New Year Sale: ‘UnOffice’ Coworking Book is 50% Off Until January 6

Check out our New Year Sale: Our book Working in the UnOffice: A Guide to Coworking for Indie Workers, Small Businesses, and Nonprofits is HALF OFF until January 6!

Over 50 space founders, startups, freelancers, consultants, and nonprofits shared their stories with us working in collaborative workspaces— and we got all their wisdom and tips in one handy guide (378pp). It’s great for those new to coworking, and for those looking to jumpstart their coworking experience.

Use the following coupon codes at checkout at www.CoworkingGuide.com: WITU50MOBI, WITU50EPUB, -or- WITU50PDF.

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‘Working in the UnOffice’ in the Financial Times

Last week, we talked to Ian Sanders writing for The Financial Times about coworking, collaboration, and the sparks of creativity that come from working alongside others. Read the feature article, “The Lure of the Water Cooler” (22 August 2012), here (PDF Download).

Genevieve’s Q&A in all its glory (what didn’t get printed) is below:

You’ve said coworking spaces are challenging conventional notions of where innovation and creativity come from – how so?

I’ve always been torn between whether I’m more productive and creative when I’m working alone or when I’m working alongside others. The world wants to create a dramatic rift between those who root for collaboration and the virtues of work pow-wows and brainstorming, and those who prefer burning the midnight oil, alone, in self-inflicted solitary confinement. And yet, I’ve found that BOTH types of environments are important for innovation and creativity.

Collaboration can jumpstart your creativity, especially in cases where group work is organic, such as casual conversations leading to re-interpretations of existing ideas, those small epiphanies. But there’s also the case for working by yourself, away from distractions, where you can protect yourself from “groupthink,” and where your quirky ideas have time to evolve on their own and not get shot down too soon.

Innovation comes from being part of a larger group–of people, ideas–all shaping your worldview and thoughts. But then you can’t just be an open receptacle all of the time. There comes a time when you need to stop chatting and talking to others and actually sit down and get some work done. So, for me, creativity also comes being able to work quietly, to be mindful, and focus and think critically about a question or problem–away from the noise and buzz of other people’s opinions, thoughts.

Coworking, with its emphasis on working independently alongside others,  gives you BOTH these modes of working. It’s perfect. That’s why I think it upends the convention that innovation and creativity are borne out of only one way of working.

How much of a factor is social interaction for attracting people to coworking spaces – does it give people a good sense of belonging?

Social interaction is important; some might consider it the backbone of coworking. But many people don’t realize that there are different kinds of social interaction at coworking spaces and depending on the space, some get more emphasis than others. Case in point: Some people find the schmoozing and emphasis on networking events disconcerting. We aren’t all social butterflies. I know a lot of people who find the coworking scene a tad too “trendy,” especially the coworking scenes in big cities, like NYC and San Francisco. They’ll go to one or two special events out of curiosity, but feel intimidated when they see/hear members bragging about getting VC funding and tripling revenues, and so on. (Though I’d argue that they’re going to the wrong space…). With everything from brownbag lunches and guest lectures, to mixers and group outings, there are a lot of ways to feel like you’re a part of your coworking community. A “sense of belonging” is much more than meeting people and exchanging business cards at after-hour events and mixers. For me, belonging–the point where you feel like your space is your community–takes time and also takes finding the space that fits your personality.

In a world where wifi is everywhere and people can work out of local coffee shops, why do you think coworking spaces are still popular?

True. The coffee shops and wifi hotspots will always be there for the independents who don’t want to work at home–but also don’t want to pay membership fees to be a part of a coworking space. What coworking spaces do is offer an alternative. It’s a more structured, orderly environment than your random stool at the Starbucks counter, but it’s less structured than, say, your typical business incubator (which coworking spaces are often contrasted against). If you’re looking for a community of fellow entrepreneurs to be around, it’s the best place to work. You can’t get that kind of camaraderie at your coffee joint or airport lounge.

And lastly, public wifi spots can be riddled with security holes. If you’re working on sensitive material or if you just don’t want the risks of being exposed to wifi sniffers, working at a coworking space with a secure network is a better option. You also don’t have to worry about random theft or losing your beloved spot just because you left for a bathroom break.

