The Universe Compels
At some point in the process of creating a new coworking space in Boise, it occurred to me that I wasn’t opening a coworking space – I was starting a new business.
Subsequently, it’s occasioned a cortisol-freighted line of thinking that runs like this: “Holy crap, what in hell’s name do you think you are doing, Russ?” I’ve had that thought, oh, say 15 times, 50 times, 100 times?
This comes at a time when most of my contemporaries and friends of my age – I was born with Dwight D. Eisenhower was president – are tapering down.
What can I say except that the universe, and a longtime love for my office building, compels me?
I’ve been in the Oliver Russell building since January 2002. I purchased it in 2010. Over the past 22 years I’ve crashed here in a sleeping bag during my divorce; I’ve built a social impact branding agency that one time employed 36 people; I moved in and lived here with my wife Sarah and her daughter during thin times to save on a mortgage payment. I sat here and worked in 6,800 square feet, all by myself with my thoughts and my dread, during the pandemic.
Along the way, we’ve turned the building into a bit of a Boise icon; initially for its “I Love You Man” mural and then when we wrapped the building with large-scale murals of social and environmental impact champions and christened it, “Inspiration Alley.”
That’s both inspiration and the dream – the opportunity to turn the building into a community hub for creative professionals and people seeking to make social and environmental impact through their work. We’ll have mentoring and coaching opportunities, with programming to help people grow their impact: think carbon accounting, B Corp 101, climate cafes, volunteer outings, that kind of thing. And to do this at membership prices that are below market rate to make it more affordable.
A lofty idea that, to be a place for inspiration.
I’ve wanted to turn it into a community coworking hub for a long time. Godspeed reader Bryan Kimbell reminded me of this recently when he recounted that I picked him up at the airport for a visit, oh, say 8ish years ago, and I’d shared with him the desire of doing exactly that.
Which is what I’ve – holy crap! – finally gone and done. Never underestimate the universe.
This project has pushed me in some good and hard ways. I navigated the tiny type of poor instruction manuals and built A LOT of new chairs and desks. I learned how to create a website (after having an agency that’s been building websites for nearly 30 years) and how to use a new coworking software that integrates into the website. I’ve climbed tall ladders and spattered paint across walls; found furniture on Facebook marketplace and toted it from private homes and into the office; cussed out and finally bested a demon numerical lock system on the front entrance of the building in 100+ degree heat. I've even learned a homemade recipe for whiteboard cleaner.
We opened, softly, last week. Fingers crossed, now we’ll see how it does. I’ve been in the “valley of pulls,” for this dream, pulling from my retirement funds to pull this off, which induces some anxiety (no, A LOT of anxiety), both for the necessary capital expenditures to kit out the building, as well as to cover the monthly nut of roughly $9,000 (mortgage, property taxes, utilities, and operating <but no labor> expenses). Now it’s time for me to use my stock in trade – a career of marketing experience and connections in the community – to see if we can make this idea fly.
You can check out the website here. Still a work in progress, but it’s moving forward.
And hey – if you’d like to follow along on social, Inspiration Alley is on LinkedIn and Instagram.
I’d like to recognize some of the Godspeed readers who have helped me so far. Thanks to Nowel Pawliw (graphic identity) Jay Saenz (website and conference room), and my banker, Marissa Szapucki, who’s been patient, thoughtful, and encouraging as we’ve explored this idea together.
Oh, and I’d be remiss without acknowledging my wife, Sarah – NOT a Godspeed reader – who has provided moral support, helped carry furniture up and down stairs, and given me the occasional and much-needed kick in the butt.
As for the rest of you, I’d love your help, too. If have ideas, leads, connections, or feedback – I would be grateful to hear from you!
And if you’re in Boise, stop on by one of these days and say hi.
I’d better run – time to sweep the front walk.
Godspeed, friends.
Russ
P.S. We’re having a free coworking day on August 14th. Email me if you’d like to join in the fun.
💬 Quote of the Week
"There are, it seems, two muses: The Muse of Inspiration, who gives us inarticulate visions and desires, and the Muse of Realization, who returns again and again to say, 'It is yet more difficult than you thought.' It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work and when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey." Wendell Berry
💥 Quick Hits
• I want to work here – Staying with the coworking vibe, here's an inspirational story about Past Lives, a maker's collective in Portland, OR, that's smithing, welding, and machining second chances.
• Just another reason to visit Copenhagen – Demonstrate eco-friendly practices when visiting Denmark's capital and the tourism board will reward you.
• Who's your daddy? – Come for Russ and stay for Mike – I had the pleasure of participating in The Climate Dad podcast with Mike Smith of Aclymate. He's the real deal: U.S. Navy fighter pilot, successful entrepreneur, and climate activist. So give his podcast a listen.
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