Our Newest Mentern

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Hello everyone! My name is Sarah Tipton and I am the newest ‘mentern’ here at Ment Cowork! I am a junior at Western Kentucky University majoring in strategic marketing. I am so excited to finally gain some real world experience in my field. It is my goal to learn more through this internship than I have in the classroom. My duties here will include creating a market strategy for us and a plan as we move forward. 

My future plans and goals are as unpredictable as a magic 8 ball. I feel like I have no idea what my future holds. That thought used to scare me, but I know God’s watching out for me. But for today at least, my plan is to immediately get my MBA after undergrad and then off to Nashville or Louisville. Though my dream would be to move to London for a couple of years first and travel on as many weekends as I could! 

A Little Bit of Background

I grew up on a beef cattle farm in Taylorsville, KY. One of my “fun facts” is that I went to a Christian school where my graduating class was only 4 people. Yes, you read that correctly, there were four of us. WKU was a big change after that, but I absolutely love it and try to stay as involved as possible: I am a member of Omega Phi Alpha, an ambassador for the Honors College, a counselor for honors freshman orientation (H4), and a member of Women in Business. I try to stay busy, but occasionally  “busy” means that I am at my apartment watching Friends, Gilmore Girls, or maybe even Hannah Montana. Don’t judge, it’s called #selfcare.  

What ‘Type’ of Person Sarah Is

I am a 6 on the enneagram and in Ravenclaw house so I am loyal, hardworking, paranoid, and seek safety, I tell everyone just to imagine a golden retriever in human form. As an avid coffee and pasta lover, I enjoy traveling and even spent last spring at Harlaxton College in Grantham, England! During the trip, I was able to visit 13 countries in just 4 months. I have also gone on a cross country RV trip with my family, so travel is my middle name, when I can afford it at least. I also enjoy things like cooking, listening to Crime Junkie (which makes me extra paranoid), puns, taking care of my plants, and too much online shopping—rip to my bank account. 

Her -ment Word

Lastly, I must reveal to you all what my “ment” word is! I wanted to choose one that no one has yet, and I have chosen…. fulfillment. In the past I have always felt like there was more that I needed to be doing and I worried about the “what if’s.” I constantly felt stressed by this. Therefore a goal I have for myself is to find fulfillment. Whether it is in where I am or by the things that I have been blessed with in the moment I am in. I hope to learn to let go of my fears and enjoy the moment. I look forward to my time at 911 College Street being a time to push me out of my comfort zone, but also teaching me not worry about the things yet to come.

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Embracing the “Hygge” Lifestyle

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If you love over-sized sweaters, fuzzy socks, salt lamps and have an obsession with blankets, then you are going to be all ears for this. Our theme for the month of February – “Hygge.” 

Raise your hand if you’ve heard of this crazy Danish concept before. No? Me either. Well that is until I took an international public relations class last semester. I chose to study the country of Denmark because, well they are supposedly the happiest place and people in the world and need I say more? I kept coming across this concept so much that I just had to research it. Turns out it’s not crazy at all and most of us are actually practicing it – it’s actually pretty neat! 

HYGGE

Originating in Denmark, Hygge is a term for the all encompassing feeling of comfort and well being. 

Synonyms:  Happiness, coziness, security, simplicity, reassurance 

“Hygge is about an atmosphere and an experience, rather than about things. It is about being with the people we love. A feeling of home.” 

Enjoying the little things in life, practicing self care, being present in the moment and creating a feeling of contentment are all ways in which one can practice this concept. Sounds like something you’re down for? We sure are! With all of our natural light, diffusers, lamps in every corner, (and don’t forget the couches) we are all about this way of life. 

The Danes practice this concept as a way to combat the winter and rainy day blues. Sound familiar? I ask as I am writing from the comfort of my couch, pajamas, coffee in hand and blankets in my lap on this gloomy February day. 

And now, with our newest community partner Slow as Folk, we have beautiful artwork on display all month long to help tie this whole beautiful and comfortable lifestyle practice together. Slow as Folk artist Sarah Gust is all about a simple lifestyle and incorporating comfort items into her daily routine as well as her art. 

“I want to be comfortable and I want my customers to be comfortable as well.”

We can relate to this on a spiritual level  because if you don’t have comfort, how will you be satisfied with your work, life, etc.? Our members deserve to have the space where they can work in an atmosphere that works for them – whatever that may be. With this being said, we just had to jump on board with this concept for our theme of the month. 

