There are five factors that with either make or break a co-working space.

It’s always “Location. Location. Location.” That’s the key thing. The right location begins with finding the right neighbourhood, much like the process begins when looking for that “perfect” house. Not only did I want to find an area that people naturally gravitated to, I wanted to understand specifically what it was about those places that made them so attractive. Here’s what went into finding the right location for My Byward Office, located in the heart of Ottawa’s Byward Market:

1. Accessibility
   The first thing Ottawa’s most popular hotspots shared in common was their accessibility. All of them were easily reached by public transit, and finding a taxi usually didn’t require a phone call and a long wait.
2. Great Food
   People are social creatures, and a lot of that social activity centres around a good meal. A diversity of great places to eat, suiting a variety of budgets, is a key ingredient in a vibrant, busy neighbourhood.
3. Shopping
   If you’re in the 9-5 work routine, skipping out to grab a items during the workday is a huge convenience. The best areas to work are walking distance away from grocery, clothing —— even hardware stores.
4. People
   How inspiring is a sea of dark suits? The best neigbourhoods offer up an ocean of diversity. If you want a diversity of skills and personalities in your coworking space, you’ll need to fish in this type of pond.
5. Architecture
   Thousands of people around the world work in grey cement office towers —— but that’s because they don’t have a choice. Great neighbourhood often have an eclectic mix of storefronts and buildings that foster the diversity and creativity you want to bring into your corworking space. After all, to be successful, you need people to want to come to work everyday.