Shared Office Space Part 1 | An Entrepreneurs Perspective

 


One thing I have realized from bumping around from one shared office space to another is that the coolest, hippest and most impressive "looking" spaces do not always make for the most productive.

When I launched openofficespace.com last March, I was sharing office space with an extremely "hip" advertising agency in the heart of trendy SOHO, NYC. From shelves lined with Orange Crush soda bottles to the sliding wall enclosing the conference room, the space reeked of AWESOME! Every single client who came to visit me in that SOHO office was visibly impressed.

The only problem, I was completely unproductive. 

Possible reasons: my toetapping neighbor, the heat banging through the pipes, the construction in the building, the action going on outside, the elevator that took 20 minutes to come, the every company for themself culture, the extra 45 minute commute, etc.

By way of comparison, my previous office, (2 blocks from Madison Square Garden) looked like a garage sale threw up in a second hand store. It was dirty, the furniture was barely standing and there were more random artifacts and used video equipment than the Smithsonian. And guess what, between the collaborative atmosphere and pure energy that flowed in that "dirty" space, I was never more productive.

The moral of the story, while sharing office space can certainly seem like a "no-brainer" for cost conscious entrepreneurs, it is vital that your final space decision extends beyond simply the decor or monthly rent. If the space does not cultivate a productive environment for YOU, then all the "cool" orange crush bottles in the world won't matter.

To help ensure that you find the right shared office space environment for your company, we have compiled a list of important factors to consider before making your final decision:

General
- Long and short term business and real estate priorities

Location
- Location (travel time, accessibility via public transportation, proximity of: clients, customers, competition, suppliers, vendors, partners, hotels, etc.)
- Branding image (What does your office space say about your company? Do you care?)
- Space requirements (How much actual space your company requires?)

Culture
- Is there white noise music played overhead? (yes or no)
- Are you allowed to bring pets to work?
- Does the space offer dress down Fridays?

Maintenance
- Does entire space get cleaned regularly by a professional cleaning service? -     - Is there construction happening in the building? In neighboring buildings?

Supplies/Furniture
- Do spaceholders share a refrigerator?
- Does space com furnished?     - What equipment will be shared?
- Which utilities will be shared? (electric, cable, internet, phone, etc.)

Space Considerations
Open space plan
Closed Offices
Natural Light
Windows

Building Considerations
- Hours of Building Access
- Will every tenant get their own key to the building? To the space itself?
- Does space offer 24 hour air-conditioning?
- Does space offer 24 hour elevator access?

Legal & Privacy Considerations
- Is it required for new tenants to sign a confidentiality agreement? (yes or no) - Are you comfortable with hearing others hearing details of your day to day operations?

Environmental Considerations
- Is space eco-friendly? (yes or no)

Networking Considerations
- What type of business are you in?
- What types of businesses do you want to connect with?
- What types of businesses would complement yours?

If you are an entrepreneur and have additional considerations that you would add to the list above or even have a horror story about a shared office space, we would love hear from you. You might just help prevent a fellow entrepreneur from making a VERY costly decision.

Shared Office Space Part 2 will review things a spaceholder needs to consider before deciding to share their unused office space with a potential stranger.

Related Posts

Entrepreneurs and Startups, How "Walkable" Is Your Office Space Location?

Small Biz/Entrepreneurs - Estimating The Right Amount of Office Space For Your Company

Looking For Office Space? Price is only one of the options you need to consider.   

Comments

[Short term office]

Hi,
Amazing blog article post. I really enjoy with your blog post. I lover your blog article and keep it up regular manner post.

[Blake Mitchell]

From a monetary standpoint, sharing an office space is a good idea. However, for this system to work, the business entities sharing the office space should carefully lay out the ground rules pertaining to the use of common amenities and utilities. Be objective when weighing the advantages and disadvantages of sharing workspaces.

[Wall Clings Emily]

Looking around for office spaces for my start up company and I'm so lucky I got to read this! Thanks so much for sharing.