I’m interested in how ideas cross pollinate in coworking spaces. Have you encountered any examples you can share of how collaborations spawn ideas that pollinate in a random/ unplanned way?

Every business and organization we interviewed for our book, Working in the UnOffice (Night Owls Press), shared examples of where a chance encounter or conversation with another member at a coworking space led to something serendipitous. That’s what we found so fascinating in our research and interviews. People talked about this brownbag lunch, or that evening lecture, or those weekly after-hour socials; not to mention the conversations with people they bumped into in the kitchen or common areas. Some people get simple recommendations for tax accountants or baby-sitters for their kids; others find themselves getting a critical introduction to someone that leads to a job or project. And there are a handful who found such a rapport with people at their space that they joined forces with others on a new venture. Loosecubes.com (whose CEO wrote our Foreword) started in a coworking space in NYC, and now they’re coworking evangelists themselves, bringing the work movement beyond standalone coworking spaces and into office spaces across the world.

Is there an ideal mix of different roles, businesses and personality types that every co-working space needs to work?

People have their own definition of their ideal coworking space so it depends on the space’s mission. My ideal coworking space falls within the broad definition of coworking, which is a set-up where a diverse group of people, who are working on their own projects and organizations, come together in a shared space.

But diverse can mean many things: Is it having different industries and fields in a space? Or, just different niches? For example, you can have a space that’s made up of only tech-focused startups (which seems like a homogenous grouping)… but then you find out that the startups are in different niches: There’s a guy working on a car-sharing smartphone app, a woman running a digital marketing company, a group trying to come up with a web-based literary magazine.

What makes a space work is if the members don’t work in their own bubbles. Having pockets of creativity all in one building is great, but what you really want is spillover: startups sharing ideas, exchanging services, and so on. Like the marketing company working with the literary magazine to build up a reading audience; or the car-sharing app developer introducing the digital marketer to a group of freelance bloggers.

You also have a more intangible definition of diversity–the kind that comes from having people around who have different backgrounds or life experiences. These are the folks that will help you not only improve your business but prod the walls and fences of your thinking and worldview, making you a better entrepreneur.

And finally: Any do’s and dont’s for executives and workers to consider when they’re sharing coworking spaces?

Get out there and ditch the office. There’s a big debate about whether private offices and nooks in a coworking space defeat the purpose of achieving community and collaboration out of a motley group of people. You have cubicle-oriented shared office suites like those run by Regus that are trying to re-brand themselves as coworking spaces. I’m sure they’re doing just fine despite the scoffs from many in the ‘purist’ coworking ranks. While I understand the need for hermetic enclosures (I’m the type that can’t write with too much distraction and activity going around me), I also think if you settle and plant roots in a room with walls, it defeats the purpose of joining a coworking space. Coworking is about being surprised, about finding yourself saying, “Oh yeah, that’s a different way of looking at this problem” after a conversation at the coffee machine. I’d recommend sitting out there among the open desks instead of renting a private office. You’re rubbing elbows with others. Coworking is about getting away from the old model of working (the office).

Also, befriend the community manager at your space. These stewards know everyone in the space and are the unofficial gatekeepers to networking opportunities. They can be a great conduit to setting up meetings or introductions with others.

Finally, be helpful and talk to others, but don’t force it. “Don’t be a jerk”–that’s a given, but less obvious is “Don’t be a fake.” People respond to authenticity. You’ll be surprised at how many doors open up from just a friendly, no-agenda, casual conversation every morning with your neighbor before you settle down to work or at the water cooler. After what we learned researching coworking and its impact on businesses, I realize more than ever the importance of “weak ties.” The best leads come from acquaintances and colleagues, rather than close friends or people we know well. Coworking spaces are the best places to cultivate those so-called weak ties.

Find out more about coworking with Working in the UnOffice: A Guide to Coworking for Indie Workers, Small Businesses, and Nonprofits (Night Owls Press, 2011).

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5 Principles to Better Networking

Networking is a great way to find fellow collaborators, future business partners, prospective clients, and a tribe of fellow freelancers and other small businesses. Learn how to network and build relationships using five critical strategies, including focusing on quality not quantity in relationships, and attending key events, and reaching out beyond your immediate social circles. Read more at FreelanceSwitch.

