Top 5 Benefits of Using a Coworking Space
According to global coworking space statistics there were nearly 19,000 coworking spaces available around the world, at the end of 2019. Also, there are more than 3 million people working in this kind of spaces and the number is forecast to almost double by 2022.
If you are a fresh freelancer or a young entrepreneur, you might be looking for a proper space to work in. First options that come off the top of your head are working from home, renting an office and trying to blend in a coworking space, right?
We just happen to know a lot about the last choice mentioned above. Coworking spaces are great for someone who wants to be productive, focus on his work and not stress about office management, whether the Internet works today or not and all that hassle.
But there’s more to it. Besides the fact that a coworking hub can spare you from the boring administrative details and worries, it brings a huge amount of other advantages. So why use a coworking space in 2020? Well, it’s all about one keyword: opportunities.
Here are the most important 5 opportunities brought by your coworking space and how to seize each one of them!
1. Attending useful events
One of the greatest benefits of working in a coworking space is finding and attending special events organized by the hub or maybe other companies as well. Each space has its own program and facilities, but most of them let businesses organize all kinds of gatherings and workshops.
You can take part in themed events, learn about accountancy, new laws, news from the entrepreneurial world, meet international guests, hear weekly talks or attend self-growth classes. All you need to get your inspiration flowing!
There are also project based events, where each entrepreneur or freelancer has the chance to showcase his work and maybe others will be interested in a collaboration. Who knows whom you might meet? It’s worth a try!
Nevertheless, let’s talk about socializing events. Most of the existing coworking hubs organize special gatherings like Christmas or Easter parties, occasional brunches, `Get to know your colleagues over a cup of coffee in the morning` type of things. Which is great for you, even if you are the typical introvert!
How to Seize this Opportunity:
You should regularly check the calendar available on the hub’s website. Most of them update their events calendar weekly or monthly.
Create a habit of attending a minimum of one, two or even three events per month, depending on your workload and your schedule. This way, you will `force` yourself to get out there and improve yourself and your work.
You will learn new skills, upgrade your vision, broaden your perspective and, finally, grow your business just like you want.
2. Networking
If you’re still wondering why work in a coworking space, when you have cheaper and apparently more comfortable options (like your home), here’s exactly why.
Working in a coworking space allows you to meet other people like you and that, my friend, means permanent growth.
You will most definitely meet like-minded entrepreneurs, fellow freelancers who might share their tips and experience, or even potential business partners. Moreover, you can get motivated and motivate others, by sharing your future plans, giving and receiving feedback.
Besides that, you might already know that working on your own can get quite lonely sometimes. If you have worked in a team before, you may already miss the coffee breaks and the daily laughs at quirky inside jokes.
According to Small Business Labs, 89% of coworkers surveyed say they feel a lot happier and 83% of them feel less lonely when using a coworking space. Facts. Well, it’s time to make new friends!
How to Seize this Opportunity:
Don’t be afraid to reach out. If you overhear a conversation and, let’s say, this new start-up needs a witty freelance copywriter and you are exactly that, drop by and say hello. Be careful, though, and don’t cross the limit. Don’t spy on your coworkers, hunting jobs and opportunities, okay?
Have your lunch in the community kitchen. A lot of friendships (*cough* and successful partnerships) begin with a microwave heated bowl of pasta. That being said, ditch your favorite restaurant once or twice a week and bring your food or order it to work. You’ll definitely meet a lot of new faces in the shared kitchen.
3. Meeting potential investors
If you were a business person and wanted to invest your money in a truly amazing project, where would you start? Hmmm… Right, in a coworking space where tons of young and talented entrepreneurs show up every day!
But let’s not base ourselves on assumptions and check the data. According to a survey conducted by Small Business Labs, 82% of the respondents said that their professional network expanded since joining a coworking hub. That only means growth and development opportunities!
How to Seize this Opportunity:
Always have a business card with you. This way you can act professional right from the beginning when you meet someone important. No email addresses written on a napkin, no telephone numbers dictated over your desk. Wait, you said 0-3-1…? Ah, 0-3-2, alright, I’ll call you later… Not pro!
Make sure you have a minimalist business card. It should only include relevant information, such as your full name, your title, your email address, telephone number or other contact info. If you are creative, you can also insert something personal, like a design you made or a clever text.
Prepare a powerful and convincing presentation of your work. If your work results are quite graphic (maybe you are a graphic designer, photographer, videographer, copywriter), you should create a portfolio of your best work.
If you own a certain project, use PowerPoint or Prezi to show it off. If you meet someone interested in your work, you can just email the presentation to them in a few seconds. Easy and efficient!
4. Finding out about the latest trends
Working from your living room is comfortable, indeed, but this will never bring you any industry secrets or tips and tricks regarding the ascending trends.
Deskmag says that 65% of people working in coworking spaces are younger than 40. This means that you will always find young people like you, who are always up to date, willing to expand their knowledge and test new things in order to improve their businesses.
How to Seize this Opportunity:
Be all eyes and ears. People talk a lot and coworking hubs are the place where the latest trends get to be discussed and tried out. Maybe some promising app is being released and the developers want to test it first. Maybe a marketing team discovered a new strategy and wants to talk about it. Pay attention!
Join groups. Look for people working in the same industry, maybe in the same niche. Brainstorm, meet up, exchange opinions. Which brings us to the next opportunity.
5. Getting some honest feedback
It doesn’t matter what you do, when you show your work to your friends or partner, they will always say it’s great. Maybe they’ll insert some constructive criticism here and there, but don’t expect them to be too harsh.
Also, when you don’t ask anyone’s opinion, you run into the risk of lacking perspective. Of course, your opinion matters the most. After all, it’s your project. But if you really wish to evolve, you do need feedback.
How to Seize this Opportunity:
As we said before, it’s important to showcase your work. If a curious coworker randomly asks you what it is that you’re doing there so focused, don’t blush and turn your screen away. Show them what you got, talk about it. Chances are he is also interested in the subject and even has some expert piece of advice you could use.
Participate in workshops and meetings. Remember we were mentioning a lot of events going on in coworking spaces? You should definitely go to workshops where you can exercise your skills, acquire new ones and get honest feedback from other professionals. It only takes a few hours a week and the advantages are huge!
All in all, we know that being a freelancer is not easy and becoming an entrepreneur takes a lot of courage and effort. This is why we spilled the beans and just gave you precious insights from the coworking spaces world.
Now go out there, use these tips and you’ll shortly see your business taking off, then raising to a new level. Good luck! We know you can do this!
Interested in coworking spaces already? Check out How To Find The Perfect Coworking Space For Your Business