Co-working: The Do’s and Don’ts

Co-working is a great option for entrepreneurs.  It gets you out of your house, and gives you a place to go to everyday.  It allows you to have that office feel, but you don’t have the high rent.  With that said, co-working does have some pitfalls.  When looking into co-working you should first consider some do’s and don’ts to help you on your path.

Do: Join co-working groups to find a place with the same creative flow you have.  The Google Group for co-working is a great place to start.  This group can help you on whatever level you are on during the co-working process such as if you are already co-working, if you are thinking about co-working or if you have a space to use for co-working.  The Co-working Community Blog is another great place to start.

Don’t: Socialize more than you work.  Many co-workers decide to join a co-working group to be around other people, and to get that office feel.  Although this is true, you shouldn’t get caught up on the social aspect more than the working aspect.  M. F. Chapman the founder of Cubes and Crayons (a co-working facility) doesn’t utilize her space anymore for work,  “I wasn’t getting any work done when I was there,” because clients wanted to stop and chat. When she has real work, she now heads home.”

Do: Look for another small business to share an actual office space with.  Although places like the Sandbox Suites and NextSpace are a great places to start, once you get a few employees you may need to upgrade to an office.  When looking for another small business to share an office with you should ask yourself if your companies can learn from each other.  If your company specializes in marketing and your co-working business partner works in web design, you could partner together to help each other’s business grow as well.

Don’t: Jump in too fast.  Make sure however you decide to set up a co-working environment that it works for you.  Look at finding a space like you would when you interview a potential employee.  Making sure you work well with the other personalities is a must.

Co-working is a great solution for those of you who don’t find working from home as satisfying as you thought.  It also is an excellent opportunity to learn and grow from others around you.  Doing some research and finding the right people to work with will ensure success.

For more, visit: http://www.resourcenation.com/blog/co-working-the-dos-and-donts/31061/