Link2Lift Q&A with Gingras Global Magazine

We are so grateful to have been featured by the most recent Gingras Global magazine! Healthy social impact matters. Gingras Global is a social enterprise reporting and standards development firm based in Detroit, Michigan. To learn more about them, visit gingrasglobal.com and check out their magazine.

Link2Lift is a purpose-driven and people-led consultancy that strives to transform workplace culture. We partner with clients who have an appreciation for innovation and a desire to increase their organizations impact. We help clients reimagine their physical spaces to encourage a collaborative culture through our Common Good Collaboration Model. Research in developing this model began in 2013 and has successfully helped teams leverage resources they never knew they had. We created this model with the vision of building a sustainable community of nonprofit collaboration centers.

Gingras Global: What inspired the founding of Link2Lift?

Link2Lift: The initial inspiration came out of curiosity for collaboration and didn’t actually start with shared space. We hear the word collaboration a lot. In 2013, I began to research and ask myself, “Are we really good at collaborating in America?” I decided I should explore this with “boots on the ground”, gathering groups together to work on projects versus only attending conferences and talks. In some ways, what I found was a little disturbing. Many nonprofits, entrepreneurs, city leaders and faith communities have some point of crossover and are like-minded. Yet for them to find that crossover was extremely difficult. My research showed duplication in efforts, weariness and isolation amongst people serving the common good. As I was invited into conversations, as a neutral convener, I discovered they were more like-minded than even they knew. It seems simple but getting people face to face in the same room helped. So, naturally, I started to look at the role of physical space.

Gingras Global: So as you were looking into the role of physical space, with collaboration in mind, what did you find?

Link2Lift: Technology has caused a disruption within the consumer market, creating a lot of empty and underutilized buildings. We observed this strong cultural shift as technology grants the world greater ability to share in new and collaborative ways. We see this huge trend towards sharing nearly everything from innovation, information, transportation, vacation homes and workspace. The result of this trend has taught us how to use physical space differently. I think this is one reason why we see a national rise in coworking spaces. From 2008 to 2018, we have grown from 40,000 to approximately 27 million square feet of shared spaces in just 20 major cities. Isn’t that crazy! I think this is actually a conservative number.

With collaboration in mind the natural question for me was, “what kind of collective impact could we make in our world if just a tenth of those coworking spaces were dedicated toward common good?” The question has really become my company’s vision.

Gingras Global: If you envision one-tenth of all coworking spaces dedicated towards common good, how is Link2Lift a part of the solution?

Link2Lift: My company is just one part of the solution. The person or group who owns the property needs to embody generosity and have a concern for social impact. Whatever space they have to dedicate toward common good and the issues they care about, together we can reimagine their building. I leverage what I have learned and the property becomes a tool for collaboration.

Link2Lift created the Common Good Collaboration Model. It was our desire to develop four phases for clients and their teams to co create a healthy environment, encouraging collaboration and responding to underutilized spaces. We help lead clients through this discovery process, create a plan and we hope to remain connected through the implementation process to celebrate the success.

Gingras Global: It’s interesting to me that technology has moved people out of buildings yet you mention this increase of people moving back into shared spaces. Why is that?

Link2Lift: One reason they moved back is because humans are wired for community. We have more entrepreneurs than ever before and they can’t afford the traditional work environment. Not only do shared spaces lower overhead, especially in large cities where it is extremely costly to own and run an office, but they also provide a space for community to happen, networks to form and fun to be had. This style of working is all the next generation leader has ever known.

Gingras Global: How is this type of Common Good Center different than existing coworking spaces?

Link2Lift: There are many coworking spaces already. This is more than coworking. Imagine coworking with a purpose. The client of Link2Lift has a desire to increase social impact so our vision includes combining small, medium and large nonprofits who keep their individual organizational identity but share in areas of common ground and overlap.

I applied my experience working with nonprofit organizations for the last 25 years on various levels. Over the last 5 years I have dedicated myself to intentional research to better understand the unique struggles of nonprofits. I also journeyed into a deeper understanding of the unique concerns of donors and investors, who appreciate innovation and who also want to increase a organization’s impact. We created this model with the vision of building a sustainable community of nonprofit collaboration centers.

Gingras Global: Are some spaces more ideal than others to have this style of coworking?

Link2Lift: Actually the answer is yes. There is a “secret sauce” for an ideal location for coworking but we have discovered that the Common Good Model can be applied to any type of space; commercial property, nonprofit and even a college campus. Even when we are approached with a space that is not ideal for coworking it has been fun to take what we have learned and unlock ideas for our client to discover other options of using their space with purpose. For example, creating an event space, an enrichment center for workshops and training, even being a thought partner for economic development.

Gingras Global: This seems very exciting. There are some obvious benefits of a shared workspace, can you give us a bit of an inside look at the feedback you have received so far?

Link2Lift: A really great model I discovered when starting my research was the US Digital Outreach Center. David Madore, a business man, demonstrates what can be accomplished with great generosity and an empty warehouse. I believe there are 25 nonprofits currently in their center and they do not pay rent to office there.

So far, the ongoing feedback is great! As a newer business we are just now seeing the real results of our work. We recently worked with the Luis Palau Organization in Portland, Oregon to open the Palau Link Center. It has been fun and validating to hear about the experiences and impact that not only the Luis Palau Organization has experienced but also the community impact felt by the tenant partners. The tenants have shared with us experiences of being able to partner and leverage each other as resources. Mentoring takes place. One organization shows a new nonprofit how to write a grant. Another organization runs another nonprofit’s gala because of an unexpected crisis. This only happens in community. I wish I could share all of the stories. If done well these centers become strategic assets to both the building owner and non profit organizations.

Gingras Global: What drives you personally?

Link2Lift: My personal desire is to see everyone win. I want to see more people in a community served. Groups of healthy organizations with donors or investors that are confident that being in a collaborative space will give a bigger return on their investment, as well as more accountability and efficiency. The building owner now has repurposed vacant space. I am motivated mostly by the fact that I received many nonprofit services while growing up and understand how they literally alter a person’s life.

Gingras Global: If someone has a desire to be part of building a collaborative center like this how can they connect with you?

Link2Lift: Link2Lift.com is a great way to connect with us. Anyone can sign up for The Loop to receive future articles on this growing solution or set up a free 30-minute consultation so that I can get to know them and their space.