Coworking’s longevity demands empowerment of participants

The next wave of coworking in Rochester is here. Many more coworking spaces are opening their doors and, as far as I’m concerned, the more the merrier!

NextCorps’ Incubator at Sibley Square is now open, with a focus on providing assistance to technology and high-growth companies. Made On State is an artist community with a coworking-centric philosophy. There are even franchise coworks moving into town! This growth of coworking proves that Rochester is ripe for an entrepreneurial explosion!

The encouraging part of this growth is that (based on my global knowledge) there is plenty of room in our city for all of these coworking models, assuming all of them consider the importance of people and community first. Longevity in coworking has little to do with real estate and everything to do with empowering the people who participate.

As coworking continues to evolve on a global scale I’m continuing to identify new and innovative ways to present the model to entrepreneurs in our region. Through my conversations with cowork managers and creators worldwide, my eyes have been opened to the fact that coworking is a philosophy that will allow our institutions to become more connected.

This is the final installment in a three-part series on coworking. Click here to see Part 2.

Chris Cooley is a TEDx speaker, writer and cowork consultant. As a social entrepreneur who calls Rochester home, he is finding, more than ever, that true coworking provides the critical resources and atmosphere for entrepreneurial success and continues to explore the model and its effectiveness here and abroad.