Updates - The Collective NWX

Posted on May 11, 2020May 11, 2020 by Sara Odendahl

Re-Opening Oregon

We are tremendously excited to announce that we will officially be re-opening the workspace the week of Monday, May 11th. As you know, we have not taken the decision to close the office lightly, and as such we are proceeding with re-opening with the same cautious optimism.

We’ve been actively participating in the Governor’s Regional COVID Recovery Team, and helping to shape the guidelines that will guide us into Phase One of Re-opening Oregon.

Details on how Oregon is approaching it’s re-opening plan, including industry sector timelines for restaurants, retail stores, personal services, child care and summer camps. It’s a little less than 10 minutes and very informative.

COVID-19 Re-Opening Policies

Our 5,500 square foot office space is large enough to comply with social distancing and capacity requirements, however we have implemented several new policies for Phases One of the re-opening.

Phase One Policies (effective 5/11/20)

All members and visitors are required to sign in and out of the workspace each day. This is an important step for us to understand who is in the workspace, should there be a need for contact tracing.

Desks and chairs have been moved to allow for 6 feet of physical distance. If you are sitting at the large community tables, please sit diagonal from your fellow members across the table.

Meetings have been limited to ten or less people, and we encourage using the conference phone for additional participants.

Special events with over 25 people have been cancelled or postponed until we enter Phase Two.

Use of the CNWX cafe is allowed with some modifications, including:

Wash your hands before and after using the cafe space, including pouring coffee, using the microwaves and opening the fridge. This will help prevent the spread of germs and keep our shared workspace safe and clean.
Please use a new cup or glass for every beverage. We know this means more dishes to wash, but it also helps to avoid transmission of germs during re-fills. If you choose to use your own coffee mug or water bottle, please give it a quick wipe down in between uses.
The beer and kombucha taps will be closed during the day, however we invite all members for our daily happy hours from 3:30-5pm where CNWX staff will pour for you.
Please leave your glasses and dishes in the sink and CNWX staff will safely load the dishwasher.

Face coverings are not currently required in the CNWX workspace. Guidance from the Governor’s Reopening Oregon plan strongly recommends face coverings when in public spaces, however we understand the challenges this presents to our members’ work. CNWX has a small supply of masks should you prefer to wear a face covering.

All shared workspaces and commonly used surfaces will be cleaned daily, with additional attention for the cafe space, door handles and other shared surfaces. A supply of cleaning supplies is available in the cafe space for members to use in their personal workspaces (desk/offices) or as needed.

General Guidelines for CNWX Members and Visitors

Stay home if you are feeling sick or have symptoms

If you become symptomatic (cough, fever, shortness of breath), please self-isolate immediately, contact your health care provider for testing and alert CNWX for contract tracing protocols.

Practice good hygiene, including frequent hand washing, covering coughs/sneezes with your elbow or a tissue, and avoiding touch your face.

Be mindful of social distancing with your fellow CNWX members and visitors.

Thank you for everything you are doing to keep our community safe and healthy.
We can’t wait to see you again soon!

Be well,

Sara & Kent

Posted on March 19, 2020May 1, 2020 by Kent Odendahl

Navigating Covid-19

As of March 23, The Collective NWX is closed to the public.

The current outbreak in Deschutes County apprears to be small and well contained however Governor Brown issued a new Executive Order prohibiting the operation of many non-essential businesses. Coworking offices are not explicitly called out in the order, yet there is language regarding remote work.

Page 5, section 9 – “Work in offices is prohibited whenever telework and work at home options are available in light of position duties, availability of teleworking equipment and network adequacy.” Section 11 goes on to say ” Businesses and nonprofits that fail to comply with paragraphs 9 and 10 will be closed until they demonstrate compliance.”

Understanding the implications for both our business and the community’s health, we are interpreting this as an order to close the public operations of The Collective NWX office effective immediately. This is a difficult, yet important measure that we hope will be a short term solution to stem the tide of this epidemic.

We are in the midst of a unique situation where the very nature of how people work is changing daily (sometimes even by the hour). We are committed to providing a clean and safe environment for all members and feel that the following the state guidelines to close to the public is the best course of action.

Thank you for your continued support of CNWX. We are extremely grateful for all of our members in this uncertain and difficult time and we sincerely hope that we will see your smiling faces again in the very near future.

Be well,
Kent and Sara Odendahl

Posted on February 14, 2020May 1, 2020 by Sara Odendahl

Love is….

It’s Valentines Day and though I’m not much for Hallmark holidays, I do appreciate the underlying message of the day. We often get so wrapped up the daily tasks and chores of life that we forget to focus on what is truly important.

