5 Benefits of Spending My Entire Career in a Coworking Space
An Ode to MakeOffices
I’m a MakeOffices lifer. I was even there when it was still called UberOffices. Prior to The GLG, I opened the ATA office in UberOffices Tysons — and by opened I mean I literally opened the doors in that location for the first time while my boss was out of town (hell of a first day of work right out of college eh?). When I took the plunge into entrepreneurship in March 2015, it was a no-brainer to keep my virtual office (read: mailbox) at this location. 6 months later, I was fed up with working from home, so I upgraded to the “bullpen” open desk area. Post rebrand and expansion, MakeOffices opened its flagship Clarendon location in June 2016 — I was one of the first members to arrive on June 1. This coworking community is all I’ve ever known. You’d think at this point maybe I’d want to try something new and check out a new place? Nah.
5 reasons why I love where I work.
The Amenities
To name a few: 24/7 access, 24/7 keg taps, 24/7 coffee bar, massage chairs, happy hours, launch parties, breakfasts, lunches, meetups, speaker series, Brunchwork, conference rooms, call rooms, mega flat-screen TVs, full kitchens, accommodating lounge areas, strong wifi, standing & treadmill desks
The Team
The entire team, from the newest Community Managers to the CEO, is upbeat, responsive, forward-leaning, and fun. You can tell they love what they do, so they are all-stars at helping other people love where they work.
“Collaborative Collisions”
MakeOffices’ coworking spaces are set up to foster “collaborative collisions” with other members. I’ve been able to meet “work friends” and have “water cooler talks” that were non-existent before. I’m constantly meeting new people doing new things, so there is always something to be learned. These “water cooler talks” with “work friends” are unlike the standard ploy of complaining about office politics or having to work an extra hour one night; these “water cooler talks” are about disrupting industries, scaling companies, and branding value propositions — and these “work friends” are the entrepreneurs, influencers, investors, thought leaders and the like that are actively striving to accomplish these goals.
Work, work, work, work, work, work, work
I’ve been on the grind since my first day at ATA. I went from working for a startup to running my own. I’m surrounded by others hustling to build their own businesses (read: dreams). Despite the lavish amenities that may seem like distractions, I “get real work done here” and The GLG’s growth is a direct testimony to that. I even enjoy being here when no one else is — like so many late Friday nights. Every time I step into the office, no matter which location it is or what time I’m getting there, I’m invigorated to get after it.
Company Culture
At ATA, it was just me and the boss man in the office. Everyone else was remote. But, boss man was usually engaged in serial entrepreneur/angel investor type things, so I was there alone a lot of the time. Now, I’m driving The GLG ship in the oft-lonely waters of early-stage startup/entrepreneur life. I am my company culture (I put my first AND my last name in my business for god’s sake). Yet, MakeOffices has given me so many opportunities to form meaningful relationships, to have impactful discussions, to learn from others’ perspectives, and to share my own. My time and experience in MakeOffices are integral parts of my brand — both as Founder & President of The GLG, and as Grant G. Leonard — and I always enjoy sharing this culture with those around me.
The more time I spend at MakeOffices, the better it gets, and that is the most exciting part! I genuinely look forward to going to the office every day to absolutely work my tail off — how many people can say the same?
