☁️ The Future of Coworking 👓

🇮🇳 plus India has MASSIVE remote work potential, how to find a sense of home on your journey

Together With

Welcome back to Nomad Cloud, we hope that wherever you are in the world today you feel safe and loved. Today let’s put our futurist hats on and predict what the future of coworking will look like. Strap in, push that button and let’s explore what things will look like in the future. ☎️

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UPCOMING

  • 🇮🇳 India has unlimited potential for remote work

  • 👓 The future of coworking will look like..

  • 🏡 Finding “home” on the nomad journey

  •  👀 Digital Nomad vs Digital Immigrant

🔥 HOT OFF THE PRESS

Today’s Sponsor: IncFile

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🇮🇳A SPOTLIGHT ON INDIA

Community member Dean Kuchel was in India this past week for the Claim Your Freedom Conference. When I spoke to Dean he mentioned how much hope he has for India.

It’s no secret India has a workforce of nearly 1 Billion young people, so the opportunity to provide solutions to this population and help in the growth of remote work is staggering.

Dean told me a story of how excited all the young people he met at the event were but how their earning potential is still an uphill battle. They simply can’t compete when it comes to good salaries on a global level.

Seems there’s still a lot of upskilling needed and more opportunities for talent building. I don’t know as much as Dean but I do think if we can help, we should.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to broaden the reach for our Indian counterparts? To help upskill them more to improve their earnings? I’m all ears.

Wanna write for Nomad Cloud? Click here to apply

🧘🏽‍♂️ WELLNESS ZONE

How to Find a Sense of Home in Your Nomadic Journey

While the digital nomad lifestyle can be exciting and liberating, it can also feel lonely, overwhelming and disorienting. We can feel homesick or anxious when moving places, even when we are in beautiful new locations. However, by embodying the following 3 tools we can create a feeling of home away from home. The key is finding home within ourselves, regardless of our external circumstances.

First of all, our intuition is a powerful tool that can help us navigate new environments and make decisions that are in alignment with our true desires and needs. Whether it’s choosing a new destination or making a work-related decision, tuning into our intuition can help us find our home within.

In addition, digital nomads can benefit from mindfulness practices like meditation, journalling or simply taking a few deep breaths. Why is this important? These activities bring us back into the present moment, help us to process stuck emotions, and can cultivate a sense of inner peace. Scheduling time for self-care activities into our daily routine helps to create more stability, which can be comforting when everything else is changing around us.

Finally, embracing the uncertainty that often comes with the digital nomad lifestyle can help us to find home within. Instead of resisting change or uncertainty, we can view it as an opportunity for growth and transformation. By embracing the unknown instead of fearing it, we can cultivate a sense of resilience and adaptability that can help us navigate any challenge that comes our way.

Connect with other nomads who are going through a similar experience and find support in this beautiful journey. Remember that we all have the ability to find home within ourselves, wherever we are. Once you come home to yourself, it creates more stability, joy and ease in your nomadic journey and it will help you to truly thrive abroad.

Connect with Veerle: Website, Linkedin, Instagram

🌎 NOMAD OF THE WEEK: Ben Marks

Ben Marks is a workforce activist and impact entrepreneur.

He is the founder of the #WorkAnywhere Campaign, the global advocacy movement representing remote and hybrid workers, as well as the Future Workforce Alliance, an initiative bringing together politicians and sector leaders to drive a fairer, healthier, and more inclusive future of work.

Previously, Ben served as CNN’s global head of innovation. He has contributed articles to HBR and TNW (a Financial Times company) and his upcoming TEDx talk is titled "Why Every Community Needs a Workspace".

Connect with Ben: Linkedin, Website

🏊 DEEP DIVE

This is what the future of coworking should look like

Picture this: a state-of-the-art community workspace within walking distance from home. A space you share with people not because you’re employed by the same company, but because of proximity. A professional atmosphere, but no office politics. Connection, wellness, and professional development are fostered through yoga classes, mentoring schemes and evening events, and an on-site daycare center supports parents of young children. The space is central to local life; reviving relationships and boosting businessess. Your community is reborn.

This is coworking 2.0.

For the remote work revolution to thrive, we need a viable alternative to the office — one that provides a sturdy life-work barrier, meaningful social connections and professional benefits, without forcing workers to sacrifice the flexibility and autonomy they’ve found at home. If we recognize the potential of this next generation of coworking spaces, we can have the best of both worlds.

Rewriting the rules

Roughly three million people use coworking spaces today; a fraction of the 3.45 billion global workforce. That’s why the debate around remote work since the start of the pandemic has been fixated on a home vs. office narrative. Alternatives to the office that aren’t isolated, lockdown-imposed homeworking have garnered little attention.

