It’s been a long time since we last discussed coworking spaces, and how they’ve soared since then! As the coworking movement in the U.S. started in 2005, metropolitan cities have seen an exponential rise in designated coworking spaces and businesses, especially in places like Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York. To refresh, these are business communities with a single location that business owners, teams, and freelancers can go to and have the ability to come and go as they please in an office-like setting. They can make friends, shoot the breeze around the water cooler (or beer taps, apparently!), conduct appointments with clients, lead team meetings, and more.
We still think coworking is cool, so we checked out a few places around our Atlanta base!
International Coworking Space: WeWork
WeWork is the largest coworking network in the world. With over 500 locations in 100 of the fastest growing cities, it’s also the most well-known example of a coworking space business. They’re known for being super aesthetic and devoted to interconnectivity, including launching schools (WeGrow) and temporary living spaces (WeLive). In Atlanta, there are twelve WeWork sites established and opening soon.
There are three different types of coworking memberships offered. The Hot Desk option includes any available workspace in any of their shared areas. The Dedicated Desk tier includes a reserved desk just for you within a shared area. Then their Private Offices include a lockable space for one to fifty people, depending on your team size and space requirements. All levels of membership include 24/7 access at your base location and on-hours access to other WeWork locations, bookable conference room access, high-speed WiFi and IT support, mail service, and phone booth for private calls or video conferences. You can also book event and meeting space without a membership.
While WeWork coworking can be pricier, their amenities are hard to beat. There’s free refreshments and kitchen use, weekly events, and free printing. Some games like ping-pong tables and board games, wellness rooms, bike storage, or are even dog-friendly!
- Pricing: by location
- Hot Desks $250-$370+ per month
- Dedicated Desk $360-$380+ per month
- Private Office $540-$740+ per month
- Pro Tip: free 1-day Hot Desk trial with scheduled tour!
Regional Coworking Space: SharedSpace
SharedSpace is a coworking business unique to the Atlanta area, with locations in Dunwoody, Cobb, and Augusta. While only launched in 2016, they are just as invested as larger coworking competitors in providing a connected and aesthetic place to work.
They offer three levels of coworking memberships. Pro Desks are their shared space option, so you can work at any available workspace in the common areas. These do not come with access to the other SharedSpace locations, nor printing service. It does include five meeting room hours per month, however. Their Dedicated Desk tier is a reserved space just for you in the shared area, and comes with printing for a small per-page-per-color rate and seven meeting room hours per month. Their Office Spaces are private offices for you and/or your team, offered in Small (one person), Medium (2-4 people), or Large (five or more people) sizes. These include on-hours access to the other SharedSpace locations, free printing, and ten meeting room hours per month. Plus they’re pet-friendly! Lastly, you can also discuss a custom office tailored for your needs.
All SharedSpace memberships come with 24/7 access to your base location (using digital keycards through local Atlanta startup, Sequr), bookable conference room access, business-class WiFi, mail service, and phone booths for private calls and video conferences. There’s free refreshments and kitchen use, weekly events, and parking. You can also book event and meeting space without a membership.
- Pricing:
- Pro Desks $250+ per month
- Dedicated Desks $399+ per month
- Private Offices $795-$1,750+ per month
- Pro Tip: free 2-week Office with scheduled tour!
Local Coworking Space: Public Libraries
Why would we include a public space like a library if we aren’t mentioning coffee shops or other casual coworking environments? Well for one, it’s free. The downside to coworking space businesses is the lack of accessibility for freelancers, solopreneurs, start-ups, and other teams with small budgets. But all local communities have a public library hoping for you to utilize it!
Besides providing a large arsenal of literature and reference materials for you to access, libraries have free WiFi, private study rooms, printing services (as long as you have a library card), parking, and free meeting rooms. The main drawback is that you’re limited to the library’s operation hours. However, there are frequent community events you can attend for resources or perspectives you may not find elsewhere. This is also one of the only spaces you can freely bring your children that’s invested in keeping their growing minds engaged.
- Pricing: free
- Pro Tip: supporting your local library is important for the continued education and accessibility of your community!
There are plenty of coworking spaces around that can fit the needs of your business and team. Whether you’re looking for formal conference rooms, casual meeting areas, a fixed team office, personal office away from home, or just need a place to stimulate your creativity. Here at Go Getter, we may have our own local office but we also book meetings at WeWork, and some of our team coworks in their own communities. What can we say, we love engaging and brainstorming with like-minded professionals and clients!