What is coworking: translation of the word coworking and development of spaces in Russia, difference from internet cafes

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Published: 05/09/2017

Reading time: 8 min

Characteristic features of coworking space

It is extremely difficult for a person to work at home without strict self-discipline: he is constantly distracted by household chores, a running TV, entertainment sites, children playing or noisy neighbors. However, the inability to create suitable working conditions in your own apartment is not at all a reason to refuse freelancing: practice shows that coworking spaces are completely devoid of such disadvantages, while maintaining the main advantages of working from home.

What is coworking: the meaning of this term implies both a way of organizing joint work in a common room, and the center itself - a collective office for remote workers and freelancers. A characteristic feature of coworking spaces is the lack of direct connections between its visitors: they can be employees of different companies, self-employed citizens, and even aspiring entrepreneurs who do not have the means to rent their own premises.

Why do freelancers prefer to do business among their own kind? This desire is fully explained by the human need for social contacts. Some people do not tolerate home loneliness and lack of communication well, others gain motivation only at the sight of actively working colleagues, others are trying to make business contacts, find customers or get new ideas. Thus, a small community is created in a coworking space, whose members help each other, exchange experience and knowledge, provide or receive advice.

Which specialists most often choose such conditions:

Programmers and web developers;
Software and website testers;
Graphic and interior designers, artists;
Marketers, advertising specialists;
SEO optimizers, SMM and SMO managers;
Content managers, moderators, administrators;
Webmasters, layout designers;
Copywriters, writers, journalists, translators;
Students;
Aspiring entrepreneurs and startup creators.

In the largest cities of Russia, the number of coworking spaces is already measured in the dozens, while in ordinary regional centers and medium-sized towns this market is almost free. Meanwhile, this business is quite promising, since the level of initial investment looks loyal for a beginning entrepreneur, and the payback period for coworking due to high consumer demand does not exceed 12–18 months.

What is COWORKING - meaning, definition in simple words?

In simple words, Coworking is such a fashionable way of organizing work, when people with different skills can perform tasks in one room. The word translates as “collaboration”, when in one office, library, even cafe, the workspace can be anything, people of different professions work, everyone does their own thing.

Today, the trend is to work from home or even run a business practically without leaving home. It's convenient, but there are also disadvantages - loneliness. To conduct business or perform remote work, you don’t have to feel confined within four walls. Coworking is a relatively new and original way to feel part of a team.

A coworking space is a professional space that is rented out for a desired period of time to everyone. If an employer rents a space, they often pay employees for their work in that workspace. But even without this, having a workplace that is fully equipped and convenient for work is profitable and also comfortable, because it is a team work, but everyone is independent and free. Freelancers often gather in one space.

Advantages and disadvantages of coworking spaces

When exploring the reasons why freelancers prefer working in a coworking space to a home or office environment, it is necessary to mention several key factors, not only economic, but also psychological:

Renting space in a coworking space is cheaper than repairing and maintaining a full-fledged office, especially in the case of small rooms, the cost of which per square meter is one and a half times higher compared to large rooms;
Owners of office space usually insist on a long rental period, while in a coworking space you can book a place even for one day;
In a coworking space, everyone is busy with their own business, so no one will distract the freelancer while working;
Here you can establish many useful and interesting contacts with other specialists, find clients and even business partners among them;
Coworking spaces regularly host educational lectures, seminars, master classes and other events that improve the skills of entrepreneurs;
The centers do not have the slightest hint of office formality, such as dress codes, corporate rules, boring surroundings and uncomfortable furniture;
It is impossible to recreate the same work environment charged with positive energy at home, so a person’s performance in a coworking space increases;
Cleaning, putting things in order, and servicing equipment in the centers are carried out by support staff, the cost of which is included in the tariff;
The workplace is equipped with all necessary office equipment, including presentation equipment, telephone communication channels and the Internet.

On the other hand, joint labor organization cannot be considered an ideal solution for free workers, since this format also has some disadvantages:

Many freelancers and aspiring entrepreneurs do not allow themselves to rent a room in a coworking space, preferring to save money;
The inevitable noise and large number of strangers can be distracting for those who are used to working in a quieter environment;
It is impossible to guarantee the integrity of all people - someone will probably want to steal someone else's thing, spy on an idea, or copy the customer base.

Cost of coworking space

The cost of renting an office in a coworking center depends on the region of the Russian Federation in which it is located. However, prices do not differ much, on average by 5-10%. The highest prices per hour and month for renting a temporary office are presented in Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The average price per hour for renting an office space in Moscow is 200 rubles for the “Floating Workstations” tariff and 50 rubles for the “Fixed Workstations” tariff.

A month of renting an office space in Moscow will cost you an average of 6,000 rubles.

Let's compare coworking prices with simple office rental in Moscow.

A small office with a total area of 15 square meters on the outskirts of Moscow will cost you 20 thousand rubles per month of rent. Such an office can accommodate no more than three workstations. Let's recalculate how much it will cost to rent three workstations in a coworking center for a month.

So, to do this, multiply 6,000 by 3 and get 18,000 rubles. Thus, you will save 2 thousand rubles and receive as a bonus all the necessary equipment, furniture and additional space in the form of a kitchen and meeting room.

You can get coworking space for free under the government program, but this is only available for the implementation of social projects.

