Solo and Lonely
Dear Trellis,
I’m a solopreneur and I love my work. And yet… I. Am. So. Lonely. How do I reconcile doing work I love with my need to be a part of a team and a community?
- Solo in San Francisco
Dear Solo,
I hear you! Your plight is exactly why I got into coworking back in 2009 — I was a solopreneur myself, loving running my graphic design firm in New York City. And at the same time I felt so lonely and isolated, I thought long and hard about leaving the career I loved and returning to waiting tables, just so I’d have people to talk to and a reason to leave my apartment.
My dad persuaded me to carry on with my design firm, but get out of the house into a more collaborative workspace. This was in 2003, long before coworking began, but through a friend I learned of a pretty, clean, small space with enough desks for a handful of creatives, right in SoHo on Broom Street. I met the designer behind the space and agreed to join her. I packed up my red iMac and swatch fans and made the leap.
Overnight my depression subsided and my business took off. Every win became something I shared and celebrated with people who wanted to see me succeed, instead of something I glossed over in an effort to knock more tasks off my list and keep my head above water. Every stressor and sexist client interaction felt less dire because I had people to tell me I was enough. To prop me up when clients or vendors took advantage of my young age.
It was crazy to recognize that my depression and anxiety stemmed from lacks in my environment and not from myself — that there wasn’t something wrong with me. This experience led me to my next career, that of launching and running inclusive coworking spaces to house and hold the next generation of entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, freelancers, and professionals who find working from home to be an obstacle, and need a space and a supportive community.
If I were you, Solo, I’d look for a coworking space near you. Try out all you find if there are multiple options, and see what feels like the right fit for you. Just like therapists, not all coworking is created equal and it’s not a one-size fits all. I’m particularly biased towards Trellis, my space and my baby, but make your own choice and get out of your home and out of your head! You’ve got this.
- Rebecca