International Coworking Day: 13 years of coworking
For some, 13 is considered an unlucky number, but for us, it’s a number to celebrate, as coworking turns 13 today!
When coworking launched in America 13 years ago, it was a slow burner - founder Brad Neuberg reported that no one showed up for the first 2 months - but he persevered, and coworking as we know it today was born.
Indycube itself is eight years old, having started up in the ITV studios in Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff (now a housing estate!) Much like coworking in America, coworking in Wales was slow to get off the ground. Having poured a significant amount of his own savings in to the office space, Mark found that traditional marketing methods did very little. Instead, he kept the lights and the coffee on every day, and spoke to everyone and anyone; eventually, they started to pour in, and Indycube had its first group of members, many of whom are still a part of the community today. (This was beneficial, as Mark was consuming far too much caffeine while he had no one to share with...)
We love coworking because we’re a social species - we need other people around us, regardless of industry or sector. It doesn’t matter if the bloke sitting opposite you is a graphic designer or a yoga instructor, as long as he’s your mate, or if the woman on your left is a writer or a web developer, as long as she’s willing to offer you a cuppa.
We’d like to take this birthday celebration to remind everyone that Indycube is a member of the Coworking Visa, a brilliant scheme which allows members of one coworking space to cowork for free from cities all around the world. Many of our members have made use of this scheme over the years, and we’ve been able to welcome people from all over the world, which is always great.
Coworking and Welsh Communities:
Yesterday, we held an event to coincide with the Eisteddfod in Cardiff Bay - our connector Russell spoke about his passion for communities across Wales, the sustainability and viability of these communities, and the importance of giving back to the rural areas that support our coworking spaces.
The global growth of coworking and the growth of Indycube spaces across Wales and over the border has enabled us to work with rural communities across the UK, becoming part of their networks and sustainability programmes.
Our membership is growing - join us to show your commitment to cooperation and help drive forward our bid for equality in self-employment in the UK.
