by Heather Stadler | Nov 8, 2018 | EPIC Entrepreneurs, Inspirational
That is…until I applied for a part-time Administrative Assistant job and scrambled to figure out exactly what I was getting myself into.
I had never heard of co-working before, but as someone who’s always been a bit of an introvert, I appreciated the ideology behind providing a community for like-minded professionals. I took the job not really knowing what to expect, but eager to meet new people. I was excited to work at a place where I would be inspired and challenged.
I became EPIC in June
Once I signed on as an employee, I began working in a variety of different ways. I started to take over the social media accounts, I worked on editing blogs and newsletters, I helped create organizational systems, scanned about a hundred files, and settled into a workspace that was constantly busy, occasionally chaotic, but always fun. I got my very own, very first desk, which I hastily organized and decorated. I settled into EPIC.
I’ll be the first person to admit that I’m SUPER introverted. I’m very shy and I can have difficulty knowing when to introduce myself and knowing how to insert myself into the conversation. I hoped that by working here, I would meet new people who were likeminded and professional… But I never expected to fit in as quickly as I did.
When I started settling into the daily grind of working at this EPIC building, I also began settling into the social scene. Working with our exuberant, inspiring, kind founders, Julie and Nicole, means there’s hardly a dull moment. While I thought it would take time for me to find myself a niche, it was seamless, like I was meant to be there.
There are few things more valuable to me, the introvert, than people who make me feel welcome. That’s exactly what I found at One EPIC Place. This community of welcoming and creative people keep me on my toes. They make it so that work doesn’t feel like the burden it used to be.
When we talk about community…
Julie (left) as the Lorax, Nicole (center) as The Cat in the Hat, and me (right) as a bat on Halloween 2018.
Since I’m the social media manager, I know how much we EPIC peeps talk about community. But seriously, Y’all… it’s one of the biggest perks that makes EPIC so epic. I’ve watched The Office enough times to know how important having a work family can be. But that sort of relationship always felt out of reach to me before.
At EPIC, the constant flow of people is exciting. It’s kind of like you can’t step into EPIC the same way twice. Things are always moving, and people are always coming and going.
I love coming into work and knowing that there are certain things I can always expect, like a schedule of social media posts, hot coffee, and laughs. But there are also many things that are unexpected. We never know who will come in to say hello, or what mini-crises may pop up, or what perfect Instagrammable moments will arise. There’s never a boring day.
The community is what makes a job like mine so special. Even when I often feel like I’m too shy, too cut off from others, I come to work and feel like I’m doing something that matters to someone. I’m responsible for something other than the manic thoughts of my mind.
I’m a person who wears many hats. But that’s pretty much the way I like it.
What co-working means to me…
I was surprised by the opportunities that being a part of this community had in store for me, and I love it when others come to One EPIC Place and discover it for themselves. Even though I’ve only been here for a few months, I feel seasoned as a co-working professional. I’m armed with a number of things to say when people say, “what even is co-working anyway?”
To me, co-working is the answer to so many of the questions the modern workforce has brought up in recent years. Co-working is making owning a small business accessible. It’s providing a place where people can go and focus on their work. It represents a community of people who care and who can help keep me on task. Co-working means resources to help you achieve personal and professional success. Mostly, it’s a work family (FINALLY!).
So, even though I jumped into being EPIC without really knowing what to expect, I’m so glad that I did. I know that no matter what happens, I have a brand new network of people who support me. I have a seemingly endless stream of inspiration and energy, and I have (and have always had) all the tools in my arsenal that I need to succeed.