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An Alternative to Incubators: The Coworking Space

Note: This piece originally appeared as a guest article for VentureBeat.

If you’re a startup, you’ve probably considered joining an incubator. But residency can be competitive and the requirements stiff. TechStars and Y-Combinator are well-known incubators that offer funding, mentorship, and access to a community of venture capitalists and anointed digerati — but only for a select few. Applicants also have to provide detailed business plans and disclose development, operational, marketing, and sales activities to get into the club.

There’s another alternative that might actually be a better fit for the majority of startups: coworking spaces.

Coworking spaces offer more freedom and flexibility than traditional business incubators. For many startups — those that don’t want need the full range of incubator services, or that want more control of their company and don’t want to be apprenticed to someone else’s vision — coworking offers the perfect alternative. Coworking may actually be a better environment for startups because it gives them what they really need. VentureBeat, based in SF, uses WeWork for its small but growing NYC staff. WeWork, which also has locations in LA, allows easy expansion of space as we scale up our team.

Gangplank in Arizona started out as an incubator in the traditional sense: “We put together a C Fund and held a process similar to what Y Combinator or TechStars do today. We funded businesses, and we ran those businesses inside of Gangplank, as well,” said co-founder Derek Neighbors. But then they realized that the mix of companies working in a shared space was creating unexpected synergies.

“What we started to see was the formula of small companies working together actually helping put together the environment necessary for all of them to succeed,” Derek says. They realized the real missing ingredient — having a supportive community. “What’s missing for struggling startups is not capital funding, and it’s not lack of talent, right away. What’s missing is putting the people who are doing things in the community together to basically ignite the community to be even stronger.”

Consider these other benefits of working in the same shared office with other like-minded entrepreneurs:

Grow at your own pace.

While many incubators provide a structured environment that demand startups meet benchmarks as a resident, coworking spaces let you grow at your own pace. Memberships are flexible, offering space by the hour, day, or month. Jason Richelson, a former member of Hive at 55, agrees that coworking makes it easy to save money, especially for the entrepreneur just starting and trying to reach a sustainable operational level. “You don’t want to commit to a lease in the initial stages of a new company, so going month-to-month is the only way for startups.”

Learn from others.

Rivaling the best incubators, coworking spaces organize an array of events and programs ranging from brown bag lunches and networking nights with different experts and sponsors, to workshops on topics like “VC pitching” and “Ruby on Rails.” Cospace in Austin teams up with GeekAustin, which provides regular development classes. TechShop offers a variety of free DIY classes, on topics such as laser cutters, silk screening, AVR micro-controller programming, and AutoDesk modeling — ideal for the startup testing product prototypes. Coworking spaces are best for self-directed learners who prefer to choose the classes and programs they attend.

Partner up or share ideas.

At a coworking space, where collaboration is not only encouraged but also cultivated, you get the opportunity to harness your coworkers’ collective brainpower for the benefit of your startup. Sometimes, good things happen from a serendipitous seating arrangement. Doug Naegele, who runs healthcare software company Infield Health, and is a member of Affinity Lab, recalls how a simple conversation with a neighbor led to a new, exciting venture. “The person I sit next to recently won a Ford Foundation grant to help alleviate food deserts in Washington D.C. We came up with the idea of supporting the vendors and patrons of the Pop-up Farmers Market through text messaging. Two months later, we’re actively trying new ideas around health, food deserts, and mobile technology,” says Doug.

Get exposure and support.

The expansion of Greg Wilder’s Orpheus Media Research, a music search and discovery platform, which closed a Series A round and opened headquarters in New York City, owes much to its co-working community at Indy Hall: “Every key person involved in the company today can be connected in some way to coworking networks or coworking connections.”

If you still don’t think that co-working spaces are rigorous enough, consider that many do partner with accelerators and incubators. CoCo teams up with Project Skyway, a tech accelerator that provides software companies early stage seed money, mentoring, and networking. Dogpatch Labs focus on helping launch startups using its connections with Polaris Ventures. Its most famous alums include Instagram and Task Rabbit.

Coworking shifts the startup mentality away from the tunnel-vision focus on getting funding, and onto the “first-things-first” task of growing a company culture, developing ideas, and most importantly, nurturing support networks.