Ment Cowork will be here all month long helping you to bring a little Hygge into your life.

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Ment for Love, Ment for Art

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For the month of February, we are giving a different definition to the term love. One that is centered around loving what you do and having passion for your job. With this in mind, what better community partner for the month of February than Slow as Folk, a local business that has stuck to its simplistic, natural and colorful roots. 

The Artist: Sarah Gust

Freelancer, jewelry maker, painter, plant lover, Starbucks barista and establisher of ‘Slow as Folk’, artist Sarah Gust really can do it all! And now she is the head of a business that has established a community partnership with Bowling Green’s first coworking company, right in the heart of downtown Bowling Green. 

A building with open areas, exposed brick, natural light and tons of wall space – we were basically calling her name! 

Sarah Gust discovered her love for art in college when she began to explore a niche that she never knew she had. Following her own path, she found Bowling Green about six years ago and established a career and business for herself. Gust realized that she wanted a clearer direction for her art and rebranded herself early last year, re-entering the art community with a fresh brand – Slow as Folk. 

It just clicked and it felt right. I realized that to create a sustainable business I needed to move at a pace that was comfortable for me – slow.

Gust also connected with the word ‘folk’ as that describes the type of artist that she is given her self-taught art background and varying practices. Gust believes in the power of focusing on herself throughout her art in order to allow her to create quality work that is not rushed. Gust creates everything from paintings, drawings, stickers and designs, to henna work and one of her newest specialties – earrings and jewelry. Gust works mainly as a freelancer taking part in pop-up shops, markets, workshops and sales through her website and Instagram. 

The Brand: Slow as Folk

Slow as Folk is centered around minimalism and simplicity. As an artist, Gust finds herself attracted to brightness as well as shapes found in nature. She says that she draws inspiration from people and things around her in everyday life. 

As our community partner for the month of February, Slow as Folk not only has the super cool privilege of receiving access to Ment’s workspace and perks, but will also be displaying art in our office on the second floor for the entire month! 

Slow as Folk art will be available for viewing and purchasing now until February 29 from 8-2 Monday through Friday at Ment. If you are downtown (and we know you will be), stop in to see some awesome pieces and maybe even meet the artist herself!  We are so excited to be sharing the love this month with Slow as Folk and to have our coworking space filled with a little more beauty. If Ment Cowork wasn’t already an “inspired” place, we sure are now!

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Walking the Walk: My 3:59 Book Review

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When Ment brand and community manager Hayley Kruth began working with Dan and the My 3:59 movement, she had no idea that it would lead to such big life changes. 

Kruth took on Dan Klein as a client through her personal business MoxieK and assists with his brand, story, websites and social media. Kruth started reading his book: My 3:59 The Man I Am Called to Be for research purposes, but quickly came to find out how relevant the book was in relation to her own life. Kruth has since created her own 3:59s, including running a 10k marathon in May and committing to writing two blogs a week for her personal website. Kruth discussed the challenge of taking on both a physical and personal goal and how different the two can be.

“Everyone is doing these big goals and going for all of these huge things,” Kruth said. 

She talked about how it is interesting to see everyone’s personal journeys and how they differ. 

“All goals are super valid and important…” she said. “You don’t have to be recovered from cancer to find this book relatable.” 

Kruth discussed how the Together Challenge and community group is not something that you can join without being serious about it. She mentioned how Klein has laid out specific rules and guidelines for participating in the challenge, including following the SMART goals format and taking part in weekly check-ins to provide proof of progress. 

“It’s all about holding yourself accountable,” she said. “It may sound simple but it’s not easy…To live every single day in that type of way, it takes work.” 

While she didn’t begin to read the book until 2019, she has found it to be helpful so far in presenting Klein’s story in a way that connects and draws in the reader. Kruth is currently on chapter six: Foundations of Faith and Family – the first of the book’s four part layout. She has enjoyed seeing how his story unfolds and is looking forward to seeing how Klein presents his challenge and how he takes it on – because even though we know about Dan Klein and his journey, sometimes nothing beats reading the book. 

We give it five stars and a Ment Cowork seal of approval. My 3:59 is truly more than just a story of one’s journey, it is community, love, support, encouragement and inspiration all wrapped up in 287 pages. For anyone wanting to accomplish a goal, we recommend this book as a way to move one step closer towards achieving your impossibles. 

