vol. 2, no. 45 | All Press
In the March edition of 5280 Magazine there is an article by Daliah Singer, titled “Find Your 3rd Place”, a nicely written and arranged collection of 36 third places in Denver. The Company is included (the very first on the list! though eighth online), described in two sweeping sentences. And we are so honored to be listed among such places as Petals & Pages, ESP, Art Students League of Denver, denhac, and Lighthouse Writers Workshop.
We are also so deeply horrified to be listed under the category of “Social Networking” (the online edition uses the phrasing “Third Places for Networking”—the omission of “Social” having an outsized effect in our view) with the overline “For Professional Connections”.
To put it in our own words, we’d probably more likely say that we are a member-supported gathering place organized around curiosity and creativity, and sort of amateur, indie, for fun and not for profit versions of those things. And one of our favorite placeholder taglines for The Company is “We don’t mean business.”
Here we take naps in the middle of the workday. We crochet. We spend so much time crafting live stories and presentations for our friends that are rarely recorded. We are people who make zines (which definitionally do not scale!), who read books about How to Do Nothing. We have a very high concentration of happily unemployed designers. Here, a handful of us spend approximately two days combined time putting together a newsletter that another handful of us read. Here, a couple dozen of us lose money every month for the opportunity to spend enough time together that the most fun thing imaginable is celebrating someone’s birthday.
And so the thought that our first time in print described us as a place for professional networking had us reeling.
And then
we remembered
that we named ourselves The Company. And our newsletter is called Paperwork. And just recently we hosted an event titled The Annual Performance Review. And our most popular event is a monthly PowerPoint Party. There are people actively planning a Company Retreat. Some of us have even been in discussions about forming a Junior Associates program.
So while, yes, we do still bristle at the term “networking”, we also find it immensely perfect that someone picked up on our branding.
We met Daliah sometime after she’d submitted the article. She came by our tiny space and joined us on a recess walk to the river, where we talked about travel, careers in media (do any of you, by the way, personally know Paul Karolyi? Madeleine and I are hoping to get jobs in radio and have been trying to get a hold of him) and raising young kids. She’s a lovely human being, and we understand now that, as a Canadian, what she said about us in print was not in any way meant as an attack (what about anyone at NPR or RMPBS? TED? 99% Invisible? This American Life? Radiolab? Outside?), nor do we assume that most people, especially Canadians, would think that networking is a bad word (Earl, have you heard back yet from that one friend you mentioned? Are they gonna come by?). We also think she probably understands us a little bit better now, and sees that we are cozy, ladder-eschewing folk, who would rather hug than handshake (I’d be happy to pass along our resumes—we’re really qualified for pretty much anything in media but would prefer something in narrative audio documentary if possible), though admittedly we will hug efficiently.
All that to say (you know what, actually, I’m going to just link to her resume and my resume for ease of reference), it is somewhat true that if you swing by here you can “schmooze with like-minded movers and shakers” but we’re more moving in a dancing fashion and shaking from a really good story.
Copying in Madeleine for visibility. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Best,
—
Ivan Ruiz-Knott, BFA, 2018 Transom Traveling Workshop Alum
Co-Founder
Chair of the Company Corporate Communications Committee
Head of Public Relations
The Company
Named Denver’s Best Third Place for Professional Connections in the Social Networking Category for 2026 by 5280 Magazine
Happenings
This week:
Weekly Wednesday Worknight, Wednesday, March 25
As mentioned in 5280 Magazine, “regular events are open to the public, including … Weekly Wednesday Worknights, which are structured to help you get things done with built-in breaks for mingling.”
$5, free for Company and Moonlight members
In the Making, Thursday, March 26
A show and tell for original, amateur, creative works in progress. Each presenter has 10 minutes to spend however they choose (any mix of presenting, Q&A, workshopping, getting feedback).
We’ve got quite a few slots left for presenters, so sign up using Whiteboard or reply if you’re interested!
Hosted, of course, at The Company, described by 5280 Magazine as “an informal venue for members to work, relax, and collab.”
$10, or free for members and presenters
Cuppa’s 1-Year Anniversary Party!, Saturday, March 28
Cuppa, a Finalist in City Cast’s 2025 Denver-est Denver awards, is turning one, and we’re going to celebrate! Show up anytime during Cuppa hours (9am-2pm), and get any drink for just $4! Each drink purchase will get you 1 raffle ticket. Games and puzzles will be set out, so feel free to come and hang out for a bit, chat, make a new friend, and enjoy the good company at Cuppa. The raffle will take place at noon, with goodies from local artists and businesses.
Free for everyone
No need to RSVP, just show up.
Future Weeks:
Mary Ann’s Book Club: North Woods, Monday, March 30
Winner of the prestigious “Best Novel” designation by book reader Sophie White in her February 4 PowerPoint Party presentation, “Sophie’s Book Awards: 2025”, and winner of the popular vote in Mary Ann’s Book Club, North Woods by Daniel Mason will be the book under discussion at the next gathering of Mary Ann’s Book Club. Read it, talk about it, schmooze about it.
