Our usual open coworking session is coming up next Friday, August 1, 9am - 6 pm, open house style.
Coworking FAQs
What exactly is coworking?
It's people gathering to do their usual work, just in a new location.
Do I need to be a web geek to participate?
No, all kinds of folks participate in coworking -- accountants, lawyers, artists, architects, journalists, printers, farmers, designers, massage health workers, historians. It helps if you can get stuff accomplished with cell phone and computer, but most people find a day spent networking and thinking with a pen and paper can be quite productive.
Is it a big networking fest?
It's pretty relaxed, and if you want to meet others, you can -- but it's not required ;) We maintain a "no pitch zone" but we have seen people find talent, projects, jobs, vendors, and a few enterpreneurs have found investors.
Why do people cowork?
A change of scenery stimulates new ideas and ways of thinking, so coworking tends to breathe life into the way you think and feel about your work. Independents, entrepreneurs and telecommuters enjoy a break from the home office. We almost always learn something new at coworking, through what has been called "accelerated serendipity."
Is there a cost?
Not at these sessions at Firecat. We sponsor coworking sessions on the first Friday of each month for the benefits mentioned above. Our team offices at home except for meetings, so we need the contact. Some spaces are "collectives" with a subscription or rental model. This one's free.
Is there coworking at other places?
There sure is, coworking is an emerging trend all over the world. See the coworking wiki for locations and specifics. There are other coworking sessions in San Antonio, dedicated coworking spaces have sprung up in Texas in Austin, Bryan/College Station, and Houston, and more are coming. San Francisco, New York City, Philadelphia, London, Paris, Milan, even Beirut have coworking spaces.
Come check it out!
Lunch: Feel free to bring your own, have lunch out, but we provide light sandwich fare. We have a lunch topic/discussion, this month we'll celebrate Summer again and explore computer games. As designers, we have a vested interest in how the interfaces are evolving and the game stories becoming more immersive. Really, we do, seriously. Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Wii Fit -- anybody have an advance copy of Spore? We'll have a Wii and a Playstation 3, so feel free to bring what you are playing.