Instead of the coffee shop, try coworking

Business rules are changing in today's workplaces. There are more freelancers, contractors and remote workers, flexible schedules, even remote equipment.

And offices? What offices? Depending on your work, you can be almost anywhere.

But sometimes you still need the camaraderie or conference room. And that's the idea behind coworking.

Coworking is the use of a shared business space by unrelated individuals and companies. American coworking started in 2005 in San Francisco. The concept has been building for the last 10 years, evolving to include child care and health care in some parts of the country. The model has been popular in major cities like New York, where office space is expensive to lease, and the phenomenon is making its way to suburban regions like Westchester. (It's not in Rockland yet; we searched.)

These coworking owners describe their businesses as more of a movement. They use words like "synergy" and "support" to describe their working space. And punctuation nerds, take note: Omitting the hyphen in the word "co-working" is a deliberate part of building the brand and ideals of this shared-working community. Here's a look at a few in our region.

W@tercooler, Tarrytown

In Westchester, the unofficial coworking den mother is Jenifer Ross, owner of W@tercooler in Tarrytown. Open since 2011, she's mentored first-time coworkers and other business owners in the expanding coworking trend. She runs the business with her husband, Tom Schumacher. "It's a lot of work. You have to finesse it and I'm always happy to help."

In a walkable downtown like Tarrytown, W@tercooler has a good street location to attract foot traffic. Ross says strong connections to the community have meant a boost for W@tercooler. "These suburban businesses aren't that easy to do," she says. "You don't get the foot traffic of a city."

When you step in the office, the bright sun and warm decor make it an inviting and comfortable environment. Available work desks line the walls of the main room. The business measures 1,500 square feet with seven permanent desks, free organic coffee and mail service. Ross has 60 members; including a DJ, writers and marketers.

Burns Patterson says it's been a place for him to launch his own business and be inspired. "So far I'm really enjoying it." A 20-year public relations veteran, Patterson decided to start his own firm, but didn't want to be solo. "I knew it wasn't going to be a good idea to launch out of my house, in my pajamas," he says. "I knew I had to get out." It's been almost a year, and being in the coworking space has meant new business leads, access to resources and inspiration from coworkers on projects. "It gives you a jolt of energy being here," he explains.

A new program called Unemployed Mondays invites people searching for jobs to work at W@tercooler and take advantage of being around people in an upbeat environment. "We've had people get jobs and network," says Ross. She also worked with other coworking businesses in other cities to start a coworking visa, where members use different locations around the world.

Ross says a typical coworking-space owner has other freelance work, but wants to see the community they live in thrive. "You're never going to be that big in a suburban market, but the synergy and feedback is invaluable."

Go: 21 N. Broadway, Tarrytown, 914-332-1400, www.watercoolerhub.com

Fees: Range from $35 for a one-day session to a permanent desk for $550 per month.

Ground Floor Coworking, New Rochelle

The newest coworking space in the county, Ground Floor, opened in January. Miriam Gilwit runs the business with her parents, and got the idea from her mom. "She talked about wanting a private office to work in near the house and to be able to be around other people when you work," says Gilwit. "I spent the summer after college writing up a business plan and here we are."

The family found a prime location near the train station and City Hall, and used a mix of their own money and micro-funding from Community Capital Resources, a nonprofit that helps startups with renovations costs. "Everyone thinks it's so cool we came to New Rochelle."

Gilwit says they are trying to appeal to a range of interests. The 2,000-square-foot office is an urban loft with splashes of bright colors, and includes a conference room and kitchenette with a large seating area in the middle. "Every room has a different feel, it's comfortable and clean," says Gilwit.

Everything in the main space is moveable, making it ideal for seminars, pop-ups and special events. With the capacity for up to 30 people in the space, the family wants to encourage a coworking model of creativity and productivity. "Before we opened we talked to other people and found they were looking for a place like this in New Rochelle," she says.

Gilwit, 23, works in finance in Manhattan, and says the space will reflect the different timing and schedules of today's workers. "We realize that the business model is changing, that it's no longer just days, but days, nights and weekends, too," says Gilwit.

Go: 547 North Ave., New Rochelle, 914-999-4324, groundfloorcw.com

Fees: Range from $30 for a one-day session to a cubicle space of $500 per month.

Serendipity Labs, Rye

Serendipity Labs is decidedly the most corporate coworking environment in the area. And for good reason: It offers sophisticated technology for those in the financial services industry by providing everything from physical security, document control and security firewalls in accordance with federal laws.

The stark, bright and clean lines make this a space for serious work in a professional atmosphere. But the benefits are the same as other coworking spaces: a reliable place to do business and share ideas. "We have a number of categories filled in Rye, and a lot of people looking for work-life solutions," says John Arenas, the chief executive officer.

The 7,000-square-foot space could be mistaken for any small corporate environment. Arenas won't say how many current members he has, but says he welcomes professionals looking for a place integrated in the community. "They can all choose how they can work. Even if you have a big house, there can be a lot of distractions."

The membership-based workplace hosts community meet-ups on topics like technology and female entrepreneurs. The brand is growing, with spaces in Chicago and Miami leased to open. "Our design is about more than a great space, it is a coworking platform for grownups," says Arenas.

Go: 80 Theodore Fremd Ave., Rye, 914-908-6770, serendipitylabs.com

Fees: Range from $49 for a one-day session to a permanent work space fee for $1,399 per month.

The Purple Crayon, Hastings-on-Hudson

Sarah Hinawi speaks about her coworking space as an environment for learning and succeeding, and her background as an educator and counselor is evident. "We think of ourselves as an incubator for the small-business person," she says. Hinawi runs the business with her husband, Adel, and caters their coworking space to helping members build their own brand. "We curate a series of workshops, leadership meetings and anything connected with running your own small business successfully."

She says with 30 percent of all Americans working for themselves, it's important to learn all aspects of business to take it to the next level, and wants her own business to reflect that. "Most people don't think about being leaders of marketing, financial issues and being the face of the business, but we want to offer a space for that to happen."

The Purple Crayon is on the first floor of a historic church. Open for four years, the Hinawis have mentored several successful businesses and offered guidance for up-and-coming entrepreneurs. "We're in the business of building social capital," says Hinawi.

Like other coworking spaces, they offer memberships and hold monthly lunches to talk business. A concept called HotDesk offers access to office comforts like Wi-Fi, printers and access to approved consultants and coaches in residence. She says the goal is to move in the direction of the new American workplace. "I think we are in a new kind of workforce where we have to be self-directed and self-driven."

Hinawi says her coworking space can give small business owners the best of both worlds, with support and the tools to grow their business. "This can be very isolating so to find community is very important and necessary."

Go: 52 Main St., Hastings-on-Hudson, 914-231-9077 www.purpl.org

Fees: Range from free for a one-day trial session to a permanent desk for $179 per year.

Twitter: @krhudsonvalley