How co-working can help you build your freelance career
Coworking is a big part of many freelance communities - and it’s something that we offer at The Freelance Media Network. In particular, online coworking can be a lifeline to those who are unable to leave the house regularly, who live in an isolated spot or don’t want to socialise or network with people face to face.
Online coworking began in earnest during the Covid pandemic, but it has become a staple of different freelance communities. It is hugely beneficial on a social level, of course. You are on-screen with other freelancers, people who understand how working life is for you. It can also offer routine, and, because you all work together in set time slots, gives you mirroring and accountability for your work.
Beyond the social element of coworking, there are definite benefits to building and furthering your freelance career. Here’s how:
Coworking introduces you to new people who might recommend you to their network
When you go to a coworking session, you can meet people who may well mention you to someone they know. It’s low-key networking. By showing up as you, chatting a little and perhaps sharing in the group chat, you are telling other people what you offer, in a non-salesy way.
It’s entirely possible that, on a coworking call, you’ll meet people from the community you’re in that you might not have met before. This gives you a chance to widen your network just by turning up. And it means you’re meeting their network through them.
How coworking can find you new clients
Coworking can deliver instantly. For example, if someone in a coworking call says they need services like yours, you can offer them there and then - or at least to make a follow up call. If you don’t know everyone on the call, then it’s possible the new people are your new clients! Coworking can also find you new clients when you take your networking beyond the call.
Making sure that you connect and follow up with people from coworking is the first step to finding new clients through coworking. Find the people you were in coworking with on social media and follow them if you’d like to. You can also send a connection request on LinkedIn. The way this leads to new clients is that if they connect, they might reshare your post to their wider network. They might also see a post you make and decide to forward it on to a relevant contact or friend.
Coworking boosts mental health and gives you some oomph to network further
Coworking is good for your mental health as a freelancer - meeting with others can increase confidence and help you get work done, which is all a win-win. When you are fired up from coworking you might feel braver and decide to share a post on social media or update your LinkedIn, You also might think about going to more events because you are spurred on by the experience of meeting other likeminded freelancers at coworking.
Coworking gives you new ideas!
The space that coworking offers can also bring up new ideas. You may be working on something while coworking and have a lightbulb moment while you’re in the zone. That idea that’s been bubbling away might find its focus while you are in coworking. And coworking can be the place where you work on the germ of an idea and it becomes more of a reality, whether that’s a social media post, a potential new client to contact or a blog post just like this one.
The Freelance Media Network offers weekly coworking as part of its membership for freelance and staff media professionals. To sign up, head to the sign up page. Be sure to use the promo codes before the end of September 2026 - FMN OUNDERMONTHLY and FMNFOUNDERANNUAL.
