At The Coop, we see businesses of all shapes and sizes. One of our favorite types of businesses to support are start-ups and businesses in their infancy because it can be very fulfilling to watch and help someone grow their business from an idea into a full-time gig. Coworking spaces like The Coop are excellent places for start-ups to thrive because the environment that we foster for our members makes it easy to establish a business with flexible plans that grow with your start-up. Here are a few reasons why coworking makes sense for startups:

1. A business address adds legitimacy to your business

A business address adds legitimacy to your business. Having an address and a phone number (even if it’s a cell phone) adds an air of legitimacy and professionalism that can be hard to replicate in other ways. It also helps you appear more established as an organization, which might give clients more confidence in your abilities as a company.

2. Conference Rooms Beat Coffee Shop Meetings

Coffee shop meetings are fine, but they’re not always the best place to conduct important conversations with clients or potential partners. When you have access to conference rooms at coworking spaces, you’ve got somewhere comfortable and professional to meet with people who matter—even if only for an hour or two at a time.

3. Affordable and Flexible Memberships That Grow With You

Coworking spaces offer flexible membership based on how much space you need each month. This means that even if you’re starting out small with just one desk, you can pay for just one seat instead of having to lease out square footage in an office building that you can’t really afford in the early days of your operation. You can start your business with nothing more than a virtual office or open desk area and as you start generating more income, hiring employees, and making the transition into a full-fledged business you can look at renting a private office space.

4. Networking Opportunities Are Plenty

Coworking spaces provide a great opportunity for startups to connect with other business owners who are in the same boat as them—someone who might need your services or partner with you on an upcoming project. Coworking spaces often host events and workshops that help members meet each other and get excited about their projects. These events also give members access to mentors who can provide advice on how to grow their businesses and overcome any challenges that arise along the way.

5. A Positive Work Environment Can Keep You Focused Through the Hard Startup Period

Another benefit of working at a coworking space is that it creates a positive work environment—one where people want to be productive because they’re surrounded by other productive people who share the same goal of growing their business. In coworking spaces, there are usually other startups who are experiencing similar growing pains as yours. You can lean on one another for advice and support when you need it most. This makes it easier for startups during their difficult early stages when morale might otherwise be low due to long hours spent working alone in their homes/offices without any social interaction from others around them.