Business owners from all industries and locations are increasingly choosing to work in co-working spaces for many reasons. These include cost, privacy, professionalism and the opportunity for networking and training.
Once you have made the decision to move out of working from home or perhaps downsizing from an expensive office lease, it’s time to find the one best suited to you.
Here are 6 things to consider when choosing a co-working space.
- Location
Nobody loves a long commute, so choosing a space often depends on how far it is to travel from home each day you’ll be working. Is there a public transport option? Is the car ride there likely to be affected by peak hour traffic? Getting there is one thing but, as a small business owner, you’ll also want to make sure you don’t have to pay for expensive multi-level car parking or have limited options for your wake-me-up-so-I-can-go-go morning coffee or lunch meetings.
- Desk arrangements
This is a biggie. What would your ‘office’ actually look like? A co-working space that has a variety of desk arrangements offers the best value. You could always try a casual ‘hot desk’ arrangement where you pick a different spot each time you use the space, or make a longer-term commitment and upgrade to a more permanent spot with a dedicated desk and storage so you don’t have to pack up everything each day.
- Meeting rooms and event spaces
One of the main motivations for sole traders and small business owners to use co-working spaces is the availability of private meeting rooms. Working from home can be an affordable option for many, but inviting clients into your home or even meeting them in a crowded cafe may not be appropriate for every business or meeting. Co-working hubs that offer separate office spaces mean you can conduct your business meetings privately and confidentially.
Having the option to reserve a boardroom or dedicated event space should you want to conduct a larger client meeting or presentation, workshop or training seminar is also essential for modern co-working hubs. It means you can operate all aspects of your business from one location cheaply and without any unnecessary running around.
- Technology
When was the last time you went on holiday and you found a restaurant or hotel without wifi? We’re guessing it was quite some time ago. We have a new level of expectations of what technology should be available to us, and co-working spaces are no different. High-speed, secure internet is a given, and increasingly state-of-the-art technology TV screens and equipment for presentations, workshops and seminars are expected components of any hub.
- Collaborative and creative community
Often the motivation behind business owners working in a more collegiate atmosphere is the opportunity to meet others to network, discuss new ideas and even collaborate. You want to choose a hub that welcomes a wide cross section of people across a broad range of industries to share experiences, brainstorm new and innovative ways to run your business and sometimes to even just chat about your local footy team.
A great co-working hub will also offer a suite of free or low-cost training events so you can keep learning new skills and keep abreast of technology.
- Affordability
Obviously this is the clincher for small business owners. The beauty of a flexible co-working space is you choose your level of commitment and tailor it to suit your business. Going through a busy stretch? Work more often at hub to be more productive, meet more clients and grow the business. Got a seasonal slow-down? Pull back and reduce your outgoings.
Because the cost of a co-working space is shared among its patrons, prices are always much lower than signing an expensive lease for an office for yourself. And the great news is that 100 percent of all fees you pay are tax deductible.
Business Hub at Queenscliff Marina differs from most co-working facilities in several ways. The most obvious is we offer million-dollar water views at a very affordable rate (seriously, the views!).
As the Bellarine Peninsula’s largest co-working hub we offer a range of features including, but not limited to, the following:
- Affordable desk hire on an hourly, weekly or annual basis thanks to two permanent premium spaces, nine dedicated desks and 15 casual spots
- Professional 18-seater boardroom and five private spaces to meet clients
- Standalone event space that can cater for a 50-person seminar room with state of the art technology to host workshops and seminars
- Incredible views overlooking the marina
- High-speed internet, printing and ergonomic desk setup
- Regular on-site training and collaboration sessions
- A shorter commute than to similar spaces in Geelong
- Did we mention the million-dollar views?