It isn’t always easy to find the sort of connections you need to keep growing your business: if you take an idea that could make a great online business to a traditional networking event, you can spend more time explaining the technology behind your idea than actually networking. There is plenty of networking that can be done online, of course, but face-to-face opportunities can turn into something more. Co-working can give you the type of face-to-face interaction that you need.
Highly Motivated Audiences
The type of folks who work regularly at a co-working center are a cut above the typical entrepreneur in several ways. You’ll typically find a crowd that is more familiar with technology — a co-working space typically relies on online networks to spread the news about availability, after all. Most co-working spaces have a higher number of members with some sort of technical background — while that may range from simply working with technology companies to actually creating a technology startup — that anyone with even a moderately technical project will find good connections.
You’ll also find that many co-workers are more focused on success: they’re already doing well enough that they can afford to pay for at least a little workspace outside of their home. There are many dedicated entrepreneurs and small business owners out there and you certainly won’t meet all of them at a co-working space, but of the people who are at a co-working spaces, you’ll find a higher number that are motivated to move their businesses forward than you might find at more run-of-the-mill networking events.
In short, the people you’ll get a chance to meet in the typical co-working space are ideal networking candidates. Each co-working space is different, of course, but it’s worth it to explore the opportunities in your area.
You’re There to Work But Also to Network
The point of most co-working spaces is to actually get some work done. You need to keep that in mind as you introduce yourself to the other people in the space — interrupting their work is not a way to endear yourself. But everyone has points throughout the day where they need to get up, stretch and take their minds off of work. That’s when you can get more information on what they do and how you might be able to work together.
The types of opportunities you may find vary, based first and foremost on what you do. If your business is focused around providing services, you may find takers at your co-working space. You can also get valuable introductions from your new connections.
Your co-working space can also be an incredible place to find partners for projects. You can get a chance to see a potential partner in action and see how they work before ever bringing up the idea of a partnership. Although the internet does make it easier to work with team members around the world, there are still some benefits to being able to sit down with a partner and hash out the details in person.
The First Step
When it comes to networking with co-workers, the first step has to be co-working. Becoming a part of the community at your local co-working space is a good first step. Even if there isn’t an official space, you can find jellies and other informal co-working groups in most areas. Getting involved is important: the other co-workers in a given space will be more interested in working with you after you’ve been involved with the space for a little while. It’s just like most networking efforts — you only rarely will walk away from a first meeting with a project in hand. Instead, it takes time to build up to opportunities.