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How to Turn Your Boss into a Flex Space Believer (Even if They’re a Little Skeptical)

Do you want the flexibility and convenience of a coworking space, but aren’t sure how to convince your boss to let you use one? We’ve got you covered. In this newsletter, we’ll give you some tips and tricks to help you make the case for flex space.

First things first, you need to do your research. Look into the benefits of flex space and how it can help you be more productive and efficient. Some of the key benefits include cost savings, greater flexibility, access to a community of professionals, and access to a range of amenities.

Next, you need to show your boss how flex space can benefit the company. Talk about how it can help you be more productive and collaborate with others in your industry. If you work for a small business, explain how it can help you expand and grow without the added costs of a traditional office space.

When making your case, be sure to address any concerns your boss may have. For example, they may be worried about security or confidentiality. Be prepared to explain how flex space providers ensure the security and confidentiality of their clients.

Finally, be open to compromise. Your boss may not be comfortable with the idea of you working in a coworking space full-time, but they may be open to a hybrid solution. You could work from home some days and use a coworking space on others.

At Social Workplace, we understand the power of flex space and how it can benefit businesses of all sizes. We offer flexible lease terms, a range of amenities, and a community of supportive professionals to help you thrive.

If you’re ready to make the case for flex space and convince your boss to let you use one, we’re here to help. Get in touch today and let us show you how flex space can take your productivity and efficiency to the next level.

Book a tour today: https://www.socialworkplace.com/tour 

Revolutionize Your Work Life with Flex Space from Social Workplace

In today’s rapidly changing work environment, the traditional office space is quickly becoming a thing of the past. Businesses are finding that they need more flexibility to keep up with the changing needs of their workforce. This is where Social Workplace’s Flex Space comes in, offering a range of benefits for businesses in the South Bay of Los Angeles.

Flexibility

Social Workplaces Flex Space provides a level of flexibility that traditional office spaces simply can’t match. With flexible leasing terms, businesses can rent the space they need for the time they need it. This makes it easy to adjust to changes in staffing levels or business needs, without having to worry about being locked into a long-term lease.

Collaboration

One of the biggest benefits of Social Workplaces Flex Space is the opportunity for collaboration. Unlike traditional office spaces, Flex Spaces bring together businesses from a variety of industries and backgrounds. This creates opportunities for collaboration and networking, which can lead to new business opportunities and increased innovation.

Amenities

Social Workplaces Flex Space comes with a range of amenities that are designed to make work more comfortable and efficient. These amenities can include everything from high-speed internet and printing services to conference rooms and lounge areas. By having access to these amenities, businesses can save time and money while also providing a more comfortable work environment for their employees.

Location

The South Bay of Los Angeles is one of the most desirable areas to live and work in Southern California. Social Workplaces Flex Space is strategically located in the heart of this area, providing businesses with easy access to the region’s major highways, airports, and public transportation. This makes it easy for employees to get to work and for clients and customers to visit the office.

Security

Security is an essential aspect of any workplace, and Social Workplaces Flex Space in the South Bay Area of Los Angeles takes it seriously. They provide 24/7 security monitoring, ensuring that the premises are always safe and secure. Access to the building and office spaces is restricted, and employees are provided with keycards or access codes to enter the building and their designated work areas. Visitors must check in at the reception desk and are only allowed access to designated areas.

By prioritizing security measures, Social Workplaces Flex Space provides peace of mind to businesses that their employees and assets are protected. It’s an essential aspect of any workplace, and Social Workplaces Flex Space has taken the necessary steps to ensure that their tenants are safe and secure.

Cost-effective

Finally, Social Workplaces Flex Space is a cost-effective option for businesses of all sizes. With affordable pricing and no hidden fees, businesses can get the space they need without breaking the bank. This is especially important for small businesses and startups, who may not have the resources to invest in a traditional office space.

In conclusion, Social Workplaces Flex Space in the South Bay of Los Angeles offers a range of benefits for businesses of all sizes. With its flexible leasing terms, opportunities for collaboration, range of amenities, prime location, and affordability, it’s no wonder that more and more businesses are turning to Flex Spaces to meet their office space needs.

