4 unexpected benefits of a coworking space for an entrepreneur

If you are launching a startup project, working at home may sound like a good option: cosy, cheap, perfect place to lock off your secret the-next-big-think idea... And of course, there is this persisting myth that all successful businesses were born in a garage or in a student room with pizzas under the sofa. Well, when I started working on my startup, my choice was to go for another option: a coworking space… And I'd like to share my experience around.

But first, maybe a quick intro about me. My name is Pierre Maes, I’m a freelancer working as Digital communication strategist and more relevant in this case, I’m also the founder of Puzme, the 1st dating app based on seducing details.

So let’s go back to our topic: my choice was not to work at home but to take a plan at the Betacowork, an inspiring coworking space located in Brussels. And here are (at least) 4 benefits any entrepreneur might get by evolving in a coworking space.

1. Bringing your MVP to the next level

How can your Minimal Viable Product be improved just being in a coworking space? Well, it doesn’t happen by magic of course, and it depends of the coworking space you go to, but a coworking space such as the Betacowork gathers hundred of different persons: tech people, marketeers, translators, designers, milleniums to fortysomething people, and also men and ladies from different countries and cultures.

So what’s the point with your MVP? Well I personally toke it as a great opportunity to test my mockup on a wide range of potential users.

Armed with a quite basic PDF mockup (while containing all the wireframes of my app concept ) I individually asked people from the coworking space to browse it, as if they were browsing it on their smartphone.

No matter if your project is a website or a service in the real life, I actually urge you to test it on a rough sample of the population before going too far in the execution.

The most important is to be as objective and neutral as possible. Just tell the minimum about your product and let your subjects go through your mockup… Resist the temptation to explain or justify when someone is blocking on something, or when someone starts to criticise (it's hard, I know).

Just write down the feedback and try to figure out what the heck is not fitting with the user's behaviour. Ask opened questions such as "What did you expect at this point?", "What kind of solution would be better to you?"...

I personally submitted my MVP on 48 persons at the Betacowork. This allowed me to improve my mockup 16 times, making it evolve as in a trial & error process. It's the Darwin theory applied to your startup in some way.

Don’t be shy to ask people to test your idea. People like to have a break when they work for hours. Also they are curious and open to share their feedback (sometimes brutally honest, but hey: no pain no gain).

2. Improving your startup appearence

One month ago, I was lucky enough (even if I don’t believe in luck) to be contacted by a major TV channel in Belgium: RTL. They wanted to shoot a little reportage about Puzme.

That’s a terrific opportunity when you’re launching your startup. Except they wanted to film it at our office. And as you can imagine, we didn't have any office yet. Anyway I quickly suggested them to shoot at the Betacowork which is a living and modern environment. And they appreciated the solution.

Here again, having a plan in a coworking space certainly helps… Think about it: where can a journalist shoot you if you don’t have any decent office? In a noisy pub around the corner? In your squeezed apartment? Honestly, welcoming your contacts in a nice coworking space is far more professional.

(here below one screenshot from the video - we appear the first 2 minutes, at 12’40’’, and at the very end)

3. A healthier state of mind

Launching a startup is often compared to an emotional roller-coaster. And that’s wonderfully true. While today brings a great news, the next day will bring a bad news, and it goes on and on (which is positive when you think about it). 

Working in a coworking space is a bit like riding the roller-coaster with some fellows, sharing the bad and the good moments with them. And it's also getting advices from entrepreneurs who already went there.

Furthermore, there is this catharsis effect that happens when talking about the problems you might face on your entrepreneur journey. Why deprive yourself of the catharsis effect? After all, it’s highly social and far cheaper than the psychologist. 

4. Strengthening your elevator pitch

You know the challenge: the doors open and you've got 30 seconds to explain your idea (and convince).

Guess what: a coworking space like the Betacowork is full of invisible elevators. Hundred of invisible elevators. Because it's likely each new person you'll meet might address you the classical question "And you, what are you working on?".

And that's a fantastic opportunity to pitch your idea over and over, and test different approaches in order to see which one works best to catch the attention of your audience.

Conclusion

If you’re starting a business, I would humbly but strongly recommend you to take a plan in a nice coworking space such as the Betacowork. That will be your best first investment. And even if it's 1 day per week: there are at least 4 benefits you can get out of it, every single day.

Pierre Maes - Digital communication strategist

PS: I hope it helps. Feel free to comment and share your own personal benefit(s) of having a startup in a coworking space!