seeking office space for the self-employed

[keemao.livejournal.com]

Recently, I joined the ranks of the self-employed. I love what I do, but I feel rather isolated during the day. For the most part, I work in cafes. Being around people helps but I would like to have some "collegues" that I see on a daily basis and have a better sense of community. I'm looking for office space populated by the self-employed or (very) small businesses.


My ideal is the the San Francisco Writer's Grotto, a collective workspace that houses over thirty writers and filmakers. They each work on their own craft but they are surround by people with similar goals who understand where they are coming from. It's a place where they can walk over to someone else's office when they get stuck and chat for a while, bounce ideas off of each other. It's a place where people each lunch together and chat over their latest book. I'm look for the equivalent for entrepreneurs/self-employed.

Do you know of any space that resembles this in the Boston area? Any office space for the self-employed? Do you know anyone I should talk to? I'm just starting my search. Any suggestions you have will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Comments

[spatch]

I wish I knew of a collective around here that would fit what you're looking for. I'm sure you will get some good bites around the LJ communities.

A few years back I realized I was getting a lot more writing done at a cube farm job when I should have been doing other things (I've always seemed to do better work when there's Something Else that needs to be done) than when I had the freedom to sit down at my own computer. My Good work ethic requires using a Bad work ethic at the same time. Go figure.

I pondered the idea of renting out a cubicle in someone else's office and working independently of their comany, just to sit there with people all day and hear the phones ringing and seeing other people getting work done. Everybody's got their workin' comfort zone, I guess, and mine comes complete with someone stopping by every 90 minutes or so to ask me why I haven't put cover sheets on my TPS reports. (That part could be purely perfunctory, I guess, and a condition of the rental.)

[keemao.livejournal.com]

That's funny. This happens to me sometimes. If I have something that I absolutely don't want to be working on right now, I find myself "procrastinating" and working on stuff that used to be hard.

[concrete.livejournal.com]

Regus (http://www.regus.com) rents flexible office and cubicle space in small and larger increments - they have several office buildings, there is one on Harvard sq for example.

I am not using them yet but planning to in the future. They also offer virtual officing which is what I'm interested in (virtual receptionist etc)

[keemao.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I will check it out.

Writer's Room of Boston

[leighjen.livejournal.com]

Hi!

I don't know if this will fit what you are looking for but I have seen the post cards from this place.

The Writer's Room of Boston (http://www.writersroomofboston.org/index.html)

Re: Writer's Room of Boston

[keemao.livejournal.com]

I didn't know this existed in Boston too! In the event that I can't find a good office sharing/community situation, I might consider creating my own. In which case, this would be a good place to visit and pattern after. Thanks!

[nathanjw]

From 2002-2004 I rented a cube at an outfit called "The Creator's Guild", at 312 Stuart St. in Boston. They had four floors and rented mostly to small companies (3-10 people), but had some singletons as well, such as me. I was paying $400/month two years ago for a cube; offices were $750/month. That covered the space and a pretty full set of office amenities: telephone, internet, shared receptionist, mailroom, coffee and kitchenette, and some number of hours per month in the conference room.

I don't have their phone number handy; I found it easiest to just walk in and ask about space.

[keemao.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I will stop by and check place out.

[lonelyholiday.livejournal.com]

My "company" (four of us) rents two offices in a building in Porter Square. It's not meant to be a collective, but more and more of the tenants seem to be independent or into the arts... Lots of small music-related businesses (management, booking, a small record label), some architects, photographers, artists. Some of the tenants keep to themselves, but some of us have become friends and we visit offices and help each other out sort of how you're describing.

I'm not sure if there are any openings and I'm away for the holidays right now, but if you're interested I can get you the landlord's contact info when I return.

[keemao.livejournal.com]

That would be great. If there's a convenient time, I'd love to drop by. My email is obby123@gmail.com
Thanks!

[dani-namaste.livejournal.com]

I don't really know of anything in the area, but I'm also self-employed (I do graphic and web design) and I have the same problems you do with feeling lonely/stir crazy. Maybe we could get together sometime for coffee and mutual support?

[keemao.livejournal.com]

My email is obby123@gmail.com Let's get together. I'm free this afternoon and after next Tuesday.

[elements.livejournal.com]

Check out local nonprofits; I once worked in a nonprofit that had a few lean years and rented out a spare room to another nonprofit to cut costs.

Also, check out other self-employed types like independent therapists. I know my therapist rents a suite of two offices on a floor of similar offices, and she recently rented out her second office to someone self-employed.

I too am jealous of the Grotto. Some day if I'm ever self-employed or telecommuting I'd absolutely want something like that to exist for me.