Blog | Kismet Cowork

Check One: A Night of Multi-Racial Magic

June 12, 1967: the Loving vs. Virginia Supreme Court case overruled the ban on interracial marriage in the United States. A significant day in our country’s history, but especially for those of us who gathered at the Check One Symposium here at Kismet Chestnut Hill. The idea came from a high school club for mixed-race kids — a reclamation of the idea that we are asked to check just one box to define our ethnic/racial identity on any formal survey or document. The Check One Symposium was a celebration, a way to honor and highlight the multi-faceted experiences of those of us that grew up (and are still growing up) in multi-racial households. We listened as people shared ....
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Create Something New

As a culture, we’re tiptoeing away from mundane 9–5 cubicle slogs and toward something new. We’re realizing the importance of innovation, freedom, and forging meaningful connections in the workplace. But for this new work culture to exist, and for it to work practically, our environment must support it. If there is no community to engage, consume, and co-create, there is no creative career for the individual. Successful careers require meaningful networks — groups of professionals with loosely related goals. Not only does coworking support these essential connections, but it facilitates them. Kismet isn’t the only workspace aimed at building a new work ....
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What Kismet Is (and Isn’t)

Chance, serendipity, synchronicity, destiny, fate — Whether you believe in luck, god, or anything in between, most cultures have a word or a concept for Kismet. Search around the internet and you’ll be hard-pressed to find any concrete information about “kismet,” an Arabic/Turkish word dating back to the early 19th century. The term grew in usage until 1919, when it peaked and then declined dramatically, beginning its resurgence around 1994. Today, the word Kismet is used more than ever before — at least according to Google Ngram Viewer. As with any vague and mysterious concept, it’s often easier to grasp what it is not before tackling what it is. ....
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Cryptocurrency, Meet Coworking

What do cryptocurrency and coworking have to do with each other? In the past, probably not much. But coworking spaces are beginning to test out the benefits of accepting cryptocurrency from members — and some are integrating it into their business model. Professionals are exploring new ways to work and new ways to exchange money — So it’s no surprise that innovative companies are finding ways to fuse these two concepts together to create more wealth and creative opportunity. Primalbase is leading the movement, offering shared workspace around the world in exchange for Ether. Using a platform called Waves (where users can store, trade, manage, and issue ....
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Beyond the Aesthetic: Plants in the Workplace

We know that certain plants do a good job of cleaning the air, but research is now showing mental and physical health benefits for people who work among plants. From the tiny air plant on your desk to the towering fern in the corner of an office, plants add more to a space than just an aesthetically pleasing view. Reduced Stress While it may seem far-fetched or at least difficult to prove, a Washington State University study showed compelling evidence of employees in plant-filled environments having lower stress levels. “Participants working in an environment with plants present were 12 percent more productive and less stressed than their non-plant counterparts.” Another ....
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Thaddeus Squire | Lessons from GreatPHL

Thaddeus is the founder of Hidden City, an organization that connects people to Philly’s lesser-known treasures, and CultureWorks, a management commons for arts, heritage, and creative communities. CultureWorks is a platform that provides space, human capital, and services to help artists thrive. “Philly is a city of quiet innovation. It’s also the birthplace of our American commons movement.” Thaddeus delves into the difference between innovation and origination. It’s not just creators and inventors that are important, but those who take an idea and run with it after it is created. These people do not own the idea or invention, but they promote it ....
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Ice Cream Social Media with @Peopledelphia

@Peopledelphia is a highly influential, far-reaching Instagram account documenting life in Philadelphia through the people who live here. Our social media guest this month was Brendan W. Lowry, creator of @peopledelphia. He talks about growing an audience, using your platform for good, and what really makes an Instagram account successful. A Platform for a Purpose When Philly ‘s ‘big belly’ trash receptacles were being overtaken by brash car dealership ads — Brendan used his platform to do something about it. Teaming up with City Fitness and Streets Dept, Brendan’s agency Rory Creative bought 20 ad spaces and replaced the car ads with local artwork. ....
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Work Myths vs. Work Reality

As we move out of an era of rigid workplace rules where job security was top of mind, modern businesses are eager to learn new and innovative ways of operating. Work-life balance and a sense of purpose have officially surpassed job security (and even
);background-size:1px 1px;background-position:0px calc(1em + 1px);" target="_blank">pay raises ) in importance. So with this fairly new paradigm in the Western workplace, we’re all wondering how to pry ourselves away from the safety of outdated routines and plunge into a more rewarding unknown — namely, freedom and fulfillment at work. Part of this process inevitably involves reassessing what we thought was truth. In other words ....
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Changing Perceptions: Why Weren’t We Coworking All Along?

In (2015), Gallup’s
);background-size:1px 1px;background-position:0px calc(1em + 1px);" target="_blank">poll of more than 80,000 workers publicly revealed what we all secretly knew — at least about our complaining friends. People hate their jobs. Not even hate, which is too strong of a word, but people are indifferent to their jobs. 68% of workers reported being either “not engaged” or “actively disengaged.” In light of these findings, the U.S workforce has been coming to terms with its disengagement epidemic. They say the opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s indifference. So if the majority of our workforce is indifferent, what does that mean ....
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12 Oct 2018
Entrepreneurs: How to Not Become a Slave to the Grind

Freedom, purpose, control, fun — these are just a few of the reasons people decide to embark on entrepreneurship. From the outside looking in, it’s easy to see entrepreneurship as an all-day party — You wake up when you want, make your own schedule, and choose the direct in which the business goes. But the irony is that entrepreneurs — especially very successful ones — can become merely stressed out employees who feel trapped in their career. What was once an exciting venture can turn into 14 hour days of putting out fires. As businesses scale, they can start to take on a life of their own. That’s why if you pay close attention, you’ll see ....
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