Curated Coworking vs. Traditional Coworking
Everyone knows the name “WeWork”.
They arguably revolutionized the way the world thinks about coworking — by effectively meeting the needs of office-less entrepreneurs and innovative startups, they catalyzed what would become the trend of working from beautifully decorated, amenities-rich spaces (without the insane cost of renting an office building).
Just a handful of years ago, coworking was borderline taboo — after all, what kind of self-respecting person would pay to essentially borrow someone else’s desk, just for the sake of getting away from the house to work? *chuckles in mental health awareness*
Now, it’s seen as a viable mainstream alternative for freelancers, solo-preneurs, and small businesses alike, seeking refuge from the traditional 9-5 work / life (im)balance.
But, what are the drawbacks?
What could be made better about the business model, and is there a smaller-scale solution to running a coworking space, other than being WeWork? Hint: It’s Curated Coworking.
Hyper-specialization is the new name of the game for creative entrepreneurs — generalist creative firms and long-time ad agency behemoths are quickly realizing that the future of business is specific expertise, expressed through thoughtfully crafted strategy with the end-user in mind. In other words, directing marketing efforts to attract a single type of client by offering a specific kind of offering.
However, the traditional model of coworking, which the vast majority of spaces adopt, doesn’t exactly seem to follow this hyper-specific trend… Adversely, one might call the approach a “spray-and-pray” marketing plan: Blasting the internet with branded content, and hoping that someone (anyone) will be curious enough to start coworking.
The livelihoods, passions, and commonalities of tenants is irrelevant — so long as they obey the rules (and take phone calls in designated spaces). Nothing more, nothing less. And that’s just it: The traditional model of coworking lacks deeper, intrinsic value beyond the appealing aesthetic. However, there’s another way of doing things – particularly, one that doesn’t involve having billions of dollars to invest in making work.
“While most workers have Zoom meetings and Slack channels to virtually collaborate with teams, the lone freelancer is often left alone with nothing but the social media feedback loop and the endless list of tasks to “improve their business in this season of unprecedented downtime”.
The Traditional Model
Freelancing in creative fields is majorly isolating, especially when solely working from home. While most workers have Zoom meetings and Slack channels to virtually collaborate with teams, the lone freelancer is often left alone with nothing but the social media feedback loop and the endless list of tasks to “improve their business in this season of unprecedented downtime”.
*deep sigh*
We’re certainly no strangers to this phenomenon. As long-time creatives with about two decades of combined experience, we paralleled this particular shortcoming with what traditional coworking lacks: Membership that’s custom-fit to what Creative Professionals need.
Our Solution
So, we created a pseudo-exclusive coworking experience that’s attractive to really only one kind of person: creative professionals. Marketers, Videographers, Designers, Photographers, Copywriters… essentially, if you’re in the business of creativity, making valuable work for clients, we want you in our space.
We realized that “coworking” could mean so much more than simply existing in a building together, but rather building a robust community, intentionally growing together in business and in life. While there are many intangible benefits to curated coworking, these are the more foundational features that really sealed the deal for us.
01. Meaningful Community
Having a great idea alone is only as useful as you are motivated — But, having a great idea in a room full of people who actively want to help you grow and succeed is a game-changer. Truly, this is the prime reason why Curated Coworking works. We’ve seen people’s lives and businesses changed for the better, simply because of sharing time with the right group of people.
02. Crystal Clear Service Offerings
When your market is “everybody”, you’re surely letting at least some segment of them down. By curating and getting laser-focused on a certain kind of person, you’re able to provide solutions that’ll create delight, rather than friction. After all, it’s a no-brainer to spend your money on something that’s made just for you.
03. Focused Brand Positioning
Creating messaging becomes infinitely easier when you know who you’re talking to — rather than ambiguous content to fill space, we’re able to clearly speak to the issues, goals, and lifestyles of our beloved creative community. Not only is this good for business, it’s a system for self-selection: people who enjoy the brand are all-in from the very start, and those who are creative-averse will steer completely clear. This makes the application process much simpler, and is genuinely helpful in growing the brand.
04. Inbound Lead Generation
Back to hyper-specialization… In a Curated Coworking environment, when X-Coworker has a client that needs another specialized service beyond what X-Coworker can offer, it’s most likely that they’ll simply swivel their chair around to where Y-Coworker is (who provides said service), and pitch the idea of working together on the project. Just like that, with no awkward email back-and-forth or job-board browsing.
05. Balanced Mental Health
Contrary to the glamorization in culture, doing creative work alone can be soul-sucking. If you’re a creative professional or freelancer of any kind, you know what I’m talking about — the art quickly becomes a weight, and that “nomadic lifestyle” starts to feel like a curse. The remedy is a lot simpler than it seems, though: 1. Get out of the house. 2. Get around some people who inspire you. By developing a proactive relationship with your work, you’re prioritizing the long-term success of your business, and the fidelity of your mental health.
Parting Thought
We deeply believe in the positive effect that Curated Coworking has in the creative community, and want nothing more than to see members (and non-members, alike) to soar to their greatest potential. This isn’t about how to survive as a business, but rather how to continue offering great value to the community in a time when entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creative professionals desperately need it.
