Our Values & Story
Founded in 2011 by remote workers in Denver that wanted more than an office, but a community.
How we approach coworking differently
The original reasons Creative Density was founded is still the reason it exists today. The fact that working remote kinda of sucks. It can be unmotivating, endlessly blur the lines of work and personal life, and people are alone…..alll…..day…long. Blah! Here are a few of the core values that make Creative Density Coworking unique.
People Matter.
Coworking is all about people. It was why we started a coworking space. Our members have met their best friends, their business partners, and some found their spouse. Some places put space first with expensive nap rooms, we don’t. In fact, we are proud to have mugs that exclaim ‘Friendly, Not Fancy.’
People first is not just a saying, but it goes into our space design, our culture of saying ‘Hi’, and how you meet people. We are big fans of pot lucks, Friday lunches, yard games, and brainstorming teasers. It’s all little ways Creative Density starts to feel like home.
Staying Small Matters.
Some coworking brands like to go big. We don’t. We think it makes people anonymous and less of a community clubhouse for workers. All of our spaces are between 3,400 SF and 7,500 SF that can have up to 100 members. The community manager will know your name, probably know your hobbies, and what’s your favorite side hustle and podcasts. It’s all about bringing neighbors together.
Affordability matters. Don’t be greedy. Be Happy.
Creative Density should be as accessible to as many as possible. We have had plenty of opportunities to chase corporate clients or funded startups with fancy lights and fully stacked bars. We were built by remote workers, freelancers, and small businesses that had other bills to pay. We charge enough to keep the business afloat, but we would rather be happy bringing awesome people together than greedy.
Sustainability Matters.
Global warming is real (sad I have to say that). We use renewable solar energy at all of our Colorado locations and design our spaces to be as efficient as possible with smart thermostats and lots of insulation. We encourage bike riding with secure places to lock bikes at most locations and showers. We do neighborhood clean ups of trash on a regular basis, and we try to reduce our disposable consumption as much as possible. We always strive to do better and are open to suggestions.
Our Story
Craig started Creative Density a few years out of college as a market researcher working remotely back in 2011. He hated working from home and retreated to a Panera Bread every morning for four hours. After gaining a few bread pounds and exhausted of sugary Hazelnut coffee, Craig started DenverCoworking.com to be a gathering spot for others that loved their jobs, but hated being forced to work from their sofa and be alone every day. The website was early in the coworking movement but it struck a chord and dozens of freelancers and remote workers in Denver started to raise their digital hands saying they felt the same way. As the group of lawyers, developers, and designers grew they started to tour half a dozen potential locations weighing the costs, what mattered to them, and how each person liked to work.
In June 2011 they voted on a location and a core group of relative strangers that were united in not suffering through the daily boredom of working alone opened the Uptown location at 1719 Emerson St. It was one of the first coworking spots in Denver. There are still members from 2011 that are part of Creative Density today, which is pretty cool.
The Amazing Team
United by our love for community and entrpreneuriship
Craig Baute
Founder of Creative Density
Craig is lover of small towns and a proud Michigander. He loves coworking because he believes it gives people freedom to live where they want to live while taking jobs throughout the world.
Plus, he likes how it reminds him of college where friends would hang out and discuss ideas and plans.
Sophie Aucoin
Lone Tree Community Manager
Sophie moved up to Colorado through from New Orleans. She went to college in Boulder and found her way down the Front Range to good ‘old Denver.
She is a detailed focused hustler, a dog lover (you’ll meet her dog in Lone Tree), and a darn good frisbee thrower.
Raquel Roman
Chicago Community Manager
Raquel grew up in the neighborhood that the coworking space is in. She lived in Scotland for a few years and is the best chit-chatter you can hope for.
She gave up a career in marketing to lead the coworking space because she loves people. She loves bringing people together, chit-chatting, and making Logan Square feel like home.
We love and Support Coworking
We love coworking. Really really love. We’re not property owners trying to divide up space to sell it for more money. We believe coworking helps people to have jobs they love in communities they love. It enables people to live in small towns but have the opportunities of jobs in big cities. It makes a new city feel like home faster. Coworking is all about unlocking the ability to enjoy working remote or feeling supported when you start being a freelancer. We want coworking to exist throughout the US as a gathering spot for 21st century workers.
Sharing what we’ve learned.
We have helped start over 60 (and counting) coworking spaces throughout the US based on our core values. We share our experience and knowledge freely through blog posts, free coworking feasibility tools, free consulting calls, or even site visits if we are so lucky. We are moderators of the Global Coworking Community on Google. We have spoken at the Global Coworking Conference Unconference and performed research for the Global Workspace Association.
Locally, we started Denver Coworks in 2012 and launched Denver Coworking Week in 2012 and in 2019 we launched Denver Coworking Passport. In 2019 we started Chicago Coworks alliance.
Creating Tools for Future Coworking Owners
For future coworking entrepreneurs we have created a variety of tools to help them evaluate locations, gut-check their business model with an instant profit and loss calculator, helped property owners plan coworking for their space, and developed a marketplace for owners to buy or sell their coworking business.
Coworking is the future. It’s a better future for today’s workers based on friendship and collaboration versus loneliness.
Coworking a community. It’s the place to go to when you need help with problems or need to meet new neighbors.