Coworking Without an office

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This one is fresh and very close to home for me. I came within a few inches of lauching a version of this at the start of this summer.

The Problem: Traditional coworking spaces are fundamentally tied to expensive real estate, which forces them into a business model centered around filling desks. This isn't a choice; it's a necessity driven by the need to cover high overhead costs associated with leasing and maintaining a physical space. Even in coworking spaces that emphasize community, the reality is that a significant portion of resources and attention must go towards ensuring occupancy. Only the very senior staff or owners may fully understand how much this reliance on real estate can limit the true potential of the community. Having created and run the first coworking space in my city, ThreeFortyNine, and curated its events for over a decade, I've seen how the traditional model can sometimes be more about managing space than fostering connections.

The Idea: What if coworking wasn’t tied to a single physical location? Imagine a coworking model that isn't about renting desks in a fixed office but about creating dynamic, flexible spaces that can pop up wherever and whenever needed. The idea is to build a coworking community without the constraints of a traditional office, allowing members to work from diverse locations while staying connected.

How It Works:

  1. Pop-Up Coworking Events: Host regular coworking days in different locations that are underutilized during the workweek. This could be a cafe, a library, a community hall, or even an outdoor park in good weather. Members come together for these pop-up coworking sessions, offering a change of scenery and the chance to connect with new people.

  2. Virtual Community Hub: Use an online platform to maintain an ongoing virtual space where members can interact asynchronously. This could be a Slack workspace, a Discord server, or a dedicated platform like Circles. Here, members can share resources, ask for advice, network, and even organize spontaneous meet-ups.

  3. Founders' Club and Demo Days: Organize regular events like a Founders' Club, where entrepreneurs can meet to discuss challenges and share experiences. Host Demo Days several times a year to allow members to showcase their projects to the community and potential investors.

  4. Membership Flexibility: Offer different membership tiers, from digital-only memberships for those who just want access to the virtual community, to premium memberships that include access to all pop-up coworking events and exclusive sessions.

Why It Works:

  • Cost-Effective: Without the need for a permanent office lease, you save on overhead costs, making memberships more affordable and accessible.
  • Flexibility and Freedom: Members can choose when and where they want to cowork, providing the flexibility that modern professionals crave.
  • Focus on Community: By decoupling from real estate, the focus shifts entirely to building a strong, engaged community around shared values and collaboration, not just filling desks.
  • Scalability: The model is highly scalable; you can easily expand to new cities or neighborhoods without the constraints of securing physical office space.

How to Execute It:

  • Find Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses and community centers that are open to hosting pop-up coworking days. In my case, I connected with local breweries, our city and local university with the pitch that I'll bring people into their spaces.
  • Build a Strong Virtual Presence: Invest in a good online platform and actively cultivate an engaged online community.
  • Market Creatively: Leverage local influencers, community boards, and social media to spread the word about pop-up events and the benefits of this flexible coworking model.
  • Iterate and Adapt: Gather feedback from members regularly and be prepared to adapt the model as needed.

Steal This Idea: This concept is informed by my experience with ThreeFortyNine and curating community-focused events for over a decade. If this resonates with you, go ahead and make it your own. All I ask is that you keep me in the loop. Let me know how you implement it, and maybe we can collaborate or share insights. Who knows, your take on this idea might inspire me to come up with the next big thing!

Posted Aug 31,2024