Coworking is changing the world’s relationship with work as we we know it, so it will continue to grow for a long time.
Figuring out the best possible approach, however, will require a smart approach to the business model you choose, the way you go about rallying support, how crafty you get with fundraising, and much more.
In one hour, I’ve saved people hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of headaches by helping them with big decisions.
Having worked with thousands of space owners since 2007, I’ve seen almost every imaginable scenario and learned the best way of dealing with all of them.
If you book a consult with me, I’ll review all of your current materials and help you come up with a next step that will help you get on the right path.
Most people getting into coworking these days are making huge, costly mistakes.
Too many folks are assuming that coworking is simply a slightly different way of renting workspace. They think they can build out a nice-looking space and people will suddenly show up.
The worst part is that they don’t realize how wrong they are until the doors are open.
By that point, they’ve set themselves up for a lot of pain. (PS – Are you in this position? I can help you turn your situation around super fast. Read on!)
CASE STUDY: A real midtown NYC coworking space that will go unnamed
They were making no small amount of buzz, and for good reason—they had opened an ambitious, full-building project right in the heart of Manhattan.
They had a slick-looking site, a modern space design, and even an impressive lineup of guest speaker events.
So I thought I’d check out how they were doing, about a year after they opened. I had met with the founder right when they launched, but hadn’t kept up with their project since then.
The front desk attendant showed me to a floor dedicated to open-plan coworking. At first, I wasn’t sure I was in the right place—it was completely empty. Not one human being on the whole floor. Dozens of desks sitting empty. I couldn’t believe it.
I sat down to work for a couple of hours, shaking my head in disbelief.
Then, one person walked in—another coworker!
I quickly realized that this wasn’t just anyone—this was someone I knew! A former customer of my old coworking space.
We exchanged warm greetings, as we hadn’t seen each other in some time.
He said he too was just passing through. I remarked at how terrifyingly empty this space was. He shook his head and told me—
“Nobody does it like you guys did. Still.”
The people running this space are losing a lot of money. Fast. And when they got started, I can tell you that they felt confident they didn’t need help.
Now, I fear they can’t afford to get the help they desperately need to turn things around.
Too often, people starting spaces don’t even know which questions to ask themselves until they’re already behind.
Questions like:
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- How do I attract prospective members before I open?
- How do I build a support network of partners, collaborators, sponsors, and evangelists?
- How do I know that this will work before I commit?
- Do my plans make sense?
- How do I prioritize the many things I have to do?
You, however, are not going to make that mistake!
Since you’re here, you have a chance to ensure your story will be different. When you work with me, you’ll benefit from my 13+ years as one of the coworking movement’s most well-known experts.
“Discovering New Work Cities was a huge relief to me when I embarked on my journey of opening a space in Portland Maine.
Having the spreadsheets, forms and documents already thought out was a huge help to me. I just had to apply it to my space, and customize it for my business.
Tony is so responsive to my emails and questions and his advice and wisdom are priceless, especially to one just starting out in this business.
He is so quick to reply and doesn’t give me a yes or no answer, he gives me well thought out pros and cons and reasonings that allow me to come up with the answers myself…and be okay with my decision.
This is such a wise way to help because everyone is different and what might work for one person may not for another.
I will continue to be part of this organization for years to come as a way to keep learning as this industry changes and evolves.”
– Heather Ashby, CoworkHERS
That experience means I know the easiest ways to teach you things that might otherwise take a really long time to learn.
Ways that I can help
Things we can do on our call:
Conduct a kickoff discovery session
- We’ll meet over video.
- We’ll look at any materials you want to get our thoughts on, and walk you through anything we think might be helpful to you over screen-share. (If it’s easier for you, we can also just do these over the phone!)
Review your business plan and materials
- Is your model realistic?
- Where might you be able to make refinements to make it more viable?
- We’ll send you a summary document reviewing my overall view of the project, top recommendations for next steps, and links to relevant resources to save you the most time.
Work with you to develop a community development strategy
- We’ll identify local groups to work with.
- We’ll track the names of key people you’ve met as you go.
Prepare an engagement plan
We’ll develop a realistic scheme for you to identify your best possible supporters and how to bring them on board.
Answer all of your questions
If it’s on your mind, I can help you with it. Where appropriate, I can provide links to templates, best practices, and other handy resources as needed.
Tony has been there. He has done that. He will meet you where you are in your process of creating a community of belonging. If you are just starting out in the coworking movement, you need Tony on your team!
Daryn DeZengotita, Table Coworking
Expert help
Long-time coworking space builder, speaker, writer, coach and consultant Tony Bacigalupo has been helping people develop successful coworking projects around the world since 2007.
Get a taste of how I work
This is a full hour-long video Q&A I did with the members of my Mastermind program. This will give you a sense of how I work with clients and the kind of expertise I have to offer:
Get started right now.
As soon as your registration is confirmed, I’ll get to work helping you get on the right track. Don’t wait too long—every day you have before you open your doors can make a huge difference in the momentum you can build.
Reach out here to begin:
(I have limited availability for these sorts of engagements, so book your spot now to ensure I can work with you as soon as possible.)