The economy is rising. The small businesses appear in large numbers in a big city. Almost all major cities in America have popular coworking locations. This is a chance for all small businesses, entrepreneurs, freelancers work and develop their startups. The idea is good and you can hardly find a better proposal if you a newcomer in business and you need a minimum space to work. What makes your business successful? All entrepreneurs try to follow their general business idea and do really crazy things to draw the partners’ eyes. If you think that an eye-catching car from exotic car rental in Pittsburgh or where you are will save your business, you are wrong. Of course, every small detail is important. But it is better to start with a favorable working space, not a car. The car will impress your partners for an hour, but the result of your work will impress them the most.
So, let’s try to find out if it is really that good to work in a shared space.
COWORKING PROS
1. Affordable price
This is a great benefit of renting a coworking space. It is cheap, even cheaper than paying for the office somewhere in suburbs. Long-term deals give you more favorable terms of collaboration.
2. Flexibility
Yes, coworking spaces make your business flexible. First of all, you choose a type of cooperation which is good for you: monthly payment, number of visits, equipment. Then, you are free to change the rental condition according to your needs. Thus, you can rent more working space or, instead, leave just few of them.
3. Communication
Coworking space is a great opportunity to work and communicate with other people. That means that you can always ask for advice, share your experience with others and communicate with people according to your interests. It can help your business. Invite them for coffee during the break!
COWORKING CONS
1. Limited number
You can find many coworking spaces available in the big cities. But you can hardly find them, living in a small town. To rent a shared office, you have to find the best variant in the nearest big city and spend money for transportation. But if you want to rent a traditional office space, you can easily find it even in a place where you live.
2. Low productivity
Sometimes, your productivity depends on people around. If you want to increase your productivity, pay attention to accelerator companies. They offer more than just a working space for rent, but a set of helpful services and a working team around. Otherwise, you may have difficulties working in a noisy and distracting atmosphere.
3. Old equipment
When you rent an office you may use all office equipment, like telephones, printers, scanners. What is more, you can order a virtual office service. But it often happens that the office equipment and software is not as advanced as you wanted. It cannot help you to do your job right.
4. No privacy
This is the biggest disadvantage of all coworking spaces. You have to share your working space with others, friends and competitors. They talk loudly, gather in groups in a lounge zone, discuss and muddy the water around. It can be really difficult to maintain privacy and confidentiality when you are having a phone talk or client meeting. Be ready for that!
5. High cost, no return
It is not a secret that a coworking space gives you many benefits you may use in the process of business development. But coworking rates vary, depending on the city, state, district, and a company it belongs to. Before buying a membership, go and check everything with your own eyes. Sometimes, when you pay much, you will receive nothing but a desk. Sure enough, you can try to find a better deal and rent a fully loaded coworking center.
ALTERNATIVE TO COWORKING
Some people really like coworking! It works very well when you used to work in a shared atmosphere side by side with people of different interests. But if you can’t work in a shared office, you should knpw that there are other interesting options. And these alternatives may suit your working style the most.
What are they?
If you live in a big city like New York, Los Angeles, Denver, or Pittsburgh, you can find a temporary office space for rent. Local office suites give their free offices for rent with flexible terms. What is more, they provide you with a professional support and a team of experienced managers. If you don’t have money for renting an office, you can pay for a virtual office option. Simply, you buy a private phone line and a person who work as a secretary for your small company. In addition, you get a physical address where your office is situated. Modern world dictates its own rules. But you will never have problems with doing your job. Where you work for a boss and have many more ideas in your head or want to start your own project, you can always find a possibility to work in comfort.