Our clients choose CoLab for many reasons, but one of our best-known strengths is collaboration (we even named ourselves in honor of it). We firmly reject the “dog eat dog”, inhuman mindset. We believe that human beings’ natural state is that of cooperation and collaboration. Indeed, nothing would be possible at CoLab if we didn’t. We approach all situations with compassion and solidarity.
CoLab does not take the approach of a mercenary for hire. When a client comes to CoLab, our goal is not to “build a thing and get paid,” but rather to “co-create visions.” We don’t present ourselves as an authority that tells you what is best for you, but rather experts that support your goals and work with you to get there. You know what you need better than anyone, and we work with you to figure out exactly what that is, and how to get there. We don’t disappear for a time, then come back and say “here’s your order!” No, we involve you every step of the way. We show you what we’re building as it’s being developed. This method of collaborative co-creation ensures that what you envision is what we build.
You know what you need better than anyone.
This cooperative and collaborative philosophy extends beyond our relationships with clients. We use this approach within the cooperative, with one another. We also take this stance with other cooperatives. We don’t consider other tech cooperatives our competitors but rather collaborators. Indeed, we learn from one another and support one another. We even hire between cooperatives, when one cooperative doesn’t have enough staff to fulfill demand.
The entire cooperative sector is a macro cooperative, in a sense. Indeed, Principle 6 of The Rochdale Principles* is “Cooperation among cooperatives,” which means not only are we, within a cooperative, all in it together, but all worker-owned cooperatives are in it together as a whole.
That said, we DO believe in one form of competition: competition with the status quo. We believe cooperativism is a better way to work. When you choose CoLab, you choose human-first, not profit-first.
*According to Wikipedia, “The Rochdale Principles are a set of ideals for the operation of cooperatives. They were first set out in 1844 by the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers in Rochdale, England, and have formed the basis for the principles on which cooperatives around the world continue to operate.”