It’s no surprise that we believe in the power of coworking to transform professional lives. 

Daily, we see the value of social interaction in a coworking space and how people tap into deeper levels of productivity, focus, and creativity through working in a positive and collaborative environment.  

Someone who shares our vision for coworking is Daniel Jun Kim, the co-organizer of the Let’s Cowork Meetup Group. 

He started this public group for a simple reason: to make remote working less lonely. It’s open to professionals from any industry and background, so long as you want to meet together in person to build connections to optimize your workday. 

Let’s Cowork is currently meeting at The Colab Space once a week. We sat down with Daniel to learn a bit more about what inspired him to create the group and what they’re enjoying about working here with us. 

Here’s what he shared. 

What inspired you to create this Meetup Group? 

I’ve been remote working for many years now—before the pandemic, actually. 

But it was during the pandemic and more recently that I really started to feel the isolation of it. And just in talking to other people, my co-organizer and I knew that a lot of other people were feeling the exact same thing. 

Many people appreciate the flexibility of remote work, or maybe their situation requires it, but they were really feeling the loneliness and isolation of being in their room or their apartment all day, every day. 

So, for that reason, we were inspired to start a Meetup specifically intended to bring remote workers together to feel that kind of kinship with other people at a physical workplace. 

What do you and your fellow coworkers love about being at The Colab Space? 

We discovered The Colab Space because one of the lovely staff members reached out and connected with us. Prior to that, my co-organizer and I had tried a number of different coworking spaces in the past. 

The reason we love this one in particular is because the team here actively tries to create a sense of community. 

To be honest—not every coworking space does that. 

I’ve been to coworking spaces where, even if there are other people around me, I still feel lonely. I’m just sitting there at the desk alone, wishing people would come talk to me. I’m an introvert—I can’t just walk up to people and start talking to them! 

And I’ve talked to other people like this and they feel the same. They’ve been to a coworking space and while it’s a bit better than being alone, you can still feel lonely around other people who aren’t talking to you. 

But what I love about The Colab Space is that the team here very much tries to cultivate community actively. They have events and all these cool things to foster a sense of connection. 

This, combined with the Meetup group, really help foster a sense of connection and social community.

How can people become part of your group? 

So we’re on Meetup.com, which you can sign up for free, and visit our specific group: Let’s Cowork. 

We’re a local, in-person group, so there’s not much benefit to those outside this area. But if you’re in Southern California or, specifically, you’re in Orange County, it’s easy to join us and come out to one of our meet-ups. 

And the great thing is that, not only are you getting a built-in community with our meetup group, but you’re also coming to this wonderful space. The Colab Space is much better than your room or your home—believe me! We have everything here—snacks, coffee, natural community. 

What line of work are you in? What other industries are part of your Meetup group? 

I’m a professional writer and work in higher education PR. But as far as my colleagues in the Meetup group, we’re all over the map!

My co-organizer works in app development and coding management. We have one person in product design, and people in web design. We have another person who does photography and graphic design. We have people in every industry—as long as you’re a remote worker, it doesn’t really matter. 

What are the benefits of coworking?

So I actually think about this a lot and have even done some research on it—and it’s been widely studied. There are numerous research studies done on the benefits of coworking. And, conversely, the disadvantages of being so isolated in your room or at your house. 

Boredom and loneliness detrimentally impact your productivity, your focus, and your creativity—all the things that we value at work. Working by yourself every day really starts to negatively impact you. Sometimes it’s okay, but when it’s all the time, it impacts you. 

So what research into coworking has found is that it dramatically boosts your well-being so you just feel better. 

Your mood is better and, because you feel better, you’re more creative, focused, and productive—you’re more of everything good. 

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Daniel and his coworking colleagues are currently working from The Colab Space once a week. Keep up with the Let’s Cowork Meetup Group for more information about where and when they meet. This group is open to the public and is designed for remote professionals to connect during the workday while optimize productivity and focus. 

If you’re looking for a workspace that immerses you in a community of incredible professionals, book a tour of The Colab Space today.