The table shows the average prices for renting office space in coworking centers in different cities of Russia.

City	Price per hour rental, rubles	Price per month of rent, rubles
Novosibirsk	40	6 000
Ekaterinburg	80	7 000
Nizhny Novgorod	40	6 000
Kazan	40	5 000
Samara	50	6 000
Chelyabinsk	50	7 000
Omsk	40	5 000
Rostov-on-Don	40	5 000
Volgograd	40	5 500
Krasnoyarsk	90	3 000
Voronezh	80	4 000
Ufa	60	5 000
Permian	60	4 000

What types of coworking spaces are there?

The concept of “coworking” primarily implies joint work, so visitors come here solely for the sake of work, only allowing themselves to chat with colleagues and drink a cup of coffee during breaks. Depending on what exactly freelancers do here, centers can be classified as:

Industrial coworking spaces. Such establishments are intended for people who earn money through intellectual activities - copywriters, programmers, webmasters, freelancers, remote workers. The owners of the centers create the most comfortable conditions for them - they arrange workplaces, areas for negotiations and meals, rest rooms;
Creative coworking spaces. This format can be called a creative club - artists, writers, musicians, poets and other representatives of similar professions gather here, author evenings and exhibitions are held. Although the centers are intended primarily for communication between people with similar interests, those who like to work in solitude can also find a free corner;
Craft coworking spaces. Designed mainly for people who love to work with their hands, but do not have the opportunity to set up a workshop at home. The centers are divided by topic and equipped with all the necessary equipment: co-working spaces for carpenters, furniture makers and seamstresses are especially popular. This format allows craftsmen to actively exchange experiences and secrets, conduct master classes, and entrepreneurs to receive additional income from selling raw materials, tools and materials to clients;
Coworking spaces for children. They are an intermediate option between kindergartens and creative centers for children. Here you can find playrooms, workshops with instruments for children and teenagers, rooms for dancing and active games. Qualified teachers conduct entertaining and educational activities, master classes, and conduct experiments with young visitors. Sometimes coworking spaces have separate rooms for parents who want to entrust their child to caregivers in order to work themselves.

It is also worth mentioning some unusual center formats that emerged as a result of entrepreneurs’ attempts to create a unique establishment concept:

Street coworking spaces. In countries with mild climates, freelancers practice working in open coworking spaces, using parks and squares for these purposes;
Coworking spaces for night owls. A coworking space has been created in the Philippines for those who like to work at night. The establishment opens at 3 pm and closes only in the morning;
Men's coworking spaces. Men often complain that any attractive woman completely deprives them of the ability to concentrate on work. Therefore, Australian entrepreneurs have limited access to the fair sex to their center;
Women's coworking spaces. American businessmen came to the opposite decision, opening a coworking space exclusively for women.

Characteristic features of coworking space

The most important thing about a coworking space is the freedom to disseminate information in the office. The free movement of ideas, knowledge, skills and experience allows us to find innovative solutions and helps unlock the potential of each participant.

You can gain experience working in an open office at coworking centers. At the moment, about 50 centers offer their services in Moscow.

Everything is clear with coworking, let’s now find out what coworking centers are.

A coworking center is any space equipped for the work of a certain number of people. That is, this is an ordinary room with office furniture (or other items necessary for work), which is provided for rent for a certain period.

When choosing a coworking center, find out if it can provide its legal address. This is especially true if you rent an office for a period of one month or more.

When renting an office in a coworking center, you can choose one of two options for organizing your workspace:

With floating jobs . In this case, the employee can change his workplace; it is not assigned to him. That is, whoever managed to take the place gets the place. The cost of such a place in Moscow is about 100 rubles per hour. An unassigned workplace allows you to use all the benefits of the office: kitchen, meeting room and other rooms;
With assigned jobs . Each employee has his own workplace; it cannot be changed. The average price in Moscow is 50 rubles per hour. The peculiarity of attaching an employee to a workplace is that it is impossible for him to move around the office. This means that he cannot use other office premises unless he has paid extra for them.

As a rule, in addition to coworking offices, landlords offer additional work spaces: meeting rooms, kitchens, waiting rooms. They are also available on a short-term rental basis.

Despite the openness in the organization of work, a good coworking office always has individual rooms in which an employee can do work that is difficult for him to do in complete openness.

The office is always equipped with everything necessary for comfortable work: office furniture, computers and other equipment, office supplies. But as a rule, the cost of a place includes only the most necessary things: a chair, a table and a computer. For the rest you need to pay extra separately.

You can rent a whole room or a certain number of seats. But in the second case, get ready for unexpected neighbors (sometimes actors and musicians rent offices, and they like to make noise).

Another feature of coworking spaces is the short-term lease. As a rule, offices are rented for a period of one to several months, but you can pay for several hours of work or even minutes. As a rule, landlords provide discounts to those who rent a place or office for a period of one month or more.

Also, many coworking centers provide additional services that may be needed in the course of your work for a fee. For example, the services of a lawyer, courier, secretary, driver.

And finally, coworking centers are government-owned; they are provided free of charge, but only for the implementation of socially significant projects.

What services do coworking spaces provide?

