Home-based offices and telecommuting have grown exponentially in the last decade as entrepreneurs, freelancers and corporate employees leverage technology to make any space with Internet access a workplace. Although the benefits of working from home or an Internet café are numerous, the opportunities for networking, collaborating and engaging in the creative process are often lacking. Many solopreneurs are flocking to co-working spaces to fill that void.
A co-working space is a physical, “wired” location where individuals with workspace flexibility collaborate, and often, develop new business ideas. Although a relatively new concept in the United States, the co-working movement has been operating in Europe for several years. According to the Global Coworking Survey 2012, there are nearly 800 coworking spaces in the United States, and more than 2,000 worldwide.
The region’s first co-working space will officially open on Wednesday, June 26, with a ribbon-cutting featuring Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown, followed by facility tours. Located off Route 50 at the Tri-County Multi-Purpose Center, 31901 Tri-County Way, Salisbury, hotDesks is a program of the Eastern Shore Entrepreneurship Center (ESEC).
hotDesks is a 1,800 square foot space with 24/7 magnetic-card security access. The room is equipped with a whiteboard wall, a network printer, cell phone signal booster, a fax, copier and shredder, and workspace for up to 40 people. A separate area for making private phone and video calls, as well as a conference room and kitchen space are also included. hotDesks will soon be equipped with a desktop 3D printer for entrepreneurs interested in makerspaces, locations where people gather to share resources and knowledge to create and build things.
“Typically when people talk about telecommuting or home-based offices they talk about increased productivity,” says Mike Thielke, executive director of ESEC. “But it doesn’t account for creativity and the power of inspiring new ideas and businesses through collaboration. The ability to share and develop ideas with others is an inherent ingredient for innovation. Co-working spaces like hotDesks provide the best of both worlds,” he adds.
Entrepreneurs, freelancers and transient workers access hotDesks as members, choosing the membership option that best suits their needs ranging from $150 per month for full-time members to $20 per day for drop-ins. Membership includes:
Wireless Internet
Cell phone signal booster
Undedicated desks & chairs
Lounge area
Conference rooms
24/7 magnetic-card security access
Network printer
Fax/copier/shredder
Whiteboard wall
Kitchen with unlimited coffee, tea, water, and popcorn.
hotDesks, Tri-County Council Multi-Purpose Center, 31901 Tri-County Way, Salisbury, is Maryland Eastern Shore’s first co-working space. Co-working is a new style of working because it blends the flexibility of working from home with the social and professional benefits of being in a vibrant office. hotDesks is designed to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship by providing a community for independent entrepreneurs.
For hotDesks information contact (410) 770-9330, [email protected] or twitter.com/hotDesksMD.
..
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.