Coworking center - an idea for a business from scratch

Bookmarked: 0

What is coworking?

In this article we will tell you how to open a coworking center from scratch, based on the experience of predecessors.

So, the first thing to start with is selecting reliable people for your team who will help you get started in the coworking space.

Your team is, in essence, your future employees - proven and reliable. They will perform the functions of a hall administrator, a designer for organizing the workspace, rest room and kitchen. You also need a specialist in the technical field, and a person who understands the intricacies of advertising and effective ways to promote your service in the service market and on the Internet.

You also need to find a smart event manager who will help in organizing corporate events and celebrations, as well as special projects.

It turns out that your core team will consist of 4-8 people, as well as several volunteers - students who need experience in certain areas and who are willing to do interesting, uncomplicated, exciting and creative work for little or no pay. You will need from 5 to two dozen such assistants, depending on the scale of the project you have planned.

Features of a coworking business plan

As mentioned above, one of the main stages in the process of business planning for coworking centers is studying the demand from the population for this type of service.
Since the circle of consumers is limited, before opening, you should study the number of potential customers and how much they will be willing to pay for it. In addition, you should focus on calculating the efficiency and return on investment, as well as the profit forecast.

A well-designed marketing plan in a business plan is an integral part of launching a coworking space .

Coworking: disadvantages of centers

You have to use existing office equipment, and you cannot choose the model of a copier or, for example, a camera.
You still have to get to a coworking center like you would to a regular job, and therefore waste time and money.
present in a coworking space can interfere with your concentration.
If there are no storage lockers, then you have to worry about the safety of your personal belongings.
And finally, it can be simply noisy if a master class or lesson is being held nearby. Such noise can distract from work.

Reviews from our clients

Feedback on the business plan of a cleaning company
We express our gratitude for the work done to create a business plan for a cleaning company. Thanks to this business plan, the bank approved a loan of 18 million rubles for 6 years.

Elizaveta K.L., Kazan

Feedback on a business plan for opening a pawnshop

The business plan downloaded on the website contains a very clear and accessible description of both the business in general and its financial component in particular. The calculations show a fairly clear picture of the actions and are convenient to use: make edits, adjust investments, sales, expenses. All formulas are editable and transparent.

Ivan Nekrasov, Pskov city

Feedback on a business plan for home food delivery: pizzas, sushi, lunches, rolls, pies

The business plan was prepared by the consulting company plan-pro.ru in accordance with the requirements, with high quality and even a little earlier than the agreed upon date. As a result, funds in the amount of 50 million rubles were received from a private investor.

Oleg Alexandrovich, Sarov city

Feedback on the printing house business plan

An extremely correct business plan. He helped our printing house obtain a loan from Sberbank necessary to expand production (21 million rubles) for a period of 4 years.

Sergey V.V., Nizhny Novgorod region

Benefits of coworking

The main alternatives to coworking cents are to work at home, as well as in various cafes and anti-cafes. The advantages of using coworking space are:

Communication with like-minded people;
Everything for meetings and negotiations;
Possibility to use a scanner, printer and other equipment;
Cheaper than renting an office;
There are no distracting elements;
Comfortable conditions and creative atmosphere;
Good location.

It is also worth noting that, as a rule, drinks are included in the price; in addition, a separate area for meals is organized, which creates optimal conditions.

Also, specialized coworking centers are becoming very popular, where representatives of the same profession unite, for example, designers, copywriters, website creators, etc.

These advantages of a coworking center should be reflected in the program of marketing activities as part of the business plan.

Coworking: what is it in simple words?

The first Russian coworking center began operating more than 10 years ago in the city of Chelyabinsk. Today there are about 300 of them, with the largest number of coworking centers operating in the capital.

