SWAT - solos working alone together
My friend Jack Vinson (tool training vs effective use) has named an idea I proposed a few weeks back as SWAT - Solos Working Alone Together.
I like this name.
It captures what I have been hoping woud happen, over the past few weeks, a group of independants have been working alone, but together, at Caf� Mud in Evanston.
The idea, which I think and hope will expand beyond Chicago, is for independent consultants and entrepreneurs to select a specific place and days. We then agree that whenever possible, we’ll work from that space on those days.
It gives us a chance to grab lunch, or share a coffee with interesting people, while also getting our work accomplished. Currently here in Evanston my friend Jack Vinson and a few others have been joining me on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Caf� Mud. If you are in town, feel free to join us there as well.
It is a reminder that while we each pursue on own projects and engagements, that we are not on this journey alone. While we retain the freedom and flexibility of working solo, it is great to have others to bounce ideas off of, to celebrate wins, to commiserate about setbacks, to plot pitches. In short, to function as virtual coworkers without the inter-office politics.
September 6th, 2006 at 7:54 am
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September 6th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
[…] Earlier today while hanging out at my local Starbucks, I ran into Shannon Clark, consultant for networks and organizer of the influential Mesh Forum Conference. He moved to San Francisco earlier this year, and he told me about One Web Day, which is being promoted by fellow broadband geeks. (More about it here.) We chatted briefly and I mentioned Web Worker Daily and why I started the blog. Good man that he is, he pointed me to a post of his, which he thinks is a good way to beat the cabin fever: the solos working alone together or the SWAT approach. The idea, which I think and hope will expand beyond Chicago, is for independent consultants and entrepreneurs to select a specific place and days. We then agree that whenever possible, we’ll work from that space on those days. It gives us a chance to grab lunch, or share a coffee with interesting people, while also getting our work accomplished. […]
September 9th, 2006 at 4:10 am
[…] One of the growing trends in the freelance/independent/blogging communities is the idea of S.W.A.T. - Solos Working Alone Together. At it’s basis, it is about geeks gathering to get things done. Getting together on a regular basis at a predetermined location to hang out, work on projects, swat away at those mosquito tasks that have been nipping at your knees and have others of like mind joining for productivity and pleasure. In other words, this is what I hoped geek gather would be in the first place. Why don’t we just have a regular monthly or bi-monthly gathering at a coffee shop that is centrally located with lots of outlets and good wifi? Folks that can make it can. Others can make it the next time. The idea is that if it is a regular thing in a set location no one will feel guilty if only a couple of folks show up. […]
September 12th, 2006 at 1:50 am
The Boston Globe made mention of SWAT this morning - but made no mention whatsoever of how to get hooked up with a SWAT “unit”. I think it’s a great idea, but how do I find one?