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Enjoy the Benefits of Privacy and Focus with a Private Office at Social Workplace in the South Bay

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Working from a coworking space like Social Workplace in Lomita, CA can be an excellent way to network and collaborate with other professionals in your industry. However, when it comes to getting work done, nothing beats the privacy and focus that a private office provides. Here are some of the many benefits of having a private office at Social Workplace:

  • Privacy: Let’s face it, working in an open workspace with people constantly coming and going can be distracting. With a private office, you can shut the door and create a quiet, distraction-free environment that allows you to focus on your work.
  • Increased productivity: Studies have shown that people who work in private offices are more productive than those who work in open workspaces. This is because a private office allows you to focus on your work without the distractions that come with working in a shared space.
  • Personalization: When you have your own office, you can personalize it to your liking. You can decorate it with pictures, plants, and other items that make you feel at home. This can help boost your mood and make you feel more comfortable in your workspace.
  • Networking opportunities: Even though you have your own private space, you’re still part of the coworking community at Social Workplace. This means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to network and collaborate with other professionals in your industry.
  • Professional image: If you need to meet with clients or customers, having a private office at a coworking space like Social Workplace can help you project a professional image. You’ll have a dedicated space to meet with clients that’s separate from the shared workspace, which can help you make a good impression.
  • Access to amenities: When you have a private office at Social Workplace, you still have access to all the amenities that the coworking space offers, including high-speed internet, printing and scanning services, meeting rooms, and more.
  • Flexibility: Coworking spaces are known for their flexibility, and having a private office is no exception. You can choose the size of your office, the length of your lease, and even upgrade or downgrade your space as your business needs change.

In conclusion, having a private office at Social Workplace in Lomita, CA can be an excellent way to boost your productivity, project a professional image, and still enjoy the benefits of a coworking community. With plenty of amenities and flexibility, it’s no wonder why so many professionals choose to work in private offices at Social Workplace.

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How to work remotely (even with kids at home) during Coronavirus

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How to work remotely (even with kids at home) during Coronavirus

With COVID-19 and shelter-at-home orders, more people are now working remotely or at home if they can. If you’re a first-timer or just need a little refresh on how to be productive and avoid isolation, here are a few tips and remote working resources that could help make the transition a little easier.  

Internet connection

You’re going to need good bandwidth when working remotely especially if you’ll be doing any Zoom calls or Google Hangouts. This may mean you have the kids or anyone who may be at home with you stay offline while you’re on a conference call or manage any video meetings during times when the kids need to be online.

Tip: Your local internet service provider may be offering community assistance. Spectrum is offering free access to broadband and WiFi for new K-12 and college student households that their network currently passes for the next 60 days. Check with your local provider.

Routine & respected space

Ideally, you should claim a certain area of your home to be dedicated to work during your work hours. Clear off the kid’s school assignments and carve out a space for your “office” whether it’s in another bedroom or at the dining room table. This will help you feel productive and have a place to report to each day you’re working. Just be cautious and not be tempted to work at all hours of the day or night. Keeping boundaries between work and home life is so important to maintain even in today’s environment so you don’t burn out.

While it may be hard initially, you should have some type of routine for work and time for the kids or other activities for mental and physical breaks throughout the day. Taking a 10-minute walk is good for many reasons and will help you feel refreshed and less isolated.   

Tip: Work sprints are a great way to stay focused and get stuff done. Like time-blocking, you set a timer for say 3 rounds of 20- to 30-minute sprints dedicated to getting a specific task done with no interruptions (meaning silence your phone and don’t check email). It’s even better if you reach out to coworkers or others working at home and get together via Zoom to have a virtual work sprint and hold each other accountable.

Organization & Structure

Plan your day – Have a general plan for the day or set one or two goals (be realistic) that you’re going to achieve by the end of the day. Use this time to tackle the first bite of that big project or several little tasks you’ve been putting off and get it done.

Keep yourself accountable – Write down the tasks for the day, tick them off as you complete them (feels so great!) and try not to end your day without completing them all. Being strict in this department will lay a good foundation for healthy productivity.

