During our tours for prospective members I find this to be one of the more common questions. I think it is a fair one, however. Here’s why.

In the early days of coworking, which really only goes back about 10 or 12 years or so, it was quite common to find a space comprised of web developers, web designers, and tech-focused members.

These jobs were (and still are) part of the freelance economy, or gig economy as many refer to it. Freelancers didn’t have an office, at least not a “corporate headquarters” type of office and if they did, it was likely an extra office within another business.

We saw an influx of freelancers at local coffee shops like Prince Street Cafe, Square One, Tomato Pie, and Starbucks to meet a client, have some coffee and a bagel, and hammer out some code for a while.

Many freelance jobs were in the tech/creative space, more or less, and not so much in other professions like personal finance or legal services. Well, turns it there were it’s just that we didn’t know it until coworking became a thing!

So getting back to the question, the answer is no, they do not all work in tech. Once coworking spaces started popping up and more people became aware of them, organically, more professions were represented.

Everyone from small business owners to freelancers to remote workers found coworking to be a great place to engage with others, engage in a community of amazing people, and eliminate the isolation of working alone at home – or in the corner of Starbucks.

Today Rock Candy, just like most coworking spaces, has members representing a diverse pool of professions and jobs including personal finance, web design, supply chain fulfillment, photography/videography, sales, management, education consultancy, graphic design, journalism, marketing, and more.

As corporations begin to distribute the workforce more are turning to coworking spaces for small teams rather than leasing an office.

Others are directing their remote employees to try coworking as a health and wellness incentive believing that engaging with others and leaving your basement will have a profound impact on well-being.

Coworking is about many things, community, thriving through engagement with others, creativity, to name a few. Don’t work in tech? No problem. Visit your local coworking space for a tour!