Hey, freelancer. Are you feeling down and uninspired working all alone at home? Do you need another pair of eyes to look at the blog post that you have been writing and re-writing all day for your client? Are you a developer struggling to find a local web designer who you can collaborate with for a big e-commerce project? Do you miss those water cooler conversations that you had with your colleagues while you were still a corporate slave?
Maybe you need to co-work.
I would like to thank the lovely KC Coling, Brand and Community Manager, and Chesa Zimmer-Santos, Co-Founder, of co.lab for introducing me to the concept of co-working and allowing me to feel the vibe and energy of a co-working space. Before arriving at co.lab (located in Kapitolyo, Pasig, a few minutes away from my office), I was actually expecting a half-empty cubicle world with gray, Pentium 586 casing-like colored walls. That’s how the other virtual offices that I had been to looked like.
But to my surprise, co.lab was an open, free-flowing space with orange (my favorite color) glass board walls. And it was packed. People – from local to foreign, web designer to solopreneur, – come together under one roof to do amazing stuff. I really thought I was in Silicon Valley, not Barangay Kapitolyo. Seriously.
To find out more if co-working is for you, I highly recommend that you listen to this episode.
Meanwhile, here are the key takeaways from this episode:
Takeaways
- Chesa and KC’s personal backgrounds
- The diverse cultural experiences that they had, what shaped them into becoming who they are right now, and how it all contributed into building co.lab.
- What co-working as a style of work is and why it is important to co-work.
- Why co-working may not be for everyone.
- The 5 core values of co-working.
- The difference between working in a traditional working environment versus in a co-working space.
- How the simple act of passing a pen sparks engagement.
- The benefits of gaining momentum and progression through co-working.
- What co-working can do for the country.
- The passion projects that people do at co.lab.
- The cultural renaissance happening in Kapitolyo.
- Why co-working at co.lab is ideal to freelancers.
- Filipinos’ readiness to co-work.
- Coffee shop versus a co-working space.
- The hip events happening at co.lab.
- How to get free legal counselling at co.lab‘s Legal Cafe.
- Why they won’t need to have too many co.labs.
Links
- Celebrating the 3rd Place
- colab.ph
- co.lab Blog
- www.facebook.com/colabPH
- www.twitter.com/colabPH
- www.instagram.com/colabPH
- devcon philippines
- Muni Market Day
- upstart Launch at Colab
- @kcoling
- kc@colab.ph
- @chesapotts
- francesca@colab.ph
Quotes
Chesa Zimmer-Santos:
“Co-working is really not so much about the space but it’s a place where you go to co-work.”
“Co-working as a style of work is something that you can essentially do in many different kinds of places but a co-working space is designed to facilitate co-working – the style of work.”
“I think everybody needs to try co-working.”
“Things are moving forward kasi. Whether it’s moving forward for you, it’s moving forward for someone. And that energy is there and it just rubs off on everybody else.”
“Freelancers really may need to stay at home to do their work but on occasion need some kind of rejuvenation from their peers. It’s not fun all the time to be by yourself.”
“We really exist so that we can all co-exist.”
“My dream is for there to be co-working spaces across the country.”
KC Coling:
“It took me a while to find a place where I could meet people like me..without judgement, without questions of: ‘Why do you speak like that’ , ‘Why do you think like that?’ ”
“Di ko na kailangan umalis, nandito na lahat, hahanapin mo lang.”
“We like to brag and say that the space we’ve created and continue to curate is ideal for anybody that just kinda wants to start something or continue with something or find their passion.”
So what do you think co-working is for you? Please share your thoughts in the Comment Box below.
Are You Game? Register now at:
http://www.meetup.com/freelanceblendmanila/events/218356152/
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