CoLab, Nashville’s first coworking space, reaches out to mobile workforce, creative professionals

Ever struggled to work from home or at a coffee shop? You are not alone!

The mobile workforce is now the norm and America is quickly becoming a freelance nation.

Research firm IDC recently predicted that more than 75 percent of American workers will be mobile by 2011. Thanks to technology that didn’t exist five years ago, many workers now need nothing more than a laptop, cell phone and a Wi-Fi connection to do business.

Downsized and laid off workers have created a large talent pool of out-of-work professionals. Some have become entrepreneurs and consultants out of necessity. Many are freelancers or small business owners in creative fields such as marketing, web design, PR, graphic design or photography who took control of their careers and turned the recession into a business opportunity. Others are working for traditional companies out of home offices.

Many, especially those in creative fields, crave interaction and the use of facilities that a traditional employer would provide. Working from home can be lonely and distraction-filled. Working from a public space is just plain difficult.

This is where coworking comes in, as the next generation of work space that fits a need between working from home and a traditional executive or office space.

Coworking is a style of professional workspace that involves a shared working environment, sometimes an office, yet independent activity. Unlike a typical office environment, coworkers are usually not employed by the same company.

Coworking spaces have a mix of shared desks open for daily or weekly use, shared meeting spaces, lounge areas where members can work on couches and in comfy chairs. It often has large open spaces and most coworking spaces offer small, private offices for those that need them. The approach is designed to fit the needs of a wide range of workers.

Need a desk once a week? No problem. Need to use conference rooms for group sessions? Got you covered. Need a small office as a base for you and a partner to  but need space for larger meetings? Coworking could be the answer.

Coworking is typically less expensive than traditional office space. It can be a good first step out of a home office for many. For a monthly membership fee, you can get a business address, access to the Internet, access to meeting rooms and a desk to use if you need it.

CoLab is Nashville’s first and most successful coworking space. Located in the Wells Fargo building on 4th Avenue in downtown Nashville across from the Arcade, CoLab opened in early 2010 and quickly filled the first floor to capacity, prompting expansion to the 3rd and 4th floors. It is currently home to more than 30 businesses.

“We are on the ground level of something that’s going to go really big,” says Joseph Conner, account executive at Kaleidoscope Media, CoLab member.  “It’s great to be surrounded by creative people. It leads to a great exchange of ideas.”

At CoLab our workspace is integrated mix of options. A large, common coworking area provides space for freelancers, sole proprietors and entrepreneurs to work alongside others who may share similar interests. Affordable office suites are interconnected to our large coworking areas. Everyone shares the same amenities: printer, copier, fax, high-speed Internet, training room, conference room, kitchen and lounges.

Oh, and one more thing. Everyone shares the ping pong table at CoLab. That’s important in the brave new world of working.