Shari Shallard

Blankspaces is a trio of LA coworking spaces that is as much a celebration of coworking as it is a place to work. Their motto should appeal to freelancers in particular — work for yourself, not by yourself. And on their about page you’ll find an interesting piece that explores the practical and existential benefits of the communal approach to freelance life. The same page features a series of videos that are so funny and informative and irreverent (warning: f-bombs included), you'll wonder why they're . . .

For many of us finding our place in today’s gig economy, there was some set of circumstances that pushed us in an unexpected — but ultimately wonderful — direction. “The trick to entrepreneurship is that very few of us can build a scalable business alone,” Brittany Bullen writes. “Opportunity often presents itself in a moment of chaos and in order to capitalize on that opportunity, we need each other.”

Solopreneur Jayne Heggen knows the power of asking hard questions. They are essential, she feels, in guiding clients through the chaos and helping them stay on the path to success. That’s the purpose of her consultancy, the Heggen Group, which relies on an evolving virtual team to serve her clients. These are approaches for which Heggen’s own career — with time spent in music and gymnastics as well as roles in accounting, process design, operations and marketing — has uniquely equipped her.