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Shareable: Coworking for Introverts?

(Note: This post was originally written for Shareable.)

In a fascinating new book by Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, two different work styles are pit starkly against each other: on one side, we have the pro-collaboration camp, and on the other the more inward-looking solitude-is-good supporters.

This debate on the best type of work style has important implications for various models of coworking. Coworking advocates have always prided themselves on the values of collaboration. It is the movement’s mantra. The coworking revolution itself sits at the heart of a general shift toward a sharing and collaborative economy that encompasses household names like AirBnb, Zipcar, and TaskRabbit.

As advancements in connectivity, computing technology, and cloud-based tools make it easier than ever to work anywhere we want, it’s important to re-visit the basic question: What’s the optimum way to work and why?

Small businesses, freelancers, and startups all have a choice of working at their various ‘digital offices’ from local coffee shops and Jellies to coworking spaces. Is coworking still a good option for workers? Do the usual pros and cons of coworking still hold water?

Go Team! Collaboration catalyzes creativity

vs.

Going it alone: The case for the solo spirit.

Susan Cain writes in a recent New York Times article:

“Culturally, we’re often so dazzled by charisma that we overlook the quiet part of the creative process. Consider Apple. In the wake of Steve Jobs’s death, we’ve seen a profusion of myths about the company’s success. Most focus on Mr. Jobs’s supernatural magnetism and tend to ignore the other crucial figure: a kindly, introverted engineering wizard, Steve Wozniak.”

And yet, think about what the company would be without the collaboration of these two very different figures? They were coworking, after all.

Read more about the debate and learn the essential coworking tips for introverts in a post we published on Shareable.net based on research we did for Working in the UnOffice.

(Image: Caffeina)

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Coworking, Creativity, and a Renaissance Master

(Note: This post was originally written for WorkSnug.)

We all know the Renaissance master Leonardo Da Vinci for his accomplishments as a scientist, artist, and philosopher. His Vitruvian Man, Mona Lisa, and countless inventions make him a fascinating figure for scholars, as well as for entrepreneurs, inventors, and artists.

In a new book, author Toby Lester delves into the collaborative mind of Da Vinci, going beyond what we learned about the iconic figure in grade school. An obsessive and rambling notetaker, Da Vinci kept countless notebooks, where he jotted down dense scribbles on art, engineering, anatomy, and mathematics.

What’s less known is that in many of his notebooks Da Vinci kept to-do lists. One of these lists caught the imaginations of science reporter Robert Krulwich and illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, who together translated and illustrated one of Da Vinci’s interesting task lists. (Their annotations are in brackets.)

A quick glance at the to-do list prompts an astounding realization: the renaissance man was also a prototypical coworking member in the making.

Creativity flourishes less in the autonomy of working alone and more in the intellectual checks-and-balances that a room full of smart coworkers provides.

To find out what Leonardo Da Vinci can teach us about coworking, read the full post we wrote for WorkSnug here based on interviews we did for Working in the UnOffice: A Guide to Coworking.

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Coworking Helps Freelancers Find Accelerated Serendipity

Freelancers have long been drawn to coworking spaces because of the opportunities to network and work alongside others from different or complementary industries and creative fields, sharing the working space and resources.

However, what sets coworking apart from mere shared office space is its focus on building community and collaboration.

Working independently in a communal space, freelancers from different backgrounds and industries create thriving communities where creative sparks fly and interesting things happen. Coworking can foster innovation that transforms your freelance business at many different levels— a process dubbed ‘accelerated serendipity’ by enthusiasts and advocates the world over.

One of coworking’s selling points is the wealth of knowledge that you can get working among a diverse group of people with different skill sets, backgrounds, and experiences. Whether it’s making sense of your website’s HTML, hammering out a killer proposal, or even just making a barista-worthy pot of coffee in the kitchen, you’re bound to encounter someone who can help you. It’s what makes the coworking community so valuable and such an attractive option for freelancers and small businesses— it provides daily learning experiences. A member makes a mistake, learns from it, and shares it with members directly or through the coworking space’s built-in forums, and everyone benefits.

So once you’re a member of a space, how do you recalibrate your freelance business to make the most of the community you’ve joined?

