It’s always a challenge explaining what coworking, or shared offices, are about and if they are right for you. Rather than trying to explain, we decided to simply share the stories of the people around ThreeFortyNine. Our hope is that you will have a better idea if coworking is for you while ‘meeting’ someone new from our community.

First up, meet Kyle!

Tell us about yourself and your history with the city of Guelph?

I lived in Guelph between 1992 and 1997 while completing my BA in Drama at the UofG. After brief stints in Edmonton and Toronto, I bought a house and moved back to the city. I live downtown, about 700 metres away from ThreeFortyNine, with my wife, 2 teenage kids, and 1 furry dog.

Where do you work or what is your business venture if you are working on your own thing?

I worked at the UofG from 2000 to 2013, managing the team that supported online courses. In 2013, I left the University and started an educational consulting business.

In the past 6 years, I’ve worked (directly or indirectly) with a dozen Ontario universities and a dozen Ontario colleges. I help them build online courses and resources for students, training materials for faculty, and other projects. I do a fair amount of learning design, some video work, and a lot of writing and project management.

How are you involved with ThreeFortyNine?

I’ve had a desk at ThreeFortyNine since 2013. Depending on what I have on the go, I’m at the office 3 or 4 days a week. I use it as my base. It gets me out of my house and lets me focus on getting things done. I use the boardroom for meetings with subcontractors. I’m a regular at the office Beer Club, and I love the coffee.

Why work out of ThreeFortyNine rather than a home office?

It’s good to have separation. I’ve got a bunch of hobbies that would distract me at home, so chances are good I wouldn’t get things done if I had an office in my house. I come to ThreeFortyNine to work. From a bookkeeping POV, I think it’s cleaner for business expenses.

A coworking setup is good for me. I don’t need an office all to myself. I do my best work at ThreeFortyNine.

For someone considering a coworking situation, what should they know which you didn’t before you started?

I think there’s an image of coworking as a building filled with hip startup folks drinking green smoothies and chasing the next big thing. That’s not the case.

Working alongside with others, even if we are not working on the same projects, is more motivational than working alone. While we’re all absorbed in our own work, it really is the most supportive environment I’ve worked in. Its really is what you make it, which is a great.