“Great things are done when a series of small things are brought together.”
– Vincent Van Gough

You may have heard of a new co-working concept launched in August in downtown Hays called BriefSpace, http://www.briefspace.com/. It is a nonprofit organization associated with Grow Hays (formerly known as the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development). This co-working space is a best kept secret, and this is why:

• If you office from home, BriefSpace eliminates the distraction of combining your work area with your home & family space. In my case, it may have saved my marriage. More importantly, It eliminates the feeling of isolation you get when working from home.

• It is the lowest cost option to office outside of the home. It has all the amenities of a world class office space without the costs of paying for them yourself: 1 Gigabyte wireless internet speed, networked color printer, private meeting room/conferencing space and utilities to name just a few.

• All membership options are month-to-month commitments. If you know someone coming into Hays from out of town (or you just want to get out of the house for a few days a month), there are weekly and daily passes available.

However, the most overlooked benefit for making your office at a co-working space is the power of community. When different professionals and businesses come together under one roof, the results can be extraordinary.

If you are a start-up, there is free advice around almost every corner. If you are a service-based business, there are potential customers that may be right next to you. If you are thinking about starting a business, there are resources and people that can and want to help. Maybe you are between jobs and want the BriefSpace Executive-in-Residence to provide you with resume and interview tips.

If you simply want to join a thriving community of people that love to live and work in Hays, they will be there as well. I have been working out of BriefSpace for a few weeks now, and there is a positive energy that you feel when you step into the building. That energy will continue to build with every new member.

It is hard to explain, but you need to come down to 219 W. 10th in downtown Hays to experience it for yourself. Until Sept. 1, it is completely free to work or hold a meeting at BriefSpace. As the BriefSpace community grows, we will keep more of our talent local. We will launch more local businesses, and they will stay local. We will create more opportunities for existing local businesses to thrive. As Van Gough says, when these small things come together, great things will begin to happen for Hays and Ellis County.

I may not have grown up in Hays, but my love for this area is as much as if I did. I have been asked why I got involved in this project. The answer is simple: whatever little I can do to make sure my children’s children’s children call Ellis County home … I’m in. I hope to see you down here!

Tim Speno
Local Entrepreneur and BriefSpace Executive–in–Residence

If you want more info on the BriefSpace, please call 785-628-3102 or email [email protected]. You can also find us on Facebook.