Running a Coworking Space in Downtown Tacoma During the Pandemic with Chris and Sheila

“It’s hard to overstate how much coworking was affected due to the pandemic, especially early on in March—I mean, it pretty much decimated our industry,” shares Chris of Pioneer Collective.  In this episode of the Move to Tacoma podcast, Marguerite interviews Chris and Sheila of Pioneer Collective, a co-working space with locations in Seattle and Downtown Tacoma.  The COVID-19 pandemic has affected co-working spaces in a lot of ways. Now that we are one year into the pandemic, many people are realizing that working from home is great, but when it’s imposed on you, it ends up being less of a perk and frequently more of a drawback and a challenge that you have to work around. Many people (and even larger companies) are turning to co-working spaces as a work-around, and people are finding a way to stay productive and build community during this new normal.  Here are a few of the other topics that are covered in this podcast episode:  How do you make friends when you move to a new city? Pioneer Collective attracts many transplants to the area, and it’s a great way to get connected + expand your business network + meet people and make friends!  The honeymoon period of working from home is officially over. With so many companies switching to remote work for the foreseeable future, many may turn to co-working spaces. What could this look like for you, you and your coworkers, or even you and your business?  What has it been like running a coworking space during a pandemic? How has COVID-19 impacted business? What help has been available from local governments, and how does Seattle/King County compare to Tacoma/Pierce County? If you’re a business owner and you want to take advantage of assistance, how can you do it? Chris and Sheila share their experience and tips for navigating everything. What types of perks do you get if you’re a member of Pioneer Collective? Chris and Sheila discuss their long list of amenities, the different membership options that are available, and the fact that there’s a lot of flexibility built into their model. (If you check out their different packages and don’t see what you’re looking for, ask—they’re happy to help and figure something out for you!) Chris and Sheila discuss much more, and this is a *must* listen especially if you are considering a co-working space membership or if you’re a business owner in Tacoma.