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May 13, 2020
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¿Trabajas desde casa? 7 Motivos para enrolarte a Coworking

By | Industry, Tips

¿Tienes un espacio dedicado en tu casa para trabajar pero aun así tienes muchas distracciones? ¿Te gustaría ser más productivo? ¿Quieres tener un lugar para reunirte con tus clientes pero sin pagar costos altos de oficina? Entonces este articulo te puede interesar.

Si trabajas desde tu casa entonces sabes los beneficios pero sobretodos los problemas que esto te puede ocasionar, como distracciones, falta de espacio, aislamiento, falta de profesionalismo para recibir tus clientes, etc. Por otro lado si has tenido tu propia oficina sabes los gastos que esto genera: renta, servicios, gasolina, entre otros. Si eres un negocio pequeño estos gastos pueden ser significativos y pueden complicar tu operación y reducir tus ganancias.

El coworking nació para mejorar las condiciones de trabajadores independientes o pequeñas empresas, de forma que comparten un mismo espacio de trabajo diversos profesionales. Tanto si eres un profesional independiente como si estás pensando en montar una pequeña startup, esta opción de trabajo puede ser muy interesante para ti.

Cada vez hay muchos más espacios preparados para este tipo de actividad que ofrecen soluciones muy interesantes con precios realmente ajustados. Además de las ventajas que explicaremos a continuación, hay espacios que ofrecen servicios adicionales como recepción de llamadas, asesoría profesional… que pueden ser muy interesantes.

Permite ahorrar costos.

Este es uno de los aspectos mas importantes. Los estudios cifran el ahorro del coworking en hasta un 60% de los costos fijos de mantener una oficina propia. En una sola cuota tienes tu parte de gastos en cuanto a alquiler, luz, mantenimiento. El ahorro es el principal atractivo del coworking respecto a una oficina para ti solo, pero además no supone un costo muy elevado si estás trabajando en tu casa. Desde $150-$300 puedes encontrar opciones muy interesantes.

Mejora tu imagen profesional.

Si tienes un trabajo que te exige reuniones con clientes o partners, seguramente recibirlos en tu casa no es una opción, y alquilar una sala para la ocasión resulta muy caro. Por lo tanto tener un espacio profesional donde celebrar tus reuniones te da ese plus de imagen profesional. Además puedes establecer la dirección del espacio como tu dirección de la empresa, con lo que también mejoras de pasar de una dirección particular a un espacio de oficinas.

Ayuda a marcar horarios de trabajo.

Los que trabajamos en casa o somos muy disciplinados o tendemos a mezclar ocio y trabajo de forma que a lo mejor estamos descansado a las 11 de la mañana y trabajando a las 12 de la noche. La flexibilidad que permite el hogar puede ser interesante para algunos, pero la disciplina de un horario bien definido te ayuda a garantizar los periodos de descanso y a tener una vida más ordenada, con lo que mejora tu calidad de vida. Siempre puedes acabar trabajando más al volver a casa…

Elimina distracciones.

Trabajando en casa la distracción sobrevuela en todo momento sobre tu cabeza. Es muy fácil ir un momento a la cocina a picar algo, ponerte a leer una revista, tener la cabeza ocupada con preocupaciones del hogar… Además si tienes hijos sabrás que es imposible trabajar cuando ellos quieren pelea. Trabajar en una oficina no es que elimine todas las distracciones, pero el entorno profesional invita a la concentración y evita muchas de las distracciones típicas de una casa.

Mejora tu networking.

En un espacio profesional plagado de otros profesionales independientes como tú o incluso pequeñas empresas es mucho más fácil hacer networking y conocer gente que en algún momento puede ser una figura clave como partner.

Crea sinergias.

Los profesionales que pueblan estos espacios de coworking suelen ser de sectores tecnológicos o creativos, por lo que puede ser que haciendo networking conozcas a alguien con el que puedas desarrollar un proyecto conjunto o que puedes subcontratar parte de tus proyecto o el de los suyos. En general se da un ambiente positivo para el intercambio de ideas.

Permiten colaborar de forma más cómoda.

Si trabajas en proyectos que requieran de más personas existe la opción de trabajar todos juntos en un mismo espacio de coworking. Es cierto que Internet ha eliminado muchísimas barreras para trabajar con gente de todo el mundo de forma online de manera que no sea necesaria una presencia física, pero muchas veces todo funciona mucho más fluido si los integrantes de un proyecto trabajan en un mismo espacio.