Before organizing a coworking center, you need to carefully consider the list of services it provides.
This is especially important in large cities, where dozens of similar enterprises already operate: only by offering some interesting and unusual services in addition to the basic package, will a new establishment be able to acquire its own customer base. In addition, the entrepreneur will need the help of a lawyer to draw up accompanying documents: the service model in a coworking space implies a full sublease of a workplace, which radically distinguishes this type of business from anti-cafes or other leisure centers. Therefore, an agreement must be concluded with each visitor, containing not only a list of rights and obligations, but also details of the parties.

Below is a typical list of coworking services, which is considered the standard minimum among entrepreneurs in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and other large cities of Russia:

Rent of workplaces. The main activity of coworking spaces is providing jobs to freelancers. Entrepreneurs practice a fairly flexible system - you can rent a place for a day, a week or a month, book a specific table or take any free chair, use your laptop or center computer. Most often, the subscription fee includes water and drinks, consumables, paper and stationery;
Renting space for events. Coworking spaces can be partially or fully rented out for corporate events - trainings, seminars, meetings. This service is especially in demand in large cities, where finding a cheap site is not so easy;
Conducting master classes and lectures. Often, coworking space owners independently conduct various training courses or master classes, or invite relevant specialists for these purposes. You can open several trial courses on different topics in order to later select the most popular ones;
Providing additional services. Entrepreneurs are trying to make extra profit by combining their coworking spaces with cafes, gyms and even hostels. Some of these decisions are controversial, but everyone agrees that two or three vending machines with snacks in an establishment will not be superfluous.

In addition to food, the list of coworking center services often includes:

Personal lockers with keys for storing things in the coworking space;
Dedicated places for rest, eating, telephone conversations;
Active zones with tennis tables, exercise equipment;
Shower cabins;
Presentation equipment - magnetic boards, projectors, TV;
Unlimited Internet access;
Consultations with specialists in jurisprudence and accounting;
Personal page on the coworking website;
Virtual office and secretary services.

What is coworking in simple words and why pay money for it?

Do you know what coworking is and why it is needed? Recently, remote work has become increasingly popular.

Just imagine how great it is to make reports, edit texts or create advertising banners while sitting on a soft sofa at home. There is no need to get up at the ominous seven in the morning, stand in traffic jams or crowd in the subway, there is no need to sit in a stuffy office from ten in the morning to six in the evening.

https://youtu.be/EGiI7XQ8-xc

And all you need for work is a laptop or computer and the Internet. Not a job, but a dream. However, in reality this is far from the case. In addition to the fact that you will not have sick leave and vacations, you will also lose the work atmosphere. Most household members will not be able to perceive your unusual format of work on a subconscious level.

Consequently, in such a relaxing environment, where you are constantly distracted by everything and everyone, your productivity will be extremely low. But there are no insoluble problems. If you want to work productively, but don’t have enough money for your own office, then rent your own workplace in one of the coworking centers!

Coworking - what is it?

Translated from English, “co-working” literally means “working together.” In simple terms, a coworking space is a community of free and independent people of various professions who come together in one room for the purpose of doing a specific job.

Web designers, programmers, copywriters, freelancers, entrepreneurs, as well as employees of small companies for which it is not profitable to rent an entire office, work side by side in one space. Thus, coworking is an innovation in the scheme of organizing work activities.

Coworking centers are equipped with everything necessary for full-time work. As a rule, in addition to the work space, they also include a relaxation area, a kitchen or vending machines with food and drinks, a meeting room and its own library. This creates an “office for rent”, a place in which you can rent for a day or for the whole year.

A little history

In 2005, a young American programmer, Brad Newberg, founded the first coworking space, which brought together several like-minded freelancers under its roof. The idea was to create a workspace that is between a regular office and a home.

As you can see, the idea was successful and brought the founder worldwide fame. Since then, coworking has become increasingly popular, gradually spreading throughout the world, and it has finally reached Russia.

It is worth noting that in our country this area is developing much more slowly than abroad. The reasons for this lie in the complexity of the design. It is also difficult to find a space that simultaneously meets several important parameters:

The place should have a convenient location. It is advisable that this be the city center, since it is unlikely that anyone will want to go to a dubious residential area on the outskirts. In addition, it will be a big plus if the center is located within walking distance from public transport stops. Nowadays, loft spaces that were once industrial premises are often converted into coworking centers.
The layout of the room should be atypical. Do not copy company offices under any circumstances, as your task is to create a unique creative place where people will not only be comfortable working, but also simply have an interesting time.
Stable and fast Internet is a prerequisite, without which the center will not be able to function normally.

Despite the fact that opening a coworking space is accompanied by a lot of difficulties, this process is gradually gaining momentum in Russia. In 2008, the first coworking space opened in Yekaterinburg. Later, such workspaces began to appear in all major cities.

It is noteworthy that the state also approved this idea and is trying to promote it to the masses. So, as part of the development of this project, a special program “Coworking 2.0” was created, and simultaneously with these actions, Sberbank developed a program to support youth coworking spaces.

At the moment, two directions for the development of coworking are predicted: it will either evolve towards office space, or it will acquire the status of a cultural center uniting creative people.

