A Café for the Freelance Nation
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Re: A Café for the Freelance Nation
#2Someone on HN tipped me off to the Workshop in SF recently, which has a similar pay-per-minute (well, hour) model. Coffee's still expensive, but you don't have to buy it, and there's concierge service with food etc. It's been a great spot to fill a multi-hour gap without guilt.
Re: A Café for the Freelance Nation
#3My take on this: While it's an interesting concept, and I'd love to see discussion on it, $3.50 an hour is a bit higher than what I'd be willing to pay for using wifi in most American cities, unless the coffee is really good and comes with the best damn selection of creamers, sweeteners, and frills around.
Now from what I understand, in some cities it actually is tough to find wifi because the inflated property costs have birthed a restaurant and cafe culture that clings to snap turnover to stay afloat. In these cities (which are in the minority, but perhaps are home to the majority of tech workers), I could see this kind of cafe succeeding wildly.
Re: A Café for the Freelance Nation
#4Someone on HN tipped me off to the Workshop in SF recently, which has a similar pay-per-minute (well, hour) model. Coffee's still expensive, but you don't have to buy it, and there's concierge service with food etc. It's been a great spot to fill a multi-hour gap without guilt.
I agree, Workshop is great! No guilt, and they've got the place set up for work, no worrying about bad wifi or finding outlets. I go to other cafés for hanging out, and I go there when I need to focus on work.
The nice thing about these sort of places is that if you're a freelancer, I think you can make a decent case for expensing them (not counting the coffee).
Re: A Café for the Freelance Nation
#5I can't understand the appeal working in coffee shops has to some freelancers. I can see how an hour, maybe two could break up the day but when you have free coffee and excellent wifi you're already paying for at home why would you pay to work in a crowded, noisy public space?
Re: A Café for the Freelance Nation
#6I can't understand the appeal working in coffee shops has to some freelancers. I can see how an hour, maybe two could break up the day but when you have free coffee and excellent wifi you're already paying for at home why would you pay to work in a crowded, noisy public space?
People are different. Some people like noise and bustle. Others don't.
I find it hard to understand people who don't get that.
Re: A Café for the Freelance Nation
#7A good work café would have Apple TV, Miracast and HDMI cables connected to 24-30 inch screens & borrow keyboards wireless and usb charging of devices.
Re: A Café for the Freelance Nation
#8A good work café would have Apple TV, Miracast and HDMI cables connected to 24-30 inch screens & borrow keyboards wireless and usb charging of devices.
That's not a café, that's an office that has coffee making facilities.
Re: A Café for the Freelance Nation
#9I can't understand the appeal working in coffee shops has to some freelancers. I can see how an hour, maybe two could break up the day but when you have free coffee and excellent wifi you're already paying for at home why would you pay to work in a crowded, noisy public space?
I find it harder to get motivated when I'm at home, but when I go to a coffee shop I know I'm there to just do work, and paying for my time there (in coffee) also helps spur me onto work.
Re: A Café for the Freelance Nation
#10I can't understand the appeal working in coffee shops has to some freelancers. I can see how an hour, maybe two could break up the day but when you have free coffee and excellent wifi you're already paying for at home why would you pay to work in a crowded, noisy public space?
I work at coffee shops for one of a few reasons, depending on the day. Sometimes I just want to get out of the house, and it's good to see what other people are talking about and doing.
Other times I need to get away from my very needy, very rambunctious dogs (we have three) but it's raining or really cold outside so they want to stay in and play. That gets very distracting.
Finally, sometimes I drop my wife off at work as she's a professor and it's difficult for her to find parking. So I'll take her to work and then camp out at the coffee shop where they know me and immediately make my order without me even asking.