 

Como hemos visto el coworking es una alternativa muy válida tanto a trabajar desde casa como a tener una oficina para ti solo. No es para todos ni deja de tener aspectos negativos pero todo lo positivo que conlleva como mínimo requiere de un profundo análisis para saber si se puede adaptar a nosotros.

April 17, 2020
1
Coworking Sugar Land Texas - Business E Suites

The Evolution of CoWorking

By | Industry

Co-Working has revolutionized the way professionals work, it is not only a trend but a practical way to get the job done.

As we know, the term was first used back in 99′ by Bernie Dekoven but it was really put to use in 05′ by Brad Neuberg when he first stated the Hat Factory in California as a work and live loft setting.  Others picked up on the trend and by 07′ there was more than 70 co-working spaces around the country.  It became a phenomenon particularly in cities like San Francisco, New York, Austin, Toronto, Seattle.  2008 was really when co-working environments were revolutionized into something we know big corporation have but entrepreneurs like you and me could not take advantage of; and so Cubes & Crayons was born, this co-working setting offered the first ever co-working space that included child care, so the on-the-go-parent, entrepreneur, freelancer, startup, small business type of person could not have their kids right next door without all the fuzz and distractions.  By 2011, the co-working concept had reached its maximum momentum and over 1,000 communities were part of this movement by the end of that year; causing this phenomenon to simply spike up from there to a worldwide level.

Today, the biggest co-working spaces certainly dominate the global market but the small businesses like yours and ours are quickly scaling to cater the small-local business segment with a local-community sense in mind.  Co-working is simply practical, it’s affordable, it’s professional, it’s versatile and flexible.  It is giving every aspiring professional the opportunity to scale their business to a whole other level, to an unimaginable level that would normally take years to situate and get it started because traditional working space is so unconventional, unaffordable and complicated.

The co-working story has been written and it continues to go on, it’s a movement that will not stop.  What’s your story? What’s your movement?

April 13, 2020
0
Coworking Sugar Land Texas - Business E Suites

I decided to leave my own office and move to coworking. Here is Why

By | Business, Industry, Other, Tips
I’ve been a business owner for almost 10 years, I had 2 different offices and I am now in a coworking environment. This is what I learned!

I opened my first company when I was 24 years old, following the traditional line of any other person I started working in my house, designated a special area to be my work desk and of course I visited clients at their offices as they had a pretty busy schedule to meet in my office, and yes! that was the best idea at that time. Some times when I had new prospects that wanted to meet in person, I invited them to drink a coffee and we will meet any of my multiple locations around the city, you may know them as Starbucks. 

Later on, I had my first private office that included a reception area, conference room, and 3 private offices. After 2 years I decided to move to a better location and change the structure of my office for something modern, so I upgraded to a larger reception area, a great looking conference room and an open area to help as the bullpen plus 2 private offices. 

After 3 years in that amazing space, I decided it was time to change, so I packed my bags and moved into a co-working environment.

Here is what I have learned so far:

Don’t be afraid.

One of the many reasons I kept my private office for so long was because of social pressure. I used to tell myself “People are going to think I can’t afford my own office?” “What are my clients going to say?” “My competitors have an office” “It doesn’t look professional”. The fear of people making opinions was the main reason to stop me from moving forward, but, after a while I realized I didn’t care what people think, I care about my clients, that’s why I give them the result they expect and for that, my office had no benefit. My clients are with me because of the value I bring into their business, not because of the looks of my office, and if that’s your case, there are plenty of options of nice-looking coworking spaces available. So if I can give you and advice: Don’t feel bad and don’t be afraid, your business is more important than a private office.

 

Cost-Effective.

In the coworking environment you pay for what you use. I realized that in my old office I only had 20 meetings in one year and from those meetings only 10 required the use of the conference room, the other 50% were held at my personal office as a one-one meeting. You may see the problem now. I paid 12 months for a 12×15 space that I used only 20 hours a year and definitely without that space, I could save $200/month around $2,400/year. I can also mention the cost of the receptionist, and with this, I am not trying to say you should let go of yours, but if all you need is someone to greet clients and answer phone calls, it’s an idea that may help you reduce some cost. 

Productivity.

