The opportunity to work with so many different small businesses has been such a cool benefit of being here at CoMotion. Being connected to CoMotion alumni has also presented some exciting and rewarding opportunities as well. A prime case-in-point has been getting to work with Dyer & Duman Design.
As a freelance writer, networking plays such a crucial factor in sourcing opportunities. As I’ve written about in the past, being plugged into the CoMotion network has yielded a number of projects. A handful of these projects have come from businesses who once resided in a CoMotion space and, due to their growth, have set up shop elsewhere. Many of these businesses keep a strong connection to CoMotion; and this has resulted in so many mutually beneficial business relationships. Not only is a CoMotion a hub for workshops and social events, it also provides the former members with access to skills, expertise and resources from, what could be, some familiar sources. And, in a network this size, there’s always a referral that can address a need.
After having the chance to work on a couple projects with Veronica Dyer and Dilek Duman, I thought I’d investigate their ‘alumni take’ on starting here at CoMotion and how their business evolved. And, apparently, I did a good enough job on said projects that they were more than willing to let me pepper them with questions!
It really was nice to hear how their experience at CoMotion has helped shaped the success of Dyer & Duman Design.
When you decided to start your business, what appealed to you about a coworking space like CoMotion versus a traditional office or home office?
As designers and entrepreneurs, we needed a flexible and engaging environment which would allow us to grow, connect us to other businesses and elevate our small business. From early on, we had been watching The CoMotion’s growth from social media and also hearing great comments about how coworking spaces benefit small businesses and entrepreneurs. This definitely helped us make our choice; and joining CoMotion immediately gave us:
- The chance to collaborate with other professionals to add other skill sets to our clients’ projects such as video editing or photography
- Networking opportunities; enabling us to engage with community by attending events and workshops
- Professional working space and meeting rooms for client meetings and presentations
- A location and mailbox that started us downtown, giving us local visibility even at the beginning of our business journey.
How did your experience at CoMotion enable your business to flourish?
It elevated our business’ visibility, connected us to other professionals to collaborate and also helped us to grow our networking.
Dyer & Duman Design at the Dedicated Desks space of CoMotion On King
Did you ever work, or do business with, a fellow CoMotion member or business?
Yes, we did. We worked on a couple of collaborated design projects with Piranha Studios – a photography studio and a former business located in the CoMotion on King.
Also we also worked closely with The Generator – a well-known Hamiltonian firm providing customized social media marketing strategies and also a former tenant at CoMotion.
Back in 2016, Veronica Dyer, of Dyer & Duman, takes a Commons-area break.
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?
We would definitely suggest to entrepreneurs to start within a coworking space. The first year of businesses are really critical and new owners need to understand local business rhythms and customs in the city and form relationships. It is an ideal incubator for startups and a social and collaborative home for entrepreneurs.
