Virtual Office For Savvy Entrepreneurs
13 01 2011Comments : Leave a Comment »
Categories : coworking
November Entrepreneur Meetup!
18 11 2010October Entrepreneur Meetup!
18 11 2010
Coffee shop versus coworking
30 08 2010Coffee shops have a special place in my heart – especially The Grind on Main Street. It was THE place for me to study at all hours when I was at SFU. If it weren’t the kindness of the staff, the unlimited coffee supply and endless amount of sweets, I would have gone through school half-asleep and none of the assignments would have been complete. It was the place that, through out most of my student life, saw me stumbling in at 8 or 9 pm and me rubbing my blood-shot eyes, stumbling out for home before going to school at early morning hours.
Sundays are usually my day to unwind. It begins with me rolling out of bed later than usual, having a great brunch and then off to read a good book before going to yoga.
After settling into a Starbucks near my yoga class at Yyoga , I cracked open my book. I was enjoying 5 minutes of peace until some person decided that she wanted to yell at her boyfriend on the phone and she wanted to make sure I was involved by detailing the points of why she was right very loudly.
Like an uncomfortable third-wheel caught in the middle of a lover’s quarrel with no escape, I raised my book higher as if it would block out her voice. After perfecting my ability to tune out noises (well, I have to and not by choice!), the amount of caffeine now required that I need a quick bathroom break. After trying to make friendly eye-contact to see if someone was nice enough to smile back (so I can ask them to watch my stuff for a few minutes), I failed to make connection with anyone. So, I decided to haul my stuff with me. Oh yes! That includes my laptop, my yoga bag and my purse; my companions to the washroom.
When I came back to my seat, someone else had taken it. After 2 more times of this, I called it quits! I couldn’t lug all my stuff around anymore to re-situate myself every time I came back from the washroom. I will still do my meetings in coffee shops but I am finding it harder to focus or enjoy my book, perhaps what I read and what I need to do requires more concentration than before OR maybe as I get older I am sensitive to loud noises. I breathe a sigh of relief as I walk into the office after my yoga class, plopped myself on the sofa and quietly took in the peaceful enjoyment that awaits me as I dive back into my book without espresso machines competing for my attention or a loud voice to break my focus. My office lounge was quiet and nice enough for me to get through another 1.5 hours of reading.
I love coffee shops but I definitely love coworking just a little more :p
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: coffee shop office, coworking, entrepreneurs, mobile office, office space, self-employment, startups, vancouver, virtual office
Categories : coworking
5 Reasons Coworking is More Productive than Working Alone
24 08 2010
On my daily reading, I came across this awesome blog post about coworking!
Oh, I know what you’re thinking. Why wouldn’t people like us just stick to our home offices? Simple: 1. It’s lonely, and 2. Two brains (or three or four or five) are smarter than one.
So without belaboring the topic, here are 5 Reasons Coworking is More Productive than Working Alone
Read more here: 5 Reasons Coworking is More Productive than Working Alone.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: community, coworking, leads, lonely, productive, shared resources, vancouver, working from home
Categories : coworking
An Entrepreneur’s View On The Benefits of Coworking
22 07 2010
We’ve all heard of the big company that started as two guys in their garage, but these days, with startup organizations and incubators, more and more success stories seem to feature companies that built their success from group collaboration. One excellent example of how startups can take advantage of collaboration is to work in a coworking environment with other companies and entrepreneurs.
“The thing about a startup is that you’re always under resourced; you never have enough people,” Lin told ReadWriteWeb Tuesday. “So the more you can make out of less, the better off your are, the faster you can go, and a startup is all about speed.”
Read more here: An Entrepreneur’s View On The Benefits of Coworking
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: collaboration, coworking, entrepreneur, sharing idea, sharing resources, startup speed, vancouver
Categories : coworking, Office Space
Freelancing And Co-Working: Best Of Both Worlds
12 07 2010
The core reason to be a freelancer is that one does not have to commit to full working hours that will destroy the joy of working and possibly putting personal life at stake…… However freelancing can be a lonely existence. You might find yourself not leaving the house for days and stalking everyone in your chat list just to feel humane. This is when co-working comes into play.
Co-working is a concept specifically constructed for freelancers and it is now an urban practice given more and more people prefer freelancer’s way of life. It sets a freedom for a labourer when and where to work but with limitation. This benefits employers because humans tends to deliver better quality of work when they are happy.