Each business is different, but most of them have something in common “they want to have the best productivity” and for that, the office space and environment play a big role. In my company, I used to think that having my own space was the best thing and that it increased the productivity of my employees. But after a while I learn that it was not like that. My employees cared more about having high-speed fiber optic internet, which was not available at any of my previous offices. They cared more about unlimited free coffee and beverages at the break room other than preparing their own pot of coffee or run to the nearby Starbucks twice a day. They cared about having a nice balcony where they could go and take some air or having unlimited tonner and printing service rather than getting frustrated because they ran out of ink. 

 

Single Bill. 

As a small business owner you pay attention to every penny you spend, but when you have a private office can be complicated as you get many different bills, rent, internet, cleaning, electricity, preference parking, phone and some others depending on the building. When working in a co-working space you only get one bill, everything in one payment with details on all the charges. 

 

Networking Events.

You may want to attend some of the networking events you get invited, but you prefer not to go just by thinking about the 20-25 miles you have to drive, plus the traffic time. If you are the type of person that prefer to stay out of networking events because of these reasons, then co-working may be a better choice. Most of the buildings offers networking events, like lunch and learn or conferences, where they may invite you to talk about your business. Coworking spaces invest a lot of money on building a community and by renting with them, you are also part of that community.

You should not keep an office just because of social pressure or because it’s the “way to go”. Times change and with the new technologies the options for people to work remotely helps startups and small businesses. Having an all-inclusive coworking space that allows you to work in a friendly environment, with fresh air, high-speed internet, unlimited coffee and many more amenities may be the best for your business.

Take a look to your business model and find the balance between what you need to have and what you want to have in your office space, that will help you find the perfect space for you and your team. 

March 5, 2020
1

5 Reasons a Coworking Space Makes Sense for Your Startup

By | Business, Industry, Tips

If you don’t mind sharing a few office amenities with other startups and entrepreneurs, a coworking space could be a solid option for your business.

Article published by Gemma Church (https://articles.bplans.com/5-reasons-a-coworking-space-makes-sense-for-your-startup/)

 

About half of U.S. startups choose to run their business from home, but your home office may not be a suitable environment if your startup is growing and you want to bring more people on board or meet with clients. It can also be difficult to separate home and work life, which actually increases your risk of burnout.

When I first set up as a freelance writer, my home office worked out pretty well. But, as my business grew, I started to stagnate at home. It was too quiet. I missed real human contact and I needed a space where I could meet my clients that looked a little more professional.

Trouble was, I didn’t have the cash to pay for a dedicated office space—and my local coffee shop was too noisy to take calls and really focus on more complicated pieces of work.

Then, I found a better way: coworking.

A coworking space brings together remote workers, small business owners and staff, and freelancers in a shared work environment. Big names such as Indiegogo, Instagram, Timehop, Uber, and Wanderfly have even used them.

The key benefit to coworking spaces is flexibility. Each coworking space has a different layout, like an open office with lines of desks and breakout areas, or a more enclosed setup (with private offices and meeting rooms).

You can choose to “hot desk,” (use whatever desk is available) or pay a little more for your own desk. You can also reserve meeting rooms or use a coworking space as a virtual office. Whatever the setup, you will be sharing office amenities and communal areas (such as the kitchen) with your fellow coworkers. It’s important to find a coworking space that’s a match for your startup both in terms of your business requirements and ethos.

Coworking spaces are flexible in their pricing structure and commitment level. The majority will let you rent a space on a monthly, weekly, or even daily basis.

You can also seek out a coworking community that’s been carefully cultivated to boost your chances of success. For example, some coworking spaces are run alongside incubators (where you are provided with a variety of resources and services to accelerate your business development)—but you may have to apply to work in such spaces. Other spaces target specific industries, like technology or creative pursuits. However, the majority of coworking spaces will accept anyone and everyone.

Of course, there are plenty of pros and cons for startups using coworking spaces. For example, if your startup needs privacy or you would like to design and change your own office layout at will, a traditional office space may be a better option.

But if you don’t mind sharing a few office amenities with other startups and entrepreneurs, a coworking space could be a solid option for your business.

Here are five key reasons to consider coworking:

1. Improved facilities over your local coffee shop or home office

Let’s face it, a coffee shop or your home office can present some challenges to professionalism—namely noise and non-business interruptions.

Coworking spaces come with everything you need to get your work done. An abundance of power sockets, functional furniture, plenty of desk space, and high-speed Wi-Fi connections come standard in most facilities
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Dossey Richards, CEO at dev-shop Lotus Technologies, runs his business from the NYC-based The Farm Coworking. He said: “The decision to move from my local coffee shop and work inside a coworking space has been a decision that has dramatically changed my life as well as my quality of living. I’d recommend it to all freelancers, employees, and entrepreneurs looking for a new work experience.”

