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As a startup, you're in a race against time. You need to scale quickly, solve problems on the fly, hire the best people, and secure funding. And once the funds hit your account, you need to switch gears and get your team into the productivity zone, fast.
In today's world, this often means hiring a distributed or fully remote team. The talent you need may not be in your backyard, so you need to look beyond geographical boundaries. But what does this mean for your office space needs?
In this guide, we'll explore the various use cases of coworking and flexible office spaces for growing teams. Some may seem obvious, but many startups fail to realize the full potential of flexible workspaces.
Before we dive into the post-seed funding phase, let's look at the benefits of coworking spaces when you're just starting. At this stage, coworking spaces can provide:
- An affordable workspace
- Access to a professional network
- A platform to pitch your idea and gather valuable feedback
- Opportunities to meet investors and business angels
- A place to find your co-founders and first employees
- Free or discounted services for startups
All these benefits come at a very low cost. For instance, with one of our individual plans, you can visit a coworking space of your choice two times a month for just 49 Euros incl VAT.
Not all coworking spaces and flexible office spaces offer the same benefits. As an entrepreneur, you want to find spaces and communities that align with your startup's needs.
Flexible workspace offers come in a variety of styles and vibes. You might find spaces that are artistic, corporate, or entrepreneurial. It's important to choose a space that feels right for you and your team. Don't hesitate to try out a few different ones until you find the perfect fit.
You can find a list of recommended entrepreneurial-minded coworking spaces by One Coworking for further guidance.
Once you're in growth mode and have funding available, flexible workspaces can serve as your local growth hub. They provide a minimal office setup and an official company address. You can hold meetings with customers and investors, bring your team together for retreats or weekly meetups, and even establish a permanent team office that everyone can use during the week.
As you start hiring remotely, providing workspace for your team becomes a challenge. That's why we built our service at One Coworking. With just one membership, all your employees can access all coworking spaces.
They might not need a full-time dedicated workspace from the start, but there will be moments when they need a workspace other than their home office. You want them to be as productive as possible, so it's a good idea to provide the workspace they need.
The space you choose for meetings can depend on what you want to achieve. For meetings with investors, you might want an affordable startup space. For meetings with traditional business partners, a more serious environment might be appropriate. And if you want to impress, go to upscale fancy workspaces and act as if it's your home turf.
When hiring, consider adding "access to coworking spaces" to your job offers. Let future employees define their own workspace needs in the first place. Work together with platforms like One Coworking to get consulted about different options of coworking, pricing in different markets and products, and plan a long-term strategy together.
Choosing the right location for retreats is crucial. Look for places with cheap flights, a good coworking infrastructure, and a local host. Timing is also important. Quarterly retreats lasting 3-5 days can be a good starting point.
In the fast-paced world of startups, flexibility is key. Whether you're bootstrapping your company or scaling up, coworking and flexible workspaces can provide the adaptability you need. From providing a platform to pitch your ideas and meet potential investors, to offering a scalable office solution for your growing team, coworking spaces can be a game-changer for your startup.
So, don't just sit behind your laptop in a coworking space. Engage with the community, network, pitch your ideas, and make the most of the opportunities that coworking spaces offer. With the right approach, you can leverage the superpowers of coworking to drive your startup's success.
