Photo courtesy of Intelligent Office
This article is from the May/June print edition of Alexandria Living Magazine. Subscribe here to get access to offers, discounts and sweepstakes that are only available to subscribers.
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It’s true that working from home has its perks: The commute from bed to office is usually negligible, the dress code is flexible and it’s easy to avoid Sue from accounting.
But working from home – or from a coffee shop – can also have its drawbacks.
As a colleague once said, working from home while building her business put the “solo” in “solopreneur.”
People who work in co-work communities or in shared office spaces because they don’t like to or can’t work from home say they’re more efficient and focused at “the office.” In addition, having an office to go to can provide some work-life balance by creating more physical separation of work from home.
“For the very small business, or the professional who does not have his or her own office, co-working can be a big productivity booster, especially when the alternatives are working from home or working from a coffee shop,” said Matt Whitaker, owner of Intelligent Office. “In the right co-working environment, you will find all of the tools needed to be productive, including fast internet connections, quiet and substantial workspace, and an environment where you are surrounded by other productive people.”
Those other people can be key: “Networking is one of the biggest bene-fits of co-working, because you have the opportunity to meet so many different types of people and collaborate, which you don’t get to do when you’re in a coffee shop,” said Kelly Grant, COO of the ALX Community co-working and event space in Old Town Alexandria.
photo courtesy of alx community
Catering to Different Needs
With an increasing number of people choosing to telecommute, joining the “gig economy” or hanging a shingle, the number of places where you can rent a workplace have grown.
In Alexandria alone, there are more than two dozen places where telecommuters, entrepreneurs and small businesses can rent a desk, an office or a conference room for a day, week, month or longer — and benefit from anything from free snacks to chance connections with people who can help you and your business grow. Some offer receptionist services, mail services and more.
Alexandria isn’t alone in its growth in catering to people interested in co-working. In the local metro area, co-working is growing by more than 20% per year, keeping pace with other markets. That doesn’t include the growth of executive office suites and shared offices.
While many rentable, professional workplaces offer free coffee and office services, not all spaces are the same.
Some offer true co-working with a combination of open desks and offices, networking opportunities, events and professional development. Other places are designed to be executive office suites, where each person or company has an office for privacy, and in some cases collaboration and events are less frequent by design.
A number of new places are trying to offer the best of both worlds, with both co-working and private offices and the opportunity for businesses to scale in place without being tied to a long-term lease.
With so many places to choose from, how do you know where to start? The biggest consideration is to be honest with yourself about which type of environment will work best for you and for your business.
“People should look carefully at the environment and match it to their needs and the needs of their business,” Whitaker said. “For example, if you need a place to meet clients, then a space with no closed offices may not be ideal. If you provide professional services at a high hourly rate (such as an attorney or CPA), then you probably want to look for a space that conveys the same type of image that a client would see if they went to a larger firm in your industry.”
Start by asking yourself what you need – and differentiating it from what you want.
Grant suggested that people ask themselves these questions: “What’s the level of privacy they need with the work they do? How much time will they spend on the phone? How much conference or meeting space will they need? What kind of vibe do they want? What type of space will help them propel themselves forward?”
Another thing to consider are the additional services offered, Whitaker said. Some spaces just offer you a desk and little else, whereas others offer a full range of support, including a receptionist and administrative assistance.
A co-working space or executive office suite may be better than a long-term lease for business owners whose businesses may be seasonal or experience other ebbs and flows. “You might also consider the flexibility available at the co-working space, in case you need to scale up or down quickly, or in case you may not be able to commit for more than a few months at the beginning,” Whitaker said.
In addition, if volunteer and networking opportunities are important, factor that in. Some places offer opportunities to get involved with the local nonprofit community. ALX Community, for example, supports organizations like Together We Bake, Spring2ACTion and local services for women.
Other questions to ask: my space?
• How much noise can I tolerate?
• Do I need to be able to get home quickly and easily? (Location matters!)
• Is commuting and parking easy?
• Do I want to be able to bring my dog to work?
• Do I want 24/7 access?
• What equipment do I need? Is printing included?
• What’s my budget for renting a space?
• Am I willing to commit to a lease or would I rather have more flexibility?
Two New Options
Two of the most recent spaces to open in Alexandria are giving telecommuters, entrepreneurs and small business owners even more options.
Industrious, which opened this spring near the Eisenhower Metro station, offers dedicated desks, offices with natural light and a variety of services for individuals and business-es. In addition to Eisenhower East, the company has office spaces in Tysons, Ballston and the District, as well as in more than 30 other cities. Industrious offers a balance of spaces in each office for collaboration, private meetings and focusing, in addition to wellness rooms, member events, unlimited free printing and workplace support.
The company thinks of itself as a hospitality company first and foremost, said Mandi Meros, who is heading up the Eisenhower East location. Learn more at industriousoffice.com.
The Garden in the Eisenhower West neighborhood (5380 Eisenhower Ave. near the Van Dorn Metro station) is a new concept for Alexandria: It’s a co-building community. In addition to offering open desks, private offices, conference rooms and equipment,
The Garden offers assistance for growing business owners. What makes The Garden unique is that it has large spaces for tinkering and creating: metal machining, electronics development equipment, soldering, hand tools, a wood shop, silkscreen printing and even a laser cutter – the space is built for entrepreneurial inventors and makers. The Garden also has event space and offers a variety of classes, team-building programs and professional development opportunities. Learn more at cobuilding.net.
