Co-Working

By Erin Bury

If you’re a freelancer or an entrepreneur it can be a lonely lifestyle. It often includes working alone in a home office, without access to the amenities and social events found at a large corporate office. And if you’re looking for office space it can be costly, especially when you add in equipment like computers, printers, and phone systems. In the past few years, an alternative has emerged for small businesses or individuals looking for the services of a larger office, without the big business lifestyle.

The trend is called co-working, which involves several people or small companies working in a shared work environment. One of the first co-working spaces was Citizen Space, a San Francisco space started by current Montreal resident and entrepreneur Tara Hunt. There are now spaces in cities all around the world, providing entrepreneurs with a place to pull up a chair, talk to like-minded people, and stay caffeinated.

Here are a few reasons you should consider joining a co-working space in your city:

1. Just because you’re a solopreneur doesn’t mean you always need to be alone. Co-working spaces provide you with a place to engage in water cooler chat without having to work at a big company. You can bounce ideas off your fellow coworkers, grab lunch or coffee with them when you need a break, and perhaps even get some introductions or recommendations for your business.

2. It’s economical. Why pay for prime office space when it’s just you, or you and a small team? When you join a coworking space you pay a monthly fee (usually a couple hundred dollars), which is way cheaper than rent. Plus, office space doesn’t come with a built-in coffee maker.

3. It comes with amenities. Co-working spaces usually have printers, conference rooms, teleconferencing equipment, and other equipment that you have access to as part of your membership.

4. It’s a great networking opportunity. Chances are the other members in the coworking space will be working on cool projects, and will know other people in your local start-up community. Co-working spaces often hold networking events to bring together the community, so you don’t even have to leave the office to expand your network.

5. You don’t have to fight for a table or a power outlet. Entrepreneurs and freelancers flock to coffee shops to work, but it’s not always productive – you’re not guaranteed a spot, it can be noisy, you might not have access to WiFi or a place to plug in, and you can rack up an expensive daily latte bill. Co-working guarantees you a place to work, and the coffee is free.

There are several co-working spaces in Canada, including Camaraderie in Toronto. The space opened last year and owners Rachel Young and Wayne Lee have since hosted events in their space, helped organize FreelanceCampTO, and stocked a library of books and board games for a little relaxation. Other spaces include Longbranch Coworking and Coworkative north of Toronto, The Network Hub in Vancouver, and The Code Factory in Ottawa. There’s even the Have a Seat program at the Women’s Post offices if you’d like to meet the staff. Consider joining a space in your area – after all, Starbucks can only serve as your interim office for so long.

Image courtesy stock xchng.