Types of coworking centers

There is no unified classification of such workspaces yet. However, they can be conditionally divided into the following groups:

The most common coworking spaces today are those designed for office and industrial activities. However, these spaces differ in size, level of technical equipment and provision of related services, so they are divided into:

Created by freelancers who come together to implement a joint project. They rent a small room, the fee for which is divided among all participants. The necessary equipment is brought from home.
A workplace organized by a specific entrepreneur. He bears all the costs of maintaining the premises; the client only has to pay for his stay in the office.
Centers established by a specific company to organize the work of freelancers. All expenses in this case are borne by the employer.
Creative co-working centers that bring together people of art are becoming increasingly popular.

What does educational coworking mean, its profitability

2. One of the promising areas is the development of children's workspaces that combine both educational and leisure functions.

In addition to coworking, there are many more similar establishments with a social orientation, for example, these include time cafes and clubs, anti-cafes.

And if in an ordinary cafe after some time they will start looking at you askance, since you are just sitting on your laptop and taking the place of a potential client, then in these new-style premises everything has been created for work or communication of people with a wide variety of hobbies and preferences.

Price list

Coworking prices are determined taking into account many factors:

region;
location;
available equipment;
rental period: the longer it is, the cheaper it costs the client one day of work in the center;
fixed or floating workstation.

Please note that the least expensive seats are “dynamic seats,” which means that a person comes with a personal laptop and takes up any available seat. The most expensive thing is to rent meeting rooms or separate rooms for business meetings. But you must admit that it is much more presentable to meet your future partner in a coworking space than at home.

Pros and cons of coworking spaces

Coworking, like any other innovation that penetrates everyday life, has a number of supporters and opponents. Let's consider what arguments "for" and "against" are given by both sides.

Advantages	Flaws
A clearly planned and organized work environment allows you to perform assigned tasks as efficiently as possible	Material and time costs for travel to the center
Productive communication, expanding the circle of useful acquaintances	You need to be constantly careful not to lose personal belongings
The opportunity to meet like-minded people with whom you can discuss and share various ideas	Possible noisy neighborhood
Regular trainings and seminars held at the center contribute to professional growth	Lack of normal nutrition, although it is now being introduced in some centers
The presence of a meeting room allows you to organize business meetings	Payment of rent, although insignificant, is still another expense item
The cost of renting a workplace includes the use of office equipment, free Internet and many more additional services on which you can save
Relatively low price compared to office rent

Let's hope that after reading this article, your doubts about coworking centers will be dispelled, and you will be eager to try this original approach to organizing your work activities. However, many of you are probably wondering: “How and where to find a coworking center in your city?”

The Internet will come to the rescue. Type the appropriate query in the search bar, and if a similar space has already been organized in your city, then you can easily find it on the pages of the World Wide Web.

Of course, today coworking is not as widespread in our country as we would like, so don’t be surprised if it doesn’t exist in your city yet. But, on the other hand, maybe this is a good opportunity to open your own center?

Now, having become acquainted with the concept of coworking, you have a certain idea about this unusual place. Do you want to constantly develop creatively and professionally, meet interesting people and discover something new day after day? Then coworking is what you need!

From the site: https://vse-dengy.ru/ekonomika/kovorking-prostyimi-slovami.html

How to choose a coworking space

Choosing a space for coworking is much more difficult than finding a place for a store or hairdresser: in the search process, an entrepreneur has to take into account many different, sometimes even contradictory parameters:

First of all, you need to pay attention to places with good accessibility - for example, in the center, near public transport stops or near the metro;
It is not recommended to rent space in shopping or business centers, since many coworking spaces eventually switch to 24-hour operating hours. It is best to use a separate building or an extension;
It is also important to make sure that there is parking or a parking lot with sufficient capacity nearby. It is advisable to have a reserve of seats, since many freelancers eventually acquire their own transport;
Finally, the view from the window matters. Visitors to coworking spaces prefer to be inspired by a view of a park or pond rather than be disheartened by a vacant lot or industrial landscape outside the windows. The room itself should be bright, with high ceilings and large windows.

Before organizing a coworking space, you should consider the interior design, choose original artistic solutions and remarkable decorative elements. This need is associated with the desire of many freelancers to show off their workplace to colleagues and publish photos on social networks, thereby providing free advertising for the establishment.

For renting space in a coworking space to be profitable, you need to accommodate at least 40–50 people. Considering the norm of 4–5 m² per person, an entrepreneur should select a hall with an area of 220–250 m² and above. When equipping workplaces, you should remember the various preferences of freelancers and use not only standard office tables with chairs, but also sofas with coffee tables, and even bean bags.

The coworking space itself must be divided into several zones:

A work area where visitors will work;
Relaxation area with large soft sofas and TV;
One or two meeting rooms with demonstration equipment;
Eating area with kitchen equipment and tables;
Bathroom (if possible, it is advisable to install a shower stall);
Sometimes entrepreneurs set up a separate conference room.

In simple words

As business develops, the number of small, narrowly specialized organizations grows.

However, they buy or rent several premises for their office. To reduce costs and maintain budgets, some companies take risks and occupy the same premises for employees of different specializations. To minimize risk consequences, it is necessary to think carefully about the organization of work. The way out of this situation is coworking centers, which allow optimizing the work process of specialists.

https://youtu.be/wH4XKmDxo0Q

Coworking in simple words

Let's look at what coworking is. Coworking literally translates as “to work together”, i.e. when people of different profiles work in the same building. In other words, everything that unites people is a room

Such an organization of work activity provides additional communication and exchange of experience. Often, an unusual work model is chosen by freelancers who find working at home monotonous.