Break regularly – Simply getting up to stretch or move around for a couple of moments is great to clear the mind and get a little movement in to keep the blood flowing. The brain just needs to “reset” every once in a while.

Tip: We love using Sunsama for capturing our daily tasks and it integrates with Google calendar so you can drag and drop tasks to your calendar and time block for everything. Plus, it encourages you to pick just a few things that absolutely need to get done that day. Rather than packing in too many tasks in one day and not feeling like enough progress was made.

Check-in & Collaboration

Communicate and be accessible via Zoom or GoTo Meeting for conference calls. Or just pick up the phone. Having a conversation is so important right now since we’re feeling what life is like without the in-person connections. Manage your tasks and collaborate with coworkers, teams and your boss via programs like Asana or Slack or even a simple Google Doc. Identify the major projects or tasks you will achieve each week while working remotely. Outline a check-in meeting or call weekly or daily as needed. Don’t be afraid to send useful (not annoying) email updates letting your boss or coworkers who may need to know about the status of the projects you’re working on during your remote days.

Parenting while remote working

It can be challenging working remotely when you have loved ones or others in your space who may not understand that you’re working and not just hangin’ at home. And if you have to keep the kids occupied with home schooling or just entertained so you can get your job done, this can be a juggling act. Setting some ground rules upfront with the family or roommates is a good start. Explain how you’ve structured the day per the steps above and let them know that there are going to be times when you may need quiet while on a video call or have to get back to them later after work. 

Tip: For those parents who are doing the home-schooling thing or if the kids finish their homework early and need something to do beyond video games or movies, here are some great resources for kids for remote teaching. For help with everything from getting the kids off the screen to how to handle home schooling, click over to NPR’s tips for parenting during Coronavirus. (You can listen to the audio versions as well.)

What if you can’t work remotely

If you have a job that does not allow you to work remotely (grocery store and warehouse personnel, nurses and doctors, fast-food workers, etc.), ask your employer what you can do to make sure you’re not losing pay. Keep in mind that things are rapidly changing given the Coronavirus, so it’s not clear whether hourly workers or those who can’t do remote work will be paid if they can’t work.

Some large employers are offering paid leave or sick leave to protect the health of their workers and customers. The best thing is to ask your manager or human resources department what the compensation may be if you are unable to work remotely or can’t come to work. And if you can work, what are the precautions they’ve prepared for you.

We wish you safety and health during this challenging time and the best of luck in your remote working future. Contact us if you need help or resources by emailing hi@socialworkplace.com.

Contact us for help with remote working
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Tips for more successful & relaxed business networking

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Tips for more successful & relaxed business networking

For some of us, business networking can be agonizing.

Sure you need to make the best use of your time, but networking is a lot more fun when you can approach it in a more relaxed state.

Learning from others what works and what doesn’t work, here are some Do’s and Don’ts of business networking.

Do’s

  • Have fun. Networking should be about enjoying time together and not thinking “too much” about work.
  • Enjoy the moment and view a new contact as a happy by-product from the event.
  • Ask questions of others. People like to talk about themselves and will trust you when you actually get to know them.
  • Practice saying what you do in a sound-bite. If you have a chance to bring it up in conversation, be concise and allow others to ask questions.

Don’ts

  • Be in people’s faces. Networking is nuanced. Read the room and conversations to see when to bring up business or other interests.
  • Attend an event just to push an agenda to a disinterested crowd. People will remember you for all the wrong reasons.
  • Disrupt conversations just to crow-bar your business card into the hands of strangers. Have a conversation first and offer or be asked for your card.
  • Be a time-hog. Don’t go over your allotted time for self-intros. Respect others as they’ve respected you. Once your time is up, wrap it up. Don’t be “that” person who has to be cut off.

Want to practice your business networking skills in a fun & relaxed environment?

Come join us at our Social Hour every month for Thirsty Third Thursdays at Social Workplace.

JOIN US
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How to be productive when coworking at Social Workplace

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How to be productive when coworking at Social Workplace

Whether you’re coming in for a few hours or to work for a few days each month, getting the most out of your time is important to being effective while coworking.