If we can take away one positive from the last two years, it’s that it has forced businesses into an age of hyper-testing. For the first time in generations, our inherent beliefs about where, how, and why we work are being questioned. Two hundred years since the original dedicated office buildings were created — when stagecoach was the most popular mode of transport — surely there must be a better way.

And there is. Pre-pandemic, most people couldn’t have imagined a world where coworking was mainstream, let alone treated as a public good. But now the pandemic has demolished the cultural barriers that were preventing remote work for many people, new and exciting possibilities are starting to emerge.

Community workspaces

Perhaps the problem lies in the term ‘coworking,’ conjuring images of tech bros and disastrous IPOs. But whilst the concept grew in startup land, the applications of local, shared work hubs spread well beyond its borders. Workforce digitization is increasing at a rapid rate, making non-home remote environments relevant to a diverse range of workers.

As we enter into the coworking industry’s next phase, I believe the term ‘community workspace’ better captures the wider array of uses and benefits.

What would the workforce look like if everyone could access these fully equipped community workspaces? Instead of organizing our lives around where our employers’ office happens to be, and suffering a soul-destroying commute to get there, we could be working amongst our families, friends, and neighbors, all just a stroll from home. What would this mean for our relationships, mental health, and local economies?

We don’t need abstract guesswork for an answer; evidence suggests that a radical restructuring of where and how we work could help combat loneliness (by providing a space to meet and connect with our community), lower our cost of living (due to the reduction of commuting and energy costs), tackle the burnout epidemic (by providing a work-life barrier), supercharge professional networking (through new contacts and mentoring opportunities), and even help to regenerate local areas (by spreading spending power across a wider geographic area).

Global examples

If you think this sounds like a utopian vision from a long-haired, bracelet-jangling digital nomad, you’re only half right; my proposal is far from intangible.

In Madeira, Portugal, entrepreneur Gonçalo Hall teamed up with local authorities to launch the world’s first digital nomad village. Created as a haven for remote workers to live and work together, Ponta do Sol attracts thousands of visitors each year, directly contributing more than €30m to the local economy so far.

Originally a dynamic tourism scheme, the project attracts talent and innovation. “The coworking space is the epicenter of the community and the whole nomad village concept, where people work, connect, run events and share their knowledge,” explains Gonçalo.

Ponta do Sol isn’t the only coworking project demonstrating that Coworking 2.0 is the natural next step towards a healthier, more sustainable, and inclusive future of work.

Across the pond in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tulsa Remote is transforming the local economy by attracting thousands of digital workers to relocate to the trendy river city. Central to the success of the program is 36 Degrees North, a 70,000 square feet coworking palace, offering a high-quality workspace, helpful resources, and a diverse community. This has generated a staggering $572.5 million and thousands of jobs in the local community.

Meanwhile in rural Germany, Frederik Fischer is responding to the surge of independent work and a widespread desire for a better quality of life with Neulandia, where he wants to “kickstart a civic-led movement that lasts for years to come” and “create the culture of cooperation, participation, and sharing, that we so desperately need to tackle the challenges ahead.”

Neulandia achieves this by connecting remote workers with forward-looking rural communities, housing them in ‘KoDörfer’ (CoVillages); sustainably built residences which repurpose existing infrastructure into coworking areas. Over five years, participants in these communities have helped to regenerate towns across the country.

Beyond their shared focus on building meaningful communities, these initiatives all have in common the backing of local government stakeholders, who’ve recognized the application of community workspaces to drive positive local impact.

This support needs to be reflected at the highest levels of the EU and national governments if everyone is to experience the transformative power of Coworking 2.0.

Ahead of the trend is the Irish government, creating a platform called ConnectedHubs to simplify and streamline the process of sourcing desks and offices in coworking spaces. This initiative provides a vehicle for coworking providers to come together under a shared identity and build a powerful peer-to-peer community, exchanging knowledge and best practices.

Within 18 months of launching, they onboarded nearly 300 hubs — a speed almost unheard of by government standards. George Bullman, a coworking space provider and member of the ConnectedHubs network, says the, “initiative has linked many rural and urban communities together and created a sharing environment where support and help are always available.”

A space for everyone

While the advantages of remote working have been widely acknowledged, it’s important to remember that it’s not always just the preferable option — it’s the only option.

For some displaced people, remote work is the only way to generate a legal income. For individuals with physical and mental disabilities, a nine-to-five office job isn’t always possible. The same goes for parents who can’t afford childcare, and caregivers, such as a close friend of mine who looked after her terminally ill mother for two years.

In the UK alone, hybrid working could bring back almost four million people who were previously locked out of employment (including 1.5 million disabled people, 1.2 million parents, and 500,000 carers), according to a report from Virgin Media O2 Business and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

And that’s why community workspaces should be deemed a public good. The reality is that the traditional office model is deeply exclusionary, while remote work is fundamentally inclusive, and community workspaces – by improving the remote work experience — compounds its associated benefits. But for this to work, these spaces need to be geographically and financially accessible for all, otherwise only a small, relatively privileged group will continue to reap the benefits, magnifying pre-existing inequalities.

