Energy and collaboration are at the heart of a shared workspace offered in downtown Okotoks.
Studio Me launched its co-working program this spring, offering space to entrepreneurs and home-based business owners who need an occasional place to work. The studio has a variety of membership plans available, from a 10-visit punch pass to a premium option, and each level of membership has its own perks and number of hours that can be booked per month.
Tia Bell, co-working manager for Studio Me, also works out of the space for her personal coaching business and said it’s a great place to get away and concentrate for a couple of hours at a time.
“Working from home I can be in my office, but I’m also thinking about, ‘Oh, I can just run the dishwasher,’ or ‘I can just do this or that,’” said Bell. “Working here is just different than being in the house, I can be more creative and productive.”
Part of the membership plans includes Mastermind Workshop, which brings business owners together to share problems or successes and collaborate, even though they may be from completely different walks of life and industries, she said. Having the regular meetings can also help hold people accountable to their goals.
“We find that very important for helping each other grow,” said Bell. “We can’t grow on our own, so as entrepreneurs we don’t want people to be isolated, we want them to be able to grow together.”
She said part of the appeal of working at Studio Me is the flexible workspace. Everyone has their own table to use and there are room dividers for added privacy, though some prefer to set up on the window seat or stage with pillows.
It can be useful for people who aren’t necessarily entrepreneurs as well, she said – those who are still working from home due to COVID-19 could also book space if they need a break and the chance to work somewhere other than the home office or a coffee shop.
Space can be booked online, she said.
One business owner who takes advantage of co-working at Studio Me is Tiffany Rose, of Tiffany Rose Photography.
Whether for taking studio headshots or working with images, she said she enjoys booking time at Studio Me.
“The vibe here is amazing, it’s so welcoming in here,” said Rose, who prefers to work at the window seat when she’s in. “When I’m editing photos I come in here sometimes and just lay out and splay all my stuff here. It’s super comfortable, just amazing.”
Jen Anderson, a personal coach who likes to set up shop on the stage at Studio Me, said the energy is what draws her to the space.
“I get super creative when I’m in here,” said Anderson. “I have three kids at home, so it’s busy. But here I just allow myself to think and let everything flow through, whatever flows through that day.
“I was teasing I only need an hour time slot because I get 10 times more done here than at home.”
She said there is also peace of mind in knowing she can get work done uninterrupted, particularly due to a system of jars Studio Me owner Jody Swift has implemented.
People who come in to work can take a jar with red liquid that reads “In the Zone” or a green-coloured jar labelled “Open to Mingle,” indicating to other co-workers that he or she is either able to chat or needs to buckle down.
“We’ve created a culture of being able to communicate without speaking, so when someone comes in they take a jar and that tells us where they’re at,” said Swift. “If they take an ‘In the Zone’ jar, nobody talks to them for the entire time they’re working. They go, they sit down, they put “in the zone,” that’s it. They’re focused at work.
“And they don’t have to feel they’re being rude because it’s very well-known and well-accepted in the culture of our studio that it’s okay for you to be in the zone.”
The system is especially valuable for people like busy moms who may only have a couple of hours to dedicate to their work and need to be hyper-focused, she said – but those who want to network and meet new people also have that option.
Swift said the best part of running a collaborative space is the number of different sectors and personalities that can come together at any given time.
“Our linking connection is our passion for what we do,” she said.
Krista Conrad, OkotoksToday.ca
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