So with the benefit of a sunny Friday and free wifi, I decided to come to my local Panera Bread for the afternoon to work. I’ve had cabin fever at home this week, so I thought I’d be a nice change of pace to go out into the world and work somewhere other than my dining room.
I’ve been here for a couple hours now, and noticed some fellow business people working away on their laptops as well. I’ve also noticed a curious phenomenon that I never really had a reason to think about before now. Thrice now this afternoon I’ve seen my fellow mobile businesspeople sit and work, then be joined by another party or parties, then conduct a business meeting.
Of course! It makes perfect sense to hold a meeting somewhere like Panera Bread when you otherwise work at home. You might not be entirely comfortable with inviting clients into your home, whether it’s because of your choice of decor, state of cleanliness, or just a desire to separate the personal from the professional. It’s a neutral territory with ample meeting space. And most of the Panera Bread’s I’ve been to are relatively quiet and nowhere near as busy and loud as a Starbucks, save for the occasional family that brings children in.
I’m glad I came down here to work for the afternoon, and I’m definitely going to keep this business tidbit in mind on having meetings here when I need to entertain clients and they don’t have a space to go to either!
