The bay area is easily becoming one of the biggest hubs in the world for small business. For a small business owner, this can be exciting as well as nerve-racking. On the one hand, being in the midst of so many inspiring stories and hardworking founders can provide a perfect opportunity for networking and learning from each other. On the other hand, the growing number of small businesses here can drive the cost of functioning as a startup way up. This is one of the reasons we’ve seen such a huge spike in the use of coworking spaces. Coworking spaces are great for small businesses because they provide a solution for those of you who are serious about their company, but don’t require an entire office suite that costs thousands of dollars every month.

So who is coworking for? Many people tend to think coworking is a millennial trend, and expect to walk into a room full of 20-somethings working completely from their iPhone. That however, is not the case. Walk into a coworking space and you’ll often find a diverse group of people. The traits that bring most of these people together have more to do with work habits and job requirements than age. Here are some common traits of people you’ll find at a coworking space.

Creative Occupations

Not everyone in a coworking space environment will have a job in a creative industry, per se. However, many of the people who benefit most from coworking are creative personalities in general. This could mean a graphic designer, or even a small business CEO who has to come up with creative solutions to problems every day. Many of these inventive people don’t like sitting in a cubicle all boxed in by grey walls. They function better in an open space with a nice design, and an air of motivation and innovation around them. Fortunately for them, coworking provides that exact environment.

Benefit From Networking

While coworking isn’t designed specifically for networking, this is one of the best perks you’ll gain from renting a space. The defining trait of anyone who works from a coworking space is that they are serious about their work. That means that every single person working around you might be a potential benefit to your business. The people you meet in a coworking space might end up being a future partner, employee, collaborator or even investor.

Serious About Hard Work

One interesting aspect about coworking is that every person there has chosen to be there. These are people who could be working from home, nice and cozy in their PJ’s, maybe snacking while they casually work on a project. The people who work from a coworking space have chosen to work out of a more dedicated work environment. They take their work seriously, and this creates a space where everyone respects the general guidelines of an office environment. They keep networking to the designated open space areas, and try not to create any distractions for those around them. If that isn’t an ideal office situation, I don’t know what is.