Does your business have intellectual property to protect? Are you going to be requiring or signing confidentiality agreements? Are you forming a new business entity? Will you have partners? Have you considered the key legal issues facing your new business? Do you want to hear a discussion of those, and other legal issues for emerging businesses, in a free and open setting with a prac- ticing lawyer who is also a member of CoHabitat?

Join us for this first in a series of a brown bag lunch discussions led by local intellectual property and business attorney, and CoHabitat member, Brian Cowan, and then come back for three more!

Our first brown bag lunch, focusing on Nondisclosure/Confidentiality Agreements and contract forms will take place Thursday, 2/14 at noon. This brown bag lunch is the first in a four-part free series on legal issues facing new businesses. Questions are encouraged!

Thursday, February 14 at Noon: Nondisclosure/Confidentiality Agreements & Form Contracts

Thursday, March 14 at Noon: Patents, presented by Jeffrey W. Price Thursday

April 11 at Noon: Trademarks, Copyrights and Licenses Thursday

May 23 at Noon:   LLCs and Corporations

The information presented will help you begin thinking about various legal aspects of you existing or emerging business. Feel free to bring a brown bag lunch or snacks. Coffee will be provided. This event is free and you do not need to be a member of CoHabitat to attend. Brian A. Cowan, is a Partner in the law firm of Bradley Murchison Kelly & Shea LLC’s Shreveport office.

If you are running or starting an emerging company, these discussions are for you. For more information, visit www.cohab.org or contact Brian A. Cowan.

Brian A. Cowan, Partner | (318) 934-4046 | bcowan@bradleyfirm.com

Jeffrey W. Price, Special Counsel | (318) 934-4022 | jprice@bradleyfirm.com

Bradley Murchison K el ly & S h e a l lc

BRADLEYFIRM.COM

2012 has been an exciting year here at Cohab, and we wanted to let you know what we’ve been able to accomplish this year with all of your help.

Since opening, Cohab has:

• Seen the formation of 18 new businesses within our walls.
• Been home to more than 100 businesses, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and remote workers.
• Had more than 200 people work for businesses operating from our space.
• Witnessed the creation of 63 brand new professional levels jobs.
• Supported businesses that have contributed just under and estimated $10 million in salaries alone to the local economy.

To further our mission in 2012, Cohab:
-          Presented a business finance education series featuring classes, seminars, and one on one mentoring.
-          Presented a technology education series focused on multiple aspects of web development.
-          Created the popular Knowledge Swap small business education program.
-          Updated the Cohab workspace twice to increase team space and private meeting space.
-          Created a new online community for area small businesses and entrepreneurs on Linked In.
-          Been featured in The Shreveport Times, The Forum, Silicon Bayou, Signal Online, and national magazine Fastcompany as well as on KMSS and KTAL.
-          Hosted the area’s first Startup Weekend attracting people from as far as Dallas and New Orleans.
-          Partnered with the Small Business Development Centers at LSUS, Louisiana Tech, and Southern University to present seminars and one on one mentoring to area entrepreneurs.
-          Partnered with the Shreveport and Bossier Chambers of Commerce to host classes, and networking events.
-          Partnered with Biz Camp to present entrepreneurship to more than 50 local inner-city school children.
-          Launched the very first coworking Rotary club.
-          Partnered with LSUS to raise awareness about their Digital Animation Certificate Program.
-          Hosted events for community organizations including:

-          Hosted events for businesses and government organizations including:

• The City of Shreveport
• The Caddo Commission
• Venyu
• The Shreveport Tourism Bureau
• The Shreveport Chamber of Commerce
• Red Ball Oxygen

-          Established Business Memberships with organizations including:

• LSUS
• Centenary College
• LSUHSC
• Enterprise Computing Solutions

-          Hosted Private Work or Training Space for organization including:

• Hitatchi
• Reach Local
• Accion

We know we couldn’t have done it without you, so THANKS!

Shreveport, LA, November 16, 2012: CoHabitat Foundation is pleased to announce that it has received a $50,000 grant from the Carolyn W. & Charles T. Beaird Family Foundation in order to build out a permanent home for its coworking facility, Cohab.

Thanks to the generosity of the Beaird Foundation, Cohab plans to develop a workspace with amenities that better meet the needs of Shreveport Bossier’s creative workers including additional break out and meeting spaces, better access for persons with disabilities, and increased small team collaboration space.

“This grant from the Beaird Family Foundation allows us here at Cohab a unique opportunity,” said Cohab’s Executive Director John Grindley. “This funding will allow us to take everything that we have learned to this point about helping small businesses grow and succeed and build out a space that truly serves the people of this community in the most efficient and helpful way possible.”

