The Grind, Meeting Edition, October 3 & 7

So, Laurea and I have been busy little working bees, as we’re sure you little bees have been as well.  Laurea was fortunate enough to book a workshop this week at Grind Space so she got to really take advantage of the fancy conference room action.

I needed a conference room last Monday evening and the only space I could find was Grind Spaces.  So, only makes sense we update you on what it’s like to run a meeting at The Grind, yo!

Some background on my meeting:

One of the 8 million projects I work on is Ignite NYC  (www.ignitenyc.org), as the presentation guru.  That means that I chase the speakers to get their slides, make sure they are in the right formate, load them on the presentation machine, run the machine during the event, and oh yeah, coach and rehearse all the speakers.  The rehearsing and coaching is really the most time consuming but also the most rewarding (I love seeing people improve.  Shameless plug for my services:  www.thepresentationschool.com)

Anyway, to do that I need a monitor for the presentation machine, water, a clicker, reception to have food delivered (presentation deliverers gotta eat), work space for presenters to work away like crazy people on their slides, WiFi for file transfer, and privacy so everyone can give presentations.

The conference rooms here were perfect for this!  At the beginning of your meeting, the lovely staff brings you ice water in a pitcher, glasses to drink it out of and they set up your machine with whatever cords you need to get your meeting going.  They’re also super accommodating with coffee, tea , directing folks to you, and receiving deliveries of food at reception.

People who got there early had a lovely area to sit and chat in.  I felt pride in bringing the oh-so-impressive speakers to such a cool, beautiful and professional space.  It was also super easy for everyone to come in, no hassle with security stuff.

Our meeting went smooth outside of the items I left at home (let’s call my bed a bad co-working place, it eats my Flip camera and power cords – no wonder I’m hunting for a new space).  Everyone felt comfortable, we had plenty of space to move around the room, had no technical difficulties once we were up and running.  AND I had the added bonus of being able to write on the wall so I was able to put some high level tips up there for people to focus on while talking.  

Really a great place to have a meeting!  BTW, it’s $35/hour for members.  First come, first served.  I liked it so much, I’m talking to them about using the room regularly for Presentation classes.

*Note image above is me being a ninja and taking a picture of Laurea in her meeting in the conference room.  She wasn’t in the know hence the “mer, what are you doing Martha?”  look on her face.  Ha!

Martha’s Take on The Grind Sept 16

PIC:  Laurea Working Liquid at The Grind.

So, the second location in our journey was The Grind.  You can only go there by being invited by other “grindists,”  in our case Jalina and Marcus from TEDxHarlem.  

Our first impression was “wow!  this is beautiful and fancy!”  The furniture is really nice and eco-oriented.  The tables are large, the chairs are really nice and there are outlets in the various tables.   It feels like a professional buzzy office that designers work at.  More importantly, this feels like the co-working space that you go to when you are ready to take yourself seriously.

Folks that work in the space work in all sorts of industries, not just tech like so many other co-working spaces.  And everyone is enthusiastically conducting business all day.  It’s totally ok to speak loudly, either at your table, in the phone booth, at one of the tables near the coffee or anywhere in the various private conversation booths.  There are also fancy couches to sit in if you want a more causal conversation, or 2 blinged out conference rooms with white board walls, pin walls or digital monitors for presentations.  2 of the walls are all windows.  There’s a professional lobby.  It’s fancy.

Right now it’s $500 a month or $35 a day.  They stay open until midnight, or until you’re done.  The receptionist desk is quite chill and the people are super friendly.  We really felt like we could walk up to any table and make friends and collaborate with people who are on the same level as we are.

Pluses:

• We felt like adults here.  This is a big people space, many of the folks around us are in their 30s and 40s.  Some people were in suits.  
• It’s a space we felt like we could bring any clients to, including our super corporate ones (of which I’m fortunate to have)
• There are magazines in the bathroom stalls.  A small thing, but a fun thing.  I enjoyed looking at Italian fashion models while I did my thing.
• There are monitors around and about if you need one.   A huge plus for someone who designs, like me.  It’s a huge part of why I stay in my house sometimes (my super fancy time 27” monitor is a huge pull)
• Candy at the receptionist desk.  A small touch, but a great touch.
• Intelligensia coffee  it’s their first location.  Talk about feeling like a cool kid with touches like that!
• Approachable – despite the awesome fancy collaborations (it’s behance, breakfast, magic+night and cool hunting supported), it feels like everyone wants to know everyone
• Regular happy hours with fun talks.  There’s one this Thursday we may hit because we like these kids.
• Location.  It’s Flatiron, right in the midst of all of the hot stuff going on right now.
• Facilities are as nice as any fancy ad agency I’ve temped in.  There are mugs and glasses to use on site.  
• Fantastic design.  As someone who’s studied interior design, it’s important to me.  It’s important to you, too.  You’d be surprised if you don’t care already :)

Drawbacks:

• The price structure.  $500 is a big commitment.
• Not a place for perpetually single Martha to pick up dudes.  They’re seemingly married.  

Highlights of the day:

• Seeing a picture of Jalina with Deepak Chopra
• Meeting friends of Marcus who are innovation strategists (cool!)
• Cheap Indian lunch around the corner
• Checking out the portfolios on the wall
• The afternoon sun beaming into the space
• The views down Park Ave South
• Magazines in the bathroom
• A lovely conversation about monkeys 

Having hip friends, one of them emailed me 2 days ago telling me to check this space out.  I was all “Laurea and I are hip and cool, we’ve been there, done that, love that, gonna blog that!”  My cool hip friend, Jesse, did have a contribution I wanna share with you, though.  This video:  http://www.psfk.com/2011/09/members-only-coworking-space-grind-opens-in-nyc.html