Best Coworking Space in Nairobi – What to look for

What you need to look for in a new coworking space

Coworking is a full-blown industry that has disrupted in the recent past disrupted the real estate industry and the way people work. And while we can’t predict whether the term will still be used 10 years from now, there is no denying that coworking is today’s normal.

With so many coworking spaces out there, it can be quite difficult to find the one that’s most suitable for your venture. Nonetheless, here are a few tips that will guide you to the perfect spot.

Event Offerings: In the interest of supporting and growing their communities, many coworking spaces feature events, including happy hours, workshops, presentations, hackathons, networking events, art openings and more.

Look at the offerings and see if they speak to your interests, needs and skills you’d like to develop. You don’t have to go to all of them, but you should be able to tell from the schedule if the events generally held in the space are a good fit for you.

Many of the events also bring in some very influential people and investors which is great for networking. Look out for these dynamic spaces, as such events may turn out to be useful in gaining exposure for your business.

At Nairobi Garage for example we have what we call Community events tailor made for our community. Our events include, After Office Hours, Workshops and Meet Events. We also have members night event as well. Get more details about our events here.

Seating Options: A great coworking space should have a variety of seating options to accommodate different preferences and needs. From community tables, an individual desk or a standing desk, to sofas at the lounge area make sure the space has options that work for you.

Meeting rooms: Make sure the space offers easy (and affordable) access to meeting rooms. In some spaces, like Nairobi Garage you get a handful of free meeting room hours each month with your membership. We offer some of the city’s most flexible, modern and comfortable meeting room spaces – whether it be for meeting new potential investors, conducting interviews, or simply for brainstorming on the next big idea.

If you’re in need of a professional space to meet, Nairobi Garage has meeting rooms to hire that can accommodate 4 people up to 30 people. Fully serviced and bookable on-demand, by the hour.

Also ensure that the meeting rooms are feted with the right facilities, from video conferencing materials, dedicated Wi-Fi and ethernet connections and whiteboards and flip charts

Skype booths: Coworking spaces have different rules around making calls in the common space. Some frown on it, while others welcome it. Many spaces have phone booths or other areas you can duck into when you need to make a call. These are great for keeping private conversations private and not being the loud.

Location: Consider a coworking space that is easily accessible for both you and probably your employees and visitors. Ensure that the space is also close to youand probably a place you can easily access other social amenities like transit lines, good restaurants, a park maybe, the library. Everyone’s needs are different—make sure the location works for you and your needs. Also ensure the location is quite secure since you always have flexible working hours.

Community Managers: Look for a place where you can also get staff or personnel Is there someone who ensures everything runs smoothly, answering questions, introducing new people to members, actively engaging the space, dealing with issues and connecting people. At Nairobi Garage, we call them Community Managers, but the name may differ from space to space.

Community: Look for a space where the community is vibrant. A Coworking spaces should provide a unique environment where you can network with a variety of other companies operating in both similar and different industries to yours. The right community also helps you create relationship that may expose you to mentoring opportunities and will strengthen your own networks.

Conclusion

Coworking spaces are practical, flexible and cost-effective. However, they all have different offerings. Therefore, you should consider your business type, what your needs are, who you want to interact with and whether the coworking space can meet this checklist.

Want to join our growing business network? Book a tour today at any of our branches and check out our amazing packages!