At the most elemental, practical level we provide a shared, creative work environment for freelancers, solopreneurs, microbusinesses, consultants and creative professionals to work in both focused silence and collaboration. To create “accelerated serendipity.”

We're also building a community of members from diverse backgrounds with a range of talents and a desire to improve our professional lives, our personal lives and our community. See our vision of what it can for Beacon.

Media Love

• Coworking: Working Solo, But Not Alone — Planet Green (5/10/10)
• Solo workers share 'Beahive' — Poughkeepsie Journal (7/18/09) [PDF]
• Need workspace? Check out new facility in Beacon — Southern Dutchess Focus (7/18/09) [PDF]
• A new way to work — Hudson Valley Business Journal (7/13/09) [PDF]
• Lighting the Way: Beacon Brightens Up — Chronogram (May '09), a monthly magazine about arts, culture and spirit in the Hudson Valley

Join the hive. Rent the hive. Hire the hive. Engage.

• physical place to work with shared resources
• creative capital of multidisciplinary people working together to benefit the community
• collaboration on community-based projects
• warm, relaxed, welcoming vibe
• exposure to professional opportunities/new business
• access to other talented folks to help on projects or just bounce off ideas
• workshops & professional events
• social events

• broadband internet/wifi
• multifunction laser printer (scanner/copier/fax)
• kitchenette with full fridge, microwave, coffee/tea
• sofas and armchairs and the like
• books & magazine/newspaper subscriptions
• membership directory (coming soon)
• online community
• virtual mailbox service (under consideration)
• lockers (under consideration)
• VOIP phone
• foosball, ping pong or similar stress-busting diversion (under consideration)
• conference room (future consideration)
• interns available to help with member projects (future consideration)

Collaboration
One of the great benefits of working in a coworking space is that you will meet all sorts of people with all sorts of knowledge — and share ideas.

Openness
Open spaces, open discussions, open minds, open ideas. Like collaboration, it helps drive creativity.

Community
In two aspects: coworking community and our larger community. We thrive on connections and mutual support of our members. And we’re focused on collaborating on projects that benefit Beacon and the world beyond.

Sustainability
Environmentally and economically sustainable. Shared spaces are generally better for the planet. We’ll also make sure ours is as ecologically responsible as feasible. And to have the impact we're aiming for, the space and our members need to make sure we can cover our expenses (both in the space and at home). We'll balance people and planet with profit so we can do those things to help others.

[adapted from Citizen Space (San Francisco)]

Photo: Dan Fiege

Scott Tillitt is a socially conscious communicator, equal parts publicist, marketer, consultant and writer. He has 15 years of experience promoting ideas, products and services in various culture-shaping (and sometimes suffocating) worlds — advertising, media, interactive design, photography, technology, television and fashion. Some years ago, he broke the trance of an increasingly cynical consumer culture and started applying his corporate skills to the public interest, promoting nonprofits and social issues.

In his new incarnation, he has worked with a range of groups, people, films and books covering the environment, religion and spirituality, social justice, health care and education — from the Dalai Lama and Phil Donahue to Rainforest Action Network. He founded the consultancy Antidote Collective in 2004 and has served clients on both US coasts and places in between, in Europe, and down under in Australia.

He moved to Beacon from Brooklyn in 2006 with his wife Andrea Ramirez (a holistic health counselor). They live on the East End of Main St. with their two cats.