Angie

overview The Network Hub provides a shared, community driven workspace for location independent professionals. We truly believe in the value of working alongside other smart and creative people, and hope that you take full advantage of the benefits of coworking as you connect, create and collaborate with the rest of the community. Our PopUP SHOP-ON-DEMAND centrally located in the Old City Quarter downtown Nanaimo re-imagines the traditional brick-andmortar experience to offer a flexible work space, creative community, incubator and cooperative retail space for local makers. We use the power of stories, events & workshops, experiences and effective sales platforms to help you grow your business and entrepreneurial mindset. This StartUP Guide will give you insights, context and information you need to get started and gear up for success in our community Our community includes business developers, event organizers, tour operators, artists, craftsmen, photographers, writers, designers, musicians, the self-employed, freelancers and contractors, the go-getters & do-it- yourself-ers! We stick together because of our values. We believe in the elevation of local products, local people, local values and local environments, ours and yours. Wherever we go, we intentionally build our community to move people forward in their vision. We seek opportunities where we can help others thrive, sometimes realizing potential beyond their own expectations. The Network Hub crew While you will gain a growing number of valuable connections in our community, we are TNH crew. Jennifer Hufnagel- Jennifer, Operations Manager, is the glue that drives Vancouver Island operations and is trained on all things “Hub’ish” so you can navigate our spaces, booking and service systems, events, social media, etc. with ease and flow. Angie Barnard.-Angie, Chief Motivating Officer, is the driving force behind The Network Hub on Vancouver Island, aggregating best-in-class spaces, programs, events, companies, and connections to drive happiness, cash flow, equity and sustainability return-on-investment for community Members. Vancouver Head Office crew-Every great initiative has a team behind it, and the PopUP Shop is no different! Behind the scenes are the fabulous crew at The Network Hub in Vancouver that oversees the systems, enquiries, social media management, and network connections of over 600 Members in Nanaimo, Vancouver, New Westminster, Whistler...and other locations coming soon! Although you won’t see them every day, these people are your behind the scenes crew. TOP 10 reasons to join a PopUP community 1) The Most Affordable, Risk-Free Storefront you’ll ever have! No lease. No worries. Our PopUP Community is an ideal place for seasonal retail and/or experimentation at a fraction of the cost that it would take to open your own brick and mortar store. 2) Create an Experience! When you sell exclusively online - or drop your products in galleries or commission-based retail establishments - your customers miss out on the greatest part of the retail experience – meeting you, hearing your stories, and establishing a strong “why” and love of the products you’ve made. Top retailers (e.g. LUSH, Apple, Cabelas, Lululemon) SPECIALIZE their in-shop experience. Our vision is to offer a LOCAL experience showcasing artisans, makers and creators that want to grow their global audiences. 3) Cross Promotion and Online Engagement. CREW!! If you are a micro-business (from 1 – 5 people), why not gain a crew of champions committed to cross promoting you, your business and your PopUP efforts through our online – and offline! – engagement strategies. We invest in our own curated LOCAL CREATORS website - www.thenetworkhub.ca/PopUP, social media, industry relations, media relations, and more! Having a crew feels ‘GOOOOOD’ and our enthusiasm is infectious! 4) Get Found. While other brands are fighting tooth-and-nail to stand out to customers online, YOU can also be discovered in person amongst a limited selection of curated local artists at the PopUP Shop on a consistent basis, even if only for a limited time. While you are at The Network Hub, take advantage of getting work done, attending our business development workshops, have meetings with potential clients, and share ideas with other community members that will help you get found. 5) Get Connected. Working alone sucks. The PopUP shop directly connects you with all of our community members. Co-work and collaborate with other creative and entrepreneurial minds and get tips, feedback, and ideas. You never know who you will connect and do business with. 6) Create Urgency. Invite the surprise factor! Introduce new products every month that are only available for a limited time. PopUP shops rely on the element of surprise, limited time offers, focused marketing and a dynamic environment to incite purchasing. 7) Engage All 5 Senses. A retail store is the only opportunity you have to engage all five of your customer’s senses. Express how your product look, sounds, smells, feels and even tastes. 8) Manage Inventory & Orders. Showcase a range of products that are best sellers and easily reproducible. OR, showcase ONE item to drive commission & wholesale sales. Product test new items that consumers aren’t familiar with BEFORE you invest in inventory that may not sell. 9) Business building! Take advantage of our targeted programs/training, workshops and industry associations to achieve your targeted goals. 10) Location Location Location! It’s the oldest equation in the book when it comes to retail success and our location is amazing. We are located close to the Old City Quarter of downtown Nanaimo, with growing foot traffic and a short distance from the waterfront. Did we mention we also get cruise ship traffic? commitments  Promote and market Members, events and PopUP location  Contact press, buyers and media for additional promotion  Provide general display, furnishings and a wall-mounted merchandise display  Build, maintain and grow the online Shop (PopUP.thenetworkhub.ca) and provide merchant services to facilitate in-Shop sales  Facilitate workshops whenever possible to support business and community acceleration  Artist-2-Entrepreneur Program (additional investment)  Island Brand Initiative (additional investment - coming soon!)  