We are cheering on Hayley as well as the rest of you My 3:59 warriors and can’t wait to see you reach your goals! And don’t worry, you’re not alone – we are all in this together. Plus, we’ve got Hayley here nudging us to stay on track, but let’s face it, she’s right. We are capable of so much here at Ment and we can’t wait to show you all! Hayley has taken on an “If not now, when?” attitude and we think that is the perfect way to look at this year. 

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A Life Changing Move{ment}

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At Ment, we are about more than just “talking the talk” so for the rest of this month, we are going to show you how this whole 3:59 thing can actually have an impact. Hearing people’s goals and motivation to be better are awesome, but sometimes we think to ourselves, “That’s great, but does it really work?”

We would like to introduce you to Shawn Rhodes, an ordinary guy who has done extraordinary things with the help of Dan Klein and My 3:59. Similar to Dan Klein, Shawn received a cancer diagnosis in 1999 that changed his life. Years later, Rhodes recovered and realized that life is much too short to waste time.  

After reading Klein’s book in 2017, Rhodes found that it resonated with him and inspired him to go after those things that seemed impossible to him. He decided to move toward those goals full force – literally, when he decided to enter the half-Ironman, a worldwide triathlon that takes place yearly in the U.S. From then, Rhodes chose to take on the full Ironman in Louisville in 2018 with Klein by his side and later, participated in multiple other races and sporting events. Rhodes has continued setting 3:59s for himself every year and aims to participate in the RAIN, a 160-mile bike ride across Indiana later this year. 

   

Rhodes said that this goal not only helped him to work on his physical health, but also his mental and spiritual health as it allowed him time to clear his mind and focus on those aspects of his life.

Rhodes spoke on the importance of the SMART method used in the My 3:59 movement and how it holds you accountable and allows you to put things into perspective. He also discussed the method of Klein using social media to interact with others taking part in the Together Challenge, a commitment made by a community of people participating in the movement, and loves to be a part of witnessing the support from one another.

“It’s neat to see where everyone is at with their own personal challenges,” Rhodes said.

Rhodes first met Klein in 2002 when they were both Olympic torch bearers during the relay that took place through Bowling Green. Years later, Klein and Rhodes have become close friends and even participated in their My 3:59s together.

He expressed how powerful the experience has been for him and stated that we underwent what he would call an “epiphany.”

“Here I am doing all of these things that used to be impossible to me…it has been almost as life changing as my cancer diagnosis.” 

There are so many others out there with stories like Rhodes and with the right help of My 3:59, our community has seen a large impact. It was a no brainer to partner with My 3:59 and to take part in challenging ourselves. Inspiration is truly growing in our community and beyond as we all take the first steps toward moving our own stones.

Rhodes referred to one of Klein’s quotes stating, “If you think you can or you think you can’t, your right.”

A quote that we may just have to start looking more at ourselves here at Ment. We have come such a long way from seeing the potential for Bowling Green’s first ever coworking space, to making it a reality – it was a big jump. With the help of Klein and his movement, this will be our year to go above and beyond as we attempt to do bigger and better things moving forward each day. Just as Klein’s story resonated with Rhodes, we hope that we can one day leave our mark on Bowling Green.

 

 

 

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Sharing Our 3:59s

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With all of this 3:59 talk, I know what your thinking – what is YOUR 3:59??  I guess it’s about time we share with you some of our personal goals for this year. 

First off, I’m just going to be real with myself here – I am far from perfect. I have strayed off of my productive path this past year and lost site of what is important. But as they always say, “There’s always next year right?” Well I am claiming this as MY year. I have many 3:59s. More than there is time to share! However my main one is simply to start living in a state of wellness. 

We’ve all probably heard this general statement, but what does this mean to me? Overall, it’s doing little things that may be simple, but not always easy – things like drinking more water, eating healthier and becoming more active. I’ve been looking into some of our community partners such as Beet Box, Zest and The Spot and I have to say, I think they are going to be making my 3:59 a little easier to accomplish.

I also created a professional 3:59 for myself to have successfully branded my name and business by the end of this year. This means increasing posts and content on my social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) as well as working on my LinkedIn profile and website.I think I just might be paying a little visit to Ment’s brand manager, Hayley Kruth for a little help on that one. 

