Consulting Blog

Coworking: Independent Doesn't Mean Working Alone

Coworking may just be the wave of the future for independent consultants and freelancers. So, what is it, anyway? One blogger at Coworking Omaha describes it this way: “Coworking brings together like-minded individuals who have small, independent companies. A coworking space gives these independent companies that would usually work out of their home, to cut out overhead, a place to call their office.” Still sound a little confusing? Picture this: It’s an office that isn’t in an office with workers that aren’t employees.

The group of co-workers gathers in a space and shares resources creating the feel of an office, the sense of community, which many independent consultants and freelancers say is missing from their professional life. Often, co-workers feed off of each other’s creativity and energy, even if their projects are unrelated – and often they are.  Take Jelly (www.workatjelly.com), for instance. Every two weeks, a home or apartment is opened to freelancers and consultants, and as you can see in their “What is Jelly” video, these independent workers take full advantage of the comfy couches, dining room table space, and warm, homey environment to crank out cutting-edge projects for their clients.

People who meet in these collaborative spaces are not colleagues in the traditional sense. Their contracts most often do not overlap, but their love of the independent lifestyle gives them a common ground. With so many professionals joining the ranks of independent consultants from the corporate world, having an option like this is very attractive to them.

A few groups are really making waves in the coworker community. Independent’s Hall in Philadelphia (www.indyhall.org) is a group that touts they are “more than just space.” Rather, their communities theme is “we all know that we're happier and more productive together than alone.” That truly speaks to the idea that just because you’re independent doesn’t mean you have to work alone. Quite the contrary.

There a many resources available on the web for coworkers and people looking into coworking.  Two links to visit are the Coworking PB Wiki and the Coworking Google Group. Both places are perfect for learning more or getting started. You might also want to follow "coworkers" on Twitter and tag your own tweets with #coworking to let the community know you’re talking about coworking, too.

So what do you think? Is coworking for you?

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