How Coworking Shines a Light Through Dark Times

I don’t have Zoom overload.

At all.

I’m incredibly grateful for the platform—and all the other tools that keep me connected to my family, friends, collaborators, clients, support systems, Lab members, and the global coworking community.

Workspace operators and pros are distributed around the world, but we’re a very connected bunch. There’s rarely more than one degree of separation between me and anyone I’d like to connect with in the coworking world.

Last October, I wondered if I could harness some of that energy and brainpower by facilitating large, informal, video conversations for space operators. We tried it, it worked, and Coworking Convos was born.

At the time, I was traveling freely, spending time with friends and loved ones, and hadn’t given any thought to what a global pandemic might look like.

How things have changed.

But coworking is still here.

An Ever-widening Circle

I initially envisioned Convos as a way to connect an ever-widening circle of space operators and keep the spirit of collaboration and mutual support alive as coworking grows and evolves.

The project has been that and, in this COVID-era, so much more.

Convos has become a place where we can hit pause on the chaos, division, stress and fear, and lean all the way in for support, answers, ideas and connection.

In addition to a global pandemic, we’re facing attacks on democracy, an inflection point in systemic racism and sexism, and a climate crisis that is no longer theoretical.

The weight of it all can be crushing.

So what can coworking do?

Shine a Light

We can do what we’ve always done: Shine a light.

With a focus on collaboration, connection, inclusion, flexibility and self-determination, coworking shines a light on new ways of being and working—ways that celebrate diversity, champion the entrepreneurial spirit, bridge divides and celebrate purposeful work.

In coworking, we think big and we hold each other up.

In the last six months, the coworking world has found and created countless ways to stay connected and stay in solutions-mindset. Coworking is resilient and agile. It’s incredibly inspiring to watch space operators pivot, create new offerings, and dig deeper to serve their members through impossibly challenging times.

Part of the Solution

I couldn’t have known last October that Convos would become part of the solution, but they have.

Convos are, by design, collaborative and solutions-minded.

Coworking people know how to get shit done, and Convos are no exception. We are there to learn, grow and share.

Connection and collaboration remain the vision for Convos. That vision has never felt more urgent or important.

If you’re struggling to run your space and support your community, join us. If you’re wondering if you have what it takes to pull this off, join us. If you’re starting to recover, join us. If you’ve just opened a space and have no idea what you’re doing, join us. If you’re a veteran operator who is considering closing your doors or scaling your brand, join us.

You don’t have to do this alone.

You’re part of a global community of some of the most amazing people you’ll ever meet.

Gamechangers and Upstarts

As we turn the corner on a year of Convos, I’m humbled by the generosity, kindness and business savvy that imbues this project. Our guests are some of the best in the business, including coworking pioneers, innovative gamechangers, and remarkable upstarts.

For the September 25 Convo, guests Nicole Vasquez from Deskpass, Charlotte Kirby from the Village Hive, Iris Kavanagh from Women Who Cowork, and Christy Alexander from WorkSmart will kick off a conversation on how to educate your local community about coworking.

Then we’ll open the Convo up to everyone to share ideas, questions, tips and strategies.

Like all Convos, it will be packed with smart insights and a focus on solutions. You’ll have the opportunity to connect with space operators from around the world, for another global conversation between friends.

Along with my Convos co-hosts, Karina Patel, Kim Seipel and Liz Elam, our incredible partners, CloudVO, GCUC Community and includedco; our supporters, Satellite Deskworks, Allwork.space and Metigy; and our roster of community sponsors, we’re grateful to every single space operator, from Pakistan and Nigeria, Brazil and Mexico, the Netherlands and the UK, Australia and India, the States, Canada, Germany, France, Malaysia, New Zealand, and everywhere in-between, for making Convos a source of light during some pretty dark times.