You also have more control over your work environment compared to a coffee shop. You can choose to plug in your laptop and work in a shared environment if you prefer to work surrounded by like-minded souls, or use a private office space if you need some peace and quiet. Many facilities also rent out meeting rooms for when you need to talk to your clients, and some also have additional areas (such as nap pods or breakout areas) to give you access to a wide variety of working spaces.

Plus, free tea, coffee, and snacks are often thrown into the deal at a coworking space, which could be the final nail in the coffin for working at your local coffee shop.

2. Coworking gives you a flexible and cost-effective solution

A traditional office space rental can be the solution your startup needs, but they generally require a long-term financial commitment.

However, coworking frees your startup to be nimble as it grows and changes.

You can use the space as and when you need to on a day-to-day or month-to-month basis. You can rent meeting rooms as and when you need to. You will not be tied into paying rent for months at a time.

Coworking is also generally a cheaper option than an office rental. For example, if you wanted to work in the Manhattan area of New York, you could rent a shared desk for just $25/day or $250/month; or a dedicated desk is $400/month at a coworking space. Office rents come in at least $1,000/month (depending on the size of office and amenities you need) and come with fixed terms of at least six months in the same area.

3. You will network on a whole new level

Coworking spaces are used by a community of freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses, so there are plenty of networking opportunities with people who are also trying to build a business.

Dossey said: “What I love about coworking is the access to all the experiences other companies are having. Being an entrepreneur is a learning curve and the speed of your success is limited to the speed you can learn about starting and running a successful venture. Having access to other people to communicate my day-to-day challenges with has been vital to our growth.”

Coworking spaces often encourage inter-community relationships where chats over the water cooler can quickly turn into work exchanges or budding partnerships. If, for example, you’re a tech startup and need someone to help you write a killer press release, you’ll probably find a writer at a coworking space who’ll fit the bill.

“The Farm [coworking space] has and always will be a life changing-experience for me,” says Dossey. “Being in the space with all the other entrepreneurs has given me a level of exposure and insight that would have normally taken years to develop. Through my conversations with other members about topics like sales strategies and hiring, I have been able to grow my company into a profitable and rapidly-growing venture.”

Some coworking spaces double up as event venues and offer their communities a range of ways to meet fellow coworkers and the wider business community. Whether it’s a few free beers on a Friday, a yoga class, a simple lunch and learn session, a high-profile product launch, or a symposium offering training on a new range of skills for your business, you may get the chance to learn something new and meet new people.

Many spaces also encourage their members to host events to showcase skills and market their business. Such events are often promoted by the space, and in some cases, you’ll have experienced community managers on hand to help you with everything you’ll need to run a successful event.

4. There’s plenty of business-based advice available

A coworking space can present a perfect opportunity to get advice on your startup. First, you have access to a community of coworkers with varied experiences and skills that can help you frame a particularly tricky problem. Second, many spaces are run by a team of enthusiastic managers who can point you in the right direction, offer some advice, or help you think through logistics.

Some coworking spaces are also set up as accelerators and incubators; an incubator specializes in growing new and early-stage business and an accelerator offers rapid-growth tools for more established businesses. Both can be resources for information on how to grow your business, depending on your startup’s development stage and needs—whether it’s applying for funding or finding a mentor.

5. A coworking space will grow as your business grows

Another benefit of the flexibility of a coworking space is that you can scale up as and when you need to.

Whether you suddenly need more facilities to match a peak in demand or to employ more staff to help you during busy times, it’s likely that a coworking space can be more nimble and flexible than a traditional office rental situation.

Plus, your employees will thrive in a coworking environment. Research reveals that coworkers feel they have more control over their work, that their work is more meaningful, and they value the community element of coworking.

March 4, 2020
0

Why People Thrive in Coworking Spaces

By | Business, Industry

“Spending time away from the office at a coworking space can also spark new ideas”

There seems to be something special about coworking spaces. As researchers who have, for years, studied how employees thrive, we were surprised to discover that people who belong to them report levels of thriving that approach an average of 6 on a 7-point scale. This is at least a point higher than the average for employees who do their jobs in regular offices, and something so unheard of that we had to look at the data again.

It checked out. So we were curious: What makes coworking spaces – defined as membership-based workspaces where diverse groups of freelancers, remote workers, and other independent professionals work together in a shared, communal setting – so effective? And are there lessons for more traditional offices?