Through the newly designed facility, Cohab plans to drastically increase the organization’s business education offerings as well as increase availability for local groups and businesses to use Cohab for meeting and seminar space.

“We’re so appreciative to the Beaird Family Foundation for seeing the value that Cohab can bring to the community and supporting that,” said Cohab Director of Programs and Membership, Jessica Schiele. “These changes to our facility will allow us to do so much more programming for the community. It’s really very exciting to have so many possibilities in front of us.”

Exact details about the grant and features of the newly built out Cohab facility will become available in 2013.

Read, watch, and listen to what people are saying about Cohab and our members in the press!

App of the year!

5 Fabulous Kids Books Apps – Entertainment Weekly

Economic Revolution

Horse Racing Labs Out In Front of Online Derbies

Management Memo

Youthful Perspective – The Forum

The Coworking Experiment

CoHab Groovy Organics puts reused products a click away

Startup Weekend brings software business to Shreveport-Bossier

Startup Marathon a Success

Shreveport Bossier to Host Startup Weekend in October

Shreveport Bossier Startup Weekend Roundup

Take a look at some of the great stories about Shreveport Bossier Startup Weekend!

KTBS
The Shreveport Times
Silicon Bayou News
Asis Chronical

Wager Wars is the combination of two enormous fronts: the billion dollar sports wagering industry and the fastest growing movement the world has ever seen, social media. It is a peer-to-peer sports wagering platform that allows friends, family, and rivals to bet against each other and put their money where their mouth is.

The Dallas-based Wager Wars team plans to continue to work with the fine businesses and mentors they’ve made in the Shreveport Bossier area as they pursue their new venture.

“Startup Weekend was an unbelievable experience. We met amazing, like-minded people, believers, dreamers, and people/teams who were working together towards a common goal. To be able to completely immerse ourselves into that environment was really something special. Our idea(s) were validated and we will continue to push forward with them and take full advantage of all the help that has come from the community; we would be foolish not to. But most of all, I believe that it breathed life into the words take action. Anybody can dream, conceptualize, or come up with great ideas; very few put in what it takes to make those dreams a reality, and I think this weekend really brought that thought process to life. It takes getting in your car, driving 3.5 hrs., meeting with complete strangers, and giving it everything you’ve got to move forward. And now we are finding that it is just as much of a process if not more of one to keep that momentum moving forward. Constant effort, constant drive, constant passion… but that’s what we love about it. We get to pour ourselves completely into these challenges. We are always looking for the next dragon to slay.” said Wager Wars’ William Webb.

To learn more about Wager Wars, follow their Facebook page!

HelpFlix, Inc. specializes in animated instructional videos that improve the product assembly, installation, maintenance, repair, training, and demonstration experiences.

Team founder, Sree Rao Sanakam says he’s currently looking to collaborate with local Shreveport Bossier marketing and distributions channels to refer HelpFlix to manufacturing companies’ decisions makers.

“Startup weekend helped me a lot to think through different aspects of things that I need to work on,” said Sanakam. “Meeting people with similar thinking and different mind sets is really important. When a new concept is applied into a real world application, finding all sets of people who can visualize the concept based on its viability, business, revenue, marketing aspects and getting the instant feedback is really what is needed for a startup entrepreneur. Cohabitat has created this environment in the form of Startup Weekend. I got a valuable guidance in marketing my concept, HelpFlix, and its working for me.”

On Par is an indoor golfing facility with one primary focus—to create the ultimate indoor golfing experience.  They solve the issues of outdoor limitations as well as provide a unique experience for golfers of any skill level.

The On Par team hit the ground running the very next day after Startup Weekend and are currently working on market research and developing a comprehensive business plan.  They are working tirelessly to build a strong case for investors and to bring they’re dream business to fruition.

“My experience with Startup Weekend can only be described as amazing,” said On Par team leader Matthew Cash. “The overall atmosphere was unlike anything I had ever experienced and I am glad I was a part of it. The best part had to be the people. There were so many talented, creative and inspiring individuals. Everyone was very encouraging and helpful, thus creating a real sense of community that I would like to see more in Shreveport/Bossier. I am eternally grateful for the good people at StartupWeekend.org and Cohab for bringing this incredible event to the Shreveport/Bossier area.”

The On Par team is still focusing primarily on background work, but invite those interested in following their journey to follow them on Twitter @OnParRecreation and “friend” & “like” them on Facebook by searching On Par Recreation.  Those interested should also feel free to send them an email at onparrecreation@gmail.com or give Matthew Cash a call at 318.230.0469.

Hello Coworking / Mid-City Rotarians!

