One of the most important parts of any startup is teamwork. Being able to assemble a great team and create a vibrant group dynamic will be critical to your success as a company. But something that can easily happen is that these teams insulate themselves. A feeling of comfort, sometimes combined with a fear of others stealing your idea, will cause startups to turn inside themselves.
But this is really counterproductive to what you are trying to accomplish. Surrounding yourself with similar professionals such as yourself has tremendous benefits for you and your company. And a top-of-the-line coworking space can do just this.
Of course, moving your operation from your basement or garage into a professional office building will require some adjustment, such as learning to play by the rules. But beyond this, making this move could be one of the best things for your company. Here’s why:
Boost your professional image
One of the unfortunate challenges you will have to face as a startup is that people tend to take you less seriously than more established companies. This is normal, but you need to find a way to overcome this.
The best way to do this is to offer a great product or service and to conduct yourself in a professional and personable manner. But just like you wouldn’t show up to a meeting in shorts and a t-shirt, you need to have a place where you can meet clients and investors that gives off an image of success. Renting your own office space is expensive, so by moving your office to a professional coworking space, you’re giving your startup an image boost without breaking the bank.
Meet like-minded people
It’s natural as a human being to want to surround ourselves with people who are similar to us. Diversity is nice, as it creates growth, but it’s also good to be able to know you are surrounded by people who are on the same wavelength.
This is what you’ll find in a coworking space. People come from all over to work in these offices, yet they all have similar interests and ambitions. Surrounding yourself, and anyone else working on your startup, with these people can only be good for your company, not to mention that it might give a nice boost to your social life. It’s not uncommon for people at a coworking space to head out after work or hold events at the space so that people can get to know each other better.
Plus, by being in this environment, you are plunging yourself into a nice pool of possible contacts and resources. Finding help for certain tasks at a reasonable price can be a real challenge. But when you’re in this environment, it might be easier to find someone who can help you out in exchange for a favor or a discounted price. Since you’re both in a similar situation, there’s an increased desire to lend a hand, and this is something startups often desperately need.
Feed off the positive energy
Building off this a little bit, one of the first things you’ll notice when you enter a dynamic workspace is the energy of the place. Whenever you can be somewhere where people are hard at work at something that motivates them, it’s impossible not to feel motivated yourself.
Working in a startup can be a challenge. Sometimes you don’t know if you’re going to make it to the end of the month, and other times you feel at the top of the world. To help you ride this storm, it’s nice to know you’re in an environment where people are in the same boat. If you get down, you can count on your surroundings and the people around you to pick you up.
Belong to a community
Lastly, coworking spaces are great for startups because of the sense of community they bring. You likely have a nice relationship with those that work with you, but apart from that, working at a startup can feel isolating. Knowing that you belong to something a bit bigger than yourselves is helpful for feeling more comfortable and also for keeping you motivated.
Even something as simple as being able to see some of the same people every day can be a huge addition to your work environment. But you could take this one step further, bringing people together with building-wide events or by sharing a coffee club subscription. These little things go a long way towards connecting people, as well as recharging you with energy to face the difficult and competitive business world.
Final thoughts
While you may enjoy the space and time that working on your own gives you, in the end, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to meet new people and energize your focus if you’re not working out of a coworking space. They can do wonders for you, your employees and your company, so consider moving into one today.
About the author: Caroline has worked for lots of startups throughout her career and loves doing so because of the energy and enthusiasm each one brings to the work they do. However, she has noticed this trend of startups keeping to themselves, and so whenever she can, she encourages them to join forces with others who are also pursuing their dream.