To find out, we interviewed several coworking space founders and community managers, and surveyed several hundred workers from dozens of coworking spaces around the U.S. A regression analysis following our survey revealed three substantial predictors of thriving:

People who use coworking spaces see their work as meaningful. Aside from the type of work they’re doing – freelancers choosing projects they care about, for example — the people we surveyed reported finding meaning in the fact that they could bring their whole selves to work. They’re able to do this in a few ways.

First, unlike a traditional office, coworking spaces consist of members who work for a range of different companies, ventures, and projects. Because there is little direct competition or internal politics, they don’t feel they have to put on a work persona to fit in. Working amidst people doing different kinds of work can also make one’s own work identity stronger. Our respondents were given the opportunity to frequently describe what they do, which can make what they do seem more interesting and distinctive.

Second, meaning may also come from working in a culture where it is the norm to help each other out, and there are many opportunities to do so; the variety of workers in the space means that coworkers have unique skill sets that they can provide to other community members.

Lastly, meaning may also be derived from a more concrete source: The social mission inherent in the Coworking Manifesto, an online document signed by members of more than 1,700 working spaces. It clearly articulates the values that the coworking movement aspires to, including community, collaboration, learning, and sustainability. These values get reinforced at the annual Global Coworking UnConference. So in many cases, it’s not simply the case that a person is going to work; they’re also part of a social movement.

They have more job control. Coworking spaces are normally accessible 24/7. People can decide whether to put in a long day when they have a deadline or want to show progress or can decide to take a long break in the middle of the day to go to the gym. They can choose whether they want to work in a quiet space so they can focus, or in a more collaborative space with shared tables where interaction is encouraged. They can even decide to work from home, without repercussion, if they need to meet a repairperson or deal with a family member need.

And while coworkers value this autonomy, we also learned that they equally value some form of structure in their professional lives. Too much autonomy can actually cripple productivity because people lack routines. Coworkers reported that having a community to work in helps them create structures and discipline that motivates them. Thus, paradoxically, some limited form of structure enables an optimal degree of control for independent workers.

They feel part of a community. Connections with others are a big reason why people pay to work in a communal space, as opposed to working from home for free or renting a nondescript office. Each coworking space has its own vibe, and the managers of each space go to great lengths to cultivate a unique experience that meets the needs of their respective members. Grind, for example, is a growing network of coworking spaces in New York and Chicago. Anthony Marinos, who oversees Grind’s marketing, community management, and member services, shared with us, “When it comes to cultivating our community at Grind, we’re all about the human element. We consider ourselves as much a hospitality company as we do a workspace provider. Our staff knows all of our members by name and profession, and we’re constantly facilitating introductions between Grindists.”

Importantly, however, socializing isn’t compulsory or forced. Members can choose when and how to interact with others. They are more likely to enjoy discussions over coffee in the café because they went to the café for that purpose – and when they want to be left alone elsewhere in the building, they are. And while our research found that some people interact with fellow coworkers much less than others, they still felt a strong sense of identity with the community. We believe this comes from coworkers knowing there is the potential for interactions when they desire or need them.

So what are the implications for traditional companies? Even though the coworking movement has its origins among freelancers, entrepreneurs, and the tech industry, it’s increasingly relevant for a broader range of people and organizations. In fact, coworking can become part of your company’s strategy, and it can help your people and your business thrive. An increasing number of companies are incorporating coworking into their business strategies in two ways.

First, they’re being used as an alternative place for people to work. Michael Kenny, Managing Partner of San Diego-based Co-Merge, told us, “In the past year and a half, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in the use of the space by enterprise employees. We have seen teams come in to use various on-demand meeting rooms. We have users from global companies of size ranging from several hundred to several thousand employees who use the space not only to allow their distributed workers to get productive work done, but also to attract employees who demand flexible workplace and work time.”

Grind is also witnessing growth in the number of remote workers who are becoming members. “We haven’t had to reach out to larger organizations, they actually tend to just come to us,” Anthony Marinos says. “We’ve had employees from Visa, journalists from the Chicago Tribune, and even people affiliated with large financial institutions all work out of Grind.”