Just like the first day of school…

…expect some awkwardness as you meet your coworkers and learn the unspoken rules and quirks of your new coworking space.

Don’t expect to be working productively or getting completely plugged into your community on your first day in, or even after your first week. The hello-what-do-you-do here’s-my-business-card routines and other introductions will most likely take place in your first few days (coworkers are almost always eager to meet and make newcomers feel welcome). You’ll also probably take a few days to get into the groove with the vibe of the place.

What’s next? It’s time to settle in. Here are some tips we came up with  for making the transition to your new shared space on Freelance Switch. For more advice and stories about coworking, check out Working in the UnOffice and join the conversation on Facebook.

(Image: Lollyman)

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Designing Communities in Coworking Spaces

(Note: This post was originally written for Shareable.)

Workspaces and offices have long lived under the shadow and influence of the institutional cubicle design: people worked in isolation, boxed-in by their pre-fab walls, or toiled in individual silos with little interaction with fellow workers.

This formulaic layout, the bane of workers around the world, has seen longstanding calls to be redesigned or scrapped all together. Even its designer Robert Propst, regretting its popularity, eventually dubbed it a “monolithic insanity”.

In today’s collaborative consumption economy envisioned by Rachel Bostman and others, coworking spaces have been touted as the revolutionary work setting to spark innovation and the creative exchange of ideas. Much of this is due to how coworking spaces have shown great innovation in re-thinking the physical world of work for independent workers, freelancers, small businesses and organizations, promoting the principles of openness, accessibility, collaboration, and community.

For Working in the UnOffice: A Guide to Coworking, we talked to over 50 startups, freelancers, and organizations. Here’s what we learned:

When shopping for a coworking space, prospective members want to look for a place that provides the creative environment where they can thrive.

Several critical factors for discerning prospective members include the amenities and facilities offered, as well as the quality of the programming and diversity of the community.

Less talked about but just as important is how a space is physically structured and designed.

Do the workspaces look like cubicle clones? Are the spaces well illuminated by good lighting? Are there open spaces for people to congregate and chat? Is the color scheme warm and inviting?

Worrying about aesthetic concerns like wall decor may seem trivial but the right balance of form and function has an impact on how you work and interact with others. Design and layout of a workspace matter. Why? Because it reflects how much a coworking facility values collaboration, which is ultimately what makes coworking spaces great places to work— and an attractive alternative to your windowless basement home office or cramped corner at the local coffee shop.

This means that making the best choice about a space for your business or organization also depends on deciding whether it has the right mix of function and aesthetics. For example, many coworking spaces offer quirky and unique layouts to maximize the entrepreneurial, collaborative buzz so many indie workers want, but also provide members the necessary quiet zones, such as private rooms or booths where members can pop in to make a private phone call or have a quiet chat with colleagues.

Whether or not there is a feng shui to working, here are five questions you should consider when it comes to selecting your coworking space…

Continue reading at Shareable.net…

(Image: Esther Gibbons)

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Coworking Helps Entrepreneurs Reach Creative Critical Mass

Last Friday, as we were walking through the fog-drenched streets of Inner Sunset in San Francisco, we saw a massive group of cyclists come barreling down the road. Along with other pedestrians, we watched them whip by like a migrating helmeted herd, oblivious to our gawking.

No, they weren’t a biker gang or anything. These folks were part of the movement founded in San Francisco known as Critical Mass, which invites cyclists from all over the city, usually on the last Friday of every month, to take a ride around town. Over 300 cities around the world participate and host a Critical Mass event. Some of them are organized as direct action events; others are planned purely for fun, letting people travel as a pack through city streets– and directly or inadvertently pissing off angry motorists by creating traffic jams.

There is an energy in the ‘group’. The group attracts your attention. It stops traffic (a.k.a. the old way of doing things). When it moves, you take notice.

Well, there’s also another type of group forming in cities, suburbs, and small towns across the country that’s becoming in many ways, a critical mass of its own, and a force to be reckoned with: People who cowork.

Experts are finding that where you work really does matter, and coworking spaces are challenging conventional notions of where innovation and creativity come from. Great ideas flourish in the moshpit of collaboration and are born out of the churn of working with others.

You don’t have to stand on the shoulders of giants– but being around others at a coworking space with different perspectives, expertise, backgrounds– can spark new thinking.

