Abby Rowling
The Human Moment: Coworking for your health

When it comes to leading a healthy and fulfilling life, it's not just about hitting the gym and eating your veggies. Studies have shown that community and connection play a vital role in our overall well-being, both mentally and physically.

Joining a coworking community can do wonders for your mental well-being by providing a space that fosters and strengthens social connections. It's not just about the physical amenities like a desk, coffee, and Wi-Fi, but rather the built-in network of individuals who can become your friends, support system, or even your future partner (we've seen it happen!).

The Human Moment: Coworking for your health

Grounds for Celebration

When it comes to remote working, sometimes it’s important to step outside your normal routine and go in search of a different environment. In Des Moines, that can mean crossing neighborhood boundaries or taking a new interstate exit to visit a different suburban coffee shop. 

While the west side neighborhood of Windsor Heights is notorious for its speed traps and home to Senator Chuck Grassley’s favorite Dairy Queen, it’s also a wonderful place to get things done. Nestled between restaurants and residential spaces, the neighborhood branch of the local chain Grounds for Celebration offers a welcoming atmosphere and a great setup to ensure productivity.

Iowa Startup Power Rankings—July/August

We're now four months into doing the monthly Iowa Startup Power Rankings and I'm tweaking things just a bit. Rather than posting towards the end of the month with a floating time frame for recognition, I've decided to push the publish date until after the first of the month. That means that we'll be able to consistently recognize the efforts of the people and companies in our community from the calendar month prior. Also, it means that this post isn't technically late even though today is August 3rd and the post is about July (when all else fails, change the rules).

Cafe Diem

When it comes to finding a good place to work remotely, quiet public environments can be few and far between. Despite it’s “punny” name, Cafe Diem is a coffee shop sure to make you seize the day and get things done.

If you’re working from home, around your kids’ schedules or just want to get outside of downtown a bit, Cafe Diem brings a bit of suburban love to our coffee shop coworking series. Located in an Ankeny strip mall alongside a pet store and the deep dish pizza fan favorite Wig and Pen, Cafe Diem is an unassuming locale that dares to surprise you with its plentiful work stations and relaxed environment.

Paul Singh's Iowa Tech Tour—recaps, by the numbers and takeaways

Last week was busy.

From about 8 AM on Monday morning through 3 PM on Friday, we packed Paul Singh’s schedule full of presentations, meetups and office hours. When I first talked with Paul, just over a month ago, about potentially squeezing in an Iowa week on his North American Tech Tour he said that he wanted to come here to get to really know what it is like to be part of our startup community. He wanted to meet the people, see the companies and experience the life of an Iowa entrepreneur.

The APEC "Women and the Economy" forum in Peru

In March UpCraft Club was part of the Small Business Administration's InnovateHER competition...and we WON! Since that competition, the SBA has been incredibly helpful in connecting us with opportunities to continue moving UpCraft Club forward and a month ago they asked if I'd like to travel to the APEC 'Women and the Economy' forum in Lima, Peru as part of the US State Department delegation. During the forum, Russia held a pitch competition, co-sponsored by the US and Chinese Taipei and UpCraft Club was asked to represent the United States!

Geoff's Blog: The full Iowa Tech Tour Schedule!

The Iowa Tech Tour starts on Monday! Tremendous thanks to everyone who has helped pull this together in a really short time frame: Deanna Bennett & John Jackovin in Des Moines, Jessalyn Holdcraft & Eric Engelmann in Cedar Rapids and Diana Wright & Sam Schill in Ames. It's going to be a great week!

The full tour schedule is available here but I want to highlight a few events where anyone and everyone can meet Paul Singh and join in the fun.

Smokey Row

Nestled in the heart of Des Moines’ Sherman Hill neighborhood, Smokey Row is a cozy coffee shop known for its retro diner style and constant stream of customers. The triangle-shaped brick building welcomes coffee-drinkers of all types in droves through its doors for meetings, late night study sessions, or simply a much-needed burst of caffeine. Located just over the interstate from Drake University, this local favorite pulls large crowds of students (both high school and college) and entrepreneurs alike. 

With locations in Pella, Pleasantville, and Oskaloosa, Smokey Row has become a central Iowa mainstay for good coffee, friendly service, and an inviting (albeit noisy) atmosphere to get things done.

Geoff's Blog: More on the Tech Tour

We've had the good fortune to be able to schedule events in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Ames that week so I hope that you'll be able to join us somewhere along the ride. If you're coming into Des Moines for the tour and need a place to land in between events or a spot to get work done for the day, come see us at Gravitate where we are hosting free/open coworking all week long. Our friends at Vault Coworking & Collaboration Space are making their space available on Thursday 7/21 for anyone needing a spot the day that the tour is visiting Cedar Rapids.

Michael W. Clark

Michael Clark is a native Iowan and a dedicated freelance software developer who loves the freedom and creativity it offers him. At the same time, he’s a naturally social animal, and, after moving back to Des Moines from a stint in Wisconsin in early 2016, Michael realized that he missed the routine, structure and camaraderie that a traditional setting sometimes offers. So, he signed up at Gravitate.