The easiest way to define this is as a kind of space, a room in which you can do something, and it can be either a one-time activity, or a relatively frequent or even permanent one, in fact, a workplace outside the office.
Often those who do not work full time in offices or production to produce some kind of joint product, and do this in a creative, friendly atmosphere, communicating and imbued with a common goal. Very often, such work is carried out jointly by people who are not united by a similar profession, but are connected by a common goal.
If this is a creative direction, then designers with programmers, journalists with entrepreneurs, marketers with translators can “come together” to complete one project in this space.

Place to work

Often, coworking centers are where freelancers , and they also house small companies or organizations that do not have enough financial resources to pay office rent. You can rent such space for any period of time: some need a few days, others need a year or two.
Such a coworking center is usually divided into zones. They can be autonomous or shared, but regardless of this, each has access to the Internet and all the office equipment necessary for work. Often the owner of the premises also provides an area for negotiations or business meetings, space for training, as well as everything for the necessary relaxation. Possibility to have a snack (this can be from vending machines that dispense snacks and drinks or a full-fledged kitchen corner where you can prepare a light snack), recreation areas, and a library is often provided for clients’ use.

Premises for a coworking center

The key to the success of a coworking business is a properly selected premises, the main requirements for which are:

Good location. It is best if it is the central part of the city or a business area.
Design. The more attractive the design solution, the more people will strive to work in this place, this is especially important for creative professions.
Various zones are provided. For example, a work area, meeting rooms, conference rooms, a kitchen, a recreation area, administrative premises.
Good ventilation system, natural light.
Availability of free parking. Which is especially important when located in the city center, since, as a rule, clients come for several hours.

Organizational matters

Opening a coworking center should begin with finding suitable premises. This task does not look as simple as it might seem at first glance. It is necessary to choose a spacious but inexpensive room with an area of 300 sq. m. m. It will be necessary to allocate space to accommodate work areas, separate rooms for seminars and trainings, a conference room, as well as a kitchen, rest room, restroom and staff room.

Example of room layout:

At the same time, you need to be prepared for serious investments. In addition to cosmetic repairs and redevelopment of the premises, you will need to invest in the purchase of furniture, office equipment, media equipment, and household appliances. A lot of money will be spent on the design and advertising of the center. Investments start from RUB 1,000,000, and you can’t expect anything less.

Launch stages in a coworking center business plan

To start a business organizing a coworking center, you will need to go through the following steps:

Analysis of the market situation. Competitors, demand, pricing procedures, environmental factors influencing development.
Description of the concept, including ideas, goals, list of services, creation of a price list, etc.
Determining the list of advertising and marketing activities.
Drawing up a financial plan, calculating the feasibility and effectiveness of an investment.
Registration as a legal entity or individual entrepreneur, registration with the tax authority, choice of taxation system, opening a current account.
Searching for premises, approving a design project, carrying out repair work.
Purchase of necessary equipment and furniture.
Conducting an advertising campaign.
Selection and hiring of personnel.

Thus, in the end, based on a pre-compiled business plan, a coworking center opens .

How profitable is this?

You shouldn't count on a quick payback. Purchasing or renting a large premises, equipment, repairs, interior design - all this is expensive and the payment for workspaces will not be able to cover the costs of several months. Coworking should be perceived as an idea that will bring good profits in the future. If you manage to attract many visitors, become popular and discussed, people will come to you for years, attracting more and more new visitors. You should start organizing a coworking space if you have a specific goal, sufficient funds and a desire to work for a long time.

Investments included in a coworking business plan

To start a coworking business, you will need the following investments at the initial stage:

Rent of premises – xxx rub.
Design and renovation work – xxx;
Purchase of equipment – xxx;
Registration and opening of a current account – xxx;
Advertising and marketing – xxx;
Stock of money – xxx.

Total from 5 to 50 million rubles. depending on the premises, since it is its rental and equipment that accounts for the bulk of the start-up investment.

To do this, you can use both your own and borrowed funds. To obtain loans or attract investors, you will need a professionally drawn up business plan. A ready-made coworking business plan can be downloaded from the link below. There a financial model is calculated and all the necessary information is structured.

