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Meet Our General Manager: Nicole Cosme

By Sarah

Running a coworking space is a delicate dance of wearing many hats, and Nicole Cosme is up to the job.

Nicole started with us as the Community Coordinator at our Fall River space. She stepped into the role and made it her own: she filled the space with art and live music for an open studios event, she wowed us with creative and interactive art on our chalkboards, she took care of our members, and she curated an impressive collection of houseplants.

We are so excited to have Nicole take the reigns as Groundwork’s General Manager. We have no doubt her energy, creative vision, and embodiment of our values will carry Groundwork forward into the coming years. Read on to learn more about Nicole in her own words, and why she is excited to be a part of the Groundwork family.

What led you here? Give us a short summary of your life journey up to this point.

I grew up in Fall River and lived there most of my life until 2014 when my husband and I bought a house in Tiverton. I went to Bridgewater State University for Communication Science thinking I would eventually become a Speech-Language Pathologist. While I ultimately decided that clinical therapy wasn’t for me, I also realized how much I love language and writing. 

Throughout college, and up until recently, I mostly worked in childcare and in the Health and Human Service field. I left these fields in 2020 (no need to explain why) and started dedicating more time to my writing. I received my first acceptance for publication in 2021 and attended a writer’s residency in Rockvale, Tennessee the same year. This was a pivotal time for me as I began to realize the future I wanted to build for myself. Still, I needed to earn an income in the meantime, but I wanted to pursue something that aligned with my creative goals.  

I was discussing this with my sister-in-law who lives in New Bedford, and she told me about an open position at Groundwork. While I’d never heard of coworking before, I was intrigued by the opportunities and connections it offered. Being Community Coordinator was invaluable to me. It allowed me to connect with the local creative community and learn more about business and marketing. I held this position for about 6 months before Sarah offered me the role of General Manager.

As GM, I have the opportunity to learn more about the day-to-day operations of running a business, as well as develop my leadership skills. All the while, I’m able to continue honing my writing by contributing to the blog and newsletter. I feel extremely fortunate to be in a position where I am able to give and gain in equal measure.

Nicole and her husband, Kyle

What are some of the things you’ve learned working in the different environments you’ve worked in up to this point?

I think the most valuable lesson I’ve learned over the years is to not take things too seriously or personally. People are complicated. We all have vast internal lives that can sometimes affect the way we engage with others. This was especially true when working as a case manager in mental health. I learned to be more patient and generous in my attitude toward others. People who seem especially difficult are often the most in need of kindness.  

What excites you about working at Groundwork?

One of the things I’m loving about my job lately is that there is something new to learn everyday. I’m excited to continue learning as much as I can from Sarah and the Groundwork community. It’s also really fulfilling to work at a place that people value and feel makes a positive difference in their lives. 

What inspires you right now? What are you listening to, watching, or reading?

I’ve been connecting with a lot more artists and creatives lately which has been inspiring me to show up more consistently for my own craft. It’s easy to let creativity fall to the back-burner, but connecting with people who prioritize their passion is really motivating. 

I’m currently reading The Adolescent by Fyodor Dostoevsky, Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedreich Nietzsche, and The Good Girls Revolt by Lynn Povich. I don’t listen to podcasts regularly, but lately I’ve been listening to the Huberman Lab podcast. It covers a variety of scientific topics, mostly related to biology and brian health. What I like about this podcast is the way Huberman takes information from research studies and makes it actionable. I find it really informative and useful.

What skills or experience are you looking forward to sharing with our members?

I love cultivating thoughtful and creative spaces that makes people feel comfortable and inspired. I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of this in Fall River and it’s been very rewarding hearing how these small changes to a workspace and a few new plants make such an impact for members using the space. I look forward to doing more of this!

Also, in October I applied for the Wicked Cool Places grant and was thrilled to learn that Groundwork’s proposal was accepted. It was the first grant proposal I had ever written, so I look forward to seeking more grant opportunities that allow us to support our local community of artists and entrepreneurs. 

Sarah
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