Women-only / Women-centric coworking is having a moment.
Multiple articles have marked the recent trend, which only seems to be on the rise. Bloomberg Businessweek featured an article about multiple companies filling an unmet need, as written by Ariana Igneri. Included in the article are the well-established and ground-breaking Hera Hub, new-to-open Rise Collaborative in St. Louis and the lead location for the story, the Wing in Manhattan.
Another blog post by Kristi DePaul of Remote.co just last November provides additional insights additional to the “why” of starting these spaces. The founders interviewed have a vision to create an alternate option to the “beer-on-tap and foosball” amenities typically found in coworking spaces. There is also an international scope to her article, so it’s becoming a global trend as well.
Increasingly, these spaces look to establish more of a club-like atmosphere than a work-only environment. They include a focus on what busy entrepreneurial woman need beyond the workday. The Coterie seeks to elevate the experience to include on-site, locally-sourced boutiques along with a salon at each of her multiple “East of the Mississippi” locations. Outdoor space is also an essential element of The Coterie experience, for natural light and fresh air options just outside the workspace.
Clearly, a few of these coworking spaces may be defined as women-centric versus women-only, clearing the way for more women to be welcomed into an environment which promotes entrepreneurialism in all forms regardless of gender.
As proponents of creating community in shared work environments (before it became the darling word of the coworking movement) we’ve witnessed that, increasingly, workers of all vocations vote with there feet as to the best experience for their greatest productivity and creativity.
We applaud that now, there are more choices than ever. Cant’ wait to see what’s next!