Coworking connects entrepreneurs through shared office spaces

When Christopher Charlesworth’s crowdfunding business HiveWire started ramping up, he realized it no longer made sense to run the business out of his condo.

So two years ago, he rented four desks in the Centre for Social Innovation’s Spadina Ave. coworking space, one of more than 20 such facilities in the Greater Toronto Area.

Located between Dundas St. W. and Queen St. W., CSI Spadina has temporary and permanent workspaces in two renovated floors of an old building with plenty of light and exposed brick and beams. It is one of three CSI locations in Toronto.

Coworking is a growing trend among the self-employed. It allows people to work at their own businesses in a shared space with common resources. The major attraction for people like Charlesworth, an MBA graduate from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, is that unlike traditional rented office space, the arrangement is flexible and there are plenty of chances for networking.

“I didn’t have to sign a lease,” says Charlesworth, who previously headed the undergraduate recruitment program at the University of Western Ontario. “I can easily arrange meeting space or rent additional desks. Because there is such a wide diversity of organizations and individuals you end up connecting with people you wouldn’t ordinarily meet.”

(More at: http://www.thestar.com/business/personal_finance/2014/03/16/coworking_a_growing_trend_that_connects_entrepreneurs_through_shared_office_spaces.html)

 

Garner some Superbowl ‘Star Power’ with a Prime Office Space or Virtual Office in Toronto

Indianapolis, the host of Superbowl XLVI won’t have the club or luxury hotel clout of former host cities but will celebs and the media clamour to the city this weekend?

Yes.

Whether you’re the ‘Indianapolis’ or the New York Giants of your industry, the way to get clients making a bee-line to your home office or office space is to unify clients around what they’re passionate about, i.e. quality service and products. How do you communicate quality to prospective and current clients? Firstly, a professional business image is critical to what your prospect feels compelled to do once they’ve come into contact with your business and have heard your call to action.

A central business address in downtown Toronto, professional reception service and an impressive business environment, meeting rooms space and office space speak volumes before you even meet face to face with clients. A professional image increases prospects’ expectations about how you conduct business.

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What does Indianapolis teach us about image and impressions? Impressions are, simply put, implied promises. Superbowl implies delivery of great sporting entertainment, great half-time commercials and live performances. Regardless of the name of the city, the Superbowl’s promise trumps the lack lustre celeb roll call of Indianapolis. Even if a business is a young start-up or a small local operation there is no reason why smaller operations like these can’t make a great professional promise to clients and a promise that rivals that of more established players in your industry.

30 Snow-related collisions in Toronto: Time to consider a Virtual Office?

If you’re pouring into downtown Toronto, braving the high winds, wet snow and icy roads, one pretty elaborate question might start to formulate: “Why me?”

Interestingly enough a small subset of commuters like yourself could have been warm and toasty at home. Hopefully none but some may have been among the 30 smash-ups recorded before 7.30 this morning. Read more