This Friday, September 21st at noon will be a very important meeting – Our Speaker is Angie White of North La. Economic Development. We also need as many members as possible to attend so that we can vote on our Club’s name. Months ago the club agreed to CoWorking Shreveport-Bossier. Unfortunately, when asked, the Bossier City Rotary was against a club that was not physically meeting in Bossier to use the name Bossier. Although there was ample discussion and a vote taken at our Sept. 7th meeting, there were not enough members to comply with our by-laws. So… We will once again have discussion and a vote (pending member attendance) this Friday.

Names that have been proposed, other than our current Rotary International registered name Mid-City:
Rotary of …
Red River
Cohabitat
River Cities
CoWorking

If you have an idea for a name, please be present at this week’s meeting to present it to the club. Also, we will discuss the “Happy Hour.” Fridays seem to be a either a pretty bad day or our club isn’t really interested in the idea…. What would you like to do for our social meeting once a month? Please bring your ideas.

Volunteering opportunities this week: Both today and Wednesday – Christmas in the Sky at the Stables of La. Downs in Bossier City. Next Monday, September 24th is our day to serve meals at the Rescue Mission from 4:45PM till about 5:30PM. The address is 901 McNeil Street, Shreveport.

Volunteering at the Red River Revel October 6th – 13th- Toni Thompson, the Visual Artists Volunteer Coordinator is in need of volunteers Opening Weekend – Saturday October 6th and Sunday October 7th. What is different about volunteering for the Artists vs. selling tickets or beverages is that you serve them lunch and you make sure they have water. You are typically just sitting or walking around talking to the artists. This is a great way to meet the great people, who are also great artists. They have some pretty cool stories to tell. Sometimes you watch their booth when they need a washroom break. If you are interested, please contact Toni at tthompson65@suddenlink.net and tell her that I sent you. Otherwise, you can sign up to be a general volunteer on the web at redriverrevel.com.

Hope to see everyone this Friday!

Have a great week!
Lisa

In our latest effort to build a stronger creative economy in Shreveport-Bossier, Cohab will be hosting our area’s first Startup Weekend Fri. 10/26 – Sun. 10/28, 2012

Startup weekend (http://shreveportbossier.startupweekend.org/) is a 54 hour event that invites anyone in the community, no matter what their expertise, to join a team and create a brand new breakout business over the course of a single weekend.

During the event, strangers will meet, share business ideas, and team up to work with coaches and mentors to take the best of those ideas from concept to marketable businesses with working prototypes. On Sunday, teams will present their businesses to a panel of area experts who will critique the ideas, and ultimately name a winning team and two runners up. Those teams will each receive a prize package full of the tools entrepreneurs need to make a new business successful.

We want your company to be part of this exciting weekend.

Startup Weekend has proved to be a powerful tool to fuel the growth of small creative business all over the world, but we need your support to bring its benefits to Shreveport-Bossier.

Here’s how you can help:

Sponsor Us

Cohab is calling on local businesses to sponsor this amazing event. Sponsorships will go towards paying for meals (we provide seven total), equipment, event material, and more. To find out how sponsoring Startup Weekend can benefit your company, check out this video from Startup Weekend Global sponsor Twillo. http://youtu.be/uNdUJPZDGeg

All sponsors will be featured in all event materials and will be thanked at the event. Some sponsorships come with the opportunity to hang banners or even set up a booth during our Startup Weekend activities.

For more information or to sign up as a sponsor, visit http://startupweekend.org/sponsor/ or contact Cohab at 318-759-7997.

Prizes

What does it take to create a startup? Drive and determination, certainly, and a good idea. What can help make that startup successful? Perseverance, valuable guidance, collaborative tools, and more. Providing a prize for our winners’ prize packages is a great way for your business to support what Startup Weekend is all about.

We’re looking for anything that will help a new business grow including services, products, consulting hours, software titles, equipment, and anything else you think a new business could use. They need help with legal, accounting, coaching, computers, storage, office supplies, and beyond.

Do you have something we should include in our prize package? We are thanking all of our prize package supporters and they can be on hand to give these items to the winners on Sunday Night.

For more information or to donate a prize contact Cohab at 318-759-7997.

Marketing

Before we can name winners, we need to build teams. Here are just a few ways you can help us spread the word about this upcoming opportunity.

1. Make the startup weekend photo your cover photo on FACEBOOK account by tagging yourself in the below link and then making it your cover photo. Why not use this real estate for a good cause on your page!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152029747885389&set=a.10151103251090389.790892.829405388&type=3&theater

2. Like our Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/134757706666750/ and/or  RSVP for our event https://www.facebook.com/events/162330733904317/.

Join Us
Sign up and join a Startup Weekend team! Everyone is welcome to take part whether you have an idea you want to launch or just want to help, whether you write code, design, know business, know marketing, or have another area of expertise. Sign up today by visiting http://shreveportbossier.startupweekend.org/!

However you choose to get involved, please do so today. We appreciate your support and we can’t do it without you!