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As the corporate world rises with the issues of gender-pay inconsistencies, inappropriate behavior & sexual harassment, and quite a few women in influential roles, female-centered Co-Working Spaces are waving against the tide. They assure the regular coworking facilities of power outlets, Wi-Fi, and wonderful extensive spaces, coupled with a community of female pros and special service rooms for relaxation, exercising, and even breastfeeding.

Women-Friendly Co-Working Spaces: The Trend Begins

This feminism-based trend first began in the United States, but a ripple effect is starting in countries like the United Kingdom & Canada. These spaces are created by women who believe women like them are real superheroes of the market till now it had remained vastly unexplored. According to Ms. Nelson, CEO of Riveter (coworking women-friendly workspace in Seattle), “women are starting more than 2,000 businesses in the United States each day. At this rate, it is 5 times faster than men.

The movement #MeToo, the present political influence and the lack of support from big organizations to offer childcare have also paved the way for these women-focused workspaces very desirable.

#MeToo

Moreover, not everyone is with these facts and some find them as a necessity and others may find them offensive. The Wing, a women-only working space, is currently under some investigation by the NYC Commission on Human Rights for possible gender disparity because of the no-men-allowed-strict rules. This is an interesting debate: as these co-workspaces aim to provide a safe and secure place for women, their such practices are technically considered illegal activity.

On the contrary, The Riveter and other women-friendly workplaces around the world invite minorities of all kids who do not feel comfortable working in other coworking spaces like members of the LGBTQ community and women of different ethnicities.

The demand for women-friendly spaces is inevitable. The waiting list at The AllBright for membership is reaching around 4,000, and the majority of these women coworking spaces are eyeing to expand to new places and locations.

Here are a few female co-working spaces that we researched for you. Let’s have a look at them.

1. The Riveter (One of the Best Co-working Space)

The Riveter co-working space

  • Amy Nelson is the CEO and co-founder of The Riveter.

  • The Riveter is for females who like to put in a few work hours in between kid pickups or exercise. Its closeness to a SoulCycle and a yoga and wellness center is one of the primary reasons its members opt to work here.

  • One of the other reasons is that The Riveter is located in a residential area, which added to its advantages making it more convenient for working women who want to stay close to their child. It further aids in bringing the costs down.

  • Ms. Nelson chose to create a female-focused workplace rather than women-only to cooperate with the male employees.

  • Who is it best for: Working moms & fitness-conscious women

  • Cost & Pricing: Subscription or Membership is for $375 USD monthly.

  • Locations: 2 locations each in Seattle & Los Angeles

  • Total number of members: Over 700 members

2. The Wing

The Wing Co-Working Spaces

  • The Wing was founded by Audrey Gelman & Lauren Kassan in 2016. It is a business exclusively by women. Each and everyone including its founders to the AGMs is women. Altogether, they formed a space described as ‘kind of like Mad Men but without the men.’

  • The Wing aims at social media-oriented women and provides facilities including talks like ‘Harvey Weinstein’, ‘Wellness classes’, ‘Yoga’, and a library of all-women authors’.

  • These women have also put up a plan to expand their brand and will release their first-ever podcast named ‘No Man’s Land’, focused on historic women.

  • Who is it best for: Women working in media.

  • Cost & Pricing: Subscription or Membership is for $215 USD monthly.

  • Locations: DC, Flatiron, SoHo, Dumbo, and San Francisco, London, Toronto, West Hollywood, Williamsburg, Chicago & Seattle.

  • A total number of members: Over 2,500 members.

3. Make Lemonade Make Lemonade

  • This women-focused coworking space was created out of frustration. A twenty-six-year-old founder and CEO, Rachel Kelly was doing freelancing work for years. But after quite a while, she could not cope up with working in loud cafes. Rachel figured that she must not be the only one with this issue, so she thought of a place where she, and other women like her, could work without any problems.

  • Kelly created Make Lemonade for just women as most of the communities she was involved with online were a clear majority of women. Her main goal was to create a ladies-only physical space to work together. Men are only permitted to enter, as long as they are in line with the brand’s core feminist values.

  • She follows some strong female icons like Maya Angelou, Beyonce, and Frida Kahlo. She always looks to keep the women’s spirits up by putting up motivational quotes all over her pink & yellow walls.

  • Who is it best for Young women entrepreneurs?

  • Cost & Pricing: For ‘just a squeeze,’ it costs $25 CAD. “A whole lemon” subscription is for $500 CAD per month.

  • A number of locations: 326 Adelaide Street West, Toronto.

4. The Hivery

The Hivery

  • The Hivery was founded in 2014 by EO and the founder of The Hivery, Grace Kraaijvanger.

  • It is one of the first women’s coworking spaces in the USA. They are equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows that give light to plants and their exposed wood. The Hivery and its interior design is quite beautiful which made it earn Wayfair’s 2017 Trade Tastemaker Award in the category of the Best Office Space.

  • Members enjoy workshops and events, like, tutorials by other members, Wellness Wednesdays, new member coffee chats, and art walks.

  • New members, especially moms with small children at home, often say, ‘I cannot believe how much I get to do here.’ It is because they have removed all the distractions, like kids needing our attention, laundry work, and other household work.

  • Who is it best for: New moms who want a place for their work.

  • Cost & Pricing: Membership charges start at $75 USD per month for community members and $295 USD a month to make use of the workspace 8 days monthly.

  • Location: 38 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley, California.

  • The total number of members: Over 300 members.

5. The AllBrightThe AllBright

  • The name AllBright is inspired by Madeleine Albright, former US Secretary of State. She quoted “A unique place in hell is there for women who don’t give their support to other females.”

  • AllBright was formed for professionals with existing and established businesses. In contrast with the women-focused co-working spaces in North America, AllBright follows a no-kids-allowed policy.

  • Its location is in a 5-story Georgian townhouse with interiors from studio Number 12, a London-based luxury interior architecture & interior design studio. It provides meeting rooms, workspace, and treatment rooms to relax, meditate & other therapeutic treatments.

  • Who is it best for: Established business professionals.

  • Cost & Pricing: Membership costs £750 (USD$976) along with a joining fee of £300 (USD$390).

  • Location: 11 Rathbone Place, London, United Kingdom.

Last Words

This article focuses on one and only question, “Why the Co-working Spaces for Women are Creating Controversy?”. We have tried to put together the positive and negative aspects of it. Also, the best places to work in a women-friendly atmosphere is an added bonus in the article. It has been a pleasure serving you and we hope to meet again soon.

Top 10 Coolest Coworking Spaces For Women in the USA!

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