What is coworking?

By: Eric Asare

Coworking is the use of an office or other working environment by people who are self-employed or working for different employers, typically to share equipment, ideas, and knowledge, according to Google.

You and a friend run separate businesses or work as freelancers and decide to rent an office together, this is a form of coworking. You share rent, utilities, broadband, and the costs of cleaning and maintenance and conveniently work from the same space. You start to notice that although you run separate businesses, you share similar stories of struggles and success. You find ways to collaborate on projects to grow each other's businesses and invite new employees or freelancers to work in the space. 

Looking back at the journey, you are likely to remember the beginning of your coworking experience as the turning point for your business. You remember how the shared office space and professional meeting rooms impressed potential clients and investors. The office address made you stand out online while the shared costs made coworking affordable. The working environment made the coworking space a community.

Two or more separate individuals or businesses that come together to work in the same space are essentially coworking. Today coworking spaces are popping up everywhere with an estimated 2,188 spaces opening up in 2018 alone, they are professionally managed, and have kitchen and break-out areas, meeting rooms, and venue space,  to make coworking as easy as possible. Instead of sharing rent, operating costs, and utilities with the others in the space, you pay a monthly membership. If you are just starting you might even use the space on an hourly or daily basis or if your startup suddenly scales to twice the size you don’t move the office but just rent more desk space or a bigger office in a space that is set to accommodate business and individuals of all sizes.

Coworking is made to support a freelancer's journey from working at home or in a coffee shop to working from a professional office, where productivity and networking in a collaborative space come naturally. Flexible Membership, partnership perks, and the collaborative environment are making coworking the office of choice not just for freelancers and startups, but all types of businesses making long-term office leases less and less attractive.

When it comes to deciding where to work, choose a space not just for the design and look, but for the community. More than coworking itself, the people in the space make the real difference. The Studio is a creative community-based in a modern workspace on a quiet road between Camden and Kentish Town. The coworking open-plan setting was built for members to naturally engage with each other, whether it be in the community kitchen, the break-out areas, or at our dedicated event and workshop series.