Co-working has become a popular trend in Calgary over the past few years and from my first hand experience at AcceleratorYYC, it’s easy to see why this trend is here to stay.
While being your own boss and having the flexibility to work from home has its fair share of advantages, one of the biggest disadvantages is the isolation that comes with running a home based business. And let’s face it; working at your local coffee shop gets old pretty fast.
For anyone who’s hit a wall with working from home, take it from me; paying a small fee for a desk at a co-working space is well worth the investment.
Instead of relying on yourself to be a jack-of-all-trades, you suddenly have an entire entrepreneurial community within arm’s length. This is not only helpful for finding out about other resources available, this is also an amazing chance to network, collaborate and problem solve with others who are going through the same process as you or who might have expertise in something you require.
I've seen entrepreneurs meet co-founders, raise over a million from investors they met at our events, find qualified service providers, and have a great time doing it. I even met two of my best friends at an event - a couple years later they stood up for me at my wedding!!
Beyond free coffee and the good company, don’t forget about the incredible opportunity that comes in the form of word of mouth advertising. Entrepreneurs love to support and help out their community, so if you have a service to offer, chances are good that your co-workers will call on you or refer you to someone they know.
So next time you think about purchasing a fancy coffee from Starbucks, think twice and save that money for your desk at a co-working space.