Free
PowerPoint Party No. 37, Saturday, April 4
Twelve people giving 7-minute presentations about business things. At past parties, people have presented about dividends, financial markets, the housing market, and Q4 projections. It’s a wide mix.
Want to present? We’ve got a waiting list (and your chances are awful!). Want to just show up and network? That’s great too. Bring an associate, or come alone and find your next business partner. Hosted, as always, in Denver’s Best Third Place for Professional Connections in Social Networking.
$10, free for members and presenters
—
Also coming up: Creative Writing Workshop: Thresholds (April 6), Glint: Boundary (April 14), Prom (April 25)
Nostalgia
Do you remember that one Monday that slipped away without enough documentation?
Or the Tuesday with so many parts? Our heated conversation about AI, the farewell to Monty the monitor, the visit of Mason, the first recess with a parachute, the Glint, with so many people in green?
Do you remember how that was our biggest lineup yet? And how it was so hot that we kept the windows open and heard so many motorcycles, but conveniently only between stories? How we lingered, even though some of us wanted to leave, and finally we ended with another algorithm?
Our walk to get smoothies? Our concern about the blooming trees, and stories of peach patrol, and gleaning, and Adam’s most popular contribution to the internet?
Do you remember the Worknight with Bennett, the sole attendee both unaware of and unaffected by the weird schedule for the Moonlight Report? How we ended the evening with plenty of stars, but couldn’t get untangled? Do you remember our last goodbyes for a while?
Or that special Thursday with no one but the three of us?
The Friday with another meeting of the revolutionary leaders? The cornbread delivery, the afternoon shift, our early departure?
Do you remember the Saturday of movies? How some of us began at Cuppa, and some at Mary Ann’s? How some other combination of us met at the movie theater so far away? How we took up most of a whole row? Do you remember how the technical delays were just long enough for Livvy to finish reading the book right before the show started? How we laughed and cried and thought they did a pretty good job at adapting it? That we talked outside the theater, and then talked in the vestibule, and then talked outside the theater, and then talked at Olive Garden?
How later, some other group watched Nope? Lauren T. the only one to do the double header?
Bureaucratic Minutiae
Courtesy of Daliah we now have two copies of the March edition of 5280 Magazine available for viewing on my desk.
We have finally replaced our long-broken but more recently very-broken projector screen. Turns out it was under a 2-year warranty this entire time, so we could have had a less dangerous screen ages ago.
Cuppa tote bags just dropped. Network in style for just $15 a piece.
At Glint: Spill: Eunice explained her last straw, Lizzie assured us that her teen self had no water to break, Jessica P. recounted the return of both a long-borrowed sweater and a friend, Joshua discovered that confidence is earned, Sylvia taught us about the value of taking a risk on a totally optional activity, Madeleine reported on the results of natural experiments in church, Earl told us about sacrificing his place in a bike race to become a cat guy, James spilled his guts about his first heartbreak, Allyson introduced us to an unexpected hero, Mary Ann revealed that snowboarding instructors who are focused on flirting are not effective teachers, and Jaime described how her kneecap wound up on the wrong side of her leg. Twice. Recap by Morgan.
At Worknight: Bennett finished a presentation; Madeleine tailored her resume; Lizzie got a photo permit and caught up on two days of journaling; Morgan crocheted two rows; Livvy added assets to the folder; Jessica P. sent Ivan feedback and wrote a letter; Mary Ann readied Ridwell recycling; Earl finished five emails; Luke cleaned and packaged the last order; and Ivan finished an application draft. Recap by Alex.
Finally, a reminder that The Company is a Third Place for Professional Connections in the Social Networking Category, and if you know any of us, you’re welcome to network any time for free (outside of events). If you know that one of us is here and you’d like to network, reach out and we can network.
Photos
—
This issue of Paperwork was written by Ivan with additional reporting from Morgan and Alex, and was shot by Ivan, Madeleine, Allyson, Earl, and Beth. Photo selection and editing by Ivan and Norton. Editorial support was provided by Livvy and Madeleine. This issue, and The Company itself, was made possible by the support of our members, Halie, Drew J., Justin, Mason, José, Mary Ann, Trevr, Allyson, Lizzie, Elijah, Michelle, Jim, Jacob, Mark, Sabrina, Beth, Dani, Chris, Will, Marcia, Rebeca, Sarah, Alex, Jessica P., Jessica S., Ben, Sam Ad., Christof, Ryan, Lauren T., Madeleine, Simon, Adam B., Gus, Lauren S., Earl, Maddie, and Bennett.
Do you know anyone in the Denver area who might benefit from professional connections? Feel free to forward this email along to them. Everyone loves Paperwork.
🤝
Oh, would you look at that, it’s Madeleine, who I mentioned earlier! The talented storyteller and highly qualified candidate for a job in media! Just for ease of reference, here’s that resume again. Photo by Allyson.
Oh, would you look at that, it’s Madeleine, who I mentioned earlier! The talented storyteller and highly qualified candidate for a job in media! Just for ease of reference, here’s that resume again. Photo by Allyson.
