Building a business or launching your freelance career is hard to do, but it’s even harder without a dedicated place to do it. Freelancers, entrepreneurs, and artists know this problem all too well. How many of us have found ourselves buying a latté just to use the wifi and table space at coffee shop? Working from home is sometimes an option, but between the constant reminder of chores that need to get done and the temptation of a comfy couch, it can be tough to focus.
One solution? The co-working space. These shared offices provide a place for people from all types of businesses and careers to work side-by-side, often offering both open floor plan areas and private rooms. Members can usually pay either monthly or annually for access to the space.
Many of them are co-ed, but recently, more and more spaces dedicated exclusively to women have been popping up across the country. Women-only co-working spaces offer all the benefits of a shared office, without being dominated by men (no mansplaining here). Several of them also boast tons of specialized amenities as part of their membership, including lactation areas, beauty rooms, and access to fitness classes.
There are many reasons to choose a co-working space over a home office or a coffee shop: for starters, you aren’t alone. Being surrounded by other creative, driven, and hard-working women all around you can motivate and inspire you. Also, there’s more opportunities for collaboration. Who knows, maybe you’ll find the perfect business partner sitting right next to you.
Memberships can get pretty pricey, so unfortunately they’re not an option that is accessible for everyone. But if you are working solo or with a small team and have the means to invest, a co-working space may be a good fit for you. Here are the best spaces for women to network, get organized, and get their hustle on in 2019.
The Wing
The Wing is probably the co-working space you’ve heard of already: They’ve been making the news as they expand their locations from New York to San Francisco and Los Angeles (coming soon). Their spaces are a beautiful backdrop for work—seriously, you’ll want to move in. Plus, they host regular events with big-name speakers: You too could be listening to a talk from the likes of women like Hillary Clinton from the comfort of a mid-century modern armchair.
The Coven
The Coven has created a space for women and non-binary people to come together and work in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. In addition to an inclusive beauty bar with products for all skin and hair types, the space features a conference room with space for up to 12 people and phone booths for private conversations.
Hera Hub
Hera Hub is an OG women’s workspace. Founded in 2011 in San Diego, they have since added more California locations, as well as spots in Atlanta, Arizona, and even Sweden. They’ve made it their mission to support over 20,000 women in the launch and growth of their business by 2020.
evolveHer
evolveHer’s membership includes everyone from new business owners to women who are established in their careers, and strives for unity in the community over mindless business card-swapping. Expect to address both your personal and professional dreams at this Chicago location.
The Riveter
The Riveter has three locations in Seattle and two in Los Angeles, all of which feature a balance of open and private space, as well as dedicated meditation rooms. They also have The Riveter School, where members can take part in hands-on training programs to help them get ahead.
Circle + Moon
This space in Roswell, Georgia is geared toward female entrepreneurs who want to develop relationships with other successful women while building their business. They offer a daily “Morning Jolt” meeting, where women gather for an hour of brainstorming and collaboration at the start of the day.
Women In Kind
After work many women are tasked with the “second shift,” or the workload of caring for family and children that’s often even more consuming than their professional responsibilities. Women In Kind tries to compensate for that by offering their members access to childcare, meal planning, and personal assistant services, as well as one-on-one mentoring and personal finance workshops.
The Perlene
Oregon-based workspace The Perlene was designed with the “modern powerhouse woman in mind.” This means a luxurious space (think pink fur pillows and plush velvet sofas) that is part office, part social club, and all feminist.
The Hivery
Located in Marin County, California, The Hivery is a small, inclusive space for women to pursue meaningful work, whatever that means to them. Their “inspiration lab,” as they call it, is bright and airy with colorful accents, and they host regular speaker events, coffee circles, and workshops.
Women’s Center for Creative Work
This intersectional feminist outpost in East Los Angeles creates “space for radical imagining, visioning, and manifesting.” Geared towards artists, they champion activism and support marginalized communities and host a variety of workshops every month about everything from making synth music to how to write for television.
Quilt
If you’re too attached to working at home or aren’t ready to commit to a space membership just yet, Quilt may be right for you. Their service, which is in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, connects you with other professional women near you who are hosting small, intimate co-working groups in their homes. You can even sign up to host one yourself.
