Coworking spaces, defined by Harvard Business Review as “membership-based workspaces where diverse groups of freelancers, remote workers, and other independent professionals work together in a shared, communal setting,” help workers thrive. For moms, who want the flexibility to take care of their families while also contributing to society and bringing in a paycheck, coworking spaces open up a world of possibilities. So, mompreneurs, pour yourself a cup of coffee in the communal kitchen, get on the group wifi, and learn about how coworking spaces in San Antonio can help you self-actualize.
Benefits of Coworking
Every coworking space has its own culture, but I’m going to use the example of the Impact Guild, the coworking space of which I am a member. Let’s pretend you are a guest meeting me there for the first time, and I am giving you a tour.
The Impact Guild is in a historic, 1920s-era building in a residential neighborhood. Its folly—a faux lighthouse—makes it an easy-to-find landmark. The site is close to downtown and developing areas like Pearl and the Deco District, but still has enough space for free parking. Most importantly for me, it’s near my kids’ schools, so I can easily pop in to work after drop-off or pick-up.
The front door is always locked, but members have a key fob that unlocks the door. Members can access the coworking space between 8:30 A.M. and to 6:00 P.M. on weekdays. I have a dedicated desk, so I have 24/7 access. When I’m expecting a visitor, I hover by the front door to welcome them in, or one of the managers lets them in and directs them towards my desk.
My desk has room for books, supplies, and files, but when I want to have a meeting, I reserve one of the three conference rooms. There is an easy online booking system to reserve the different spaces, including the recording/podcasting booth. My monthly membership includes eight hours of conference room time, but I can reserve more time at an hourly rate. There is a larger space upstairs that Alamo City Moms Blog has been using for the Lunchline series.
When I welcome a visitor, I always offer coffee and bring them back to the kitchen. The Impact Guild brews locally roasted Merit Coffee, and the kitchen is stocked with sweeteners, creamers, tea, sparkling water, and more. The reverse osmosis, filtered water spigot is one of my favorite things. There is often a box of breakfast tacos, pastries, or sandwiches in the kitchen, left over from an event, that members leave out for sharing.
I prefer having meetings in the conference room so that our talking doesn’t disturb the people in the main coworking space. In the main room, there is usually a row of tables lined up, with members sitting at chairs and tapping away at their laptops. There are also couches, armchairs, and counter-height seating. When taking a phone call, members can pop into the recording booth or an unused conference room, or step outside.
Once we get settled in our conference room, I’ll make sure my visitor has the guest wifi password. There is also a private wifi network for redundancy and for the shared printer and the AV—screens and projectors. The conference rooms are set up for brainstorming with big glass whiteboards, dry erase markers, and plenty of sticky notes.
Coworking spaces are good for happy collisions: friends who come visit me at the Impact Guild will often run into other people they know. When I am trying to problem solve, I can post a request on the community Slack channel. Working in a space where the members have many different talents and professions creates opportunities for partnerships and collaboration.
The community managers cultivate events that bring members together and help us grow. The environment is enlivened with rotating exhibits by Hausmann Millworks artists, plus flowers, seasonal decorations, and a mysterious rubber chicken that shows up in the rafters.
Coworking Spaces in San Antonio
Coworking spaces are good for moms who want a workspace that is not their home, but who don’t want to commit to paying the rent of a full-time office or a long-term lease. Coworking spaces are not childcare centers, but depending on the culture, parents do bring kids with them sometimes. At the Impact Guild, the office babies visit often, and one of the conference rooms is home base for a private school robotics team. As I mentioned in Amy’s post about working moms in the summer, when it’s crunch time at work but my kids are not in a camp, I will book a conference room and bring my kids (and their tablets) to a meeting.
If you think coworking may be a good fit for you, then visit one of these spaces in San Antonio. Most spaces offer tours, and some will let you try before you buy (or lease):
- 10BitWorks—makerspace on the South Side
- Alamo City Studios—film and video production studio
- Alamo Kitchens—commercial kitchen space
- Annex—a female-oriented space in Northwest San Antonio
- Common Space—a cozy space up 281 North
- CoWork Factory—located in New Braunfels
- Cubes at the Quonset—a casual, pet-friendly, techie vibe near the Pearl
- The Garage—workspace for education nonprofits at the Pearl
- Geekdom—a technology hub in the Rand Building downtown
- The Impact Guild—focused on social entrepreneurship and nonprofits
- Key Coworking—coworking space near Olmos Basin
- Legacy Office Centers—executive suites and virtual offices at I-10 West and Loop 410
- LiftOff—supported by microlender LiftFund to help small businesses get started
- Maestro Entrepreneur Center—office, meeting, and commercial kitchen space supported by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Moade Center—coworking and office suites near the airport and in Fair Oaks
- Office Box—located in Boerne
- Parish—artists’ community on the near West Side
- Regus—class-A executive suites and meeting spaces at locations around town
- San Antonio Area Foundation—meeting and event space for nonprofits
- Space on the Fly—access workspace by the hour, day, week, or month; near the airport
- Venture X—entrepreneur and professional offices in the Stone Oak area
- VenturePoint—flexible offices in the Stone Oak and Medical Center areas
- Werkplaats—executive suites at the Dominion
Downtown San Antonio may be getting a branch of WeWork, a global coworking landmark; read more in the “New and Exciting Things” post, and stay up to date about new coworking spaces and other startup resources at Startups San Antonio.
Besides coworking spaces, here are some other ideas for mom-friendly workspaces:
- The San Antonio Public Library is free and has branches all over town; Central Library has LaunchSA, an entrepreneurship center.
- Coffee shops are mompreneur necessities.
- San Antonio Parks and Recreation offers free wifi at some parks and community centers.
- Some indoor play spaces also have wifi.
Whether you are freelancing, starting a business, growing your direct-sales empire, or studying for a certification, coworking spaces can help level the playing field for moms who are reentering the workforce. Someday, San Antonio may even have a coworking space with childcare. In the meantime, Amy has written a working mom’s summer survival guide.
Have you heard of a new shared workspace, or do you have tips about working? Leave a comment below.
