First Fridays at Indy Hall are optimized for something besides productivity
Alex Hillman
This essay was originally published in the Indy Hall newsletter. If you’re not already subscribed, you can sign up here.
The first time someone visits Indy Hall, I think it’s perfectly normal to feel a little nervous. Not uncomfortable, just that alertness that comes from not knowing what to expect.
Who are these people? Is this my kind of place?
Of course, we hope that the answer is yes. But we also know that people come to the clubhouse to work.
And depending on the pace and structure of your own workday, it can be really hard to find or make time for the serendipity of those in-between-work conversations that often lead to those first couple of interactions or conversations.
Whether someone is a brand new member, or has been with us for a while, we’re always looking for ways to make this a little bit easier.
Enter: PWYW Coworking on First Fridays
On the first Friday of every month, we offer a special “Pay What You Wish” coworking day geared towards solving this problem.
Our take on an “open house” of sorts.
If you’re new to Indy Hall, either through one of our community events or just checking us out from the sidelines, it’s a flexibly priced and zero-commitment day to try out coworking with us.
Instead of our usual $50/day guest pass or a $149 punch pass, you can grab a spot for just $10, $20 or $30, whichever fits your budget.
And here’s my favorite part: to stack the deck in the favor of meeting people, all members are welcome to enjoy First Friday as a FREE bonus coworking day.
That’s a free coworking day on your account, just for RSVPing to that day!
The result is that every First Friday, Indy Hall becomes a sort of “concentrated” version of itself.
The kinds of things you might experience on any given day of the week, you’re much more likely to experience on a First Friday:
- Learning something new over a cup of coffee
- A vibrant lunchtime conversation
- Overhearing an interesting conversation that you’d like to join
- Reconnecting with a familiar face or friend that you haven’t seen in forever…or even meeting someone in person for the first time after only knowing them online!
Long-time keyholders working on their thing. Regulars who show up because it’s become a ritual. First-timers who found the listing and thought “why not.”
PWYW Fridays are where it’s easiest to see all of the overlaps, and with a little bit of exploring, get to sample a few different experiences all in one day.
Productive? Maybe. A recharge of the social batteries? Absolutely.
Here’s the disclaimer:
Some people find these days highly productive. “Most productive I’ve been in months” is a common refrain we hear from people who come in, just thanks to the change of scenery and the shared energy of the people in the room.
And sometimes, these days aren’t productive.
Our philosophy is that sometimes, short term productivity isn’t the thing to optimize for.
Especially these days, where it feels like everything is optimized for more more more BIGGER BIGGER BIGGER.
Instead, we’re optimizing for a mix of people who might never cross paths, so they have a chance to have one of those unplannable but energy-boosting conversations.
Think of it as the best parts of a networking event or even going to a conference, but without the pressure of a rigid or tight schedule.
Just a good room full of people doing their own thing — which makes it one of the easiest days to have an interesting conversation.
Our hope? That however your Friday with us goes, you leave feeling energized for whatever comes next.
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