8 Tips to Get the Most out of Your Coworking Membership
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Two million freelancers, remote workers, and small-business owners (who contribute over $40 billion to the U.S. economy every year) are members of a coworking space. Since their boom of popularity in the late 2000s, coworking spaces have become hubs for entrepreneurial endeavors, civic engagement, and educational opportunities.
Residents and visitors alike are starting to notice that Erie, Pennsylvania has a robust entrepreneurial and remote working community, and that much of it is growing within the city’s coworking space. At Radius CoWork, Erie’s coworking space, we get to watch this network of world-class professionals grow every day as new members join, current members build their teams, and old members graduate to new chapters of their businesses.
We want to ensure this entrepreneurial momentum accelerates and more people tap into careers that suit their lifestyles, so we figured we’d put a little guide together on how to get everything you need from a coworking membership. Some ideas on this list are Erie-centric, but the principles apply wherever you are in the world.
1. Come in Consistently
Stephen Hawking said, “Half the battle is just showing up.” And he was smart! Whether you’re a nomad member (2 days/month) or a dedicated member (24/7/365), you need to be here to reap the benefits. Everyday conversations happen at your neighbor’s desk, over coffee in the cafe, and at impromptu happy hours when the day is done.
“Working with others who want to succeed are invaluable connections,” notes Blair Mead, a recent coworking member of Radius who founded Blair Mead Designs, an eco-friendly fashion brand, and Azeylo, a tech startup that focuses on renewable heating and cooling units. “You’ll get the encouragement, camaraderie, and mentoring you need to feel energized and motivated.”
If you’re in the rhythm of working from home, we know it can be difficult to peel off the pajamas and put on a pair of pants, but a trip to Radius will be worth the wardrobe change. You can ditch the distractions of home, find opportunities for collaboration, and, in all likelihood, find help if you’re stuck on a work problem just by coming in and being present with others.
2. Engage on Slack and Social
From #business and #coding to #book-club and #design, we have over 30 Slack channels full of insightful, entertaining, and educational conversations. Our community is constantly sharing new career opportunities, best practices, and financial ideas, as well as scheduling potlucks, Lunch & Learns, and happy hours.
“It’s pretty amazing how much happens over Slack. We’re posting jobs, sharing valuable business tools and resources, and highlighting grant opportunities all the time,” says Amanda Duncan, Radius’s Community Leader. “Slack is also where we post our social events, celebrate each other’s achievements, and organize some ‘extracurriculars’ such as book club and filmmaking.” Regardless of membership status and how often you’re in the space, you can still connect with over 150 awesome members in Radius’s Slack.
3. Eat Lunch Away from the Computer
The stress of daily deadlines can leave us feeling like we can’t step away from the computer. But, if you can untether yourself from your keyboard, you’ll enjoy lunch among friends, professional peers, and potential collaborators.
“I’ve watched a lot of business deals and friendships blossom over lunch or a cup of coffee,” says Sean Fedorko, founder of Radius. “It’s usually our genuine human connections that lead to healthy personal and professional growth. By gathering every day, either in the space or online, we form familiarity, trust, and accomplish more by discovering what we can do together.”
If you don’t know who is sitting around the table, introduce yourself. We literally all come here to meet people. And you never know where a conversation will lead.
4. Stay “Hydrated”
Dehydration is the enemy! Whether you enjoy a cold pint at the end of a long day or just like the camaraderie and social engagement (one of our members created an alcohol-free cocktail company!), we would highly recommend dropping by a happy hour. Knowing who your coworking compatriots are not only leads to new business opportunities but also leads to new friendships.
Sharing your business woes over a stiff libation or an excellent locally roasted coffee can also be cathartic. “Even if a member’s industry is completely different, the struggles they’re going through are likely quite similar,” says Matt White, member of Radius since 2017 and Founder of Whitethorn Games. “In a coworking space, you can have those interesting, productive conversations. Plus, when you’re doing something entrepreneurial, you need allies. At Radius, everybody is kind of a wandering ally. People listen, they’re curious, and interested. Their passion makes every conversation engaging.”
