Best of Cohere: Why A Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy

by | 74 comments

Coworking Space 

There are some who still view coworking as a a quirky niche instead of the future of work. That might be hard for those of us who love coworking to believe, but important for us to remember as we try to grow our communities.

While it’s true that coworking isn’t for everyone, and certainly doesn’t work for every industry (we still need grocery stores and plumbers), coworking can serve as both a model and a hub for creating better communities at large.

Most people can imagine what shared office space looks like. It’s harder to understand the larger economic benefits of participating in such a space until you experience it first hand.

If you’re on the fence about joining a coworking space, here are some big picture positive impacts to think about.

Coworking Keeps Stellar Talent In Town

Coworking spaces are “office buildings” for those who had the talent (and balls) to create their own job in a crappy economy. Without coworking, many in mid-sized urban areas like Fort Collins would have to commute or move their families to bigger cities with more opportunities. Coworking helps them stay in town, preserving their money, talent, and enthusiasm for use in the local economy.

Coworking Supports Small Business

Don’t let the mega-corps fool you: they are not job creators. They employ people only because it’s necessary for the creation and dissemination of their products and services, not because they want to revitalize a town. Small to mid-sized businesses are the lifeblood of a local economy. They live and work and shop locally, and give a crap about the personal lives of their employees.

Shocking fact: 95% of coworking desks are occupied by a small business. (Ok I made that stat up, but you get the picture — most). It might be a freelance writer who just formed her LLC or couple of buddies who decided to create their own design company. Either way, these businesses are driving down unemployment rates at a time when multi-billion dollar companies are still laying people off. Joining a coworking space means these tiny businesses will have a safe place to grow and learn from more experienced members. When’s the last time you saw Wal-Mart swapping trade secrets with the new family-owned retailer?

Coworking Creates A Network For Collaborative Consumption

The quest for bigger, better, faster has crippled our economy. People are tired of keeping up with the Jones’ and just want to keep their families fed. Collaborative consumption means reusing, growing, renting, bartering and making instead of buying. But the sharing economy demands a network of friendly, trustworthy people to make it work. Like the people who work right next to you in a coworking space.

Yes, coworking allows you to share your professional expertise and network with other successful freelancers. But you could do that at a once a month meetup. What makes coworking unique is the sharing that takes place on a personal level–be it a potluck meal or vegetable seeds or a ride to a conference in Denver.

When a community is connected and open to sharing, people save money, learn new skills, and reduce their impact on the environment. New ideas emerge, problems are solved in creative ways, and the community at large reaps all the rewards of a happy independent workforce.

What other “trickle-down” benefits have you seen in the coworking community? Share your experience in a comment!

And if you’ve got friends who are still unsure that coworking is worth the monthly investment, share your experience (and this article) with them as well!

 Image Credit: Flickr – mdanys

74 Comments

  6. tekhneCO
    tekhneCO on October 10, 2011 at 1:03 pm

    +1 RT @CohereLLC: Why A Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy #coworking http://t.co/sC26oYQ8

  14. Jane Heaton
    Jane Heaton on October 11, 2011 at 3:57 am

    RT @judyheminsley @coherellc why #coworking space is important for local economy http://t.co/qJ0hqi4h anyone with UK experience 2 share?

  18. Loosecubes
    Loosecubes on October 11, 2011 at 10:45 am

    Great insight from our friends in CO! RT @CohereLLC: Why A #Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy http://t.co/Mg3OE7er

  24. OpenDesks
    OpenDesks on October 12, 2011 at 10:17 am

    Love this post by @coherellc! — Why A #Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy http://t.co/iTawJDxU {gia

  26. Takuro Hishikawa
    Takuro Hishikawa on October 12, 2011 at 10:23 am

    Talent, Small Business, Collaborate RT @CohereLLC: Why A Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy #coworking http://t.co/X32Um2Qw

  27. SuiteSearch
    SuiteSearch on October 12, 2011 at 10:32 am

    Love this post by @coherellc! — Why A #Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy http://t.co/iTawJDxU {gia

  34. bizperc
    bizperc on October 13, 2011 at 9:45 am

    Why #Coworking Is Important To The Local Economy http://t.co/FmFwHRXk via @CohereLLC <Great way to support #kc #small #business!>

  42. Jonah Lupton
    Jonah Lupton on October 18, 2011 at 9:45 am

    Why coworking spaces are important to local economy – http://t.co/eYdAWseN @unitedworkspace @innovatorlounge #DowntownBoston

  43. Luvn'Local
    Luvn'Local on October 18, 2011 at 10:56 am

    Why coworking spaces are important to local economy – http://t.co/Vmh9JM8q @unitedworkspace @innovatorlounge #DowntownBoston

  44. CoworkingEurope
    CoworkingEurope on October 18, 2011 at 12:10 pm

    RT @NextGenCouncil: Why coworking spaces are important to local economy – http://t.co/CRyDqENt @unitedworkspace @innovatorlounge

  47. Co.Lab
    Co.Lab on October 18, 2011 at 4:27 pm

    Why coworking spaces are important to local economy – http://t.co/VFlssKTk Via: @NextGenCouncil #dusu

  48. bizperc
    bizperc on October 19, 2011 at 8:05 am

    Great read!> Why A #Coworking Space is Important to the Local Economy http://t.co/yP6CHlhm #KansasCity #smallbusiness

  52. Al Banda
    Al Banda on October 24, 2011 at 1:41 pm

    Why A Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy | Cohere Coworking Community http://t.co/ldxuCbci

  55. bizperc
    bizperc on November 7, 2011 at 3:15 pm

    Great read!> Why A #Coworking Space is Important to the Local Economy http://t.co/yP6CHlhm #KansasCity #smallbusiness

  61. Frome People
    Frome People on December 16, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    RT @CohereLLC: Why A Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy #coworking http://t.co/bIb1cc9w

  62. Flexydesk
    Flexydesk on December 22, 2011 at 3:01 am

    RT @CohereLLC: Why A Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy #coworking http://t.co/bIb1cc9w

  67. Maria McDonald
    Maria McDonald on February 8, 2012 at 8:53 am

    Creative freelancers, take note! RT @CohereLLC Enjoy one of our most popular blog posts ever about #coworking http://t.co/baGj09ro

  70. MiamiShared
    MiamiShared on July 16, 2012 at 10:05 pm

    RT @CohereLLC: Best of Cohere: Why A Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy #coworking http://t.co/e23nehys

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Want To Support The 99%? Occupy Your Local Coworking Space | Cohere Coworking Community - [...] that shares its time and resources; the belief that small, independent businesses are essential to a strong local economy;…
  2. Top 5 coworking articles in October | Creative Density Coworking - Denver Coworking - [...] Why a coworking space is important to a local economy. – Cohere [...]
  3. Top 6 Gifts Ideas For Freelancers & Small Business Owners | Cohere Coworking Community - [...] know I had to…) There’s nothing better than the gifts of friendship and community, and you’ll be giving both…
  4. The Cohere Quick-Start Guide For New Coworkers | Cohere Coworking Community - [...] Why A Coworking Space Is Important To The Local Economy [...]
  5. 5 Easy Ways To Be An Eco-Friendly Entrepreneur | Cohere Coworking Community - [...] way to go green (Hint: a lot of these business owners sit right next to you!). Keeping it in…
  6. My big news: I’m spending this spring as a design intern at CoWork Jax! | Amanda Billy - [...] I’ll be contributing to the growth of coworking in Jacksonville. Coworking spaces do great things for the local economy…
Share This