Today’s economy has forced small business owners to be smarter with their money. Most have been forced to do more with less and have sacrificed the comforts of a private office and heavy overhead to make ends meet. Because of these adjustments, coworking has grown to be a popular option for self employed professionals and small businesses looking to pay for exactly what they need-no more and no less.

“As a self-employed individual, I’m always trying to find a local coffee house or someplace comfortable to go over all of the documents with my clients,” says mortgage broker Adam Ruiz, “but now that I’ve joined Coworking Connection, I set appointments for my clients to meet me in a professional conference room. I only pay for the amount of time I use the room, and I can’t tell you how much of a benefit this has been to my business.”

Although coworking has many benefits, people often times have a hard time understanding exactly what it is. Wikipedia defines “coworking” as a style of work which involves a shared working environment, sometimes an office, yet independent activity. This is most closely related to purchasing a membership at the local gym: you have a pass for the plan you purchased and use the facility according to your plan terms and needs. People workout side by side, but not necessarily with each other…it’s the same scenario for those in a coworking environment.

Reasons vary for why small business owners are gravitating towards this type of working environment. It isn’t just the flexibility and reduced expense, but it is also the creative synergy that is created as a result of the environment. Open floor plans are typical of coworking spaces, and the purpose is for this very reason. By getting out of the home office and into a space that is conducive to collaboration and brainstorming, professionals often find themselves more productive and performing at a higher level.