This is where I'm coming from: in March of 2014, I was about to finish grad school and trying to run my small business from my apartment. In theory, it sounds great-- set your own hours, work in your pajamas, etc. But I was used to the structure that school provided, and my business was quickly descending into an unproductive slump. I looked into commercial space options and just couldn't afford the huge jump in overhead. I remembered reading about creative co-working spaces in a plane magazine, so I did a quick Google search and WeWork magically fell into my lap.
I was a little bit hesitant to start working here because it's a bit of a trek for me (I live in Fenway), but I figured out I could get it down to a 30-min commute by taking the commuter rail from Yawkey. The office is very accessible since it's a five-minute walk from South Station, and I really love the atmosphere of the "commuter life" and being part of the energy of this area of town. The views are incredible, and there are so many great restaurants over here. I love hopping over to Congress St. to grab SweetGreen, Bee's Knees, Barrington Coffee, or Flour for lunch. And the (practically 24/7) post office is located between here and South Station, which helps me deliver my clients' packages lighting-fast.
I started in the Labs area, which is essentially a large room with many desks. Once my business was a little more established, I made the move to a cozy one-person office. I couldn't be more in love with my space.
I'm a big fan of the interior design, and I'm proud to bring my clients here because I feel that the space aligns well with my brand. They're impressed by the free coffee, tea, and beer on tap (although WeWork locks the tap on nights and weekends to prevent partying). There are lots of pleasant spaces scattered throughout the building, so if you get bored working at your desk, you can chill out in the kitchen, the floor lobby, the gorgeous main lobby, or the basement lounge.
I've met some great people here, and this really helped me with the lonely aspect of running a business from home. I've formed great friendships and business partnerships-- once I traded a favor with a co-worker in exchange for business advice, which has immensely helped growth in the last few months.
The internet is lighting fast (over 100 MB up and down), and the printer situation is rockin'-- I can send documents to a commercial color printer directly from my computer. I really enjoy being able to have mail delivered here, and I appreciate the added security of having a business address on all of my correspondence.
I've become friends with the security guards on the first floor as well as the custodians, who keep this place immaculately clean.
As far as Boston co-working goes, WeWork is definitely on the higher end of the price spectrum, perhaps partly because of the free beer? ;) However, it's been worth every penny for me to be here. It's helped me grow from a student to a true business owner, not only in practice but in mentality. When it's a one-man/woman-show, I really believe that extra environmental boost is the difference between success and failure.