Read more here:Freelancing And Co-Working: Best Of Both Worlds
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: coworking, deadline, fewer distractions, freelancers, inspiration, networking, vancouver
Categories : coworking, Office Space
‘Co-working,’ where people share office space
3 07 2010
“It’s a new thing for entrepreneurs,” says Nicoli, who noted several co-working businesses are coming to Los Angeles. “It signals a socialized and economic shift in how people do work.”
Many freelancers need nothing more than a Wi-Fi connection, but some independent contractors or people who work remotely want to bounce their ideas off others. A new study of 3,600 telecommuters commissioned by Microsoft revealed their No. 1 complaint was lack of face-to-face interaction.
“Our biggest selling point is as a community,” says Daria Siegel, director of Hive at 55 in New York. Since it opened in December, more than 50 people have become regular members.
Read more about it: New trend: ‘Co-working,’ where people share office space
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: community, contractors, coworking, entrepreneurs, face-to-face interaction, share office space, telecommuters, vancouver, wi-fi
Categories : coworking, Office Space
Coworking: Stop Sharing Your Office With Your Worst Critic
25 06 2010
One major benefit of coworking is escaping the things in our home offices that make it difficult to work and be productive. The home environment, of course, is full of distractions and interruptions. We’re pulled by unfinished personal projects, interrupted by personal phone calls and knocks on the door, and tempted by many enjoyable ways to procrastinate.
We are all our own worst critics. When your only office mate is that critic, it’s easy to listen to that criticism and let it get to you.
Read more here: Coworking: Stop Sharing Your Office With Your Worst Critic
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: benefit, coworking, distractions, home office, interactions, office mate, vancouver, worst critic
Categories : coworking, Office Space
Coworking with coworkers
4 06 2010
This blog post originally appeared in techvibes.com as part of a series about Coworking around North America.
These past few weeks we have been talking to the owners of various work spaces throughout Canada that have embraced Coworking, the act of working in the same space alongside other independent professionals. However, the best way to explain what coworking is all about is to hear how members of coworking spaces feel about the concept from their own experiences. So, this week, we talked to a few members of our own space, The Network Hub, to hear how their experiences have been from coworking at the Hub.
“Coworking provides a relaxed atmosphere with extremely smart people. For early stage companies and small businesses it really helps to have an office that is not inside of your home,” Kenshi from A Thinking Ape says.
Bloom Marketing says, “I do twice as much at the Network Hub than at home or at a coffee shop.” This is partly due to the fact that the Hub grants all full-time tenants 24/7 access. “[For me], that is the primary reason,” says Ganesh, a software developer who is fairly new to the space. “[Plus], there’s usually someone around who knows someone who can help me.”
“The Hub is a brilliant place and source for inspiration, ideas and for making new friends or business ties,” says Chet, a former tenant who has experienced growth at the Hub that he has now moved into his own office to accommodate his new employees. Paul Preibeisch of B3D Multitech and a member of the Hub, jokes that he initially came into the space for “sanity’s sake”. As a programmer, he sits in front of the computer screen for most of the day. “A lot of my work requires creativity. In order to do that, I need a balance and some sort of social interaction. When I want to go on a break, I can actually talk to a human. And when working alongside other entrepreneurs, available work is referred to other members of the space,” he says, “so, everyone helps each other.”
“I [also] like the social aspect. I get to meet some very cool people who are self employed,” adds Carlos.
“The monthly meetups are great; I have actually met new clients at those events,” he points out. Minna Van organizes the Vancouver Entrepreneur Meetup – a monthly networking event aimed towards freelancers and entrepreneurs. “[She] is a fantastic networker and the events she organizes are top notch.”
“[It’s a] great influence and stimulation for start-ups,” advises Yuri of Shine Canada.
The casual environment at the Hub helps to build a spirit of community. “It’s Friday and nice, nobody really wants to work and every so often, a few people would gather in the main area and talk. The conversations are usually business-related but very organic, those times felt like being in a small business think tank/incubator,” says Chet. Just last Friday, members of the space enjoyed an impromptu barbeque on the patio.
Co-founder, Jay (@jaycatalan), encourages anyone interested in coworking to come down and take a look at the space.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: coworking, entrepreneurs, freelance
Categories : coworking
