The space has over 60 chairs, eight tables, six TVs, A/V equipment, a kitchen, abundant free parking and restrooms to accommodate all meetup needs.

CoWorkTampa allows Meetup organizers to hold their first meetup free of charge. After that, there is a small charge of $5 per attendee for up to a three hour meetup.

It’s great to have people from all different industries working and meeting here,” says founder Chris Arnoldi.

Last week when the Republican National Convention was in Tampa, CoWorkTampa rented out their space for ten employees from Wolters Kluwer. Wolters Kluwer, founded in 1836, provides products and services for professionals in the health, tax, accounting, corporate, financial services, legal and regulatory sectors. The Wolters Kluwer team worked diligently at our space, drank a ton of coffee and managed to have a little fun during the week they were here.

“It was so much fun having Wolters Kluwer working here for RNC week,” said Uhsome team member Kimberly Sorensen.

If you are interested in holding a meetup, class or event, please contact Samantha at sam@coworktampa.com or call (813) 877-2435. You can also become a member today and utilize the space during working hours!

Working from a coffee shop, home or a traditional office space is no longer necessary. Coworking spaces are popping up all over the map. Small business owners, entrepreneurs and start-ups come together and work in a shared space. Is it right for you? Here are four reasons why you should consider coworking..

1. Share ideas.
Stuck in a rut? Need someone’s opinion? When you work from home, it’s hard to get an honest opinion. Coworking spaces are filled with other professionals. You’re free to bounce ideas off each other and ask for advice. People with different skill sets can complement and help each other out.

2. Network and socialize.
For small businesses and entrepreneurs, networking is KEY. But with such a busy schedule, sometimes it’s hard to find the time. By working at a coworking space, you’re surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals. You can share contacts and open new doors for your company. Get to know the people you’re working around and socialize with them in and out of the office. Many coworking spaces offer activities and events to go to after work hours.

3. Office amenities.
Having meetings in coffee shops can only work for so long. Once your business gets going, you’re going to want to have a more professional meeting space. Coworking spaces offer conference rooms filled with the necessary equipment to host your meeting.

4. Get out of the house.
Working from home day in and out can get lonely and boring. Sure, sometimes it’s great to have complete silence and plow through your tasks, but that can get old. Coworking spaces offer different membership levels. Some days you can stay home and get your work done and other days you can go into the office. Occasionally, you just need a change of scenery to get the work flowing!

Interested? Say hello to Tampa’s Finest Coworking Loft,  CoWorkTampa

CoWorkTampa offers a place for people who work from home, independent contractors, freelancers and entrepreneurs an open place to work for a reasonable fare. The 6,000 square-foot facility offers a large coworking area, high speed internet, six TV’s, access to two meeting rooms with A/V equipment, abundant free parking and a large kitchen area with coffee. CoWorkTampa is conveniently located just five miles from Tampa International Airport and only one mile from I-275.

If you are interested in holding a meetup, class or event please contact Samantha at sam@coworktampa.com, (813) 877-2435 or become a member today!