The next generation of community workspaces, with top-down support from governments, can benefit the entire tech-enabled workforce and society at large. There will never be a one-size-fits-all solution, of course. No one is suggesting coworking should fully replace home or office-based work. Ultimately, our goal should be to empower all workers to work where and how they work best.

Now, for the first time ever, there are no technical obstacles standing in the way. So what have we got to lose?

🏋🏻 LIFESTYLE ZONE

Come With Us On A Day In Marbella by Work In Marbella

Marbella is known for its luxurious lifestyle, stunning natural beauty, warm weather, and vibrant cultural scene. It's a popular destination for both tourists and expats who are looking for a Mediterranean paradise. But how about digital nomads? Follow us on a tour of the island will you?

Our first stop is the beautiful Playa de la Fontanilla. This beach is located in the heart of Marbella, on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain. It’s wide and spacious, with fine golden sand and clear blue waters. It stretches for about 1,000 meters and has a lively atmosphere, attracting both locals and tourists.

Next lets head to Represa Park Marbella. This urban park in Marbella offers a large outdoor space, with unique corners such as its beautiful central pond as well as different recreational areas. There is also a large presence of animal species such as ducks and birds, perfect for spotting.

The open air space is perfect for those who want to come to rest and relax, or those who want to practice sports on one of the skate parks, which makes it the daily meeting point for many.

Enjoy the local cuisine: Spain is famous for its delicious food. Treat yourself to some authentic Spanish cuisine, such as paella, tapas, and churros. Check out the local markets to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables and cook up a storm in your coworking space's kitchen.

Our first stop is the famous Pan & Mermelada restaurant. This place is a must-visit for breakfast lovers. They offer a wide range of breakfast options, from traditional Spanish breakfasts to American-style pancakes. The interior of the restaurant is cozy and inviting, making it the perfect spot to start your day. 

Next up is the popular Bibo restaurant by the renowned chef Dani Garcia. This place is perfect for lunch, as they offer a delicious set menu that changes regularly. You can enjoy some of the most creative and innovative dishes that combine traditional Spanish flavors with a modern twist. The restaurant also has a beautiful outdoor terrace with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea.

Last but not least, we have the beautiful restaurant Skina, perfect for dinner. It's located in the heart of Marbella's historic old town and offers a unique dining experience. They serve a variety of tasting menus that change seasonally, showcasing the best of Andalusian cuisine. The restaurant's interior is elegant and sophisticated, making it the perfect place for a romantic dinner.

Network with other digital nomads: One of the best things about coworking spaces like Work in Marbella is the opportunity to connect with other digital nomads. Attend networking events and join social activities to meet new people, exchange ideas, and even collaborate on projects. At Work In Marbella we welcome you join our community and experience what Marbella has to offer for remote working.

We've got a bit of a favor to ask....

To help us get a better idea where the digital nomad movement is going next, we're putting together a report highlighting everything from your favourite emerging destinations and thoughts on digital nomad visas to what you love and don't love so much about being a digital nomad.

It'll only take about the same time it would to brush your teeth and there are five Amazon vouchers up for grabs.

Thanks for helping us shape the future of digital nomadism.

Team Flatio

📺 2023 Remote Influencer Report

The third annual Remote Influencer Report is the ultimate guide to the most inspiring and influential thought leaders in the world of remote work. This year’s list of 150 influencers were hand-selected from thousands of nominations, and then voted on by an expert panel of judges: Job van der Voort, Darren Murph, Monica Kang, and Chase Warrington.

Our founder Olumide Gbenro was selected for his leadership and expertise in remote work, and has been included in the top 50 influencers in the Remote Innovator category. Here are all of the categories:

  • Remote Innovators: This includes entrepreneurs, academics and analysts; thought-leaders who have done research and written visionary outlines of the possibilities offered by remote work. This category also includes pioneers who had started remote companies, training and consultancy, long before remote work was a trend. Their vision helped to make remote work conceivable.

  • Remote Enablers:: This category includes the tech founders and entrepreneurs creating the tools and systems that allow remote work to happen and happen effectively. Without them, we would not be able to communicate and collaborate at a distance.

  • Remote Accelerators: This category includes business, HR and industry leaders actually making remote work happen at scale. This also includes companies transitioning their teams to full time remote work, leading business journalists and bloggers/streamers who champion remote work and have the power to persuade large organizations. Without these people, remote work would still just be a niche concept. ****

🐦TWEET OF THE DAY

📆 UPCOMING EVENT

MINOMA, April 22-29, 2023

MINOMA provides highly curated coliving retreats for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, founders and remote professionals who value mindfulness and personal development.

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