Starting a new business can seem overwhelming. Starting a new business in a new country… now that can seem intimidating, expensive and almost impossible. However, joining together with like-minded people with a similar mission and vision can make all the difference in the world; this is a concept we call coliving and coworking in San Francisco. Countless entrepreneurs and solopreneurs are making the journey to San Francisco and Silicon Valley to make their dreams come true with efficiency and innovation.
If you want to succeed in the technology industry as your own boss, there is no better place in the world than the SF Bay Area in California. However, like most cities around the world, it is crazy expensive and just as crowded. In the same spirit as entrepreneurialism, coliving and coworking spaces are becoming increasingly popular. Sharing a room or house short term with professionals who are working towards a similar goal is the basic concept behind coliving (it’s cheaper than hotel rates or paying rent). This also can include coworking which involves the benefit of shared office space to connect with other innovators. You get the affordability of a clean and simple shared space with all the priceless benefits of working with people striving towards the same goals as you.
Location
San Francisco is a big city. A really big city. It’s about 48 square miles with over 871,000 people living in it. Not only that, but living in the city is extremely expensive. The goal is to find a place that is safe, near other startups and tech-focused businesses, and walkable or near public transit because parking and traffic can be a nightmare.
Cost of Living and Working
Many startups are created on a shoestring budget. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) advises, ”To determine how much seed money you need to start, you must estimate the costs of doing business for the first months. Some of these expenses will be one-time costs such as the fee for incorporating your business… Some will be ongoing costs,” which can include mobile services, website monthly fees or membership fees for online communities where you can find clients.
Knowing your budget and planning ahead can definitely eliminate unneeded financial stress. The average rent for a one bedroom apartment in San Francisco is $3490 per month and just using a desk in a shared workspace can cost between $350 – $605 per month. More importantly, apartments require first and last month’s rent for long term residence. Coliving spaces are available on a night-to-night basis and provide a built in community (and Airbnb can’t even do that). You have the option of rooming alone for privacy or you can share a room to keep costs down. There are also public areas to socialize, brainstorm and feel like you’re not alone on this journey. Finding the right startup house, hacker house or coworking space can not only lower costs to keep you on budget, but can provide instant comradery and friendship.
Amenities
And speaking of budget, there are many other amenities and perks to consider when choosing both living and business spaces. Free WiFi, a quiet working environment, a space for brainstorming with other entrepreneurs, startup pitch events, potential transportation and more are becoming popular with various startup houses in San Francisco. What amenities are most important to you? This can help you to choose where to live or work.
The Real Secret to Co-living and Co-working in San Francisco
Who has time to read a really long guide about where to live and work in San Francisco? We’re guessing that as an entrepreneur you have more important jobs to do like develop your product, build your website, and fine tune the other details to make your business extraordinary. The best secret to coliving and coworking in San Francisco is found at Startup Basecamp.
At Startup Basecamp, we have done your research for you. Our prime location, unbelievably low rates starting from $66/night, valuable events to connect to peers and investors and comfortable,clean living and working spaces take the challenge out of coliving and coworking in San Francisco. Startup Basecamp understands what you’re looking for because it’s exactly what we were looking for when we founded our startup house: somewhere affordable to live, work and connect with other entrepreneurs.
Deciding to start your own business and move to California was the first major decision in this process. Finding a community to be a part of is the second most important step. Coliving is made easier when each person is committed to the same goal and they are working as a team to make success happen.
Modern business is being conducted in ways that no one ever thought possible. It only makes sense that now we are living and working to accommodate this new online world that we have created.The best tip to coliving and coworking is that while you may be a solopreneur, you can’t do business alone. You need a tribe to keep you motivated when times get tough, inspire your when you hit the wall, share tips so you don’t have to recreate the wheel and party with you when you need to let off a little steam. Startup Basecamp makes this possible.
Steve Jobs, the undisputed guru of using technology to make your dreams a reality, wisely stated, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
You have the courage, heart and intuition to be your own boss… and we’re here to help you do it.
What’s Next?
- Read 11 Tips for moving to the USA
- Learn more about booking coliving and coworking with Startup Basecamp
- Get our startup toolkit
