Business Opportunities Abound: How to Start a Coworking Space

Coworking spaces make a lot of sense for startups and freelancers—and even for more established businesses. Workers have been granted greater autonomy almost across the board thanks to modern-day innovations like cloud computing, nationwide wireless networks, and social media.

You can expect productivity and workplace satisfaction to soar in these collaborative environments, which often create synergistic ideas and inspired networking opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise come to fruition.

The reason for this is that a coworking space allows for greater collaboration, predictable leases, and all of the amenities (and then some) that workers expect from a modern-day workplace environment.

Predictable memberships and leases that allow entrepreneurs and freelancers to expand as their businesses grow and their needs evolve are other unique benefits of coworking spaces.

how to start a coworking space

Starting Your Own Coworking Space

The first step to take when you’re considering opening your own coworking space is to ensure that there’s a local need for the service you’re getting ready to provide.

One way to do this is by contacting an established franchise’s area developers so that there’s no second guessing: You’re virtually guaranteed a fully utilized coworking space, since the demand has been found to be so high.

Research and Contact Local Businesses

Coworking spaces cater to a host of different clients: freelancers, temps, entrepreneurs, and independent contractors of all stripes.

The freedom to work anywhere at anytime has been catalyzed by cloud computing, mobile device usage, and the ability to network across social media and work networks.

Freedom, though, doesn’t mean isolation, as freelancers, entrepreneurs, and independent contractors can often create a synergistic effect by being allowed to network, brainstorm, mentor, and collaborate when in closer proximity, thanks to your coworking space.

You’ve probably caught on to a motif by now: All of this stuff has to do with people. That said, you’ll want to make sure that your coworking space is centered around a space that’s convenient—geographically, practically, and occupationally—and accessible to local freelancers and entrepreneurs.

Focus on Amenities and Functionality

Venture X offers coworking spaces that allow for organic (never forced) networking, collaboration, independent and group learning, and mentoring opportunities to naturally develop.

In other words, when Venture X offers up 24/7 meeting rooms, centralized cafes, online member networks for freelancers and entrepreneurs, and weekly educational events, your clients are receiving an engaging sweet spot that couples amenities with functionality.

One of the chief benefits to workers of operating within a coworking space is the luxury of not having to deal with basic workplace amenities. They’re already handled.

Things like wireless internet, receptionists, and phone lines (or hotspot cell phone signal boosters) are already taken care of in a coworking space, which takes a lot of pressure off startups and entrepreneurs.

Bundling all of these services together in a one-off membership cost greatly simplifies the process of shoring up a coworking space for mobile workforces.

Aside from offering basic amenities like concierge and always-open meeting rooms, you’ll also want to make sure that your coworking space is actually conducive to both private and collaborative work—whichever your clients prefer!

Venture X is a Turnkey Investment

While many investors might not be completely familiar with coworking spaces, there’s a good chance that they’ve at least seen an open workspace before and understand the trends that are driving the transition to a more mobile workforce.

Venture X capitalizes on those trends by offering investors the opportunity to offer functional yet engaging coworking spaces to local freelancers and entrepreneurs. It’s a turnkey franchise opportunity attuned to local workers and the future direction of business. For more information about how to start a coworking space, click here.

Put Your Investment Dollars to Good Use with an Office Franchise Opportunity

New findings from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Freelancers Union indicate 53 million American workers and growing are freelancers.

Fifty-three million Americans is over one-third of the labor force in the United States, which shows that this country is entering a new phase of labor and labor management.

This new phase has been called the “gig” economy because it allows both employers and employees more flexibility when it comes to scheduling work.

Why the Gig Economy Is Worth Your Investment

More flexibility in hiring is fantastic news for freelancers since it provides more autonomy, and businesses are embracing the new model as well.

Over half of global executives say that they plan to deal with more freelancers over the next five years, which demonstrates a shift away from salaried workers and toward an independent contractor model.

Cloud-based platforms like freelance management systems help established businesses coordinate the work activities of the freelancers who increasingly make up their workforces. What about freelancers themselves, though?

Put Your Investment Dollars to Good Use with an Office Franchise Opportunity

The Future of Business

Collaborative workspaces for freelancers—or workers who are employed by different organizations and want a sense of organization and synergy—are getting more popular for a number of reasons.

Today’s workforce is more mobile than ever. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of mobile workers will swell to 65 million Americans over the next four years. In a nutshell, that’s the future direction of business.

There are more freelancers, temps, and independent contractors like photographers and interpreters than ever before. Even entrepreneurs are sometimes considered part of this new mobile workforce.

Because there are more freelancers and entrepreneurs who could benefit from a conjoined workspace where they can choose to collaborate or pursue their own activities, there is an increased demand for coworking spaces.

Venture X and Thriving in Coworking Spaces

The Harvard Business Review found that freelancers and entrepreneurs working side by side in coworking spaces tended to show significantly higher productivity, more fruitful collaboration, and greater workplace satisfaction than salaried employees in ordinary offices. That Harvard study looked at coworking spaces that brought together freelancers, remote workers, and various independent contractors to find out why coworking spaces are so effective.

Studies show that coworking spaces are more positive work environments because the freelancers who come into work every day want to be there and are doing work that they’re passionate about.

You might have expected the latter because freelancers typically have the autonomy to choose the jobs that appeal to them. What you might not have expected is that diverse coworking spaces do away with work personas and other forms of efficiency-killing office politics.

This means that there’s far less stress around the office, more collaborative and genuinely helpful talk around the water cooler, and more efficiency since workers aren’t focused on promotions, demotions, and hearing things through the grapevine.

The Venture X Difference

Collaborative coworking spaces are giving freelancers and entrepreneurs more focus and a sense of community.

As an office franchise opportunity, Venture X is well positioned to capitalize on all of these benefits since it provides freelancers with membership-based open or private offices that they can secure for the length of a project or longer.

That kind of flexibility, coupled with unique benefits that Venture X offers (such as online networks, centralized cafe, 24/7 meeting room access, and concierge service), sets Venture X apart. Download a free franchise brochure here to learn more about this amazing office franchise opportunity.