Coworking space was created for the development of social initiatives, the formation of team projects and their implementation. In addition, social business projects and projects for the development of small and medium-sized businesses are being developed. There are clear rules on the premises. It is necessary to take care of furniture, not disturb the work atmosphere, and treat others politely.

Coworking centers

Coworking centers are office spaces consisting of several large rooms. A coworking center must have:

Modern office equipment
Comfortable office furniture
Negotiation room
High speed internet
Area for relaxation and eating

Benefits of coworking

Since coworking brings together visitors with different work profiles, there is a good opportunity to get good business contacts, find business partners and diversify your social circle;
Create a joint project;
Creative, flexible atmosphere;
Some coworking centers conduct training sessions that allow participants to improve their professional competencies;
The lack of guidance makes you feel comfortable;
Unlike working at home, where everyday life is all around, coworking centers are an imitation of an office with a working atmosphere that can increase work productivity;
Lack of distractions;
Those who are forced to receive clients at home can use the meeting rooms of the coworking center;
All necessary office equipment: office furniture, printers, computers, faxes, etc.;
If difficulties arise, you can ask for help;

Disadvantages of coworking

Any labor organization has its drawbacks. Analyzing what coworking means, we can note that getting to the workplace also takes time, in addition to this:

Cost of time and money to come to a coworking space;
If the center is far from your home, then during rush hour you may get stuck in traffic jams;
As the number of people increases, the noise also increases;
Some people cannot concentrate in the presence of strangers;
Payment for stay;

Who uses coworking

The article mentioned that freelancers or creative people become clients of coworking centers, but that’s not all. People come to the centers:

Sprogrammers;
Webmasters;
Business trainers;
Startups;
Entrepreneur;
Those people who do not depend on an office or workshop space.

Types of coworking centers

There are several types of coworking centers; below we present the most common ones:

For industrial and office activities. One of the most popular types of coworking spaces. Clients include representatives of various professions. Since people spend a significant part of their time in this center, in addition to the work space, there are also rooms for relaxation, negotiations and meals.

For creative visitors. Here you can find a minimum of office equipment and a maximum of boards, flipcharts, projectors, in general, everything that is necessary for creativity.

For Hand made. A heavenly place for connoisseurs of creating something with their own hands. In this case, the center focuses on graphics programs and 3D printers. In addition, they regularly conduct master classes.

For children. In Europe, children's coworking centers have already become the norm, but in Russia this type of coworking is only gaining momentum. You can find a large number of educational games for children, as well as communicate with other parents.

Profit from coworking centers

Rent of premises and workplace.
Conducting lectures and seminars.
Catering: refrigerators, coffee machines, sale of lunches.
With large companies, an increase in rental space.

Statistics confirm the profitability of coworking centers: payback is possible in less than 6 months.

From the site: https://moipersonal.ru/organizatsiya-truda/chto-takoe-kovorking

How to equip a coworking space?

In the process of developing a business plan for a coworking center, you will notice that the main expenses of the enterprise are related to the purchase of furniture and office equipment. It is impossible to save on these items, since their quality directly affects the comfort and ease of work that is important for visitors. However, when opening a center with 50 seats, it is not at all necessary to buy 50 computers - many freelancers prefer to use their own laptops. The creator of a coworking space can only provide good Wi-Fi coverage in all corners of the room and connect a fast, uninterrupted Internet access channel. In general, to equip the center you will need:

Equipping a coworking space for 50 seats

Name	price, rub.	Quantity, pcs.	Amount, rub.
Office equipment
Laptop for staff	18000	2	36000
Client PC with monitor	18000	20	360000
MFP	9000	2	18000
Network router	2000	2	4000
Wireless router	1500	4	6000
Telephone set	1200	5	6000
TV	25000	2	50000
Projector with screen	25000	1	25000
Cash machine	12000	1	12000
POS terminal	7000	1	7000
PBX	15000	1	15000
Work area furniture
Large office table	3000	10	30000
Working chair	1500	50	75000
Small sofa	8000	12	96000
Coffee table	2000	6	12000
Hanger	3000	5	15000
Locker for things	10000	4	40000
Furniture for meeting rooms
Large office table	3000	2	6000
Working chair	1500	20	30000
Magnetic board	5500	2	11000
Living area and kitchen furniture
Table	1500	4	6000
Chair	800	12	9600
Kitchen set	15000	1	15000
Bag chair	1500	10	15000
Large sofa	20000	4	80000
Coffee table	2000	4	8000
Security systems
Video surveillance system	20000	1	20000
Security and fire alarm	28000	1	28000
Kitchen equipment
Electric kettle	1000	1	1000
Coffee machine	75000	1	75000
Microwave	3000	1	3000
Fridge	12000	1	12000
Cooler	3000	1	3000
Other equipment
Accounting software	25000	1	25000
Lamp	1000	25	25000
Stationery	–	–	5000
Cleaning lady tool	–	–	5000
Bathroom equipment	15000	1	15000
Sockets and switches	200	50	10000
Total:			1214600

Review of 3 coworking franchises

In the modern world, there are more and more people in liberal professions. And their main common problem is the lack of comfortable working conditions.

At home, other family members, cohabitants, neighbors, pets, or even a refrigerator that is too loud and intrusive are disturbing. Rent a small workplace with the necessary office equipment in a pleasant room and access to a room for meetings and presentations at an affordable price - a real and modern solution for freelancers. And a promising business idea for entrepreneurs.

