MEEKER | For many entrepreneurs and a growing number of employees, going to work now involves shuffling from the kitchen to your computer while still in your jammies, or taking your laptop from home to a nearby coffee shop with free WiFi.
The internet has allowed more people the flexibility to work from home, thereby avoiding a commute, saving childcare costs, and allowing workers to set their own hours. But working from home all the time has some limitations, as well. Sometimes a more professional setting is needed to meet with clients, conduct a conference call, or have access to specialized equipment but having a dedicated office outside the home is cost-prohibitive.
Enter the “coworking space,” where entrepreneurs, telecommuters and business owners with home offices can “buy in” to a membership and share space for events, networking and more.
Coworking spaces have sprung up nationwide, including several in Colorado. The closest one to Meeker is Factory, in Grand Junction. Factory’s members include computer programmers, a realtor, marketers, videographers, web developers, photographers, and more.
Diana Jones, owner of Meeker Drugs in the Neal Building, toured several coworking spaces in the state for ideas before deciding to use the space formerly occupied by Smoking River Arts to start Meeker’s first coworking space, MC2, for “Meeker Coworking Community.”
“It gets people out of their home offices and increases networking between business owners,” Jones said. “It’s great to work from home, but sometimes you need that connection with others.”
MC2 will offer options for daily drop-ins or monthly membership, and will be open to home-based businesses, full-time entrepreneurs, or visiting professionals who need a place to keep up with work demands while they’re here on vacation. It will also provide connection with other coworking spaces in the state, expanding the reach of local entrepreneurs and remote workers for networking with similar businesses and business models.
Remodeling of the space is underway, and a “soft” opening is planned for Thursday, Aug. 23 at 627 Main St. beginning at 5:30 p.m.. All start-ups, entrepreneurs, home-based business owners and anyone else interested in learning more about MC2 is welcome to attend.
Visit their website at http://www.meekercoworking.com or their Facebook page @meekercoworkingcommunity.