For me it’s my husband, my girls, friends, nature, community (in the big C sense), good books, the perfect chai latte that are atop my list. These are the things that I love and cherish, and wish I had more hours in the day to enjoy.

Where is this post going you ask? It’s not just to share my personal love of tea and a brisk walk, but rather to share the importance of taking time to focus on what’s important in your life. I’m no motivational speaker, but this is truth people. The more authentic relationships and experiences we have, the happier we are at home; the more productive we are at work; the better life feels.

Should it take a fabricated holiday to focus our eyes what’s important? The correct answer is no, but the truthful answer is yes. Sometimes it takes an outside event to allow us to look within.

For me, this is a daily challenge but our move to Oregon and the opportunity to open The Collective NWX has forced my hand a bit. These external forces gave me a loving nudge and allowed me space to refocus on those people and things I cherish dearly. And for this I am eternally grateful.

Hopefully, this pink and red holiday gives you a nudge to focus on what you love. Or eat chocolate… chocolate is always a good option.

Posted on January 6, 2020January 23, 2020 by Sara Odendahl

2020 – The Year of the Metal Rat

According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, 2020 is going to be a strong, prosperous and lucky year. “Those who plan to start a business, buy real estate or invest in a long-term project have great chances of being satisfied in the future. 2020 is considered a year of new beginnings and renewals.”

Wow, this strikes a chord as our life is full of new beginnings! A new town, new home, new schools, new friends, new professional opportunities and of course a new business endeavor.

As the possibilities of 2020 begin to unfold, we could not be more excited to open the doors of The Collective NWX and start building an amazing community with our members.

We hope you like what we are building, and invite you to be a part of it. Make 2020 the year of your own new beginning.

Cheers!
~Sara & Kent

Posted on December 11, 2019January 23, 2020 by Sara Odendahl

Collective NWX Preview Week

The time has come, and we are (almost!) ready to throw open the doors of our beautiful new shared workspace for Collective NWX preview week. As we put the finishing touches on the office, we invite you to make it your home base for a day — on us, no strings attached. Stop in, enjoy a cup of Strictly Organic coffee and plug in your laptop for an hour (or the entire day). Consider it an early Holiday gift!

The Collective NWX Preview Week

Cost: Free
When: Monday, 12/16 – Friday, 12/20
Time: 9am-4pm
Location: 2900 NW Clearwater Drive, Suite 200 (parking in back of building)

Posted on December 3, 2019January 23, 2020 by Sara Odendahl

Grateful for Community

If one word or phrase could sum up how we are feeling at this point in time, it would be grateful for community. For time spent with family during Thanksgiving; our health; the outdoors; snow (finally!) and for our new business as we prepare to open the doors.

November was a whirlwind of activity at “the space”, the name our girls have affectionately bestowed on our new business. It seems like just days ago we posted photos of the furniture arriving, and yet so much has transpired since those photos were snapped. The small things, such as selecting the perfect light bulbs and installing corner guards to protect the fabulous wallpaper, seem to gobble up most of our working hours. Yet, the big things are where we yearn to spend our time. Curating the Collective NWX member experience is one of those big things.

A reporter for a local media outlet recently asked us “what makes the Collective special?” While we knew our answer to that question, it begs the bigger question for our potential members. What makes your workplace special? Is it your personal space, your colleagues or the free coffee? Each one of us has a different answer to that question, and each answer is the right one. Thus, we are challenged to think through how those ideas work together organically to make the Collective a truly unique and special place for our members.

Our answer to the reporter’s question is simple: community. Setting aside the perfect light bulbs and the fabulous wallpaper, what we are really creating is a community— a collective—and for that we are truly grateful!

Posted on November 6, 2019January 23, 2020 by Kent Odendahl

Our furniture is here! Our furniture is here!

Construction is underway. Since we drove into Bend in early July with our bike-laden caravan of white SUVS, we have dedicated a lot of time and energy (and prayers) to The Collective NWX. What started out as a nugget of an idea eight months ago is finally taking shape and we are excited to share it! While selecting carpeting and planning for electrical outlets is certainly up there on the list of fun activities, we’ve had the most fun designing the space for you — our members. The pinterest mood board has become a reality with the help of our amazing designer, Katie, at Hyphn. And this week we got to see the pieces we selected over the summer, and we are in love. We’ll share photos as the space comes together, and we hope you fall in love our vision too!

If you or someone you know is looking for coworking space in Bend, drop us a line. We’d love to show you around and have you join our community.

Stay tuned, there is still work to do but we are just getting started!