In essence, a coworking business is a profitable resale of real estate for all parties, the difference in price of which is the profit of the owner of the idea. The profitability of coworking spaces, according to current owners, can reach 60%. For an overview of the niche of coworking centers, read the material Coworking Franchise.

A coworking center franchise is actually a turnkey business, relevant for a city with a population of 50 thousand or more, which includes location selection, design, furniture purchase, setting up advertising campaigns and staff training.

Indagate Coworking	Deal of the century	Coworking center B-Point
Year of foundation	2008	2013	2009
Franchising	2014	—	—
Number of points	5	2	1
Own enterprises	There is	There is	There is
General investments	10,000 rub.	from 1,300,000 rub.	from 449,000 rub.
What are the investments spent on?	*depends on the franchise package	Rent, renovation, furniture, financial cushion before reaching operating profit	Full launch of a business, transfer of all materials
Lump sum payment	490,000 rub.	from 300,000 rub.	399,000 rub. *fee amount depends on the city
Royalty	3% of turnover	No	10% of net profit
Other payments	No	No	No
Support	Yes	Yes	Yes
Time to open	—	—	45 days
Payback	from 7 months	from 3 months	2-5 months
Net profit	—	from 150,000 rub.	100,000-500,000 rub.
Franchise package	Standard, Advanced, Turnkey	No	No
Square	from 150 sq.m.	from 200 sq.m.	from 150 sq.m.

*data is for August 2020, some numbers may have changed by the time you read this

https://youtu.be/Su3umfbV77o

Indagate Coworking

Indagate is a group of research companies in the field of marketing, sociology and business development, one of whose projects is a network of coworking centers.

The minimum franchise package includes assistance in choosing premises and selecting a concept, a website, software for client accounting and a business book from the franchisor.

The “Advanced” package provides additional opportunities for marketing research.

With the “Turnkey” package, partners are given a conceptual design project of the premises and the opportunity to prepare the coworking space for opening together with a team of managers from the company’s head office.

Deal of the century

The deal of the century since 2013 on the real estate market. Today there are 2 coworking centers, and you can open 3.

The minimum amount required to launch a workspace of 200 sq.m., according to the franchisor’s calculations, is 1,300,000 rubles, taking into account the lump-sum contribution. These funds will cover rent, renovation of premises and the purchase of furniture.

The Deal of the Century franchise package includes:

A package of documents for opening a legal entity, all document flow (agreements with tenants, with the landlord, with staff)
Selection of premises
Pre-sale of coworking spaces
Design project for renovation of premises
Selection of administrators and training
Regional website
CRM system for customer accounting
Telephone conversation scripts for administrators
Personal manager support

Coworking center B-Point

The co-working center B-Point belongs to the WantResult group of companies, which has several areas of activity under its wing - advertising business with VkTracker, real estate rental BPOINTS, its own media “First Unofficial”.

The lump-sum fee for opening a B-Point coworking center depends on the population in the city of opening and averages 300,000 rubles. The franchisor also adds that renovating the premises and generally starting a business requires 50,000 rubles. This is probably true, but we understand that the total final investment amount will be from 10 to 100 times higher.

What can a franchisee expect when purchasing a coworking center franchise?

Selection of premises
Business support, control and launch
Full marketing support, customer attraction technologies (website, customized advertising campaigns). The minimum number of applications that the franchisee promises to provide is 100
Business training and necessary documents (videos, chat, logo, templates, sales scripts, contract templates, etc.)
Recruitment
Tools for selling shares in a business

When choosing a coworking center franchise, you need to understand that this is a long-term project that, as a rule, reaches payback no earlier than in 10-12 months. Accordingly, it is difficult to say that franchise projects that have not yet completed a 1-year cycle have already proven their profitability.

It is worth paying attention to the experience of the franchisor company, the presence of a federal advertising campaign and assistance in promoting regional franchisees.

From the site: https://franchblog.ru/obzor-3-franshiz-kovorkingov/

Coworking staff

An entrepreneur should not be afraid of high labor costs, since it is possible to open a coworking center with a minimum number of employees. Strictly speaking, one administrator is enough to perform daily tasks. The list of his responsibilities will include:

Ensuring order and compliance with internal rules;
Notifying visitors about ongoing promotions and events;
Ensuring the operability of coworking equipment;
Consumables inventory management;
Accepting payments for additional services, selling subscriptions.

Since the recommended working day in the center is 15–16 hours (many coworking spaces operate around the clock), the entrepreneur needs to hire at least two administrators who work in shifts. Also, to solve minor problems, you will need a computer technician who will repair and maintain office equipment, and a marketing specialist, whose list of responsibilities will include managing advertising and attracting new clients. Considering that the document flow of coworking spaces usually does not exceed reasonable limits, accounting services can be outsourced:

Coworking staffing schedule

Job title	Rate, rub.	Qty	Amount, rub.
Administrator	25000	2	50000
Office equipment repairman	25000	1	25000
Marketing Specialist	25000	1	25000
Cleaning woman	15000	1	15000
Insurance premiums	–	–	34500
Accounting services	–	–	10000
Total:			159500

Coworking in Russia

Coworking in Russia
You already know what coworking is, so let me briefly tell you how popular it is in Russia.