A few quick tips to help you have the most productive (and fun) day…

SUCCESS TIPS

Plan your day – Have a general plan for the day or set one or two goals (be realistic) that you’re going to achieve by the end of the day. Kick procrastination in the behind! Use this time at the space to tackle the first bite of that big project or several little tasks and get it done.

Keep yourself accountable – Write down the tasks for the day, tick them off as you complete them (feels so great!) and do not let yourself go home without completing them all. Being strict in this department will lay a good foundation for healthy productivity.

Break regularly – Simply getting up to stretch or move around for a couple of moments is great to clear the mind and get a little movement in to keep the blood flowing. The brain just needs to “reset” every once in a while.

Effective engagement – Connecting with others is great, but it should be productive and beneficial to you/your project and not wasting time, keeping others from doing their work. Be aware of others and find ways to engage without being distracting or even procrastinating by chatting. It does more harm than good for productivity in a coworking space.

WHAT TO BRING

A sweater or light jacket – We try to make the space as cool and comfortable as possible but you may want to bring a sweater or light jacket in case you get cold.

Laptop & power cord – Don’t forget the essentials when you come to work. We have just about anything else you might need but these items you can’t leave home without.

Earbuds/headphones – Always great to bring earbuds if you want to work undisturbed or listen to your own tunes while working.

Cell phone – Please be sure that your phone is on silent so as not to disturb other workers. We have charging stations for most mobile phones throughout the space.

Nosh (food) – We have a refrigerator and microwave for food if you’re brown-bagging it. If you plan on microwaving odiferous food please use the clubhouse microwave so as not to bother others. Ask us about nearby places to #eatlocal if you need some recommendations – there are some great places!

WHEN YOU GET HERE

Parking – Parking is first-come, first-served and you may even want to walk, bike ride, Uber or Lyft to the space if you’re close by. Please do not park in our neighbors’ spots next door and follow any posted parking notices. Bike parking is available, bring a bike lock.

Entry – Please enter and exit via Suite 200 upstairs. Let us know when you’re leaving for the day.

KNOW THE GROUND RULES

If you still need help, please refer to our Ground Rules.  All of our Members and Guests are required to follow them.

DON’T BE SHY

Let us know if you need anything. We’re here to make the time you spend at Social Workplace a great experience. So feel free to enjoy the outdoor lounge area, tap on our door if you want to bounce an idea off your fellow entrepreneur business owners or have a good joke you want to share, and introduce yourself to anyone else who may be in the space.

Ready to get coworking?

If you’re looking for flexible office space and want to be part of a growing community of fun business people who’ve been down the road of startups and also starting new side hustles, book a tour at Social Workplace and check out the space!

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5 ½ ways to convince your boss to work remotely and pay for coworking

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How to be productive when coworking at Social Workplace

5 ½ ways to convince your boss to work remotely and pay for coworking

Your boss probably doesn’t want to think about you working from home in your pajamas or taking conference calls with barking dogs in the background. So, if you’re ready to take the leap and reap the benefits of working remotely, here are some tips for convincing your boss that it’s a good thing for the company and for you.

Coworking is good for at-home workers and road warriors

We all know that even the best digital nomads and roaming workers can easily get distracted when working from home or in a café. Noisy cappuccino makers or a crying baby does not make for great ambiance on a conference call. Having a dedicated workspace with reliable high-speed internet access and a quiet professional place to take meetings allows you to put in a focused and efficient workday.

According to Deskmag, employees who switched to coworking rather than commuting to the office experienced 23% more productivity than their office working counterparts.

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Coworking helps remote teams and independent contractors working with larger corporate clients

Video calls are convenient for team communication but for problem solving and trouble-shooting, there’s nothing like in person collaboration and face to face communication. People tend to be more creative and come up with solutions more quickly in real time. For vendors, consultants or freelancers working with larger clients in business, tech or healthcare industries, having a professional place to meet with a local business address goes a long way with corporate clients and gives their HR departments a greater comfort level.