Another promising option for business development is cryptocurrency mining. A cryptocurrency mining business plan will help you understand all the nuances of this area.

Coworking equipment

To organize a comfortable coworking , you should purchase the following equipment as part of your business plan:

To create jobs - computers, printers, scanners, copiers, office equipment, speakers, headphones, web cameras.
For conference rooms and meeting rooms - projector, plasma panel, magnetic board.
For the recreation area - coffee machine, cooler, microwave oven, refrigerator, kettle, toaster, etc.
Furniture – tables, chairs, sofas, poufs, cabinets, etc., provided for by the design project.

In addition, it is important to provide a mandatory connection to high-speed wireless Internet and a charging device. The costs of a coworking cent for the purchase of equipment are included in the financial plan of the business plan with calculations .

Promotion of coworking center

The main task of an entrepreneur at the initial stage is to attract as many visitors as possible. To do this, you can do the following: These events and the budget for them are recorded in the coworking center business plan .

First, create a selling website and groups on social networks for a coworking business and promote them to the target audience, since clients are active Internet users.

Secondly, having a bright sign and distributing leaflets near nearby coffee shops and anti-cafes will become another channel of influence on potential customers.

Thirdly, it is important to provide a bonus system for regular visitors or a discount when purchasing long-term passes. In addition, you can do a free trial visit.

Finally, organizing several large educational conferences and webinars will allow you to introduce the maximum number of people to your coworking center.

Prospects for coworking in Russia

In our country, coworking spaces began to open not so long ago, users are just taking a closer look at this innovation, some perceive the offer to work outside of home and office with irony and bewilderment. The best proof of the usefulness of the idea can be seen in the demand for co-working spaces. Apparently, the need for equipped work areas “for hire” arose a long time ago, so people began to gather in them without much persuasion. Workplaces are rented:

Freelancers;
Consultants, lawyers and other professionals who require work space from time to time.
Small firms rent office space.
For companies whose employees are located in different cities, it is more profitable to periodically rent workplaces.
Beginning businessmen hold meetings in coworking spaces, since renting or buying an office in a large city is unreasonably expensive.

Opening a coworking space will require investments, the size of which depends on the area of the premises, its location and condition. Under favorable conditions, the investment will pay off in a year, but there is no point in putting off starting a business, as in the near future this idea will become relevant and competition will increase. The growing number of freelancers can predict the popularity of coworking spaces.

Workplaces, rooms for conferences, trainings and business meetings are rented by a variety of people and companies, but the main users remain freelancers. Many freelancers would like to combine a free schedule, independent planning and lack of control from management with the attractive attributes of office life: the opportunity to communicate, exchange experiences, and modern equipment. In short, coworking spaces are an ideal place for extroverted freelancers.

Coworking space income and expenses in a business plan

They are displayed in the financial plan of the business plan and serve as the basis for calculating the profit forecast for the coworking center .

Costs of coworking centers

Costs are necessary to maintain the functionality of the coworking space and ensure its development and include:

Rent of premises – xxx rub.;
Utility bills and communication services – xxx;
Tax deductions – xxx;
Salary – xxx;
Equipment maintenance – xxx;
Organization of drinks and food – xxx;
Advertising - xxx.

The total operating costs of a coworking center business will be from xxx rub. monthly and will be covered by visitors paying for services.

Coworking profit forecast in a business plan

Profit is projected based on revenue, the main part of which is fees for coworking center services:

For renting workplaces – from xxx rub. per month;
For an entrance ticket to events - from xxx rub. per month;
For additional services – from xxx rub.

In total, total monthly revenue can reach xxx rubles. Then, with the existing costs, the net profit in the coworking business plan will be from xxx rub.

Personnel composition in the business plan of coworking centers

The organizational plan of the coworking center provides for the following positions:

Administrator;
Marketer;
PR manager;
Accountant;
Hall employee;
Worker.

