On the Power of Networks

This is an article I originally wrote in the latest Co-Liv newsletter - click here to subscribe and get exclusive Co-Liv updates.

Today I wanted to write about a topic that stands really close to Co-Liv and that is a key value to everyone involved in our non-profit association: the power of professional networks.

As a former coliving professional who entered the coliving industry three years ago and invested my time into Co-Liv, I know that networks have been crucial on every front:

When I did my coliving world tour last year, I hosted Co-Liv meetups in every major European city, inviting coliving professionals to evening drinks and sharing rounds.

The amount of connections that were created and the results of these were tremendous: from coliving competitors who exchanged on operational best practices to investors exchanging with operators on their business models, it has created bonds that did not exist before.

Above: the first Madrid coliving meetup in June 2019.

Since then, we've been hosting with Co-Liv more than 30 physical events and 50 virtual ones - quite a bit!

Here is the key: networks are crucial and we often tend to forget it! 

Let me share one of my favorite examples of someone who built himself up with networks.

The Steven Spielberg example

Everyone knows him. This man received 3 Oscars - one for creating the best film in 1994 and two for being the best director in 1994 and 1999.

Not to mention the amount of Golden Globe, Emmy and Academy Awards.

He is today one of the most sought-after directors!

And yet, if you look at how he started, nothing was won:

Being a mediocre student but passionate about cinema, his school results did not allow him to join the film schools of his choice.

With an unemployed mother and a father who built computers, Spielberg couldn't rely on his family network to open the doors to Hollywood for him either.

To break through, Spielberg began with a very original internship at Universal Studios at the age of 17.

Concretely, the internship allowed him to navigate the premises of Universal, but denied him access to film sets. 

Spielberg as an intern... long before we knew him.

Instead of giving up, Spielberg sneaked into the sets every morning. At the end of his internship, he pretended that nothing had happened and continued to visit Universal's studios every morning, talking to everyone he met.

Gradually, nobody was surprised to see a kid of his age, wandering on the biggest shooting platform of his time.

He even used the credibility of Universal to shoot the short film Amblin' which marked the beginning of his professional career.

Impressed by this short film and considering Steve as a "regular", the bosses of Universal offered him a 7-year contract as a director. Spielberg still holds the title of youngest director ever to be hired by Universal!

When I hear coliving professionals ask me about the importance of networks, I refer them to the Spielberg story: we can't build ourselves up without the right connections.

Often, we need to hustle our way into them.

But not in the coliving scene: Co-Liv is creating this network for you.

How Co-Liv connects today

Professional networks have always been the driving force of many initiatives and movements. 

Without them, knowledge and partnerships would only happen at a linear growth. With organizations such as Co-Liv, exchange happens at an exponential rate.

Let’s take a concrete example. Here is an email that we got four days ago:

This person actually has several questions which every coliving professional has:

1. Which coliving spaces are thriving and what are the best models?
2. Who are the key players that I can connect to?
3. Can someone guide me to find the right professional connections?

Truth is, it is hard to answer these questions by yourself! It takes time and energy to connect with others, to get integrated into small professional circles, and to do the research needed to find answers to your questions.

At Co-Liv, we have been working on initiatives that help coliving professionals answer these questions. 

Are you looking for the right information? We are hosting dozens of events every quarter that will fill your knowledge.

Are you looking for the right people to connect with? Our online platform and members listing gives you an overview of who the key players are.

Are you searching for your future investor or real estate owner who will enhance your brand? Join one of our speed-networking events or submit a request for proposal.

And then, we hear these things:

“Guys, your events are amazing, I met the entire industry in two weeks.”

“Oh yeah, I actually started working with the investment fund I met in your Zoom breakout room.”

“When I hosted the last event, two building owners reached out to me in private messages. We start operating in one house next week.”

And even if we established an entire network of coliving players and initiatives, people keep sending us these questions via email!

Why? 

Because we didn’t have ONE place to centralize all our activities. 

There are too many events happening. There are too many people in our network. And there are too many masterminds, resources, and advisors that people don’t know how to find. 

But this is about to change.  

The big announcement we've been waiting for

To better connect coliving professionals, Co-Liv decided to launch a dedicated program:

On Tuesday November, we are launching a 10-week program, which will grant you access to personal introductions, calls with our executive team, connections to key coliving professionals and access to a wider box of resources.

Called the Co-Liv Onboarding Program, this program is available for all coliving professionals. 

It will enable you to get integrated within the coliving scene in no time, allowing you to

• Find the right resources within the entire coliving ecosystem
• Connect with the stakeholders that will grow your business
• Match you with future business partners and relevant service providers
• Help you get in touch with dedicated experts who we set up partnerships with
• And get access to internal resources not available to the public

No more being lost in the coliving scene. Mark yourself November 3rd in your calendar!

In the meanwhile, comment under this post which types of connections and resources you need in the coliving industry. We are going to hear you out and recommend you the right path!

Colivly yours,

Gui Perdrix

Co-Liv Director (www.co-liv.org)