Why Coworking Spaces are Business Therapy for Designers Posted on: July 8, 2014 /
Categories: Current Events
When it comes to coworking spaces for graphic designers, even the downsides
are upsides. Isn't it wonderful when self-serving impulses turn out to actually boost productivity-
e.g., petting office dogs, taking longer lunch breaks, and indulging in second-breakfasts?
Such is the rationale behind coworking spaces: cooperative, pay-by-the-day workplace
options that are serving key roles in the business plans of freelance designers not just in
terms of office space, but in profitability, networking, and savvy advice.
What to Look for in a Design Space: Flexibility, Flexibility, Flexibility If there's one consistency in startups, it's inconsistency-to such a degree that coworking
doubles as the Goldilocks option for best cases and worst cases alike.
Raking in six times what you expected in your first year-or six times less? Outcomes on
either end are among the greatest reasons to consider coworking in lieu of restrictive
lease terms (or cubicles). Want to add another desk or cut your hours from five days a
week down to two? These are options far beyond the bounds of typical leasing, but the
bread-and-butter of coworking arrangements.
Add the fact that either way you're paying only for your share (and not for utilities during
hours you're not there-or, more accurately, for utilities at all), and the prospect for
apportioned budgeting only sweetens further.
Public Spaces, Paired Motives, and Other People's Clients The flexibility to match commitment to demand is nice; having a community through
which to increase demand, nicer.
Collaboration among coworking tenants is really a win, win, win situation; the odds of
finding a complementary freelancer (e.g., coder, writer, photographer) to pair with as a
designer are great, and both parties stand to benefit from the increase in reach, scope, and
input. Meanwhile, the client gains the convenience of having two vendors in one space-
plus any boons in cohesiveness and efficiency that arise from having three-way
communication.
The only potential downside, says Christina Hilliard of Richmond, VA design shop
Campfire and Co., is relinquishing your control over shared, open aesthetics-but that,
too, has an upside:
Designers have a tendency to want to have complete control over their space, which just
isn't really an option in a coworking situation. That said, our business grew much more
quickly because we are in such a public space. People are able to see our process and how
we work with one another and our clients, as opposed to us hiding out in our homes. 2
You Say Happy Hour, I Say Business Therapy Of course, networking within coworking spaces has its motives aside from just profit.
Many coworking outfits maintain active calendars of guest speakers, workshops, and
community mentoring sessions (with the latter occasionally masked as rooftop happy
hours).
Fraternizing with freelancers and entrepreneurs is a real advantage when running your
own business. The more time a designer can spend designing, and not managing finances
or unraveling legalese, the better-so it helps to have people nearby who've gone through
parallel struggles and taken great notes.
Our studio members have become our business support system, explains Hilliard's
graphic design partner Lauren Stewart. It's so helpful to have a group of people
experiencing the same things and sharing tips and tricks. They are there with you in your
challenges and can really celebrate in your triumphs.
Conference Rooms Versus Coffee Shops Finally, there's the prospect of enjoying not just space to work, but space to meet.
Accustomed to meeting your clients in coffee shops-and apologizing when there aren't
available seats? Sounds like a problem that coworking spaces can solve.
Plus, they usually provide coffee for free.
Matt Siegel covers the marriage of design, branding, and entrepreneurship for Graphic Stock
.
Christina Hilliard and Lauren Stewart are the cofounders of Campfire and Co., an
interior and graphic design studio based out of Richmond, Virginia's Marvin Lang
Building (which Lauren helped design).
Tags: designers, media, product, productivity, stock media, stock video, Video Blocks, VideoBlocks, web
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
30/09/2026
Schibsted Media, one of Norways largest and most influential digital media publishers and content producers, has invested in mixers and digital signal processor...
30/09/2026
Big Blue Marble announces the addition of live multiview channels to Cloud Video Kit, its broadcast-grade video processing platform. The feature is powered by A...
30/09/2026
Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced that Telekom Slovenije, Slovenia's largest provider of telecommunications and TV services, is open...