Coworking can help companies test new markets

Coworking is a great way to test a new market or location for the business. Short term shared office space and coworking saves companies money on opening a new office. Typical costs involved with setting up a new location become prohibitive as the company must commit to long-term leases and commit capital against lease obligations. Ongoing operational costs (internet, equipment, furniture, coffee service and janitors) can be as high as $30,000 to $60,000 per year and finding the right space and negotiating leases is a huge time sink. By coworking or having a short-term lease in a shared office, the company can test market and later scale to a bigger space if successful.

Before your ask the boss…

Bottom line is before you can ask your boss to support your request to work remotely, you need to have a track record of being a trustworthy, high-performing employee. Before they let you work outside of the office, you need to show that you’re already a productive team member and have demonstrated your commitment to the company and have taken initiative in other areas and past projects.

Have a plan

  1. Ask to meet with your boss or the decision maker. Set aside about 30 minutes for your meeting and get it on your calendars so it’s taken seriously and not seen as a casual chat or pop-in.
  2. Be prepared by having a proposal for how you will work remotely. Share with your boss a document that addresses some of the concerns they may have. Describe how you will communicate and be accessible (Zoom or GoTo Meeting for conference calls). Share how you will manage your tasks and check in with coworkers, teams and your boss (Asana or Slack for project management and collaboration). Identify the major projects or tasks you will achieve in the next few months while working remotely.
  3. Outline a check-in meeting or call on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis as needed.
  4. Don’t be afraid to send useful (not annoying) email updates letting your boss or coworkers who may need to know about the status of the projects you’re working on during your remote days.
  5. Frequently communicate and stay in touch with your boss, other managers and coworkers so you don’t become out of sight, out of mind. Make it easy and comfortable for people to call or chat just as though you were there in the office with them.

Bonus tip:
Scout out coworking and shared office spaces that would be a good fit for you with pricing. Showing your boss that you’ve done the homework and having an idea of the costs can only help your cause. Coworking spaces that are central to major airports may make the coworking space more appealing.

You may not get a ‘yes’ on the first try, but have patience and continue to prove your value and ability to excel and tackle big projects without hand holding. You may even want to suggest a trial period to test out the remote working plan to show that it’s feasible.

Ready to work remotely?

If you’re looking for flexible office space and want to be part of a growing community of fun business people who’ve been down the road of startups and also starting new side hustles, come by for a tour at Social Workplace and check out the space!

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What is Social Workplace and how does it work?

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What is Social Workplace and how does it work?

Thanks for your interest in Social Workplace. We’re super excited about the support and enthusiasm from our local community for our new space.

I created Social Workplace to solve a problem I had as an entrepreneur. In 2010, I took an “early retirement” from corporate at 37. Working from my home, I launched three online businesses, wrote multiple books and produced business workshops and conferences. The problem was that now I needed to get out of my home and make live connections in the real world – so I started networking.

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I poured myself into my local community. I joined multiple Chambers of Commerce, attended business networking groups, and volunteered a LOT. It was fun. It helped me build relationships. And I got some decent business from it. But it was exhausting and I was finding that the social aspect and fun of hanging out with people started to be the real reason why I was spending so much of my time “networking,” not necessarily growing my business.

Even with all of these amazing people I got to know, I was still feeling pretty isolated in my business. As disciplined as I was working from home, my business wasn’t growing. I needed to connect with like-minded and like-motivated people. I needed a place to go where I knew I could find someone to bounce ideas off of and not be so – lonely at work.

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YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A DIGITAL NOMAD, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR OR CONSULTANT TO COWORK.

Maybe you’re looking to grow a side hustle, or you own a small business or need a reason to get out of the house to get some work done without distractions. Or (like me) need a more professional place to meet clients and grow your business outside of your home.

AT SOCIAL WORKPLACE YOU CAN GRAB A DESK AND GET TO WORK.

It’s also a place to connect with others who are looking to grow their business and help others do the same. And if you’re not into being social at the moment because you have a project to focus on, you can work out of one of our private or semi-private offices to get some work done.

