I'm a 20 Yo Founder Seeking a Desk: Any Free Workspaces Out There?

[stellamettifogo]

Hey everyone!

I’m a 20 yo founder looking for a desk to work from because my room is too small and dark, and I really want to be more productive. Since I start working at 7 AM and most libraries don’t open until 10, I haven’t found a good spot yet.

I’m on a tight budget with rent, so I’d need to find something free. Does anyone have any leads on a place where I could work? Any suggestions would be super helpful! Thanks!

[jesserobbins]

(Founder/VC here) if you are in an area where there are VCs who invest in the thing you are founding, tell them that you are a solo founder working on an idea for X, and you would like to work from an office if they have a space you could do that from for a week. Just during business hours. Be a great guest. Polite, clean, quiet, etc.

Second option is that if you are a founder and you have a law firm you are working with, particularly a large startup one they have literal palace offices which alwyas have space. Ask then for if you can work for a week from an office space. Same deal.

[stellamettifogo → jesserobbins]

Thanks for the suggestion! That’s an interesting idea I hadn’t considered asking a VC firm or a law firm for office space. I’m still in the early stages of my startup (emmo.ai if you wanna check it out). Right now, I don’t have direct connections with VCs yet. Do you think cold-emailing firms with this kind of request would be effective? Or is it something that works better if you already have some traction and a network?

[binarymax]

A location would be helpful

[gregjor]

I often work from hotel rooms that don't have a desk or decent chair.

Try working on the floor.

https://youtu.be/dCTMWVS0pwA

With a reasonably firm bed you can sit in bed too.

If you mean you want to go out somewhere to work, coffee shops usually open early.

[tmaly]

I use to work out of a local coffee shop. I would just buy food and coffee.

Not sure if many places still like to have people camping out these days.

[dgunay → tmaly]

Where I am (LA) most coffee shops are packed throughout the day with people in every seat working on laptops.

[stellamettifogo → tmaly]

I'm not really into the coffee shop vibe while working... just if I have light weight work. Thanks though!

[MollyRealized → tmaly]

Starbucks has recently done a bit of a 180 on that.

[gcheong]

Try the commons or library at a local university?

[stellamettifogo → gcheong]

The library is really nice but it opens at 10 which is kind of late for me. I'll try and ask at Stanford if they have public spaces to work!