*Value *is the key differentiator between free coworking spaces and coworking spaces that charge. Spaces that charge will have more means to provide concrete, tangible, community-driven benefits, and thereby drive value for their members. When they do that well, "free" coworking spaces will not be able to compete.
"Free" coworking is not a good business model. Free coworking space operators are not so brilliant they have found a way to overturn the "no free lunch" rule. On Wed, Apr 18, 2012 at 10:43 AM, Joshua Marpet <jmar...@datadevastation.com > wrote: > Wow. Strong words. I was not there, I am not saying the Loosecubes guys > are scum for ignoring the communities at the places they crash at, or > heroes for helping individual coworkers save some money. > > I am just, I guess, a little unhappy that the really pleasant group of > people who have gathered here in this online coworking community are seeing > the rise of elements that they feel prey on coworking. > > I wish it weren't so, but it is. So let's discuss it. > > Who thinks that the Loosecubes idea of "bouncing" from space to space is a > horrible one? > > Who thinks it's acceptable? > > Why? > > Why not? > > How can we, as a community, protect our spaces, our members, our > communities, our revenues (kids gotta eat!) from elements that we, as > individual coworkers, as space owners, and as community stewards, find > objectionable or unacceptable? > > Whether it's a NY Bah-gain hunter, or a Californian indulging a bit too > much before coming to the space, there will always be individuals or groups > that make us grit our teeth. How do we deal? > > My $.02. > > Joshua Marpet > > > > On Wed, Apr 18, 2012 at 12:31 PM, anothergain <anotherg...@gmail.com>wrote: > >> I attended the monthly meeting of the New York Freelancers Union >> last night and was disgusted by the speakers for "Loosecubes" Anthony >> and Kevin. Anthony and Kevin were bragging that there are 50 spaces >> in NYC that offer desks for "free" and were encouraging the >> Freelancers Union members to bounce around and "pay no money" as the >> best way to get their cowork on. >> Coworking is about building a community of individuals, sharing >> resources and through that becoming a unit that is stronger than its >> parts. What Loosecubes seemed to be doing is encouraging people to >> use as many desks as possible for free without a sense at all of >> contributing or creating value for themselves or for the spaces. Even >> the Freelancers Union members were uncomfortable with their line: >> "Nobody gets paid? Great business model!" >> I can see a successful business offering up a desk that they're not >> using for free but any person who has found investors and opened a >> coworking studio as a means of community building should be appalled >> at Loosecubes undercutting the value of what these studios are trying >> to put together. >> It is obtuse to assume that an established business with spare desks >> offered for free just for the hell of it and a studio that opened >> simply for coworking sake could possibly be in the same position as >> far as what they can offer for what price. Encouraging people to use >> the New York spaces as if money were no object to any of us is a gross >> misrepresentation. The Loosecube representatives came off as a con man >> and it was disgusting to know they've been entrusted with the >> stewardship of so many coworking spaces. >> Thank God the Freelancers Union also had Frank from Colab speaking. >> Frank spoke as a member who pays a monthly membership fee, is >> obviously a huge, contributing member of the community at Colab and >> spoke of the the value and benefits in the use of that space. >> As Loosecubes an organization that is perched on the coworking >> industry for its existence I would expect a much better understanding >> of coworking model and a much better representation of the coworking >> communities needs by its representatives. Rent in NYC is NOT free. >> Contribute. Collaborate. Share resources and as such become a >> stronger. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Coworking" group. >> To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. >> >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
