This morning we visited New Work City, which is a community coworking center on Broadway 412. Tony Bacigalupo decided to professionalise a "jelly group" of entrepreneurs in 2010. When the popularity of his jelly group expanded and outgrew cafés and his living room, a crowdfunding campaign was organised to set up New Work City. By raising $17,911, the group managed to rent a large space that gives access to independents to run their business in an inspiring and friendly work environment.
The perks which were rewarded to donators were of particular interest. Ten dollar awarded a simple name reference on their Thank You page, but $100 made you "Mayor" for a day. An entire day you would be in charge of the work place. The largest donation amount was especially noteworthy. One thousand dollars gave the donator a "personalized karaoke party" by founder Tony. As a result, a total of four people backed the project with a $1000 contribution.
The amount that their Kickstarter campaign raised was sufficient to decorate the space, build a kitchen and provide tables and chairs. Nowadays, a sustainable business model allows them to be independent of further donations. A paid membership is required to profit from the offered services, but in return for volunteering a reduction in this fee can be earned. Around 150 persons are currently member and more than 25 individuals are daily visitors of New Work City. Most people come from the direct neighbourhood, but the place is popular for independents from all around New York.
New Work City is an excellent example how a crowdfunding campaign can kickstart a sustainable business model. Their dynamic work space allows entrepreneurs to network and share ideas, which helps people to kickstart their own ideas too. Visit their website for more information here.