In addition, when creating a design project, a designer will be required. The total number of employees, depending on the scale of the coworking center business, will be 7 or more people.

Development of coworking as a business in the future

A few facts from statistics:

Every year the number of remote workers is only growing. Presumably by the end of 2020 they will make up 25% of all full-time employees of companies.
About 27% of companies expect to transfer most of their employees to a remote format in the near future. Small and medium-sized businesses, by default, use just this mode of operation as a priority, since it is profitable - there is no need to rent a large office, and also consider the purchase of furniture and equipment for arranging workplaces in this case, which significantly expands the expense item.
67% of workers in the survey were in favor of remote work.
During a crisis, small and medium-sized businesses always try to save money, and therefore refuse to rent offices.

So in the coming years, offices may give way to coworking spaces.

Payback period for investments in a coworking center

When calculating the effectiveness of a coworking , one of the main indicators is the payback period, which was calculated in the business plan and ranged from 3 to 5 years.

Business plan for a coworking center with calculations

The business plan has a clear structure, contains detailed financial calculations, and the financial model allows you to flexibly change any business parameter. This is the optimal solution for those who plan to attract investments, want to get a loan or have a ready-made template for developing their business plan.

Structure of the financial model of a coworking center

A financial model is a separate file in MS Excel format - essentially it is a separate product designed for business planning and calculation of all its indicators. Each of the parameters of the financial model can be changed manually. There are no macros in the financial model. All formulas are transparent and changeable.

Detailed calculation of investments for launching a coworking center

While working on a business plan, we look at dozens of different sources of information. This includes data from equipment suppliers, industry portals, interviews with market experts, and official statistics - such systematic data analysis provides a complete picture of all project parameters: prices, equipment costs, premises costs, costs, etc. .

Business income plan

A necessary component of a full-fledged business plan is a flexible sales plan. It is important, on the one hand, to have a forecast for the business as a whole, and on the other hand, to be able to look at profitability in the context of a separate profit center or even a separate product.

Coworking center cash flow forecast

The cash flow statement is the most important document in any business plan. Contains comprehensive information about the company's operating, investment and financial inflows and outflows, and also allows you to evaluate the overall picture of the company's performance.

Coworking - business

As a business, coworking instantly became widespread - it turned out to be a brilliant and simple idea that was picked up by many entrepreneurs around the world. Considering that the number of freelancers is growing every year, the need for coworking centers is increasing. A huge number of similar establishments are opening in China, India and the USA.

Today there are more than 300 coworking centers in Russia. Almost a third of them are located in Moscow, and about the same number in St. Petersburg. The rest were evenly distributed among million-plus cities. Entire networks have already begun to appear that operate under a single sign in many cities across the country.

In general, Russia is a fairly attractive region for this type of business. Especially now, when the freelance market is actively developing and more and more specialists prefer to work for themselves and feel free from corporate obligations. That is why it is best to invest in this business today - today there is enough space for everyone, and tomorrow half of the market players will be eaten up by competition.

How to start a coworking business?

It is extremely important to be aware of all the risks that are present in this type of business. This is both quite high competition and some “ignorance” on the part of potential clients - coworking in Russia is not widespread and little known.

If you think about the prospects, then you need to start with the premises. Having the right premises is 90% of success.

Potential entrepreneurs in this area can be divided into two groups: those who have their own premises and those who plan to rent the premises.

If an entrepreneur has real estate in the form of a business center, then you can always allocate a couple of hundred square meters for coworking - it’s not expensive. There is no task to equip workplaces with the latest expensive computers for 3D visualization. A very common situation is when large spaces in a business center are not used (for example, it is impossible to find a tenant) - they can be safely used as a coworking center.
Option two is to rent space in a business center and convert it into a coworking space. This option is complex and requires a more responsible approach - higher risks. However, if you approach the task correctly, you can create a very popular workspace that will be in demand.

