This blog post was prompted by Andrew, an undergraduate student from Canada, who is researching environmentally friendly business solutions and co-working. We exchanged emails earlier this week, and I thought the questions would be great to share with you here. I also asked that he provide feedback as his project moves further along so we can find out what he was able to discover.  Thanks Andrew!

 

How long have you been involved in co-working?

We opened our facility, the InSights Group in January of 2008, before we even knew what coworking was.

 

How did you first get involved? Why? (E.g. Environment, Creativity, money, networking etc).

We had the initial idea to create a place where we could bring local business people together to support each other, get motivational training, inspiration, and become collective resources for each other. Finding space was a challenge. To get a basic conference room with enough parking was not easy to find. We ended up in a 6,000 sq. ft. warehouse, with lots of little rooms, spaces, and we needed to figure out what to do with the space. So the idea for the offices and rental on a membership basis, as well as drop in by the hour was created.

 

What do you think the benefits of co-working are to business centers?  Do you see many parallels between the two?

The benefits to our coworking center are the sense of community and positive encouragement. Our space houses a much bigger idea, that of the InSights community and philosophy. It’s so much more than just a place to work for the people who become involved. It’s a supportive business community where everyone is invested in helping each other succeed, which in turn helps them to succeed.

 

I believe a coworking center differs from a “traditional” business center in the sense that coworkers seek to be much more connected. It’s not people stopping in to work, it’s people looking for a place to be connected to other people, find friendly conversation when needed, and a quiet space to focus if that is what they need.

 

What professions are the typical buyers?

Our coworking center hosts a variety of businesses. Anyone from an insurance agent, to a wedding cake maker, a sales team for yellowbook advertising, lawyers, holistic practitioners, and local engineers who find themselves in transition have all used our services.

 

How long is the average contract length? What are the maximum and minimum periods of a contract?

Our contract for coworking space is month to month, with a yearly community buy in fee. There are price incentives to paying a year in full. We do have  full training schedule available on a variety of topics from business resources to social media and marketing ideas for the enterepreneur and small business. We also offer mastermind groups, closed sessions of 12 individuals who meet weekly to act as an advisory board for each other, and to mastermind big ideas. These are offered both a’ la carte and with a monthly membership to the training programs.

How do you work out a price per desk? What is your average price?

We offer drop in desk and conference room useage with a membership. Another option is for dedicated access to a small office, running approx. $300/month.

 

How is co-working environmentally friendly?

CO-working helps people reduce drive time to an office, combines the ability to use common resources, and in our facility converted a warehouse into very useable space.

 

Is co-working “desk space rental”?

Coworking at the InSights Group is not desk space rental. It is a place to meet, connect, have fun, make friends, and grow your business, finding support and resources everywhere in the organization.

 

How do you advertise?

Our facility has been built using social media. When we opened we did not have traditional funding, a large budget, or a plan of how it was all going to come together. Social media has been a huge vehicle for us, and in turn, is something we teach because we have used it. We also grow through word of mouth, and participation in groups in the area, and around the country.

 

How do clients normally find you?

Clients find us by hearing about us from a friend, seeing our name, driving by (we have a very prominent location on a busy thoroughfare) and through social media.

 

Why would individuals chose to pay for a space when they can go to a coffee shop instead? What do you offer that a coffee shop does not?

At a coffee shop there are people randomly coming and going. Sometimes it’s noisy, sometimes quiet. Mostly people at a coffee shop keep to themselves. At the InSights Group, in our drop in Village coworking space, you can find a quiet space to work, and there are always people around if you choose to be a bit social. The major difference is that everyone who comes through is interested in making new connections, so as opposed to a coffee shop everyone finds out what everyone else does, what they may be working on if they choose to share, and how to help each other.

 

Are there any negative aspects of co-working?

In our space, our members have really taken ownership of the space and everyone offers to help, whether it’s cleaning, answering the phones, greeting guests at the door, or helping with technical questions, there is so much support. Without a cohesiveness in our group, I wouldn’t think the experience would be as great as it is, and the building may require more maintenance. Now, people treat this as their space as much as it is ours, and everyone’s who comes through. We are very appreciative of the enthusiastic group support.

 

Are there any problems with security?

We have not had issues with security. Members can opt to get an electronic key for 24 hour access to the building if they choose. The rest of the time there are regular weekday office hours. Again, because of the sense of ownership of the members, everyone is very active in taking care of the space.

 

Where do you see co-working 10 years from now?

In ten years I see coworking as an amazing way to work. I believe that the large corporate environments will have been even more reduced in numbers, with creative places to work and grow being predominant. I also think that as limited as the coworking network is now, there will be a larger “drop in” system throughout coworking facilities so wherever you are around the country or the world, there is a space that you will be welcomed in to work or socialize, and to feel a connected sense of belonging in each.