Very few people talk about how hard it can be to succeed as a team in a coworking space.  Alex Hillman opened discussion on this topic with Amanda and Christine from Lantern Fish Press.

People-Focused Project

Amanda and Christine have been really focused on putting the other people involved with their projects first.  Their project was the kind of thing that was started because they loved doing it. Since they took so much pride in what they were doing, they wanted a quality product at the end.  So, it was important to focus on who they were collaborating with. As a result, the way they approached business from the very beginning was very people-focused.

Publishing is such a collaborative endeavor.  Not a lot of people really understand how many moving parts are incorporated in it.  This is why they like to share the information about how a book is made. It is not just the two of them, it is a huge team that makes the project possible.  Their circle of collaborators constantly work with each other.

To make sure the process runs smoothly, they have one day set aside where they all gather and work on whatever they need to.  By meeting, they can ensure that the whole team is on the same page before continuing with production. Each team member brings a very different skill set to the table.  It is important to leverage each of them to get optimum results.

Interns

The two actually brought in interns because they needed help with things like social media and publicity.  They offered students exposure to the work force in a new way. The interns themselves got to be members of Indy Hall.  Amanda and Christine wanted to give them an experience that was valuable.

It is easy to invite people to coworking spaces and expect them to figure out how the environment works.  For interns, while it is a learning process, you do not want them to be dependent on you.