Wikipedia defines coworking as “...a style of work that involves a shared working environment, often an office, and independent activity. Typically it is attractive to work-at-home professionals, independent contractors, or people who travel frequently who end up working in relative isolation. Coworking is also the social gathering of a group of people who are still working independently, but who share values, and who are interested in the synergy that can happen from working with people who value working in the same place alongside each other."
It's that gathering of people that we value the most at Click. Even as we expand into a fantastic, newly renovated building, it's the 35 (and growing) creative members (founders, freelancers, and remote workers) who work here who make the space so special.
Consider Meghan and Brian Fitzgerald, the super smart, dedicated cofounders of Tinkergarten, a company that brings outdoor education and play to young children. Brian brings the tech know-how and Meghan, a former educator, brings the teaching excellence. And, as parents of three young children, they both know a lot about what makes preschoolers tick. Together, as Tinkergarten they develop the fun and engaging curriculum and train and support instructors around the country through an online network. What started as a simple class project in a Brooklyn park has grown into a healthy startup company. In fact, they recently celebrated the addition of their 100th program leader and, notably, $1.6 million in seed funding led by Omidyar Network, a philanthropic investment firm from Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay Inc.
Today they have employees in Brooklyn and six team members working here at Click. Brian said, "We actually extended our commute and brought our company into Click. It's simple—the community is comprised of terrific people we enjoy being with when we come to work."
Another Click member, Sarah Williams agrees. Sarah is the cofounder of Element Athletics. She facilitates the college recruiting process for field hockey players, runs training clinics, and manages a regional field hockey league. She says, "As a local entrepreneur what I like most about Click is the connections you make with others who work there and the energy around entrepreneurship." Sarah tried working from home, but didn't feel productive. At Click, she finds the balance of friendship and the professional environment she needs to get work done.
Josh Levy is the Advocacy Director for Access Now, a organization that advocates for digital rights. Working remotely allows him to live in the community he wants while engaging with work that he loves. Josh says, "I work for a global organization spread out across nearly 10 countries, and most of my relationships are mediated through a computer screen. Working at Click is a live saver - it's a full-blooded community of inspiring entrepreneurs, writers, and activists with whom I can share ideas, blow off steam, and take a walk when the going gets tough. I don't know what I'd do without it."
As diverse as these individuals and their workday efforts are, just about everyone at Click is juggling the same set of issues - how to manage technology, time, budgets, communications, team members, and clients. And everyone hopes to find that perfect work-life balance. We provide the great work space, and we offer a series of member and community events to support professional development and networking opportunities, but it's the daily intersections of our talented members that really makes the Click community thrive.