Co-working is a new trend in modern business which essentially means sharing an office space with other business people and entrepreneurs. It is the alternative to the home office or the traditional office set up.
Co-working spaces are great for freelancers and individual entrepreneurs because they give you the chance to work in a fully equipped office without having to dedicate funds into setting up an actual office. A Servcorp Shared Office is an example of an ideal workspace for a small business owner or entrepreneur.
The cost of sourcing equipment, furniture, contractors and licenses for resources costs time and money that most start-up ventures simply dont have. It would be wise for any start-up to strongly consider a co-working space or shared office. Everything is already set out for you; all you need to do is business.
These are numerous shared workspaces popping up now that investors have realized they are the way forward. There are a few things that you want to clarify before you rent a shared workspace though. An Internet connection is critical, as is video conferencing software. A high quality shared workspace will also have a dedicated local telephone connection and receptionist who answers calls, all-inclusive. That is a great service, which adds professionalism to your start-up, without you having to worry about hiring and paying a receptionist yourself.
Co-working spaces allow you share office space with other like-minded individuals. This is a key asset for any professional, regardless of their background or experience level. The ability to share ideas with people from a range of different businesses can give you new ideas, fresh perspectives and key critique should you seek it.
Self-discipline
Start-ups just arent about workspace though. They are about self-discipline. Not only with money, but having self-control and sticking to a budget is key. Self-discipline is needed in every way if you are to run a successful business. Planning and goal setting are key ways in which you can structure your objectives and make them achievable so you are not over-extending yourself.
If you have roster of staff at the outset of your start-up, holding a weekly meeting to appraise them of new changes in the business is important. In any start-up, changes happy frequently and suddenly. You dont want your employees to be caught off guard by changes and to misinform investors and stakeholders regarding new or recently changed information.
Balance
Maintaining work-life balance is also key. You could pour your heart and soul into your start-up and it becomes your breakfast, lunch and dinner. They do require more nurturing and hard work than your traditional nine to five office job, however dont let work consume you. Set goals and stick to them.
Finances
All start-ups, big or small require some financial backing to get off the ground. It may be thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars depend on the scale of your business. You need to decide early on how you are going to fund your start-up. This might be through investments or small business loans. Finding a path to funding that suits your business and pursuing it early is vital for success.
Expertise
The most thorough and innovative ideas count for nothing if the person who has the idea lacks the skills, knowledge and persistence to carry the idea through from beginning to end. The how to is much harder than the what in this case. Industry experience is important in any new business venture and if you dont have that experience, getting your hands dirty and leaning on people who do have that experience is going to be your key to success.