Of course self-leased speace is generally (way) better - if you can find it (at the capacity you need right now) and hire people to run it for you. WeWork's entire model relies on the fact that, while not it's not the swankest, most productivity-enhancing working spaces you've ever been in (far from it) -- it is available pretty much on tap, in at least some capacity, in key cities.

Remember all those outright shitholes many companies used to work in (in their bootstrap phases) at least? Or this whole "borrowing office space from a friend, until..." thing? Or, until not too long ago, literally using coffeeshops or restaurants as meeting rooms? WeWork seems to have succeeded in making that culture pretty much go away, at least.