Podcast Recap: Alt Space

In this episode of the GCUC Podcast Brian Watson, Dennis Lankes, and Liz Elam discuss a new product, born out of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and the importance of connection.

Brian & Dennis kept meeting at the same conferences and knew they wanted to work together. They ended up starting a unique tech solution for the coworking industry along with five (yes, five other founders.)

Though successful with their first startup, two of the founders ended up leaving the company to reinvent themselves and launch a new AI focused startup for the coworking world.

Check out the podcast to hear about their latest project Alt Space.

Here are just a few of the GCUC the soundbites:

Proximity got started as a combination of two separate companies in the region of Colorado. It’s really the origin stories of two organizations merging together. -Brian Watson

People don’t realize so many businesses come together at GCUC, so many people get hired at GCUC, so many people get inspired at GCUC. These in person things are really important. – Liz Elam

When we had launched, it was member registration, event registration, and then people could create profiles and tag their skill set. We were interested in trying to inventory all the people that were in the area so we could make better connections. When we opened our space we ended up merging companies together. That was the origin of how Proximity got started. -Brian Watson

If you are looking to start a business, one of the most important conversations that you need to have when you’re starting is what’s your finish? Where is your exit? I’d liken it to a road trip, you’re all getting in the car, your plan is to go to this destination, but some of you either want to take a different path to get there, or some of you may want to get off and make a stop somewhere along the way. – Dennis Lankes

In reality, creating a coworking space and doing those events was my passion. I had this passion to try to open a coworking space in a very rural area. – Dennis Lankes

It’s important that I stay true to the things that I want to do. – Dennis Lankes

When we really started, I’ve always had a huge heart and passion for rural communities and a belief that people can be successful regardless of where they choose to live. -Brian Watson

You have developed a product on top of proximity that allows people to interact and seamlessly enter and join a coworking community without human intervention. -Liz Elam

By going automated we can guarantee it will be open 24/7. We can guarantee people can get into the space and work with us. -Brian Watson

We are really the chat gpt to go on top of your software. -Dennis Lankes

Without a human we can continue to improve on getting people into the system, getting them online, getting them at the desk that they need to go to. Those are all defined processes that I’ve slated and then we can make it very clear and very succinct to the end user. Using technology makes it better for 100% of our customers moving forward. -Brian Watson

To be very clear, the automation is the ability for them to become a member, sign up for their membership, get the tools that they need, and understand how to use the space. That’s all automated. That’s something that typically in the past has been the primary job responsibility of a community manager. -Dennis Lankes

Click HERE to listen to the full podcast. It’s juicy!

Podcast sponsored by Office RnD