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Millions of people across the country work from home. For many, the freedom of being their own boss and working their own hours sounds like a good deal. But there are some downsides to that, and a Utah County man has a solution.
"It's kind of the alternative to putting a laptop under your arm and heading to Starbucks and meeting your friends there. This is a place where you can come and go," explained Jack Hadley, owner of Cowork Utah.
Hadley just opened up Cowork Utah in Orem. The company's building boasts 3,000 square feet of space, with private offices and open areas available for plopping down a laptop and getting to work.
In one room, there's an author. In the next room, there are three men brainstorming over a future project. Down the hall, we met Cary Snowden. He runs a Web site called Listpipe.com that provides content to bloggers.
"Primarily, it gives me a professional environment where I can meet with my clients. I don't have to meet them at a restaurant or clear out a space at my home to do that," Snowden said.
While those who rent space here have different backgrounds and areas of expertise, the networking opportunities are endless.
Sticky notes are everywhere, offering thoughts and advice; and from one room to the next, there's always a conversation going on -- which is something artist and author Alex Bigney appreciates.
"I'm meeting with photographers, videographers, with writers; with people who specialize in things that I need and have no way in getting in touch with otherwise," Bigney said.
The "coworking" movement started in San Francisco about three years ago and is catching on all over the world. Setups like Cowork Utah are attractive for self-employed people who may have been working out of their homes for a long time and miss having the interaction with co-workers.
"Sometimes people need that little bit of motivation to kind of get out of their pajamas and go," Hadley said. "For some people, it's easy to work from home; and some people like to work at home, but just come here for a couple of hours a day."
It's an alternative for professionals who hate cubicles, like the eclectic decorating and still want a lunchroom nearby.
Cowork Utah hopes to open additional locations in Sandy, Salt Lake, Bountiful, Ogden and St. George.
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com
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