Commit to investing in yourself. Be confident in your decision to pursue the Nanaimo PopUP Shop path. A 3-month+ commitment is proven to achieve results.  Show up. Be fully engaged in the process. Be open. Invest time in the Shop. Set your goals. Take steps daily to achieving them.  Be actively engaged in our community. “Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (& creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred…[including] all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no one could have dreamt could come his way.” In other words, the more you put in, the more you get out of being part of the community.  Tell your story, and let others tell your story for you. PopUP Member involvement includes a commitment to share your story; and, allow The Network Hub, partners and other influential stakeholders that are passionate about seeing you thrive share your story.  Curate a PopUP audience. Leverage your networks and acumen to drive traffic to the PopUP Shop. features & benefits In addition to our commitments, below are some, but not all, of the features and benefits PopUP Members receive:  Scheduled access to work and retail space Mon-Fri, 9am - 5pm  Optional scheduled access for evening/weekend retail space  Access to high-speed wireless internet  No lease. No commissions. No worries.  Featured inventory in our online PopUP Shop – PopUP.thenetworkhub.ca  Square Reader & Sales register with capacity to accept VISA/MC and cash sales  2 hours of event space rental per month for Trade Launches, Training or Workshops  Shared amenities including kitchen, printer/scanner/copier  Pay-as-you-go access to meeting room and additional event/training space use  Member Orientation & Training  Access to social, business and community events – some free, some pay-as-you-go to do list Apply for the PopUP Shop:  Come into The Network Hub Mon-Fri 9.30am – 4.30pm and complete your Application form in person. 120, 256 Wallace Street, Nanaimo BC V9R 5B3  After you have been into The Network Hub, and if you prefer to fill out the application from the comfort of your laptop, then visit our online store & resources PopUP.thenetworkhub.ca, go to ‘ABOUT’ and follow the link to Apply Now. Talk to us about your planned commitment:  Let us know when you want to start your PopUP experience. We take a limited number of PopUP Members at a time, & are taking Applications now for the remainder of the year including:  o Summer - peak visitor season o Fall – off peak visitor, peak school and business planning season o Winter – peak holiday season o Spring – off peak visitor season Consider desired length of Membership – 3, 6 or 12 months. And be prepared to share with us your planned PopUP products, experiences, cross-promotions, supporting event ideas.  Daily rates may be available in special circumstances.  Consider expected scheduled hours. Get established as a PopUP Member:  Sign a contract  Get your initial inventory into our online shop – we need photos, 30-word descriptions, prices, shipping terms for each item in the shop  Book a time with The Network Hub crew for Orientation & Training  Confirm your scheduled hours in the PopUP Shop  Commit to attending one or more events each month in order to meet other community Members; plus host or attend a minimum of 2 events each month. What you need to know This is your store front - take advantage of it! Currently, Shop Hours are advertised as Monday – Friday, 12pm – 5pm as requested by PopUP Members, and it is the responsibility of PopUP Members to collectively “man their store” and cover all advertised hours. Each quarter, we are prepared to advertise longer hours – for instance, adding mornings, evenings and weekends with the interest and commitment of PopUP Members to cover additional hours. We have an internal scheduling platform to help Members coordinate their work time! The PopUP Shop is curated by The Network Hub and we are looking for:  An ideal number of twelve (12) PopUP Members per month (varies depending on the number of hours and days Members plan to be in the Shop),  Showcase of distinctly Vancouver Island creations - products, services and stories,  Variety of products and services including art, small manufactured products, tour operators, ticket sellers, consumables, edibles…that are produced by individual makers or small business owners,  We are not looking for business services, factory produced items, or very large items. Upon application approval, confirm your PopUP Member contract commitment: 3 months 6 months 12 months Holiday Premium $200/month $180/month $150/month $50/month Applies Oct, Nov, Dec Day Rates Talk to us about daily & multiday rates *Fees are subject to change without notice and are only guaranteed at the time of contract signing. Fees are paid monthly and once paid are non-refundable and subjected to a deposit and contract terms & conditions. The Network Hub reserves the right to limit length of contract. If you sign up for a longer commitment and cannot fulfil your contract for whatever reason – no worries. Give us 14 days notice and fees will default to the committed term. (For greater clarity, if you sign up for 12 months paying $150/month, and due to unforeseen circumstances you need to end your contract after three months your deposit refund will be adjusted to reflect $200/month fees. GST applies to all fees. StartUP Guide June 2016 Contents subject to change without notice Guide provided for promotional purposes only