How WeWork is Changing How we See Work Spaces

As a recent young professional turned freelancer, I'm fascinated by the idea of co-working spaces that seem to be all the rage right now as urban spaces and cities adapt to the new gig economy, where as an individual you can be involved on many projects and work with many exciting individuals at the same time. It's that feeling of possibility and cutting edge quest for innovation that WeWork capitalizes on. In many respects, WeWork is a symbol of how Millennials want to work. 

Transparent Co-working Spaces - Urban Appeal 

So when Carl Boutet, retail strategist and speaker, invited me to come and check out WeWork's new space in downtown Montreal, I could not resist. Entering the premises what struck me was the reliance on transparency, social spaces mixed with tightly woven rooms with glass barriers, giving an atmosphere of an open-space office while maximizing space and functionality. Even in its early stages in Montreal, WeWork is an atmosphere charged with entrepreneurial energy and an open-space that is functional. 

WeWork Companies Inc. is now evaluated at $10 Billion and is taking North American cities by storm. The funky New York-based provider of shared office space targets small companies and technology startups, but offers a dynamic space where freelancers like myself could potentially thrive. Founded in 2010 the upward curve of this company is truly tremendous. In an age of rising rent costs in major urban centers, it's not just intuitive, it's highly practical for early startups, Millennial professionals, to act and serve as entrepreneurial hubs of talent and even VC sniffing grounds. 

The Ultimate Networking Environment 

That such a company is actually empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs is something I find highly authentic, ethical and creative. We rely so much on the digital world, the idea of being and working close together provides a nice social outlet to complement our work productivity of being glued to screens, "online" all the time and the pressure to be "productive" at all times. So in WeWork there's a holistic environment setup where networking and being together without feeling claustrophobic is as natural as breathing. 

For all that it offers, it's profitable via the renting of its space. It's not just another office leasing company, it amounts to what is actually a social movement that stimulates the business and technology sector likely improving the efficacy of the startups and individuals renting its space. It provides an optimal semi-social setting where introverts and extroverts can thrive alike. 

Is the "Sharing Economy" for Real?

While I personally have only heard good reviews from startups and people I know who use the space, when we visit Trustpilot or Yelp, there is a sense that WeWork may be on to something very special. 

Create your Life's Work - WeWork

1. There's access to community, a network and professional talent
2. There's an app, events and opportunities with positive energy 
3. There's different kinds of working spaces to participate in 
4. There's meeting spaces, social spaces and conference rooms galore! 

So not only is WeWork a space to nestle your startup or work as a freelancer, it's also a professional and classy environment to bring business associates from out of town to have meetings. In fact, I know individuals who use this space exclusively for that. So WeWork is not just a brand, it's an experience. I think that's why technology companies and Millennials especially, are quite attracted to the concept and meticulously designed spaces.

As WeWork sites encompasses many floors, the variety of work spaces they offer is truly a happy medium, where anyone can find a setting that suits them best whether it be a traditional office desk or a more casual and social seating arrangement and milieu. 

Does the Physical Space Matter?

Increasingly there is a recognition that optimal innovation is facilitated by optimal collaboration and that is a lot about what I believe WeWork's unique selling proposition is about. Will this mean the end of the traditional office space? Well no, but it is a nice alternative if it fits your budget and the kind of startup culture you are trying to create. 

Creating a space that makes you feel good with the right balance of open-space concept and different productivity rooms means the best of all worlds, in one physical space. The fact that it's 24/7 access is also quite attractive to those of us with entrepreneurial lifestyles, where our schedules may vary quite significantly. WeWork has even plans to go residential, WeLive has gone live. 

Bridging New York & San Francisco 

Considering the collaborative nature of many younger Millennials and iGen natives, WeWork and WeLive may just be the new normal for some of us. The idea that a retail estate business has been turned into a technology platform and "incubator" of sorts for innovation is a highly stimulating concept and a pretty intriguing success story. Management is clearly Millennial, if you check out some of the YouTube content on them. This is also part of the magic of the brand. 

WeWork in a sense is also a story of New York nudging San Francisco, and the best of both worlds colliding. Besides just being a workspace for startups, this is a social experiment which emphasizes the importance of the bridge between the digital, physical and optimal networking spaces all in one. It's that holistic feel of WeWork that truly makes it unique and memorable with a growing list of locations. Maybe this is the platform for creators of the future, where innovation can occur more spontaneously since the potential is clearly enormous. 

Could this be the start of a WeWork Generation, a new social norm in startup and entrepreneurial strategy and a less isolated experience of digital immersion?