Spending time away from the office at a coworking space can also spark new ideas. Rebecca Brian Pan, the founder of COVO and former chief operating officer of NextSpace, explained how Ricoh’s innovation team worked out of NextSpace Santa Cruz for several months to observe how people work and where they hit pain points. Based on member insight and feedback, and their own observations, the Ricoh team explored several new products that could help members in their daily work and chose the most highly rated product to pursue. From this effort, Ricoh later launched this product globally as their Smart Presenter, a paperless meeting solution.

Second, the lessons of coworking spaces can be applied to corporate offices. Just as it’s important to encourage flexibility and support your mobile workforce, there is an equally important reality of creating the right kind of work environment inside your own walls. But this doesn’t just mean creating open plan layouts or adding a coffee bar.

In reality, people need to be able to craft their work in ways that give them purpose and meaning. They should be given control and flexibility in their work environment — many companies are increasingly adopting the best planning practice of providing a 1:1 ratio (or close to it) of desk seats to seats in shared settings used for either collaborative work or quiet work.

Companies are also trying to enable more connections, helping people to interact and build community beyond work meetings. Coworking spaces are one place to look for guidance, as they regularly offer networking events, training programs, social events, and even summer camp. Some companies are going even, further, however. Rich Sheridan and James Goebel, founders of Menlo Innovations in Ann Arbor, Michigan, recently expanded their office space by 7,000 square feet so that so that start-ups and early stage entrepreneurs can work alongside Menlo programmers to spur community and innovation.

In a way, the company is reverse-engineering its office into a coworking space.

Our research — which is ongoing — suggests that the combination of a well-designed work environment and a well-curated work experience are part of the reason people who cowork demonstrate higher levels of thriving than their office-based counteraparts. But what matters the most for high levels of thriving is that people who cowork have substantial autonomy and can be themselves at work. Our advice to traditional companies who want to learn from coworking spaces is to give people the space and support to be their authentic best selves. The result will be employees who feel more committed to your organization, and are more likely to bring their best energy and ideas to the office each day. Even if it is corporate headquarters.

A version of this article appeared in the September 2015 issue (p.28, 30) of Harvard Business Review.

Published by Peter Bacevice, Lyndon Garrett and Gretchen Spreitzer

From the September 2015 at https://hbr.org/2015/05/why-people-thrive-in-coworking-spaces

March 3, 2020
0

4 Ways to Avoid Loneliness as a Solopreneur

By | Business, Industry, Tips

Article published by Syed Balkhi at Enterpreneur (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/340937)

 

Being a solopreneur can be difficult. It means long hours hustling by yourself with no coworkers to bounce ideas off of or shoot the breeze with. Even if you enjoy spending time alone and find you work best solo, loneliness can still take a toll.

According to the Harvard Business Review, “loneliness and weak social connections are associated with a reduction in lifespan similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day and even greater than that associated with obesity.”

If you want to improve not only your mental health but also your physical health, make connections with people. These four tactics can help with solopreneur loneliness.

1. Participate in online groups and communities.

Psychologists have found that the more people feel connected to a group, the more satisfied they are with their lives and the stronger their sense of purpose and security. You can make connections as a solopreneur by participating in online groups and communities. Even chatting with people through a computer screen is better than not talking to anyone for days on end.

Joining an online professional group might even get you valuable business advice and insights. For instance, if you own a web design business, you can search for online forums and groups on Facebook or LinkedIn that are specifically for web designers. Since the group is filled with like-minded individuals, you can ask questions, share ideas or get feedback from other members.

2. Work outside of your home.

Working from your home office everyday is isolating. For a change of scenery and the ability to interact with people face-to-face, consider working outside of your home once in a while. Try a coffee shop, restaurant or public library. You could even invest in a coworking space that will provide you with a real office environment where you can work alongside and mingle with other solopreneurs and freelancers.

You might even do your best work when working outside of your home. According to New Scientist, research has shown that a moderate level of ambient noise, like quiet chatter, the clattering of plates or the whir of a coffee machine, improves performance on creative tasks.

3. Attend conferences and networking events.

Attending conferences, workshops and networking events allows you to meet other professionals in your industry as well as boost your skills. You don’t need to travel or have a big budget for this — there are likely many events in or around your own city. Check out your local Chamber of Commerce or Small Business Development Center for details on local events. You can also use a tool like Meetup to find local meetups relevant to your industry. If none exists, start your own! Perhaps other solopreneurs in your area are feeling lonely too.

4. Use your interests and hobbies to connect.

Not everything has to be about business. Why not use your interests and hobbies to connect with other people? If you’re interested in fitness, join a group training class instead of hitting the gym by yourself. Enjoy painting? Go to a group painting class. Like reading novels? Join a book club.

