Connecting with CoMotion alumni is one of the coolest aspects of being a member. I’ve yet to find a former member who isn’t pumped at the opportunity to tell their CoMotion story. To me, that’s alone says a lot. Being part of the space and the community has made an impact – both professionally and personally.
Recently, I had the distinct pleasure of sitting down (and enjoying a whole pile of sushi) with Andrew Novak. A former CoMotion member, Andrew operated Nova Digital from the King Street East location. Specialists in SEO and SEM, on more than a few occasions I’d stop by the Nova Digital office for a mini-tutorial – or, even to check out some website analytics.
The success of Nova Digital didn’t go unnoticed. About a year ago, Andrew embarked on a mutually-beneficial merger with Thinkr. This enhanced the offering Thinkr could provide their growing client roster, while Andrew could leverage his Nova Digtial expertise to help more businesses grow their digital brands.
When you decided to start your business, what appealed to you about a coworking space versus a traditional office or home office?
When I started my own company I worked from home for several months and found myself getting a bit of cabin fever. I realized that I needed a dedicated space where I could establish a proper office; somewhere that I could get out of the house as well as have a professional space to meet clients.
How did you find out about CoMotion?
Shouldn’t be a shocker, but I found CoMotion online and booked a tour right away. I came in for the tour, took a look around, and asked for a dedicated office on the same day; I don’t think they were expecting that. As soon as I was upstairs I felt like this was the place I had to be. It had a great mix of space, people, organizations, and just the right vibe.
How did your experience at CoMotion enable your business to flourish?
Network, network, network. Being able to meet many people in as many different industries and positions is a huge benefit. Having a cup of coffee and a chat with a fellow member in the kitchen was always a great opportunity; to learn more about someone, to learn more about my own networking abilities, and to help raise my overall awareness of opportunities. Not to mention, being able to send and receive leads is a huge advantage.
I look at it this way – I almost always say ‘yes’ to a conversation in a business setting; perhaps it’s a great opportunity. But here’s the thing, opportunity usually only (but not always) shows in hindsight. Either you’re ‘grateful for the opportunity’, or you’ve ‘missed the opportunity’. CoMotion has given me the perfect space in which I could become more aware and recognize the traits of ‘opportunity’ before it has passed. Not only through first-hand experience, but through others at CoMotion who share their stories, their triumphs, defeats, and ‘should have’ moments.
Did you ever work, or do business with, a fellow CoMotion member/ business?
Absolutely! There’s so many complementary services and businesses at CoMotion that it’s very natural for several members to combine forces, so to speak, to accomplish a project for a client. Need a developer for a part of your project? Take a walk around and ask! Need someone to help with some drawings or renderings? Take a walk and ask around! Need some advice on how to continue your business growth? You know it, take a walk and ask around. The community is a pretty awesome place, share your knowledge and people will share theirs with you too.
If an entrepreneur came to you looking for advice on office-space selection, what sort of insights would you give them about a coworking space like CoMotion?
The advantages of coworking at CoMotion go far beyond just a desk or office to work from; it’s the people. The community is amazing, the members share knowledge and sometimes even leads, the networking events are a riot and have awesome opportunities, and, best of all, everyone that’s a member has similar entrepreneurial values! Everyone shares that drive and motivation, the ups, the downs, and everything else that goes with the life of an entrepreneur!