Coworking is a movement that’s growing in North America and around the world. Here are a couple of articles that will get you up to speed:
- Wall Street Journal: Office (and Beanbag) Sharing Among Strangers
- New York Times: They’re Working on Their Own, Just Side by Side
But does coworking mean to you? If you’re a corporate denizen, check this out. If you’re an independent, read on.
Why cowork?
At its most basic, coworking is an antidote to isolation and cabin fever. When you have a community of people who are also trying to achieve their dreams, you realize that you’re not alone. But it’s also a whole lot more:
- A way to make a tangible commitment to your freelance or consulting career
- A way of networking effortlessly
- An easy way to hunt or potential clients, collaborators.
- A great way to make new friends.
What kind of people cowork?
We’re constantly surprised by who shows up for coworking:
- Marketing consultants
- Freelance writers and designers
- Web and mobile developers
- Videographers
- Entrepreneurs
- Actors
- Musicians
What happens on a typical day?
First priority at any coworking space is to get the coffee brewing and put on some music (not too loud, mind you). Over the course of the morning, people begin to filter in. Some coworkers invite their clients to visit for a meeting in one of our conference rooms. Around noontime, some folks use our kitchen to warm up leftovers. Others like to band together and seek out their lunch on the streets. By afternoon, we’ve got a healthy buzz going of keyboard clicks and conversations. At the end of the day, it’s time to head home or to any one of the local pubs for Happy Hour.
Try it out for yourself!
You can visit CoCo any time and try out coworking for free. Hope to see you soon!
Photo credit: Monica’s Dad