 

Participating in a social activity unrelated to your business might even give you an opportunity to connect with people without thinking about your business for a while. It might also provide you with an outlet for your creativity or a way to destress. In fact, a study by Matthew J. Zawadzki revealed that “engagement in leisure has a wide range of beneficial health effects.” Participants in the study had more positive moods, less stress and lower heart rates when engaging in leisure than when not.

Just because you run your business by yourself doesn’t mean you should spend all your time alone. Use these tips to avoid loneliness as a solopreneur so you can grow your business and keep your spirits up in order to do the work you must to succeed.

 

Image credit: skynesher-GettyImages

February 14, 2020
1

6 Benefits of Coworking With Strangers

By | Business, Industry

Change your scenery, and you change your outlook. Networking requires you step outside your comfort zone.

Publish at Entrepreneur.com by Ann Smarty (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/287882)

Freelancers and contractor writers operate as independent entrepreneurs, but that arrangement doesn’t have to mean creating entirely in a vacuum. Gathering with other freelancers in a coworking environment can benefit professionals as well as their products. Coworking provides opportunities to observe and learn from colleagues who value their autonomy and often share other values, too.

From this perspective, it’s natural that freelancers would appreciate the synergy of a place where numerous, talented people converge in a similar space. The technology age has made it easier than ever for contractors to bring their tools with them. This enables them to work with other like-minded individuals from virtually anywhere.

If you’re thinking about moving your one-person shop to a coworking atmosphere, consider how these perks could infuse you with new ideas and elevate your current projects.

1. Networking and collaborating.

Coworking allows you the opportunity to network and collaborate with a wide range of bright minds. You might even make new friends in the process. Proximity gives you the chance to “pick the brains” of professionals in your own line of work as well as those in related fields. Freelance writers might choose to office with graphic designers, website designers, programmers

2. Using tools on the go

Many phone and web apps, software programs and other tools were designed to be especially beneficial outside of the office. Pare down to the absolute necessities while you’re on the go. Meebo can handle your chatting needs, Line2 is a helpful alternative for a land-line phone system and DropBox assures you’ll always have the files you need at your fingertips. The right tools can make all the difference in your ability to cowork successfully.

If the need arises to organize tasks among coworkers on a big project, freelance writer Christopher Jan Benitez recommends Asana or Trello. These online project-management apps enable remote team members to delegate and assign deadlines. Here are a few others to consider.

  • Cyfe. The business-management dashboard connects multiple apps to monitor stats and updates from a single dashboard. You can iframe Google spreadsheets, connect to email and integrate your social-media statistics.
  • Zoom.Us. This phone and web conference app allows you to chat with anyone and host group meetings for up to 25 people via your smartphone.
  • Ever-note. Bloggers love this versatile tool in part for its “snip” feature. Save videos, web pages, social-media posts, articles and images — and then write your entire blog post within the app itself.
  • MyBlogU. I founded this collaboration platform to connect writers and editors so they could create better content for business websites.
  • Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Forms. This free product suite supports collaboration by allowing multiple users to create, revise and edit documents, spreadsheets, presentations and fillable forms online. Coworkers can track versions and collect feedback.
  • Iflexion. This enhanced document-management platform is built for those who coordinate larger teams or manage several remote offices. The solution offers custom enterprise content-management solutions.

3. Breaking out of your comfort zone.

Working across the desk from someone with a completely different skill set can help you discover a new source of ideas. You might find your brain is starting to work in different ways, too. As online-marketing consultant Joyce Anderson puts it, taking the risk to invite others to work alongside you breathes new life into the creation process and shows in the finished product, as well.

Experienced writers who reread some of their early compositions are likely to notice mistakes or passages they would have rephrased. If that’s ever happened to you, imagine how polished and clear your work could have been if only you’d had access to your current knowledge, finesse and expertise when you first started. When you break out of your comfort zone, you’re giving yourself a chance to devise fresh solutions to existing problems. Interacting with coworkers facilities this kind of breakthrough.

Many writers are natural introverts. If you’re nervous about joining a coworking group, challenge yourself to step into the unknown. Much of what you fear is fear itself. You needn’t commit to attend every meet-up. Start small, with a gathering like Shut Up and Write. This coworking group’s main focus is providing a forum to write. Participants spend two hours together, typing blog posts or working on novel chapters. At the start of the time block and again toward its end, writers have a brief while to socialize — not more than 10 or 15 minutes, total. It’s the ideal opportunity for attendees to exercise their small-talk and networking skills.

