21 TWEETS - A REMINDER

The Village is what it is because of the members. The Village team has the pleasure of getting to know these incredible (1,000+) people both professionally and personally during their time in our community. Last year, a long time Villager compiled a list of learnings from his time in our building and we had to share...again:

Here are my 21 lessons learned from my time @ATLTechVillage… to all you Villagers, entrepreneurs, Atlantans, the Community. (Many more sure to come up as time goes by & things marinate, but here goes!)

1. Don’t EVER merge into the right-turn lane in front of ATV on Piedmont too late during lunch or afternoon rush hour. Police will yell at you to “unmerge”. Talk back and get a ticket. Think you got away? Check your rearview. She’s likely running after you.
2. If you want some mid-day entertainment, watch the traffic police during lunch or afternoon rush hour to see the above lesson in action. Warning: 15 minutes will pass without you realizing.
3. Spend more time getting your oatmeal or morning coffee, and finally say hello to the people you always see, but still never get to know. It’s amazing how many strangers with familiar faces there are in the place you spend so much of your life in.
4. If you’re going to interact with the @ATLTechVillage Community Team, be incredibly enthusiastic because that’s the level they always bring to the table. If you’re emailing, include at least 12 exclamation points. Doesn’t matter how many sentences, if any.
5. The ATV cleaning staff is made up of some of the hardest working, friendliest folks you’ll encounter – shout out to Rossy and Crescensio. They’re likely there before you, and they’re likely there after you. Say, “hola” and “adios” more often.
6. If you enter the building and exit the building via the first floor, you have the added benefit of saying good morning and good night to the security team.
7. @Lane_JKL is great at creative handshakes.
8. The walls are thin. Realize that your Lady Gaga and “Kiki, do you love me” on the TVs and computers can be heard during a demo to Fortune 500 leadership teams (read: “everyone”).
9. When you least expect it, those damn columns in the parking deck move causing you to scrape your car.
10. Feedback and help are literally next door. There’s so much brain power and creativity in your own office, I’m sure. But there’s even more when you consider all your friendly neighbors.
11. After walking to and from lunch on a hot summer’s day, the best way to cool down is sitting on the couch in the mailroom. It’s always the coldest, most refreshing room in the Village.
12. Don’t wait for the elevator if you’re going up or down one flight of stairs unless you’ve got a good reason. From a productivity standpoint, you’ll lose time 75% of those trips.
13. I never took advantage of the roof enough during the good weather days that I then regret during the bad weather days. When the weather’s nice, go up there.
14. Even though many of the hallways are whiteboards (paint), the writing tends to stay there for a long time. Don’t write something that reflects poorly on the Community, your company, and you.
15. Never steal food.
16. Okay, the nap room is a little weird. But when you need it, it’s the best room in the Village.
17. Freestyle (verb. To travel to and acquire beverage from @ccfreestyle machine on the 1st floor next to the Community Room) whenever you can for the exercise, for the break, for the hydration, for the community.
18. Post a bunch of times on the Atlanta Tech Village Slack and Forum to sell used equipment. It moves your inventory and keeps good tech amongst good tech people.
19. Go to events as much as possible. The world is built on relationships. Those “organic” meet-ups can make the world of difference – a sales opportunity, a partnership, a creative idea to get over a problem, a friend, etc.
20. To the last point, say hello to more people, and then, go beyond to find out who people are. So many strangers with familiar faces, and the world needs more authenticity. Say hello and find out what drives people. You’ll be amazed. (Yes, this is repeated because it’s important.)
21. The Atlanta startup ecosystem is bustling. Amazing to see folks taking the leap and dreaming big in ATL & @ATLTechVillage. Soak it all in. Rare to be around this concentration of energetic people who love what they do! Say hello. This is the Village, not Atlanta Tech Building.

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. We are grateful for every entrepreneur who chooses to build within our walls. They are the greatest sum of our parts. Thank you, Daryl, for reminding us of why we do what we do.