Teresa Amabile, who runs the Entrepreneurial Management Unit at Harvard Business School and is the world’s foremost scholar on creativity in the workplace, found that, “…The most creative teams are those that have the confidence to share and debate ideas.”

Coworking hinges on the belief that innovation and inspiration comes from the cross-pollination of different people in different fields. Random opportunities and discoveries that arise from interactions with others— also called “accelerated serendipity”— play a large role in coworking.

Jeff Shiau, director of The Hub Bay Area, a coworking space with locations in Berkeley and San Francisco, uses the metaphor of density and critical mass cited in Stephen Johnson’s book Where Good Ideas Come From to describe the benefits of coworking.

“You look at these bigger cities, these condensed cities where people are frequently colliding, where people are frequently having to compete against each other. Whether it’s friendly competition or fierce business competition, people are constantly interacting. There is a lot more innovation and creativity in these areas,” Jeff says in an interview with us for Working in the UnOffice: A Guide to Coworking (Night Owls Press, August 2011).

Coworking enables the freelancer or the independent woker to reach a certain level of creativity more quickly because of collaboration. “You’re not just saving on rent, but you’re also able to make connections, to build a community around your ideas quickly— at a creative level that’s beyond what you would be able to do if you were just working by yourself in a single office space, if you were working out of a coffee shop, or working at home.”

Well, we think it’s time to join your own critical mass of independent workers by checking out a coworking space or collaborative workspace near you. If you’re interested in learning more about coworking, check out Working in the UnOffice: A Guide to Coworking.

Other great resources on coworking include:

Deskmag: An online publication that covers issues related to innovative workplaces and new ways of working. It focuses on coworking spaces and the new breed of independent workers and small companies that work there. Check out their “Tool and Tips” section for great coworking advice.

Shareable Magazine: An online magazine devoted to the amazing things that happen when people share and collaborate in all areas of life—art, urban design, food, science and technology, and workplaces. Get tips for community-building, how to be a socially-conscious collaborative consumer, and more in their “How To Share” series.

To find a coworking spot near you, check out Loosecubes, a coworking portal, and Coworking Wiki.

(Image: Thomas Hawk)

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Research on Coworking for Book

If you build it, they will come (?!)

Earlier this year we had thought about launching a coworking space in Manila (where Gen used to work on poverty and economic development projects) as a way to bring together the nonprofit and entrepreneurial community in the city. It was planned to be part business incubator, part coworking space, part social experiment– to get these two camps together and talking.

In our initial feelers to the business community there, reaction was cautious. Small businesses and organizations were puzzled at how surrendering their independence (if they owned/rented their own office) or paying for a space (if they worked from home)– would lead to benefits. The folks were shrewd and very practical: ‘how would this expand my bottom line and/or inspire me to innovate?’

We tried our best to answer people’s question and realized that coworking for the uninitiated wasn’t a slam dunk proposition.

As a  small business ourselves, we’re always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to run our shop. We tested a few coworking spaces in the city– but couldn’t make up our minds, thought about the money we could have saved, all the excuses, etc.– and realized maybe there were businesses and freelancers out there with the same dilemma.

And so: a book project was born…

A healthy dose of skepticism…

New coworking spaces are popping up left and right. It shows the enormous enthusiasm and faith in the idea…In this rich environment, many folks are faced with limitless possibilities to flourish— but it can be difficult to make the right choices.

People have questions. Here are a few big ones that stand out:
-Which space is right for me?
-What are the tips and tricks for making the transition from conventional office space to coworking space?
-How can I leverage the space– the community– in making my business  or organization better?

So we decided we wanted to put together a book on coworking– NOT on how to start a space or sing its glories– but a book for the other side of the equation. A book to help small guys like us demystify the movement. Good and Bad. Right fit and bad fit.

In the spirit of coworking: Help!

We’d like to ask the coworking community for member volunteers interested in sharing their stories with us. In exchange, we can promote your business or organization in our book (as we would turn your stories into case studies/stories), which we hope to market in various distribution channels (we’re hoping to turn it into a low-cost e-book).

Get in touch and we can send you more details. We can send a short questionnaire to you via e-mail to get the conversation going!

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