I’ve got a lot of work to do this year but it helps to know that I have encouragement from my fellow Ment members and to know that I am not alone. Here at Ment, we all taking the challenge to achieve something new this year. Here are a few of the things that our fellow staff and members are choosing to work toward: 

Our community relations intern Carli and Hayley decided to make theirs with lifestyle goals in mind: 

 Carli Hughes – Ment Community Relations Intern

“Become more active”

“Say ‘no’ more”

 

Hayley Kruth – Ment Brand and Community Manager

“Write at least two blogs a day”

“Run a 10K in May”

 

A few of our other members were in the same boat as they provided answers such as: 

“Be confident”

“Stay active”

“Finish MBA”

 

Many of our members chose to set professional goals – something that is a must if you are working in a professional environment or position. Some of these included: 

“Broaden my local and professional network”

“Execute effectively” 

“Strengthen professional network”

“Lead peers / develop team performance and capability”

 

Others chose to go with a more direct path – something else that may prove to be useful in the future. Being specific about what you want and providing exact times, dates or numbers can be that push of motivation that you need and makes your goal measurable. When you are looking at your SMART goal, you won’t have to question the extent of which you need to do this because you have already identified it. Here are some examples that we took from a few members: 

“Make 5 new clients” 

“Land one state level IT Quality contract” 

“Reach 350 participants”

“Grow my thought leadership value in marketing a business strategy (blog, teaching, etc.)”

 

Perhaps you have some rather simpler goals that can be daunting. Things like drinking more water or finally getting around to that spring cleaning that you’ve been trying to do since last year. As one member said: 

“Clean out some baskets and drawers at home ‘It’s a major task!’ ” 

That it is, and we know how you feel Jackie!

 

Maybe you want to be broad and just throw it all into one summarizing statement: 

“Do more better”

Well Tim, I think that just about covers it. Ditto! 

 

One member decided to give herself a little advice and reminder for her 3:59 this year: 

“Remember to try your best everyday. Count your blessings and remember that nothing is permanent except for tattoos.” 

We couldn’t have said it better – a daily reminder that we could all work towards remembering. 

It’s kinda cool how everyone is at a different place in their lives, isn’t it? We’re all working towards something that will get us one step closer to the next successful chapter in our books. The most important thing to remember: it’s not about how you get there or when, but that you take the first step in doing so. Start working towards your impossibles right now and know that we are here to help you along the way! 

While we may not be able to run that 10K with you, we can guarantee an open coworking space that gives you the necessities to succeed in all aspects of your daily life. What is that saying again? “Happy ment member = happy life?” Although, if you come to the office with your yoga mat or drawers full of sewing supplies to sift through, we won’t judge – we will probably just join in! 

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Practicing Encouragement

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With the new year in full swing and my –ment word being encourage{ment}, I figured what better time to share some more about my new favorite word!

Encouragement is described as the act of giving support, confidence, or hope. Encouragement inspires, motivates, reinforces, and builds loyalty. All of these things are necessary in creating a successful work or business environment as well as seeing how it can help you thrive in your personal life and relationships.

If you see someone working hard, a simple, “You got this!” or “You’re doing great!” can make a world of difference. We all love a little extra confidence boost or to be recognized occasionally so why not give back that feeling to others!   

Here at Ment, I have noticed that the coworking atmosphere is truly one of a kind and full of positivity and encouragement. Motivation can be seen around here in many different forms including the endless member benefits, community partnerships and office spaces that meet the needs of everyone.

An atmosphere where you can truly thrive with the ability to work in a public space and interact with others allows you to see just how encouraging others can be. It is so cool to witness people from different businesses working together and fostering each-others creativity and ideas. Want to work alone? We encourage that too! Ditching the distractions is the number one goal. Personally, my inspiration stems from the fact that I can literally choose a different office setting from day to day to work in. An aesthetically pleasing space in the heart of downtown – yes please!

With frequent members activities, emails, and newsletters, we keep our members in the loop with what’s going on around the office and always encouraging them to take part in our Ment community. Our Ment staff is also excellent at offering constructive feedback and inspiration to one another.

Being excited to come to a place because of the friendly faces and awesome environment is the motivation that I need to continue to grow and I know there are so many others out there that feel the same!

We are no strangers to greetings and conversation around here. I guess what I’m trying to say here is you can’t spell the word encouragement without Ment…and we think there’s a good reason for that * wink wink*.

I have heard people say, “Kindness makes the world go round” and I am definitely a firm believer that little things can go a long way. I am deciding to make encouragement more of a prevalent thing in my daily life and I am encouraging you to do the same. Don’t have a new years resolution yet? Maybe you just found one!

