Featured Image Credit: WeWork Facebook
One of the hottest trends sweeping every city in America is what’s called “co-working.” If you aren’t familiar with co-working, it’s essentially an office space that takes “sharing is caring” to a whole new level.
Rather than a single company hiding away in a lonely space, co-working spaces house multiple companies in a common area. This fosters a greater sense of community and idea-sharing among innovators and dreamers.
Here in Charleston, we have no shortage of dreamers looking to create the next big thing, as the number of tech startups in the Holy City has been booming in recent years. And as we get into 2019, it’s clear we aren’t slowing down: the Tech Tribune recently listed the best local startups of the year so far, highlighting innovations in accounting, marketing, and cybersecurity to name a few.
As startups continue popping up in Charleston, many may struggle to find affordable office space while they get on their feet. That’s why co-working spaces are such an attractive option.
For many people, “co-working” is synonymous with WeWork, which happens to be the most prominent co-working company in the world. Charleston currently doesn’t have a WeWork, but at the rate the company’s been expanding, it’s not hard to imagine they could one day launch here.
But WeWork’s had some controversies lately that suggest it might not fit in with our local culture. There’s criticism that the company’s CEO Adam Neumann has been personally profiting off WeWork’s rent, which could be a conflict of interest.
Also, the company recently expanded into education and housing, and in the process rebranded as “the we company.” The only problem? The WE organization– a Canadian charity – already has the “we” brand and has been in the education space for decades.
Whether or not the big co-working office spaces, such as WeWork, fit the mold of Charleston’s tech scene – many startup entrepreneurs may still be wondering where they can go. A basement? A coffee shop? The back of a car when they’re stuck in traffic on I-26?
Luckily, there’s an answer: we have local co-working spaces already.
According to CHS Today, there are a variety of amazing co-working spaces scattered around the area. There’s The Harbor Entrepreneur Center on King Street, The Eves Collective in West Ashley, Holy City Collective on Daniel Island, and many more!
So, if you’re thinking of starting a business, and you’re worried about finding an affordable place to work – don’t fret! There are plenty of local-grown co-working spaces already here.