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February's Founder Newsletter

February's Founder Newsletter

📆 Events, Resources & Support

Tori at the Knowledge Shop
February 16, 2024

⭐️ Who are we? the founder community in NYC. Don’t build a startup alone.

Quick Links:

🏡 Join the community 📅 Attend an event 💰 Sponsor an issue 🗞️ Appear in the newsletter 🙋‍♀️ Volunteer ⏰ Book a mentor

👋 Hello Everyone,

And welcome back snow ☃️ 🧊 - loved seeing all the snowmen pictures yesterday.

Coming up in this issue….

🤖 ☕️ Event re-caps (are you famous??)
🌟 Upcoming TKS Events (next coworking day Feb 27th)
🛠️ Tools & Resources - retention as a tool for growth, finding your people, getting VC’s interested and FREE MONEY
📆 Event Calendar: 50+ across NYC
🗞️ Sign up for our weekly event digest email
🛟 Marketing volunteers needed
🙋‍♀️ Membership subscription - should we launch one???

But first, I started this community a few years back, after realising how incredibly difficult it is to build something on your own. What started as a few coworking days became The Knowledge Shop, a true community for founders building in NYC.

But, i am getting to a crossroads, and really need some help.

Do you get value from the community? Would you pay something to be a part of it?

Other than a tiny fee for some events - I’ve run everything for free the entire time - but in order to keep things going, I really need to start bringing in some money. One idea i had was a membership model (original i know 😉)….

In return for a monthly fee???
- Priority access to free events like the coffee huddles
- Access to the curated events calendar / weekly digest
- Potentially free entry to paid events - like coworking days
- Other things - open to ideas…

Anyway - before i go down completely the wrong path, do you understand, would you support SOMETHING? What’s most valuable - ie what should we double down on? And what would you love us to start doing?

Extra points for suggestions of what you think would be a fair cost, inclusions, or frankly, literally any ideas - I am all ears.

Need to figure out a way to keep supporting everyone, without selling a kidney, or leaving you all in the lurch - open to any / add ideas 🙏🙏🙏🙏

Thanks so much for hearing me out, and now onto our usual programming.

Tori

➡️ ps - changing subjects entirely…

👩‍🎨 Do you want to get more involved in the startup space? Got a few hours to spare? I’m looking for a volunteer to help with marketing - ie social media, graphics etc. If that’s your thing (don’t have to be in NYC). reach out.

📆 Event Re-Cap 📆

🤖 So that AI coworking day happened

The first coworking day of the year, at the wonderful Primary (Fidi and the most 🧘‍♀️ wellbeing focussed coworking space i know), tested a new theme for us - everything “AI”.

As someone who uses, as opposed to build with AI - it was a fascinating day. Learnt so much from both the wonderful visiting AI and emerging tech experts - Eva Agapaki PhD, and Sofia Guzowski, as well of course from all you amazing founders. I definitely think we need to do more in this space.

⬇️ Here are some of the startups that came. Check them out!

Ed-Tech: Whimsy (helping kids learn)

Productivity: 3rd Brain (share household tasks equitably - AND their Beta just opened), Smarty (tasks, calendars & notes in one place), App Mail (your email marketing assistant)

Being human: My good point (helping activists increase their impact), Meet In 10 (making in-person events more impactful)

Building blocks: Try Build (green data solutions)

Gaming: The game HERs (where women who game, connect)

☕️ We also coffee huddled (Twice)!

The amount of serendipity between everyone always amazes me. Connections, and follow up coffees aplenty. Which i love (especially the passion project of mine, bringing British founders in NYC together)

Need to figure out a spot for greater capacity, or host even more (if i can find a co-host or two???) So many people want to come, which is amazing - but I can’t fit you all in. 🤔

Nomadworks are always amazing hosts. 🙏 🎟️ They are offering a free day pass to folks who want to check out their Times Square spot - email me for details .

Coffee Meet for all

🇬🇧 British Founders meetup

👀 Check out these amazing startups that came…

AI - Insta label (data labelling

Climate - Climastry - sustainability management

Fashion - Aida Labs - fashion models, without the leg work, Mira - digital clothing stylist, Stand 4 Socks - socks that do good,

Gaming - Chess Meet - the community for chess players

Health - Little Beat - soundbath in your pocket

HR-Tech - Shap.community (hiring / jobs newsletter), The Big Sky (connecting businesses to partners)

📆 TKS Community Events 📆

🐶 TODAY. Founders & Furry Friends - a chance to get some fresh air, walk your dog, or meet other founders with theirs.

🙊 27th February. “Speak” - with clarity and confidence. Coworking day to help founders land that pitch and get rid of those nerves.

☕️ 1st March. Coffee Huddle - Small group sessions focused on support, and building meaningful connections. First Friday of every month.

🇬🇧 8th March. British founder Coffee Meet - Small group session with fellow founders from across the pond.

❤️ 18th March. Cofounder / Team Dating - looking to find a co-founder or early hire? Then step right up.

💰 26th March. Startup financials coworking day - learn from CFO’s, and have your business model reviewed by a VC

Founder Coworking “The Speaking Edition”

Expert for the day

Lindsay Rider, founder of The Overture Institute.

This professional singer and executuve coach, brings her incredible energy and expertise to help her clients find and strengthen their voices, so they can “Speak” to win.

Presentation: "We've got a communication issue"
- Learn how to use the most important business tool - your voice.
- Understand the basic mechanics of body, breath and voice
- Tips to improve connection and resilience in communication
- Tips in communication - hacks for what trips us up the most
3 Free 1:1's - 3 lucky attendees will be chosen at random for a 20 min sit down with Lindsay following the presentation.
Brainstorm with other founders on their top communication and confidence building do's and don'ts.
Personalised intro's before the event, with attendees whose interests align with yours.

🛠️ Tools & Resources 📈

🏎️ Productivity Hacks

1. Stop obsessing on your inbox. Receive emails only at set times AND hide your inbox to avoid distractions

https://inboxwhenready.org/

2. Stop recreating the wheel. Create shortcuts for regularly used info, and paste it straight into docs, emails, forms etc

http://textexpander.com

3. Find other hacks like these. All the hacks podcast (where the above came from) - increasing efficiency in life / travel etc.

https://www.allthehacks.com/

📈 Retention as a growth tool

Product-led retention is better than product-led growth.

And we all know that second time founders focus on growth, and not product…

Watch and learn

💰 Getting VC’s interested

Detailed breakdown on using your startup’s traction to get VC’s interested, and how to find / use data points (from a VC).

What are you waiting for?

🤝 Finding people - co-founders / team members

There is a distinct knack and tactics to be used here. Some advice shared by Pillar.vc, on how to increase the odds and in your favour.

Check it out

💰 Finding free money

A list of grants, especially for minorities and women

Part 1 and Part 2

📆 Event Calendar 📆

February’s Events…

Our calendar of startup events across NYC, features our take on the BEST events for founders. From pitch nights, to networking events, accelerators and workshops.