From Event to Coworking Space

https://vukacollective.com/

I first heard about Vuka while attending an event a couple of years ago. Since then it’s grown to a larger organization becoming Vuka Collective which has 3 branches: Impact Hub Austin (coworking), Gather (events) and Awaken (classes/workshops).  You’ll notice that Impact Hub Network is a larger national organization that concentrates on sustainable global goals. Vuka joined up with Impact Hub Network to launch it’s first location in Austin. The coworking branch started with the Monroe location and expanded to a South and North location.

Austin Community

https://vukacollective.com/

One of the reasons Vuka partnered with Impact Hub is because they knew their values aligned. Impact Hub is the world’s largest network focused on building entrepreneurial communities for impact at scale — home to the innovators, the dreamers and the entrepreneurs who are creating tangible solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.

You can expect to find people who care about the community and align with Impact Hub’s values in social impact. You’ll notice that a lot of the members are people in EdTech or are creatives. Although the coworking space values social impact, you don’t actually have to be a non-profit to join this community. You’ll notice that the crowd is a lot more eclectic and not your typical cubicle goers. They’re also very dog friendly so you can destress with some puppy cuddles or bring fido along with you to work.

What It’s Like Coworking

I spent a little time working out of Impact Hub after taking a tour. It’s refreshing to see a diverse group of teams and people. One of the most important parts of creating a coworking space is creating the culture. Culture stems from the type of people who work there.Impact Hub is interesting in that it’s not just all tech people but rather a mix of different careers and mindsets. The open floor plan makes it easy for people to find pockets to work out of but also easily mingle.

 

You’ll find the big backyard full of people as the heat cools down. People pack under the large oak for shade and soak in a bit of nature. The inside is lit with warm lighting coming off the lamps and ambient light seeping in during the day. There’s definitely an artsy feel to the place as you gaze upwards to their nature themed decor. Once you venture towards the top office you’ll feel like you’re walking through an intricate tree house.

Why Should You Cowork Here?

Every coworking space provides a space to cowork but what makes them memorable is when they do that one thing great. Impact Hub builds a great space that heavily portrays community and arts. The main space is striking and is often used in the evening for events. It makes sense that it attracts both the tech and arts crowd with a space that takes you away from your everyday monotony.

Since the space is nestled in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood, they provide loaner bikes for people to quickly run home. Parking can be a little tricky as residential permits pop up aroundImpact Hub but you’ll still find a few spaces a couple of blocks away.

Coworking Learning Community

Galvanize coworking

Are you tired of your monotonous 9 to 5 and searching for your next big thing? Often times finding yourself daydreaming about what you could have done or what you’ll do one day. Galvanize is where you go to explore your next steps. The coworking space currently have 8 campuses with over 3,000 students. Their mission is making education and growth accessible to anyone – especially underrepresented groups in the tech industry.

Mindset of learning

What sets Galvanize apart is their concentration on learning as a way to grow. They have over 200 mentors and hold over 15 workshops a month. This really brings in a lot of resources for entrepreneurs, startups and growing companies. They know that  each stage needs different resources as they grow. The programs include web development and data science. The campuses offer several options such as full time, part-time and online classes. Their immersive course runs for a span of 12 to 13 weeks.

Tech Ecosystem

The great part about Galvanize is that it is an ecosystem of students, entrepreneurs and companies which means that each lend well into the other. As students graduate from their course, they’re able to get a head start and apply for open positions at the companies at Galvanize. Having a common area as a coworking space allows everyone to co-mingle and build relationships between companies and tech talent.

Mentor and community

What I’ve personally found appealing is that Galvanize has quality mentors. They’re relevant and on the ground doing the work that they’re mentoring you for. Many of these people aren’t circulated in every other program and accelerator. Therefore they have a lot more capacity to work with you.

Furthermore the community is collaborative but also tends to keep to themselves. This is wonderful in being able to get work done but also having the comfort of seeing familiar faces.  As you walk into the front entrance, you’ll notice clipboards with every company working out of the space. It’s a great way to get some visibility for your company as well as familiarize yourself with others.

What’s It Like Working Here

When Galvanize first opened up, they had the unfortunate timing of being in a building under construction. With inconveniences such as internet outages and construction noise, they’re now able to reap the benefits of their sought after location. The space is located within walking distance to Trader Joe’s, Austin Central Library and several brand new restaurants like Flower Child.

