{"id":13545,"date":"2017-09-12T08:00:58","date_gmt":"2017-09-12T12:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fashionwithaconscience.org\/?p=13545"},"modified":"2017-09-12T13:40:20","modified_gmt":"2017-09-12T17:40:20","slug":"blogging-advice-when-should-you-invest-in-a-co-working-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fashionwithaconscience.org\/consciousandchic\/blogging-advice-when-should-you-invest-in-a-co-working-space\/","title":{"rendered":"Blogging Advice: When should you invest in a co-working space?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The rise of the gig economy including content creation, freelancing and influencer-driven business has ripened the market for a new business opportunity called co-working. If you are not familiar with the term co-working, it is: “th<\/em>e use of an office or other working environment by people who are self-employed or working for different employers, typically so as to share equipment, ideas, and knowledge.” – Dictionnary<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Olivier Berthiaume and Philippe Tremblay are two entrepreneurs who decided to capitalize on this opportunity by launching Halte 24-7<\/a>, a co-working space in the heart of their hometown, Montreal.<\/p>\n

As a content creator, I\u2019ve worked from multiple coffee shops until I discovered the wonderful world of co-working, a few years ago. I love working in creative environments like Halte 24-7 surrounded by Girl (and Boy) Bosses doing their own thing and challenging the status quo. This co-working space offers a variety of amenities including a rooftop and is well located in the hip Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood.<\/p>\n

If you are an entrepreneur trying to navigate the co-working world, this post is for you.\u00a0I hope it helps you answer this question: When do I know I am ready to move from my couch or favorite cafe to an office or co-working space?<\/p>\n

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1. You mean business \u2013 this is not a hobby.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Transitioning from working from home or the nearest coffee shop requires you to not only switch physical spaces, but also switch mental spaces. Allow me to explain. Being busy building a brand does not mean you have a business. The amount of time it requires doesn’t matter, the reality is, you might just have a really time consuming hobby. In order to invest in a co-working space, you must move from hobbyist to entrepreneur in your head, first. Taking yourself and what you are doing seriously is what will enable you to financially invest in your success. Once you make that move, potential clients will take notice and be increasingly willing to pay you for your services or products. You will be able to host meetings and run conference calls from real meeting rooms instead of Starbucks. There is nothing wrong with Starbucks. It is a great place to start but you don’t want to stay there. You want to grow. Paying for this space will also remind you that building your company is a commitment you are making to reaching your goals and to serving others through what you have to offer.<\/p>\n

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2. You want to network.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a people person. Therefore, one of the first things I look for in a co-working space besides the quality of the WiFi and coffee, is the quality of the community. Before signing on, I\u2019ll try to gage whether this work environment encourages organic and planned networking. Collaboration and communication are high values for me, let alone the fact that I\u2019m an extrovert which means I draw energy from relating to others. As fun as it may seem to create content, it is often a job that needs to be done solo. When I\u2019m writing blogs, as I am right now, I have to focus. The same applies when editing audio clips and videos, therefore I look for ways and create opportunities to partner with others so that I can remain energized.<\/p>\n

Lastly, at the risk of stating the obvious, networking can catapult your profits from red to black. Entrepreneurs, the good kind, are eager to connect people, share resources and give referrals to their networks. That network can turn into a goldmine very quickly if you seek it out and are both genuine and generous.<\/p>\n

Tremblay and Berthiaume are very intentional about providing cool events<\/a> to their members such a as lobster dinners, conferences and masterminds.<\/p>\n

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3. Your home is distraction central. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Separating your home life from your work life can boost your productivity. Most people need structure in order to get things done. Of course, there are people who can easily drown out noise and be productive in any working conditions. The world could crumble around them and they would remain unbothered. They have this incredible ability to zero-in on their tasks and carry them out to completion. \u00a0I\u2019ll be transparent and let you know that I don’t like working from home, most days. Of course there are the exceptional ones when being at home or at the office doesn\u2019t make a difference but they are not the norm. Sometimes when I\u2019m home trying to check things off my to do list, everything will come together to distract me. All of a sudden, the dishes need to be washed, the laundry has to be done, shows I didn\u2019t even know existed must be watched and the list goes on and on. That is why I decided a long time ago, although I do have a home office, to work outside of my abode unless I\u2019m shooting or absolutely have to for some other reason.<\/p>\n

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4. You can benefit from the change of pace & space.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve visited multiple co-working spaces and many of them left me underwhelmed to say the least.\u00a0That is why I decided to write this article and introduce you to a space I can personally vouch for. Halte 24-7 understands that working from 9am to 5pm is not ideal for everyone which is why they offer members\u00a024\/7 access<\/a>, hence the name. Not to mention that a lot of people work better at nighttime.\u00a0The freedom to create their own schedules is something our parents could only hope for in their wildest dreams.<\/p>\n

In addition, Halte 24-7 offers what I consider to be basic amenities such as a microwave, clean bathrooms and quality coffee. Nothing will send me running out of a co-working space faster than bad coffee. This is my thought process: if you can\u2019t get coffee right, it\u2019s only going to be downhill from there. Halte 24-7 has great coffee, which is provided by one of their users, Jean-Nicolas Papillon from Caf\u00e9 Li\u00e9geois<\/a>. I love that they\u2019ve given one of their clients the opportunity to contribute to the co-working space with their products.<\/p>\n

Lastly, since the environment you work in can get your creative juices flowing or usher you into a long season of writer\u2019s block, choose wisely. \u00a0Determine what the ideal space would be for you and look for it.<\/p>\n

Halte 24-7 Amenities\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n