OpenSpace

Reminder! Come meet all of Charlottesville’s young and aspiring entrepreneurs at OpenSpace and learn how EXPERT entrepreneurs make decisions with the Effectuation workshop. It’s FREE and will be over by 6:15 or so. Swing by! Doors open at 5:00, talk will start at 5:30. Hope to see you there!

Find out on Monday, July 18th!

If scientists use the scientific method, what do entrepreneurs use?

Why do expert entrepreneurs hate market research so much?

Is your idea an opportunity just waiting to be found, or made?

You can now supercharge your entrepreneurial IQ, thanks to intriguing research led by UVA Darden Business School’s Dr. Sarasvathy, which provides fundamental insights into how expert entrepreneurs think. After 10 years of research and over 50 publications, the word is officially out! Inc. magazine’s February cover article about effectuation, “How Great Entrepreneurs Think,” was its most popular of all-time!

Effectuation: Learn the Decision Framework of Expert Entrepreneurs

Monday, July 18th at OpenSpace

Doors at 5pm, Talk starts promptly at 5:30pm

FREE
(Sponsored by OpenSpace)

RSVP requested (but not required) – let us know that we’ll see you by emailing us at hello@getopenspace.com.

The 45-minute session teaches powerful principles & tactics for both experienced entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs – and people who want to infuse their lives & work with an entrepreneur mind-set.

You’ll learn:

• What to do when prediction is impossible
• The five principles of effectuation
• How to achieve external propulsion
• How to minimize risk in venture growth
• How to co-create opportunities with partners
• How to invite surprise into the startup process

Attend this session if you wish to find out more about the special Effectual Intelligence coaching pilot program. There are only 3 spots in this program, and you need not have a business idea to apply. Individuals or startups of up to 10 people can apply. More information will be made available at the event.

Reminder: The OpenSpace Event Showcase Is Tomorrow Night!

Bring your friends & celebrate our new special events space with us on Wednesday, 4/20 from 7pm-9pm! Come check out some of Charlottesville’s finest event professionals and see the ’south side’ at its best!

Participating vendors include:

Dickie Morris – Events, Jen Fariello Photography, Beehive Florists, Randi Cakes, Blue Ridge Light Forms, Rock Paper Scissors, Festive Fare Rentals, Brookville Restaurant, Blue Mountain Brewery, Rio Hill Wine & Gourmet, and more!

Everyone is invited! RSVP at hello@getopenspace.com

(The event is complementary, but rsvp is requested.)

Let it never be said that OpenSpace is no fun. In fact, we’re ready to prove it. Due to popular demand, OpenSpace’s Forum (affectionately known as the “south side”) will become exclusive event space as of Saturday, April 17th.

What does that mean? Well, we’re painting a wall, moving the lockers to the north side and removing the unmovable tables. The Forum will now be able to play host to larger workshops, conferences, rehearsal dinners, receptions & company events. Thanks for your patience everyone as we make this exciting transition! And to celebrate the new event space, we’re having a party!

You’re Invited!

The OpenSpace Event Showcase

Bring your friends & celebrate with us on Wednesday, 4/20 from 7pm-9pm! (free of charge, of course). Come and explore downtown Cville’s hippest venue and sample offerings from some of our town’s finest event professionals:

Dickie Morris – Events, Jen Fariello Photography,

Beehive Florists, Randi Cakes,

Blue Ridge Light Forms, Rock Paper Scissors,

Festive Fare Rentals, Brookville Restaurant,

Blue Mountain Brewery, Rio Hill Wine & Gourmet, and more!

Please RSVP to hello@getopenspace.com.

“A friendly meetup of hard-working people with just too much to do for the standard 9 to 5 lifestyle… Expect pizza, drinks and great tunes.”

The late night coworking group is back for this month’s meeting Tuesday, March 15th, 9pm to 2am at OpenSpace!

NOW, NO CHARGE for the entire evening & all the awesome people and atmosphere. Only 14 spots left – RSVP at www.CvilleNightowls.com

Stay in the St. Patrick’s Day mood! Join us Tuesday, March 22nd from 5pm to 7pm for a Beer Tasting featuring Starr Hill Brewery. We’ll be fraternizing with founder & Master Brewer Mark Thompson (seriously!) as he pours samples of some of Starr Hill’s best and expertly answers some of your most thought-provoking questions on the topic.

These people are tons of fun – just take a peek at their website – www.starrhill.com. Mark says “It’s no secret that our mission is The Gift of Great Beer….I’m a steward of the product that enhances this thing we call life.” Right on.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to hello@getopenspace.com.

Due to weather, our Holiday Mix & Mingle has been canceled. Stay warm and be safe!

Do you ever find yourself wishing for more hours in the day?

Well, OpenSpace is hosting the Inaugural Charlottesville Nightowls meetup for you! OpenSpace will be open on December 7, 2010 from 9pm-2am for those of you that like to make the most of your nights (as well as your days).

Bring your laptop and latest project and we’ll provide pizza, drinks and music!

To learn more and signup, visit this site. Hope to see you there!

(photo by Joel Sartore)

Last Wednesday, OpenSpace co-sponsored Open Pitch Night with E*Society. We hoped entrepreneurs and small businesses would come out for the event. Obviously we were excited when over 50 people joined us for the opportunity to hear and share what is happening in the world of Charlottesville (area) businesses. We heard pitches from a great variety of people; everything from a gaming company, NoMuda Games, to an individual that’s developed a new technology to increase golf swing accuracy. Marcy got to start the evening with a pitch for OpenSpace–fantastic way to get the night started! All in all, Pitch Night was a great experience. Dinner, drinks and hearing from our peers? Great, indeed.

To those of you who came out for Open Pitch Night, thank you! It was a pleasure.

(photo credit: Kenneth Greer)

A HUGE thanks to Fritz and Mountfair for a fun evening of wine tasting. I mean, wine tastings are always fantastic, but when Fritz and wines with names like Wooloomooloo are involved, well it’s just perfection.  Definitely take the time to head out to Mountfair and try their wine. You won’t be disappointed.