Next we will consider the second option, more complex. In general, the organization process is not much different, so you can use what is stated below in any case.

Location

It is best to choose premises for setting up a coworking space in close proximity to the metro - this will allow future employees to save time on the road. Any transport interchange in the vicinity of the future establishment makes it more attractive to potential clients.

It is necessary to consider the issue of parking. It would be ideal if the center has parking for employees. Despite the fact that a car is rather rare among freelancers, it is better to have the opportunity to provide a parking space to the client. If we are talking about renting premises in a business center, then it is best to conclude a lease agreement for parking spaces in order to avoid further paperwork.

Location in the city center or in the center of the district. This cannot be said to be decisive, however, the location of a coworking space in the city center has a positive effect on the number of clients and attractiveness.

Room

So, having decided on the desire to place a coworking room in a business center, you need to think about where exactly to place it. In the case of large American cities, such a problem has never arisen - the buildings are high-rise and there are no special differences between the 25th and 63rd floors. In the case of Russia, everything is somewhat more complicated. The first floor is the most optimal, as it provides the most favorable rental price. The upper floors are more expensive, but often provide a good view from the window.

At this stage you should also think about design. If you plan to target, for example, primarily designers, then you can think about some stylish and “fun” room. If the target audience of the project is programmers, then it would be better to spend money on equipment rather than on creating the right atmosphere.

Everything for the client

It is necessary to remember that the freelancer’s workplace must be equipped with everything necessary: a comfortable table, chair, sockets. Depending on the rental price, equipment may or may not be provided. However, most visitors prefer to use their own laptops - it is more practical and safer in terms of storing information.

It would also be a great help to place a small kitchen area in the center where workers could warm up their tea or have a snack. Most often, a small kitchen set, a few tables and chairs around, are enough.

The recreation area will be an excellent advertisement. Everyone loves it when they have the opportunity to take fifteen minutes away from work and relax in a soft bean bag chair. Or play table tennis. Of course, most conscientious workers will have little time to rest, but this is the beauty of coworking - a freelancer independently plans his time and chooses when to go to lunch, when to play board games, and when to finish a new project.

It is important for individual employees to hold personal meetings - several meeting rooms are created for them. In such places, you can discuss with the client the intricacies of the contract being concluded and the specifics of the work being performed.

Rules of conduct in a coworking center

It is especially important for visitors to make a list of rules that must be followed while in the workspace. They are quite versatile:

Don't listen to music without headphones. Even if a visitor has excellent musical taste, not everyone may truly like it. And if everyone listens to music through speakers, you will get a crazy mixture of sounds, which will quickly give you a headache.
Don't eat at work. This is important for the owner of the establishment. This is especially worth taking into account in those establishments where equipment for work is also provided along with workplaces.
Observe basic rules of decency. It is important to remember that those around you are also independent freelancers. This means that they may well have deadlines, they may be late with the delivery of the project. You can’t bother them with questions that arise.
Opening hours. Establish in advance to exclude “night residents”, due to which it will be necessary to maintain a second shift of office managers and cleaners.

Advantages and disadvantages

Working in coworking centers has its pros and cons, without which it is impossible to organize a profitable project.

Obvious advantages:

Price. Renting a regular office will cost a lot of money compared to the amount you will have to pay for a coworking space.
Flexibility. You can always rent a workspace for the day. Or you can immediately go for a year and not worry about having nowhere to work.
Atmosphere. Maintaining a work environment at home is difficult. Especially when there is a bed next to the computer or there are constantly distracting household members. In this regard, coworking is a great solution.
Acquaintance. Coworking is a gathering of independent specialists. This is a great way to make useful contacts, which will then develop into a partnership.

Minor disadvantages:

Price. Even taking into account the low cost of rent, not every freelancer is able to spend money on renting an office - for many this seems like something crazy.
Environment. Coworking is not suitable for introverts who are used to working in silence and solitude.