Due to the peculiarities of the domestic economy, the complexity of registration and the reluctance of landlords to rent out offices for coworking spaces, working together with like-minded people is more difficult than in Western countries.

But a start has been made. In 2008, the first office of this type opened in Yekaterinburg, and later such workspaces began to appear throughout the country: in Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, Moscow and other Russian cities.

The state supported this idea by implementing the Coworking 2.0 program , and Sberbank is developing its program to support young coworkers. But so far this movement has not acquired a wide scale in the country and is still at the development stage.

How to attract visitors?

As a business, coworking especially needs advertising: this format of workspace has appeared especially recently, and therefore the marketer has to not only promote the center, but also explain to representatives of the target audience the advantages of this way of doing business. Since it is quite expensive to use the entire set of tools proposed below for a long time, it is necessary to constantly analyze the effectiveness of certain advertising channels in order to select the most effective ones:

Promoting your own website, publishing information materials and reports on past events on it;
Maintaining communities on social networks, inviting new participants to them;
Publication of advertising on local and thematic forums;
Distribution of leaflets at exhibitions, conferences, seminars;
Promotion of courses and other training events;
Publication of master classes, photo reports, videos on relevant websites;
Publication of advertising and feature articles in local media.

Video on the topic

https://youtu.be/BQUwOf7uHH4

What is coworking in simple words

Imagine a situation where in the same workspace there are people whose activities are in no way connected, and there is no boss at all. Something from the realm of fantasy, isn't it?

In fact, no, such a situation is quite possible today thanks to coworking. From English (you didn’t think that this was a native Russian word, right?) coworking is translated as “ working together ,” which, in turn, is derived from collaboration (cooperation) and working (work).

So, a coworking space is a place where a freelancer (who is this?) or a person working remotely works together with other similar people. Most often, such premises are ordinary offices, which are rented jointly with others.

Coworking is now quite popular in European countries and the United States, because for a small fee you can work in a well-equipped building without the constant supervision of a boss.

How much does it cost to open a coworking space?

One of the most important sections of a coworking center business plan with calculations is the calculation of the economic efficiency of the project. First of all, it is necessary to determine the start-up costs associated with the design and renovation of the premises, the purchase of furniture and equipment, while not forgetting such important items as website development and the creation of the necessary supply of consumables. This should also include the rent that the entrepreneur will pay during the renovation of the premises:

Initial costs

Article	Amount, rub.
Individual entrepreneur registration	800
Registration of permits	5000
Opening a current account	2500
First month's rent	75000
Room renovation	375000
Design project	125000
Signboard and work schedule board	20000
Starting advertising campaign	50000
Coworking equipment	1214600
Connecting communication lines	5000
Purchase of consumables	40000
Total:	1912900

The running costs of a coworking space depend on its area, the number of hired staff and attendance. Obviously, an increase in the flow of customers will lead to an increase in costs for paying utility bills and purchasing coffee, drinks, printer paper and stationery free for visitors:

Monthly expenses

Article	Amount, rub.
Rent	75000
Communal payments	10000
Banking services	2000
Payroll expenses	159500
Marketing expenses	15000
Communication services and Internet	5000
Insurance premiums for individual entrepreneurs	2300
Administrative expenses	5000
Consumables (coffee, water, paper, stationery)	40000
Total:	313800

Coworking rules

Like any decent place, coworking centers also have their own rules.

Remember:

be friendly (say hello, smile, behave tactfully and positively);
choose a place that suits your profession (a person with a laptop can take any place, while a designer will need a computer with a large monitor that stands against the wall, for example);
maintain silence (this is a classic rule in any office);
do not spend too much time in a meeting room (if you are planning a meeting with a client in a conference room, it is better to check with your colleagues in advance whether they are going to interfere with your plans);
keep it clean (well, everything is clear here);
do not distract others when they are working (have conscience and respect);
take an interest in the affairs and work of your neighbors (it will be strange if you spend the whole day at a common table in silence);
observe the dress code (pajamas, bare feet and unkempt appearance - no, no and no again);
pay rent on time (otherwise you will have to look for a new place to work later).

Revenues and profitability

The pricing policy of establishments of this type is determined by the location, popularity of the center, the purchasing power of the target audience and the list of additional services. On average in Russia, the price of a coworking space per hour ranges from 60–120 rubles, however, when purchasing a subscription, the user is offered a corresponding discount. For example:

One working day - from 300 to 800 rubles;
Monthly subscription - from 8,000 to 16,000 rubles;
Rent of a meeting room - from 1000 to 4000 rubles for the first hour, from 800 to 3000 rubles for subsequent hours.

According to statistics, daily attendance of coworking spaces is at the level of 65–80%. Thus, you can calculate the income of an establishment with 50 seats, where 50% of visitors buy a monthly subscription:

Monthly coworking profit

Service	Tariff, rub.	Qty	Profit, rub.
Rent of workplaces daily	400	20 x 30 days	240000
Monthly subscription	10000	20	200000
Rent a meeting room per hour	1000	40 hours	40000
Hosting an event	10000	4	40000
Total:			520000

As a business, coworking spaces are characterized by extremely high profitability: the break-even point is reached at only 50% traffic. Thanks to a well-thought-out marketing policy, an entrepreneur will be able to significantly exceed this threshold and get a good profit from the business:

Profit and profitability

Index	Meaning
Total income, rub.	520000
Total expenses, rub.	313800
Profit before tax, rub.	206200
Tax simplified tax system 15%, rub.	31000
Net profit, rub.	175200
Profitability, %	56
Initial expenses, rub.	1912900
Payback period, months	10,9

Advantages and disadvantages

No business is 100% positive. And workspaces are no exception, let's find out.

