In recent years, the SF Bay Area has become a mecca for modern business. People around the world look to us for the newest trends in business. Whether it be working from their own garage to start a multi-billion dollar company, or building huge campuses that encourage workers to hang around work even when they’re not required to, the Bay Area shows the rest of the world that sometimes breaking the mold of traditional offices is not only okay, but great for business. One of these trends is coworking. Especially in this area, there are a ton of small businesses, aka startups. These small businesses aren’t always funded right away, and might just be one or two people working their hardest to make their name known. Due to the influx of smaller businesses, coworking has become a viable option for many people. Here are some reasons why small business owners in the Bay Area are choosing coworking spaces over traditional offices.
Networking Opportunities
If you own a small business, you know more than anyone that you can’t do it alone. Even if you’re the nucleus of your business, and don’t have any full time employees, you’ll need contract workers, investors and advisers in order to keep your company afloat. Working from a coworking space offers a rare opportunity for you to meet new people every day. You never know what the person sitting next to you might be able to help you with, or vice versa. In any good coworking space, there are dedicated areas with more open seating, designed for networking, brainstorming, and bouncing ideas off of your fellow workers.
Cost Effectiveness
One of the biggest struggles for most small businesses is funding. Even if your startup just got a round of funding, it’s vital that you allocate those funds to the proper channels, and don’t waste it on unnecessary factors. This is another reason coworking is so popular in the Bay Area. Since you’re living here, I don’t need to tell you about the sometimes astronomical prices of rentals. This is another reason coworking is a rising trend in the area. Even if you can afford to rent a full office suite, the prices alone are enough to make you second guess if it’s necessary. If you don’t see clients every day, having a full traditional office can be a waste of money. Coworking spaces are designed to save you money and be available when you need them.
Creative and Motivational Environment
Walking into a coworking space for the first time, you’ll immediately know what I mean by “motivational environment”. If you’ve ever tried to work from home or a cafe, you know that they’re full of distractions and can be difficult to work in. At a coworking space, everyone is there to work. Distractions are minimal, and being around other people who are serious about working keeps you on the right track too. Something about having a designated place where you only go to work keeps us motivated. You’ll see a difference in your productivity right away.