Another huge need we still see in the community is professional meeting space. We’re located in the heart of the South Bay near freeways and local airports.  We have several options to host your next meeting with two dedicated conference rooms, a 25-person classroom, smart TVs, projector, whiteboard, and anything else you’d need for success.

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WHY SHOULD I BECOME A MEMBER OF SOCIAL WORKPLACE?

A monthly membership structure is common in the coworking industry. Think of it like gym membership for your business.

Membership plans are month-to-month and you can cancel anytime. It’s not our goal to lock people in to year-long commitments unless they need a longer-term option. Coworking is all about flexibility, and our memberships reflect that.

With any level of membership, you receive all the perks our memberships offer. That includes up to 40% off our rental rates (this is for meeting rooms, classroom and podcast studio), as well as access to printing/copying/scanning, complimentary member events, and free coffee/tea!

When you sign up, you become a valued member of Social Workplace and our members are everything to us! We want you to make this your home base for business. And we even offer a professional business mailing address at the space so you have someone here to receive mail and we notify you when you’ve got mail.

WHAT IF I NEED 24/7 ACCESS?

No problem. We have membership plans that give you access to the space if you work better after sunset or are an early riser. You’ll just need to be sure you follow the same ground rules as during normal business hours.  

WHAT IF I’M NOT READY TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT?

No worries. You can also pay as you go, month by month (but you do get a deeper discount if you pay for multiple months upfront). Plus, we have day passes if you just want to dip your toe in the water. You don’t get access to all the member perks but if you happen to drop-in on a day when we are having a complimentary event, you are most certainly invited!

CAN I MEET CLIENTS AT SOCIAL WORKPLACE?

Yes! As a member, this is YOUR space. That means business as usual. Meeting clients in a welcoming, accessible and comfortable space is so important to forging that relationship. Don’t forget to offer your client coffee, tea, water or snacks that come complimentary with your membership. We do ask that you are respectful to your neighbors and that might mean that you reserve one of our Meeting Rooms (it’s free to members to use for one hour per month), or find a quiet spot maybe outdoors in our lounge area.

I PREFER WORKING ALONE IN A QUIET OFFICE.

We get it. Some work requires your full attention without interruptions. In that case, we have one fully private office and one semi-private (there’s room for eight people to work).

But…don’t forget to try our social desks. Social desks are workspaces anyone can grab anytime and they are in our common area. There is a certain energy or buzz that comes with working alongside other people. This energy can be inspiring and can lead to great business connections. Our social desks are free to members and are always available during our business hours.

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I WANT TO HOST A WORKSHOP AT SOCIAL WORKPLACE.

Fantastic! We have space for that too. Social Workplace is your space to create. Workshops and lunch-n-learns are incredible ways to share your expertise, engage with clients and make some money sharing your wisdom doing what you love. We have a lots of options when it comes to hosting your workshop.

Your first step is getting in touch with us. Drop by or send an email to hi@socialworkplace.com and we can start determining your needs. It’s our goal to make our space as accessible as possible to everyone. Our location is super central and our pricing is very reasonable.

Also, did you know that our members get 1 FREE hosted workshop per quarter? If you’ve been a member for a minimum of 3 months you are able to host up to 4 workshops per year at no cost to you. This is our way of supporting our members while providing amazing workshops and education to the community.

SO, CAN WE COUNT YOU IN?

Let me know if there are any other questions I can answer.

— Heidi 
Owner & Co-Captain

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Ribbon Cutting Event to Celebrate Opening of Social Workplace Cowork Space

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Ribbon Cutting Event to Celebrate Opening of Social Workplace Cowork Space Cowork, office and meeting space located in the heart of the South Bay

Lomita, CA, September 11, 2018 – Social Workplace will commemorate the opening of its new cowork and meeting space with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2315 Lomita Blvd, Lomita, CA. Members of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce and local officials from the City of Lomita will be present at the ceremony taking place on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 at 4pm.

Social Workplace is located in the heart of the South Bay in Lomita – now seeing an upswing in new businesses and housing – and serves a need in the community to provide comfortable and flexible coworking space for business owners, entrepreneurs, creatives and at-home or remote workers to work and have meetings.

