Disclosure: collaborative post
One of the best things about being a freelancer is the freedom to work wherever you want. Often, that ends up being your home. After a while, you might find yourself craving a little something extra from your working day. Being somewhere 24/7 isn’t great for creativity.
Coworking gives you the option of retaining your freedom but benefiting from the social and professional contact with other freelancers. A study by the Harvard Business Review showed that those using coworking spaces thrive in comparison to their office-based counterparts.
There are many ways to take advantage of co-working. Some venues let you book by the day, others require more of a commitment.
It Gets You Out Of The House
Working from home can be great. It’s certainly better than a corporate style office environment. Some people find it difficult to separate their homes from their work. If you’re constantly distracted by housework and TV, or you find it difficult to switch off and enjoy your family, then you might need a change of scenery.
One of the downsides of working from home is that you end up being the unofficial delivery hub for every parcel delivery in the street!
Coworking spaces tend to be in City Centres with good transport links and a much more stimulating environment.
It Could Save You Money
OK, it won’t save you money if you always work from your house, but if you tend to work from coffee shops or similar then it can be cheaper. How often have you ventured into a Starbucks with your laptop, bought some breakfast, then bought a coffee, then some lunch, then another coffee and a muffin? It can all add up to a hefty amount, heading to shared workspaces for the day can be much cheaper, just remember to take a packed lunch.
Space To Meet Clients
Most coworking spaces have meeting rooms that their members can rent by the hour, or are included in their prices. Having a professional space to meet with clients and prospects is a huge advantage.
Fantastic Networking Opportunities
You’ll be surrounded by other freelance professionals from different sectors, so it’s a great opportunity to get contacts in other specialisms. Not only could you potentially swap services with them (for example, web design for accountancy services) but you could set up a potentially lucrative referral scheme too (see below).
Business development opportunities aside, it’s great to be able to talk to others about the ups and downs of freelance life. You may even end up making some good friends along the way.
Business Development Opportunities
Many coworking spaces operate a little community. It’s quite common for people to set up referral schemes within them for reciprocal business or commission. For example, if a marketing consultant is working with a client that needs HR support, they would refer that person to the HR specialist working in the space. If they then won that business, then they would pay a small commission to the marketing consultant who referred them.
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