30/09/2026
PODCAST EXPO 2026 Recorded Using Blackmagic Design Workflow
Brie Clayton September 29, 2026
0 Comments
Conference featuring 24 sessions over two days ...
30/09/2026
IBC2026 Show Report
David Kirk September 29, 2026
0 Comments
The International Broadcasting Convention has long been Europe's equivalent of the US...
30/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/09/2026
Mavis has launched Mavis Camera 8.2, the latest release of its professional camera app for the iPhone and iPad. This update brings support for iPhone 18 Pro and...
29/09/2026
Oak View Group (OVG) has announced Cisco as an Official Technology Partner, with plans to standardize infrastructure across its venue network on Cisco solutions...
29/09/2026
SportsNet Pittsburgh (SNP) won three honors at the 2026 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
Program awards went to Bucs BP in the Sports Program Live category (produced ...
29/09/2026
The Professional Women's Hockey League has announced home openers for all 12 teams for the 2026-27 season, along with a broadcast partnership with CBC under...
29/09/2026
Manifold technologies has been recognized as a contributor to the Media eXchange...
29/09/2026
FuboTV has announced My Local Sports, allowing subscribers in select markets to add their local regional sports network (RSN) as an add-on to a Fubo Sports subs...
29/09/2026
Asian News International (ANI), a wire agency and video news provider based in India, has deployed Grass Valley's AMPP Media Operating System and Framelight...
29/09/2026
South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has deployed Ikegami UHK-X600 cameras as part of an upgrade to IP-based production infrastructure. The deployment ...
29/09/2026
REMI, REMCO models will drive the bulk of the broadcaster's NHL productions ...
29/09/2026
Three years in, the facility is supporting more centralized race production, com...
29/09/2026
NBC, Peacock, and NBSN are carrying all four Wild Card series with a production ...
29/09/2026
19 Nonfiction Projects Across All Stages of Production to Receive More Than $1 million in Support as Documentary Film Program Approaches 25th Anniversary
LOS ...
29/09/2026
Two new plug-ins launch alongside updated bundles
Zynaptiq have just announced the launch of two new plug-ins, alongside new and improved versions of two of...
29/09/2026
All-in-one bus processor revealed
Wes Audio's ng product range has come a long way since it was first introduced, and now includes a tasty selection of ...
29/09/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Ikegami announces that the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, has chosen Ikegami UHK-X600 camera systems as part of an advance to IP-based operation ...
29/09/2026
Blendkit Offers 20% Discount to Celebrate Crossing 150K Asset Milestone
Brie Clayton September 29, 2026
0 Comments
Blendkit, the largest 3D asset libr...
29/09/2026
Interactive streaming specialist Ease Live supported more than 76.5 million fan sessions across three major European media operators during this summers FIFA Wo...
29/09/2026
Ease Live has added support for VAST (Video Ad Serving Template) to its graphical overlay technology, opening up new ways for broadcasters, streamers and rights...
29/09/2026
Rise AV has announced the launch of the inaugural Rise AV Awards, a new global awards programme celebrating the women, advocates and organisations across the AV...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/09/2026
Clear-Com announced that First Baptist Nashville has upgraded its production communications with a Clear-Com intercom solution as part of a comprehensive sanct...
29/09/2026
Blackmagic Cinema Camera 6K Captured Action Shots for Sketch
Brie Clayton September 28, 2026
0 Comments
Camera's portable design and dynamic range...
29/09/2026
Kean Production Services Deploys AJA ColorBox to Deliver Consistent, Accurate Co...
29/09/2026
Berklee Alumni and Faculty Nominated for the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards A total of 28 Berklee alumni and faculty earned nominations across 20 categories this ye...
29/09/2026
Berklee's K-Pop & Beyond Explores Connections Between K-Pop and Hip-Hop Now in its fifth year, the series brings together artists, industry leaders, and s...
29/09/2026
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN, OR AT ANY ADDRESS IN, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS TERRITO...
29/09/2026
We tend to think we live in a digital world, with hopes and fears around artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, data centres and the next big technolo...
Why Coworking Spaces are Business Therapy for Designers Posted on: July 8, 2014 / 
