Ah, real estate in the Queen City. Charlotte is growing at a massive rate, with 42 people a day making our city their new home. And no wonder! To quote the official slogan, Charlotte’s got a lot. There’s so much to do: the burgeoning brewery scene, Nascar, getting outdoorsy at the Whitewater Center, and a hot new restaurant opening around every corner means there’s something for everyone.
The popularity means that new business, entrepreneurs, and freelancers are making Charlotte their homebase, and there is a corresponding demand for offices. As a main business hub in the Southeast, Charlotte has always had a good deal of office spaces. However, they tended toward the bland, “Office Space” variety. In an age of amenity-rich Silicon Valley campuses and a workforce that increasingly demands flexibility, coworking spaces have arisen to fill the gap between working from home and being crammed into a cubicle.
Within the coworking industry, more and more offer private offices within their spaces. For various reasons, some organizations and solopreneurs require (or just prefer) a private office, instead of dedicated desks or a hot desk membership. Luckily, you can meet your office requirements while also reaping the benefits of coworking. Below are the three C’s of private office coworking!
Cost
Alright, the heavy hitter first: cost. Anyone who has leased a traditional office can tell you that it can siphon money faster than you can say “Our energy bill is how much?” Leasing your own office often comes with hidden costs that drain your resources (and your energy). Upfront, you’ll have high overhead. Even if you’re an Ikea shopper, desks, break room furniture, couches, light fixtures, and special touches like rugs and artwork will add up. Additionally, in a traditional office rental you will be responsible for internet, utilities, repairs, and equipment such as printers and sound systems.
Renting a private office in a coworking space means all those costs are bundled into one flat, monthly fee, with no surprises. This predictability is great for financial planning. Especially for startups and small businesses, working out of a coworking space will give you access to amenities that would otherwise be too costly. Things like Smart TVs, conference rooms, and privacy suites can really add to both your productivity and capabilities.
Commitment
This varies from space to space, but in general, coworking spaces will not require long leases, even for private offices. Compare that to traditional office rentals, where you might be locked in for upwards of a year, and it’s clear why private office coworking is a better option for organizations that require flexibility. Especially as a new business, where you may not be able to predict your position a year from now, the ability to scale and adjust your office situation without fuss is a huge bonus.
Community
A strong sense of community is one of the greatest benefits of choosing a coworking space over a traditional office. When you’re working alongside entrepreneurs, creatives, and companies in all stages of growth, you are guaranteed to grow your network. Every person in your coworking space is a potential word-of-mouth-marketer for your brand, and the easygoing environment makes this kind of networking completely natural.
If you’re a solopreneur, coworking is a great option to avoid the isolation (and boredom) of working from home. Your fellow coworkers are also a wealth of advice and support. Sometimes, all you need to tackle a seemingly impossible issue is an outside eye. The members of your coworking space are neutral, diverse, and experienced; in other words, they’re the perfect people to bounce ideas off of and overcome your hurdles. The benefit to your business is undeniable- community is a boon to growth.
If you’re in the market for a private office rental and think your organization could benefit from coworking (we think everyone can), click the link below to schedule a tour of The Launch Factory!