Outside of location, some of my favorite aspects of Galvanize is their layout. I love large working spaces. They made a wonderful decision by bringing in glass tables and setting up dry erase markers. It keeps me from wasting paper as I brainstorm and creates usable working space in interesting ways. It’s still one of my favorite work setups to this day! Small details like this is what makes each coworking space special.

Furthermore the space is broken up into several floors. The top two floors is for the data science and web development classes. Each floor has a large conference room and the main 1st floor is often used for events during the week. Whether you’re looking to flesh out your idea by talking to mentors or just looking to get some work done, come check out Galvanize and see if it’s right for you.

Must Have Coworking Amenities in Austin

No matter what city you live in, there’s always those must have amenities that keep you coming back. Austin prides itself in sourcing from local shops, being health conscious and keeping it weird. Therefore it makes sense that many coworking spaces in this city integrates these aspects into their work areas.

1. Organic and Local Snacks

It’s usually a given that coworking spaces will at least provide wifi and coffee. Austin coworking spaces like Capital Factory and Galvanize take it a step further and offer endless local coffee, coldbrew and beer on tap. Work Well East Austin emphasizes health and promotes it’s own companies’ goodies as well as local, healthy snacks. But what about when you’re starving and you don’t just want a healthy bag of popcorn? Local startup, Alpaca Market is now featured at specific sites around town including Impact Hub Austin (Monroe St.) and Capital Factory. They offer farm fresh foods on the fly.

Podcast Studio

With technology today, you’re able to access so much information within seconds. The podcast industry has blown up making it possible for you to curate exactly what you want to hear as you commute, wash the dishes or spend some time relaxing. For this reason the need for podcast studios grows. You’ll find a few unique podcast studios at places like Duo Works and Work Well East Austin. I wouldn’t doubt that more will pop up within the next year!

Gym/Yoga

Balancing our lives and improving our health is often times a difficult task to juggle with our busy schedules. Thus having a full gym or free yoga classes at your workplace can make all the difference. You’ll find a full gym at Patchwork and an around-the-clock fitness center at WeWork University Park. Pop by Impact Hub (Monroe St.) for free yoga sessions (until Oct. 3rd). If you’re a yoga instructor or wellness provider, you can go to Soma Vida to host your classes. No matter how hectic work gets, you’re sure to rebalance yourself if you’re just steps away from a good work out.

Childcare

This is for those working moms and dads out there who are tired of being stuck at home all day. Although it’s not a common amenity, it’s a game changer for many early families. Often times either the mom or dad chooses to stay at home to provide their new child the best child care but also sacrifice their own personal careers. Therefore having the option to get work done with your child close by opens a lot of opportunities. You can check out The Hive which provides coffee, coworking, child supervision and beer and wine. That sounds like a recipe for success to me!

Dog Friendly

To include everyone in the family, it would only make sense to include dog friendly coworking spaces. Austin is already known as an extremely dog friendly place so you can only guess that several places allow you to work with your pup. Your dog will feel at home when they visit Galvanize, Createscape, WeWork, Impact Hub or East Side Collective. You don’t have to worry about rushing home during your lunch breaks or speeding off after work to take your furry friend out anymore.

 

Top 10 List of Comfortable Work Spaces in Austin

There’s a lot of factors that play into why a person enjoys a space. For instance, when a person eats at a restaurant, they will value different aspects of their experience. The most common reasons tend to be food quality, price, and ambience that determine if a person enjoys the restaurant. I believe the same can be said for work spaces. This is a list of my top 10 spcaes  in Austin that are my go to when it comes to comfort. This means there’s comfortable seating, access to food/drinks and/or it’s an aesthetically inspiring space.

1. Austin Central Library

I remember walking through the public library in NYC and wondered, “when is Austin going to get a library like this?” Then a couple of years later, the largest public library in Austin is built right in the middle of downtown. The library has dedicated floors for different ages for kids and adults to wander about. Throughout each floor you’ll find different styles of seating set up for you to browse through a book or get some serious work in. They have everything from massive tables with booth styled seating to large lounge style armchairs. If you get too cold or need fresh air, you can pop out onto their rooftop garden and balcony that looks down on Town Lake.

There is a large parking garage at the library but you’re still paying hourly like most downtown spots. The building is pretty all inclusive in a comfortable place to work and also a restaurant, Cookbar & Cafe downstairs. You can get everything from breakfast to craft beers, wine and literary-themed cocktails.

