I'm the founder of First National Coworking, Steve Ulrich. I grew up in Marietta. The building that holds our coworking space was my first bank. I deposited the money I earned from mowing lawns, at the same teller windows that our coworkers work at today. Like me, for decades, Mariettians have had a feeling that at any moment things were going to start happening in our small town. Many dreamed of a resurgence of businesses in town. When I was a kid, we had a "5 & dime" store, an arcade, a movie theater, a ceramics store, competing delis, foundries, a handful of antique stores, a bunch of B&Bs, and a few other businesses that I was too young to understand what they did. Today, Marietta is mostly known for a few great places to eat and drink, and for some, the interesting history of our town informed by the proximity of the mighty Susquehanna River. Frankly, it's a very quiet town. In creating First National Coworking, my dream is for entrepreneurs, students, businesspeople, or anyone who needs a place to get things done, to be inspired, share information, support one another, and be fulfilled. Of course, the big idea is that this collaborative energy will grow and spill over into our town and region, and magnify the quality of life through increased services, opportunities for music and art, recreation, education, and a sense of community. The potential has lay dormant for years. I have a feeling that it starts now.