For every person shouting about crushing it and hammering back booze there are another handful quietly getting on with their work, happy to have an office space with stable, fast internet, clean, stocked kitchens, 24 hour access and clean, comfortable spaces - where they don't have to worry about sorting bills and contracts, cleaners, etc etc etc.
A couple of examples. Friends in Pasadena have an office that could fit 6 comfortably, 8 less so. $1300 a month. Guy at WeWork 1 block way, $1100 a month for an office just big enough to fit one desk.
A "hot desk" in Tokyo is $490 a month where as at my co-working space my dedicated desk is $400 a month. That includes "fast internet", meeting rooms, printers, copiers, cheap snacks, receptionist, networking events, cleaners, open 24/7 etc... The rent 3 person private office for $1k where as WeWork a single person private office is $1100.
They claim "coffee". Hardly seems like coffee is work $1k a month. Besides, there's probably 11 craft coffee places withing a 3 minute walk of my office.
And it's not an exception, there's been an explosion of co-working / shared office spaces in Tokyo over the last 2-4 years.
The great thing about instant coffee is that you don't even need hot water to make it. I've found that it mixes up great with cold water in one of those protein drink shakers with the little springy balls.
This is awesome because there's no heat or hot water in the storage unit I'm renting. That's a subject for another post, but I just need a parka and a pair of fingerless gloves to get the exact same experience as those co-working hipsters. Plus, I'm not subjected to the torture of an open plan office. My unit is in the basement, and it's dead quiet.
I'm sitting here, only five subway stops away from the fancy WeWork downtown, laughing my ass off at the startup bros high-fiving and "crushing it". I've got a way better experience, and all in I'm saving like $100-200 per month over those hipster bros.
"This is awesome because there's no heat or hot water in the storage unit I'm renting. That's a subject for another post, but I just need a parka and a pair of fingerless gloves to get the exact same experience as those co-working hipsters."
a spectacular work of satire
Honestly, I think it's even decent with coffee that's ground ahead of time if it's stored well. Alternatively you can use it to make coffee concentrate that will keep for a few days in a fridge.
Your startup business probably does not require couches, stocked kitchens, and wi-fi. It needs a mailing address, a phone number, a website, and a way for people to pay you. Those folding tables from Costco will still be useful after you can afford real desks.