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Ment’s 3:59 – Committing to the Community

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Over the course of the last few weeks, we have developed many individual 3:59s for this year but before we get to those though, we want to share with all of you Ment’s overall business 3:59 for the year!

Our 3:59 is making a commitment to connect and collaborate with local businesses and individuals in the Bowling Green area. 

Ment Cowork’s Brand and Community Manager, Hayley Kruth, is aiming to grow the Community Partners program more than ever this year.

“Our 3:59 for 2020 is going to be to have a local community business partner to partner up with for every month of the year,” Kruth said. 

Our 3:59 comes from our foundational ideas in collaboration over competition. These ideas represent the fact that collaborating with others will bring more success than trying to win on your own. Sometimes working together is the way to go! We will continue to provide our current and future Ment members, as well as those we meet outside of our space, with the benefits collaborating can bring.

Each month, we will be featuring a different business on our social media channels, in our member newsletters, and of course providing some awesome office and meeting spaces for them in return. Our members will receive access to these business’s services or benefits such as discounts or memberships. Along with all of this, we simply get to immerse ourselves into the community. We are learning more about Bowling Green and what it has to offer and they are learning about us. It also helps our members who may not solely be working in Bowling Green, to become familiar with what our community has to offer. Providing exposure from other companies to our members will allow us to build brand awareness and create lasting relationships with Bowling Green residents, businesses and beyond. 

As we introduced you to My 3:59 for the month of January, we will continue to bring you new concepts and themes each month. We are excited to share the benefits of this program and can’t wait for you all to see what we have in store for 2020 and beyond!

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Challenging the “Impossibles”

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Hey guys, it’s your latest intern Hannah coming back to you in this 2020 year! With the new year officially being here, that means it’s time to start getting serious about those New Year’s resolutions or if you missed it, what we are calling “3:59s.” We are excited to be taking part in the My 3:59 movement and the #TogetherChallenge for the 2020 year.

Dan Klein, author of My 3:59: The Man I Am Called to Be, says that setting goals allows him to be the best version of himself. We could all improve something in our lives and in ourselves right? What better time to start than now! The movement is all about setting goals and setting out to achieve the “impossibles” in our lives. We are encouraging you to set your own 3:59s and achieve them with us whether you are doing the #TogetherChallenge or not. 

As we previously talked about, setting Goals is an imperative part of the process of becoming successful.  Confuscoius says, “The man who moved a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” We are choosing to move our own stones, one step at a time. By following the SMART goals format, we will be making our own goals, creating a plan of action, sharing them with others and most importantly, accomplishing them! Sounds easy enough, right? Chances are you already have a goal in mind, now it’s time to act on it! 

Ment is partnering up with Dan and My 3:59 to encourage everyone to challenge themselves this year and become a part of a life changing experience. And guess what? There’s no cost to join! This is where your journey begins. We have already have our 3:59s – do you? Don’t waste time because the next 363 days will be over before you know it. Get up and move your mountain and always know we are here to help!

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Hello Menternship

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Hi guys! You may have been reading a few of my words recently or seen a new face around here at Ment, so I just wanted to introduce myself to you all. My name is Hannah Vanover and I am the newest intern at Ment Cowork! I will be managing and assisting with all things media related. I am so excited to be getting started here and to have a change of pace this year and learn a few new things. 

I am a public relations and photojournalism major at WKU. I’m originally from Owensboro, Ky., and now currently live in Beaver Dam and commute to college in Bowling Green. Don’t let my native location fool you though…I love immersing myself into different communities! I am an avid taco lover and homebody who also loves people. My friends typically call me “supergirl,” possibly because I love keeping myself busy and tend to do the “impossible” when I take on too many things that I am passionate about. Along with my Ment internship, you can find me as a cashier at my local Walmart or freelancing as a reporter and photographer at two different publications in and near my town. If you still can’t find me, chances are I am out photographing for my business: HV Photography or in my home studio. I also may be at home hiding out and binge watching the entire series of New Girl on Netflix for the fifth time…the world may never know! 

As I hear it is tradition, it’s time to announce my ment word which is *drumroll* Encouragement. While this may seem like a simple one, it is important to me. I am a believer that kindness goes a long way. A helping hand, a smiling face or a word or two of encouragement – it never hurts. As I am writing this just one week before the new year, I encourage you all to find ways to offer support and inspiration to others. Start thinking about your own 3:59s because I know I have mine! And be sure to stay tuned for some encouraging posts in the following weeks!

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