2. Bennu – East MLK

Students and entrepreneurs alike are found late night, huddled together in lounge and computer chairs at Bennu. It’s my go to spot when I know I have a late night and need to get several hours knocked out. There isn’t a single day I’ve gone there that it isn’t jam pack with people studying the night away. The the comfortable ambiance, tons of seating, truly affordable pricing (why do you think lots of students and entrepreneurs can be found here?) and late night foods makes it a no brainer as one of Austin’s top comfortable work spaces!

3. Cherrywood Coffeehouse

Another great spot right by campus is Cherrywood Coffeehouse. I’m a true lover of ambient lighting with slight orange glows of tungsten lamps. You can choose to sit in the long rows of tables or a more private table off to the corner. Both provide large areas for you to sprawl out if you need to brainstorm or map out things over a large surface. Like most loved places in Austin, it’s hard to find a spot during the busy hours. If you try heading in mid morning you’ll likely be able to grab a parking spot and table for yourself. You’ll rarely find me at a spot that doesn’t offer food so you can expect that Cherrywood has an extensive menu you can choose from. Again, I love the affordable pricing that comes with a heaping amount of food.

4. Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden

If you’re looking for inspiration, this is the spot! The coffee shop has a large outdoor garden with a gorgeous pond, hanging lights and chickens out back. You can choose from a variety of food trucks, grab some coffee or their cocktail flights inside for added inspiration. There’s plenty seating with a variety of table set ups to choose from. My favorite spot is inside in the back with the lounge chairs and lamp. Cosmic is hidden on a side street off South Congress and right next to Crux Climbing Center. Unless you know the area, it’s easy to drive by and completely miss this spot!

5. Halcyon – Downtown

An oldie but a goodie. Halcyon has stood the test of time as a long standing coffee house by day and lounge by night in Downtown Austin. There’s worn in couches on one side and tables throughout the rest of the place, lending to a cozy feel. The term Halcyon means “Peaceful, Carefree, Untroubled, Prosperous.” They consider themselves a place “where you can always relax and find your own personal ‘halcyon’.” This is one of my favorite places to visit during the colder months as they’re well known for their table top s’more roasting set. Easy place to hole up on a rainy or cold day (or any other day for that matter)!

6. Impact Hub Austin – Monroe St.

If you’re itching for a true coworking space but don’t care for the cubicle like feel, search no more. Impact Hub in South Austin provides a venue that sparks your imagination. With nature themed inspiration, the open work space welcomes all kinds of entrepreneurs and artists. There’s private offices on the sides and upstairs and the main area is broken into large tables and intimate work nooks for whatever mood you’re in. It’s also known as a great venue for events since it’s such a large area. There are several around town but this was my first visit to Impact Hub and it’s left an impression!

7. Thai Fresh

What started out as a small Thai to-go food shop, transformed into a comfortable cafe and restaurant. Fitting to the health conscious neighborhood off Mary Street, Thai Fresh focuses on local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients. My favorite area is in the cafe area where there is a large communal table. You have access to outlets and can camp out as you chug down on their coconut milk Thai tea or munch on gluten-free baked goods. Although their menu may be a sticker shock, take note that they are a no tipping establishment. I love this concept as I always feel guilty for staking out a spot for hours at a cafe when there is a wait staff.

8. WeWork – Congress

WeWork off Congress in Downtown Austin gets my vote when it comes to coworking spaces with comfortable seating and environment. It is a national chain so you can expect most places to look the same but what distinguishes WeWork is that they go to great measures to capture the community feel at each location. Each time, I’m able to walk in with ease and set up in a corner by the window. There’s something wonderful about being able to gaze outside while working indoors. All the locations I’ve been to have had quite impressive views.

9. Work Well Coworking – East Austin

The East Austin location of Work Well Coworking definitely brings in a feel of luxury with their beautiful decor, great glass walls and stained concrete countertops. A lot of thought was put into each detail of this coworking space. Each working space is strategically placed to where teams can work with ease. They have a massive outdoor area and container buildings for private offices and a podcast studio. When it comes to wanting a beautiful spaces, you have to check out Work Well!

10. Wright’s Brothers Brew & Brew

You’ll find many other entrepreneurs, artists and remote workers taking meetings and cranking away at their work here. It’s where I camped out when I first started my company and it’s where you’ll still find me. The cafe by day and bar by night is almost always jammed pack during the day. I love having large working spaces so you’ll often find me at their bar counter. Service is super easy and chill and when the weather is nice, they’ll roll up their garage door entrance. There’s something about the natural light, easy working space and access to lots of caffeine (or beer if it’s later in the day or just that kind of day) that is conducive to longer deep work sessions.