Since the office building was purchased in January, the space has gone through a transformation now offering a bright, clean workplace with lots of natural light and vibrant finishes to inspire creativity and productivity.  Amenities include conference rooms for rent, furnished private offices and beachy lounges with living-room-style open work desks, classroom space for 40, and a podcast studio. Members and guests have access to free hi-speed Wi-Fi, coffee/tea, water and snacks, print/copy services, A/V equipment and foosball.

Driven by a passion to provide start-ups and professionals with support they need to grow their business, owner Heidi Butzine and her partner Erik have a vision to help re-energize the local business community. “Social Workplace is like a gym membership for your business,” said Butzine. “We’re here to help members stay committed to their business goals.”

“We’ve done the long commutes, we’ve worked from home and we know that having a great space to work and hold meetings without distractions has made a huge impact on our business,” said Erik. There’s also a personal connection to the City as it’s where Heidi grew up, “My elementary school is literally just around the corner, my family is still here, and my uncle worked at Station 6 on Narbonne Avenue for LA County Fire. There are lots of good memories here,” she said.  

Heidi and Erik are entrepreneurs themselves and have started several businesses over the past 20 years. Social Workplace members can tap into that experience for business brainstorming, feedback or collaboration. “Work doesn’t have to be lonely. If you can go to work in a fun, supportive environment, you’re going to boost your business,” said Butzine.

Tours of Social Workplace and new member enrollments are open. For membership information, call (888) 432-7624 or visit http://socialworkplace.com/. Tours are available by appointment.

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What the heck is coworking anyway?

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What the heck is coworking anyway?

You’ve probably heard the term coworking and may have some idea of what it is — you mean like WeWork? Yes, but the evolution of coworking started as a movement and is now a philosophy and approach to working that has a deeper meaning beyond a desk and WiFi. It’s about people.

Coworking defined

According to Deskmag, “Coworking is a self-directed, collaborative and flexible work style that is based on mutual trust and the sharing of common core objectives and values between members. The members treat each other equally, can increase their well-being by working in a collaborative atmosphere, and accumulate through cooperation (not competition) greater economic, social and cultural capital, above that which is possible through an isolated form of work.”

How did coworking get started?

In 2005, programmer Brad Neuberg was working for a startup and was not happy with his job. He had also worked for himself as a consultant and did not find happiness with that occupation either. Fueled by a desire for freedom and independence that comes with being an entrepreneur but seeking the structure and community of working with others, Brad started the first official \”coworking space\” in San Francisco.

Neuberg’s concept was based on open source principles of sharing ideas, information and even allowing others to copy the coworking idea and run with it. The advent of working wirelessly brought workers the flexibility to work anywhere which also created a vacuum for remote workers and entrepreneurs looking for the camaraderie, sharing and collaboration that was missing from working independently, and the coworking concept caught on.

Coworking today

Today, there are lots of others getting on board in the coworking market. People in real estate and the office rental industry have adapted their businesses to a coworking or shared office model after seeing the popularity and shift in this collaborative approach to working.

Yet, the vast majority of potential coworking space members still have not made the shift to coworking. With over 50 million independent workers in the U.S. and even more telecommuting employees, there are only about 1 million members across all coworking spaces around the globe (Tony Bacigalupo, New Work Cities). Lots of people are still not really aware of what coworking is, and even more don’t really know what it could be.

Choosing a coworking space

Coworking spaces vary widely in their style and vibe but many amenities are now becoming standard issue such as game night and even free beer. What matters most to people when choosing to join a coworking space centers on cost and value – do they see coworking as a worthy investment for their business or work satisfaction – location and proximity to where they live or need to work – and if the culture and members of the shared workspace are a good fit.

Social Workplace is a coworking space based on a programming-driven model. We encourage people to join not only to rent office space but because they want access to people and resources that will help them grow their business, troubleshoot challenges and feel a sense of structure, accountability, and belonging.

Ready to get coworking?

If you’re looking for flexible office space and want to be part of a growing community of fun business people who’ve been down the road of startups and also starting new side hustles, come by for a tour at Social Workplace and check out the space!

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