It is the equivalent of the swanky Google office for freelancers and start-ups, but don’t get distracted by the free coffee.
It is the equivalent of the swanky Google office for freelancers and start-ups, but don’t get distracted by the free coffee.
1. GET NETWORKING
“The best co-working spaces come with strong, active communities,” says Justin Hall, principal at venture capitalist firm Golden Gate Ventures. Leverage this to find leads, hires and new business. And you don’t have to network over work. Tan Peck Ying, CEO of female consumer products company PSLove, shares that a group of start-ups at her co-working space formed a weekly exercise group – a great way to get to know people and discover if they’d make good collaborators.
2. BUILD YOUR KARMA
Often, the best way to build connections is to lend a hand; you’ll gain brownie points too. For instance, you can simply “help other app developers with product testing and share your feedback,” suggests Marcus Tan, co-founder of community marketplace app Carousell.
3. GO FOR THE FREE TALKS AND EVENTS
Many co-working spaces organise talks and events, which are great opportunities to connect with other members. The invited expert speakers may also be “keen to reach out to dynamic start-ups and small businesses, and will share their expertise,” says Wan Sing Kong, founder and CEO of co-working space Justco. Hairin Bahren, founder of health and wellness brand Mymaha, finds the courses offered extremely useful – one helped her figure out how to prepare the legal paperwork for her company.
4. ASK THE STAFF FOR HELP
The community staff – fulltimers who help manage the office – “know all the members and can put you in touch with those who can help you out,” says Wan Sing. He recalls a startup that was searching for a copywriter, an illustrator and a venture capitalist to pitch to. A community manager quickly put them in touch with three members who fit the bill.
5. DO YOUR RESEARCH
Before committing to a co-working space, look it up on social media to get a feel of the community. Some places, such as The Working Capitol, also offer free tours for you to suss out the space.
WHAT’S A CO-WORKING SPACE?
It’s a workspace shared by multiple parties, all of whom pay a monthly fee to enjoy amenities such as Wi-Fi, meeting rooms and pantries.
WHO’S USING IT?
Freelancers, start-ups, small teams and foreign companies looking to keep costs down. Office workers, too, sometimes use it for off -site meetings.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Monthly packages with a fixed workspace range from $500 to $900. Day and part-time packages are usually offered.
WHERE SHOULD I GO?
Some co-working spaces in Singapore:
– Justco
– The Co.
– The Hive
– The Working Capitol
