The Power of Coworking Community in a Work-Obsessed World
Why Community Matters in Remote Work and Creative Careers
As both a founder and a creative, my workdays rarely follow a predictable rhythm. Some days I’m on set producing a film, others, I’m deep in strategy mode, mapping out our nonprofit’s vision, team growth, or content plans.
The hours don’t fit in a neat 9–5. But over time, I’ve come to realize that one thing grounds me across every season, schedule, and project: community.
From California to NYC: The Birth of Girls Who Gather
At eighteen, I moved from sunny California to the buzz and blur of New York City. I was craving something deeper — not just friendships, but rooms where people were honest, creative, vulnerable, and kind. That longing led me to start Girls Who Gather, (affectionately known as [gather]) a nonprofit that exists to create spaces where women build real friendships and are empowered in both life and career. What began as a handful of women in my apartment has since grown into a full-fledged non-profit with six chapters across the country, filled with women who lead, dream, and show up for each other.
Finding Belonging in a Coworking Space
While I wouldn’t have my days any other way – I thrive in inconsistency and diversity – I often miss the availability of relationship that comes with a typical 9 – 5.
The SQ has become for me what I feel a lot of us need in jobs that are largely remote — a place of unexpected consistency in a work life that rarely has any. As someone whose days shift constantly between sets, event planning, and nonprofit-building, it has meant everything to sit beside people working on completely different things, yet still feel a sense of togetherness.
In a career path that can feel isolating, SQ has reminded me that belonging doesn’t have to come from your industry, it can come from the environment you choose to show up in.
3 Lessons from Community-Driven Workspaces
These are a few things I’ve learned at the intersection of community and work:
-
Gathering Turns Isolation into Inspiration.
Especially in creative or independent roles, work can get lonely fast. Gathering, even casually, reminds you you're not the only one building something. It sparks new ideas, reframes stuck places, and reenergizes your purpose. Sometimes all you need is a new perspective.
-
Great Work Happens in a Room, Not a Vacuum.
So many of our best ideas aren’t born in a document — they’re sparked in conversation. Gathering gives context, collaboration, and unexpected clarity that can’t be manufactured solo. Sometimes all you need is a new perspective to jumpstart where you’ve been stuck.
-
Intentionality Builds Trust and Rhythm
It’s not about how often you meet — it’s about why. Whether it's a weekly wine night or a shared lunch hour, intentional gathering and creative collaboration build rhythm, alignment, and trust over time.
Final Thoughts: Community is the New Productivity
In a work-obsessed world, community isn’t a distraction – it’s a catalyst. Whether you’re a founder, freelancer, or creative professional, finding spaces that foster connection can transform your work and well-being.
Want to experience the power of intentional community? Join us at The SQ or explore [Gather] to find your people.