If the bar isn't your scene, drop by the cafe for a cup of coffee or tea. The elegant balance of business talk, brainstorming, and BSing will likely present unexpected boons to your bottom line as often as it does to your personal life. Some of our member’s closest friendships formed here. Plus, there are some real health benefits to sipping coffee that could make a trip into Radius’s café worth it.
5. Collaborate with Members
Collaboration is the cornerstone of your coworking membership. While the philosophy sounds kumbaya, there really aren’t “competitors” in a coworking space. With dozens of videographers, graphic designers, web developers, accountants, copywriters, and a whole myriad of other professions working together, we’re really all professional peers.
With that thought in mind, we encourage everyone to consider shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. Find ways to collaborate with one another, learn from each other, and help each other. Our philosophy is based on the idea that we won't all win if we all fight over the same piece of pie, we need to work together to bake a bigger pie.
“The collaborative ecosystem at Radius is one-of-a-kind,” Matt Flowers, President of Ethos Copywriting and Radius member since 2016. “People are sharing resources, giving genuinely helpful business advice, working on projects together, and referring customers to one another. Probably 75 percent of my first clients back in 2016, the first year I was in business, came through some connection at Radius.”
6. Get Involved in the Community
There are many ways to promote your business while contributing to the community. One excellent way to get involved is by hosting a Lunch & Learn. Use our 20-person classroom to show off your skills while imparting knowledge to our community.
“You gain so much access to free programming in our space. There’s honestly something for everybody,” says Jess Royer, Radius’s Community Organizer. “We just had two yoga sessions in the classroom. Three marketers gave a Lunch & Learn presentation on 2022 marketing trends and next week we have an Open Mic Night. Whether you’re involved in fitness, fashion, real estate, manufacturing—you name it, there is someone who could use your expertise.”
If you’re not interested in the limelight, simply put out a message in Slack about sharing some knowledge over lunch in the lounge. Or, better yet, grab grub with a few members at one of the restaurants within walking distance. These knowledge-powered lunches typically draw a bunch of people to talk about one topic without the need for any particular presentation. It’s about sharing some wisdom you’ve learned through your successes and failures while generating new ideas from peers and intellectual sparring partners.
7. Keep the “Selling” to a Minimum
We love promoting and referring our members’ businesses, but please keep the “selling” to a minimum. Serving up a sales pitch over lunch can make others lose their appetites. Instead, simply talk about what you do, why you do it, and how business is going. If someone is interested in your services, they’ll find you.
In the same vein, make sure your networking is genuine. By that, we mean taking a quality over quantity approach to meeting people. We’re about making friends, not ‘contacts.’ The goal shouldn’t be to hand out as many business cards as possible. It should be to foster meaningful connections with a few people at a time.
“To just say hello and have a connection is really powerful,” Kim Hill, Founder of Mindfulness Strategies and Radius member since 2018, a company that provides mindfulness strategies for businesses, medical facilities, and schools. “The members here inspire me all the time. There are some things so far off my radar, so I like to be immersed in this culture because I kind of pick them up through osmosis.”
8. Put Our Clubhouse to Use
Currently, Radius has 10,000ish square feet for members to use. But all too often, we cozy up to our desks and forget to explore everything the space has to offer. From bike racks and conference rooms to a podcasting studio and tool lending library, there’s a whole lot people can forget to take full advantage of.
Moreover, try switching up your work environment. If you worked in headquarters one day, move to the lounge next time you’re in. And don’t forget: we’re not competitors. Sit down next to someone in the same line of work and you might just walk away with a few new ideas of your own. Either way, experimenting with your workspace can provide the jolt of inspiration you need to complete a project, solve a problem, or get creative.
“It’s a big-city resource in a small town,” notes Matt White. “Without mincing words, the single most important piece of infrastructure and resource in the entire city for startups is Radius. Without them, there is no entrepreneurial community. It doesn’t exist.”
Be A Part of Our Community
Radius offers a sweet clubhouse, blistering fast internet, and one of the best cups of coffee in town. Those are things we all need. What we do with it is foster a community of civically-minded professionals, people who care about one another’s success and the health of the city we live in. If you think a membership might be right for you, drop by our contact page and get connected.