4. Working at your own pace.

Coworking makes it possible for you to create some space between you and your clients — just enough to redirect energy to your own projects and move at your own pace. Stop devoting hours to the same interruptions and distractions that normally plague your days. Why not work in a new environment, surrounded by new people and new stimuli? Coworking can be a respite from day-to-day workplace worries about strict deadlines or clients trying to reach you at your primary location.

5. Making full use of your coworking space.

This is an ideal time to be a freelancer or solopreneur. Coworking spaces allow a startup to maintain an address for receiving packages and mail. You can rent small suites to meet with clients or find a calm room to call clients from a no-kid zone.

Sara Duggan, who coworks at HackerLab, notes her maker space supports startups by hosting an annual competition. Candidates pitch their business ideas in hopes of being selected to attend and eight-week entrepreneur boot camp.

The Sacramento Bloggers group brings in speakers to help members become at what they do. Recent topics include secrets to help separate personal and business Facebook accounts. Those who take part often get the opportunity to work with local businesses.

6. Avoiding loneliness.

Working at home can have an isolating effect after a period of time. Coworking is an easy fix. Working amidst others can lend a sense of camaraderie, even when you’re creating alongside complete strangers.

January 29, 2020
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A successful start-up in a co-working environment

By | Industry
1

Affordable + Flexible

Startups love the affordability and flexibility a co-working space offers. Renting a co-working space is much cheaper than renting traditional office space and often includes amazing perks and extras such as internet services, conference room access, coffee, and much more..
2

Professional Space

Small businesses usually begin at home, we have heard many great companies started in a garage but that is clearly not the case for everyone, not everyone can become an Apple or an Amazon but we can certainly become a professional business where clients can feel welcome, and ensure that now, in today's modern world, first impressions always count.
3

No Politics

A shared office space means different companies in one place, with a variety of tasks and projects. With such setting, there is less competition and interpersonal rivalry.
Without the traditional office setting, the office politics are simply not there, the need to impress a boss or fight for a position is not needed. It's a fast environment where everyone is really there to work.
4

Motivating

The perks of a co-working environment come at a low price, and part of that price is having the benefit of motivation. Working with others and see them preserve themselves and survive in this difficult economy is a reason of motivation and a co-working place does just that.
January 29, 2020
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How does co-working benefit the local economy?

By | Industry

How does co-working benefit the local economy?

Co-Working is the new trend in business settings. That might be hard to believe to those that prefer a traditional working setting, but vital to know as we try to grow our communities.

Co-Working is certainly not for everyone but it serves as a model to boost our economy by enhancing the productivity and growth of many small business and startups.   It is important to keep in mind that if you’re on the verge of joining the big co-working industry, here a few pointers to create a positive outlook.

Co-Working Brings the Best of the Local Talent

Co-working spaces are an affordable option for the small business owners, the individuals that want to start their own thing in a competitive economy.   Think about it, without a co-working environment, it is impossible for the local accountant to afford an office setting, and therefore these people are pushed to go work in the big city for the big companies.   Co-working helps these talented individuals stay in town, maintain and save their money, talent, and enthusiasm for use in the local economy.

Co-working Brings the Best of Small Businesses

Small Businesses are an important part of job creations, although you hear in the news that ABC Corp or XYZ Inc. create many jobs, that’s not entirely true.  Big companies create jobs to create more services or products, but not because they want to boost the local economy.  Small businesses on the other hand are the light of a local economy.  A small businss owner lives, work and shops in the local town and do care about the personal lives of their employees.

We’ve learned through this co-working journey that 92% of the co-working spaces are usually occupied by small businesses.  Anyone from a simple freelancer, to a tiny DBA or a mid-size LLC are the responsible parties for this co-working growing trend.

Co-working Boosts Collaboration and Networking

Since it’s a shared space, a co-working environment does allow you to interact with other tenants and share professional expertise and really get personal because each person sharing a space is not just a neighbor, he or she becomes part of your day to day.  Versus a neighbor you may see every now and then.  We’ve learned that when a co-working community exists, it stays connected and pushes to preserve and help each other’s businesses by learning new skills, saving money and reducing the need for unnecessary “things”.  It is a true workforce.

  • New Business Setting Trend
  • Local Talent Exposed
  • Fishes Out the Small Businesses
  • Creates Network Opportunies