Starting up your small business at home may cut some overhead expenses, but once you start to set up those oh so important meetings that will make or break your new venture, you may want to reconsider inviting the execs over for a cuppa joe in your living/dining/bedroom.

There are office spaces popping up around town that cater to one-person operations. You obviously don’t need to rent out an entire office because you don’t have employees, but now you have the option of simply renting out one desk space, or one small room in a facility of many. The Network Hub is one such place.

Some benefits of moving your setup to the Hub include:

* Accessibility to meeting rooms
* Internet access
* Print/Copy/Fax facilities
* A business mailing address
* Live answering services provided by a receptionist
* A waiting area for your clients while you prepare for your meeting with them

The Network Hub is an ideal place for young people in their twenties and thirties who have fresh and unique ideas, and who are looking for the energy that such a place can provide. As Minna explains in the video, she tries to select people who can not only work well in a shared environment, but who can collaborate with their peers and help each other achieve business goals.

The design and location of the Hub is very conducive to this kind of a nurturing environment. A big open space with high ceilings helps the ideas flow, modern architectural highlights help give your enterprise an image of professionalism that is also reflected in your work. Being on prime downtown location can’t hurt either! SFU Harbour Centre is just a block away so in addition to the blend of business professionals, you get to absorb some of the energy and enthusiasm that the students and academics exude.

There are other places very similar in concept, but you really have to find out what they offer/don’t offer and do a little comparison shopping. The Hub has 24 hr access, so people can work as long and as late as they want. Everyone has their own dedicated desk so they’re not shuffled out at the end of their day and unlike some other places, you can leave your stuff behind and be confident that it’s safe. There’s also a very strong community aspect because everyone who comes on board stays for at least six months, so you get to know one another and develop trusting relationships.

Because it’s open 24/7, Minna often gets asked about security. She finds this amusing because there’s always someone working at the Hub so you’ll rarely find yourself alone. There’s an alarm system and two locked doors in the third floor facility but that never seems to be a concern because you’re just as likely to find another co-worker there at four in the morning as you are at ten PM. There’s also a sword fighting school on the second floor so Minna likes to joke that if an intruder sees all those men with swords, they won’t dare go past that floor!

Startup and small businesses who are looking to save some money, focus on their businesses instead of the admin, HR, and accounting, and at the same time belong in a community of other startups and entrepreneurs should give this a try. Besides office space, the Hub also provides seed funding for people with unique ideas, especially students who are coming out of university and are looking for support to start a new business.

Contact:

Minna Van
The Network Hub
3rd floor,422 Richards Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2Z3
Tel: 604.767.8778
Email: mvan@thenetworkhub.ca
www.thenetworkhub.ca