Positive traits.

Creating a working atmosphere. When working at home, not everyone adjusts to productive activities. Having a hustle and bustle at home makes it difficult to concentrate. Silence, a calm and strict environment is required. The centers have zoning for work and leisure zones.
Providing equipped premises for meetings with clients or partners. Not every freelancer can afford to meet with an investor in a restaurant or cafe. You can’t invite him home either, the atmosphere is too personal, and the family gets in the way. Here you will find offices and meeting rooms, as well as coffee breaks for investors and partners.
Availability of necessary communications and equipment for work. Freelancers are different, and so are their needs. Providing high-speed Wi-Fi, a printer and scanner, the presence of a projector and screen, the use of a kitchen, or even the presence of a cafe or restaurant on site. The centers are staffed, the focus is only on work.
Building business relationships with visitors to the center. Each person has his own social circle: family, friends, work. Here you have the opportunity to expand your working acquaintances, find like-minded people or even partners for a startup.
Rent a separate office. If you can’t work with a large number of people, you need privacy with your thoughts, the center is happy to provide a separate office. Choose a room capacity from 1-8 people.
Saving on office expenses. For a team of freelancers, renting workspaces will be twice as economical as renting an office. Plus, for a separate office you need to set up the Internet, a printer, a projector, and pay utility bills. This is not a small investment. And in the workspace, the organizers have already done the work for you.

Negative qualities.

More expensive than at home. You pay for the workplace and services. This comes out cheaper than renting an office, but it is also a monthly expense.
Neighbours. You cannot know in advance who you will sit next to, a designer or an economist. If you sit down with a like-minded person, there is a chance that your communication will interfere with your productivity.
Noisy neighbors. Not all centers have a rule of silence, but even its presence does not guarantee that rustling, whispering and rustling will not distract you.
Conflict situations. Unfortunately, no one is immune from this, people are different and everyone has their own cockroaches.

A little about the history of co-working

Coworking is a Californian invention. The first collective office was opened in 2005 in the city of San Francisco . The idea of its creation belonged to programmer Brad Newberg. The coworking center was named The Hat Factory and began to play the role of a community in which people who were tired of working in the office gathered. It was with the opening of this establishment that the era of collective spaces began, which began to multiply and grow throughout the world.

The fashion for co-working came to Russia only a couple of years ago. coworking boom in the very near future . Therefore, if you are thinking about becoming the owner of a profitable business in Moscow or any other metropolis of our vast country, take into account this not yet hackneyed business idea.

How to open a coworking center - step-by-step instructions for aspiring entrepreneurs

In a large city there are hundreds of microcultures and business communities. It will not be possible to create a place that is convenient for everyone. Therefore, immediately decide on your potential audience. Based on the contingent, organize everything else.

Act according to an expert scheme, this will reduce costs and save time.

Step 1. Draw up a business plan

Drawing up a competent plan is a mandatory preparatory stage of any business. Such a document will help calculate and optimize initial costs and determine what steps need to be taken to bring your ideas to life.

It will be difficult to keep 1000 and one little things in your head - use Google Docs and special programs for running a business.

A business plan for a coworking space includes creating a team. One person cannot simultaneously play the role of administrator, designer, marketer, consultant and commercial director.

Step 2. Choose a room

The choice of premises plays a decisive role in the coworking business. For the purposes of an office center, space in the business part of the city is suitable.

Main requirements for the premises:

convenient location near the metro or major transport interchanges;
modern renovation;
uniform style and business atmosphere;
a lot of free space;
availability of a bathroom;
fast internet.

Some centers have several floors, but not every entrepreneur can afford such luxury. Beginners, as a rule, have only one option - renting an inexpensive commercial space with subsequent design.

Step 3. Purchase equipment

You will need tables, chairs, armchairs, clothes hangers, office partitions to divide the space into zones, computers and other office equipment. Plus some household appliances and necessary little things.

Step 4. Improving the layout

If the condition of the premises is far from ideal, you cannot do without costs for repairs, decoration and design. Work areas need to be separated from rest areas. If you plan to earn income from training, you will need additional space.

High ceilings and panoramic windows with inspiring views are a plus. If the room is easy to breathe and has a feeling of spaciousness, clients will want to spend as much time there as possible.

Having your own food outlet will increase income, but will also require additional costs. Beginners are unlikely to be able to immediately organize a cafe in a coworking center, but keep this prospect in mind.

Author's design is a good thing, but don't get carried away with futuristic furniture - not everyone will find it comfortable and functional.

Step 5. Attract visitors and generate income

We register an individual entrepreneur or LLC (whichever is more convenient for you) and begin to attract visitors. Most coworking spaces operate 24 hours a day and reward regular customers with promotions and discounts. Before opening, launch advertising online and in the media.

Let’s take a breath and watch a video on the topic of the article.

https://youtu.be/Q6FBGVwmrh0