Startups are faced with a multitude of hurdles to overcome during a company's infancy. With the rise in remote workers and the influx of coworking spaces in tech hubs, finding office space shouldn't be one of them.
Cross Campus, the LA-based coworking startup, is one of a strong crop of coworking companies in Southern California. Its clients include freelancers, burgeoning startups and even out-of-town companies looking to develop a presence in LA. For three local startups, it’s the communal atmosphere that attracted them to Cross Campus, which allows their employees to have an established workplace as they need.
Aris is a video production company specializing in commercial, corporate and crowdfunding videos. The company works with brands to deliver video content that explains their products and services. According to founder and Creative Director Greg Bassenian, Cross Campus strikes the right balance between structure and freedom.
How did your company come to choose Cross Campus?
I live in Santa Monica, and several years ago I began doing freelance content production. As I grew busier and wanted to move the business out of an apartment, I began to scout coworking spaces in Santa Monica, and when I found Cross Campus, I basically knew right when I walked in that this was the right location.
What differentiates Cross Campus from other coworking spaces?
Cross Campus’s community really differentiates it from other workspaces. Cross Campus is very much like a college campus — we all know each other, help each other and a lot of us here have become friends and hang out outside of the Cross Campus.
How does Cross Campus benefit smaller businesses?
Connections, connections, connections. When I started as a freelancer, the biggest challenge was finding new clients. I arrived at Cross Campus, and within a few months, I had all sorts of new business. That led to referrals, which led to more business. Even now, a portion of our clients are Cross Campus members. It’s been absolutely instrumental in growing the business.
What advice would you give prospective Cross Campus members?
If you’re looking for a community of entrepreneurs that are accepting, engaging, encouraging and genuinely seek to help one another out — CrossCampus is the place for you.
According to Casting Director Amina Abdill, the ability for Cross Campus members to use any Cross Campus location is ideal for what Aris does.
"Working in film production, we very rarely have an average day! Sometimes, we’re all in the office, but a lot of times, one person is here while another person is out on a location scout or at casting. So we tend to move around a lot, and the fact that Cross Campus now has a downtown location is fantastic. It offers great flexibility in location."
For Producer Michael Sanaiha, the amenities available at all locations are a draw in and of themselves.
"Our favorite feature is the resources: conference rooms, call boxes, bar, beer tap, member lunches, extremely fast internet and the talent surrounding us. They understand the needs of a startup and do a great job of providing the key essentials."
BC Design Haus, a strategic design and branding agency, works out of the Pasadena Cross Campus location. For Founder Bernadette Capulong, Cross Campus was the perfect step when she realized she would like to move operations out of her living room.
How did your company come to choose Cross Campus? Cross Campus came to fruition as I was looking to grow my business from my living room to an actual office environment. We grew fast and soon needed a place to conduct business meetings that not only met the needs of our business but was an inspirational space that reflected the BC Design Haus culture.
What differentiates Cross Campus from other coworking spaces?
Although I don’t have another coworking space to compare it to, what I know about Cross Campus that makes our experience worth sharing is that they are so accommodating to the needs of a startup company. And for a business person at our level of growth, we need flexibility. Whatever business needs or requests you may have, the staff does its best to support that. In addition, they are our advocates of your business. They’ve come to know us so well, that they’ve referred us to clients to help promote our company. This is definitely an added bonus!
What is the average day like for your team?
We have a very busy day filled with multiple deadlines, and we run a very tight ship at BC Design Haus. It’s the nature of the design industry we live in. Our day starts at 8 a.m. and can last until 6 p.m. Because we work so hard, we encourage our team to take breaks to participate in ping pong tournaments, happy hours and networking events to break up their hectic day and create balance. Cross Campus does a fantastic job incorporating these activities so each member stays engaged.
What is your favorite feature about Cross Campus?
We love the family environment and the social aspects of the community. We can easily walk out of our door and be met with friendly businesspeople with interesting backgrounds. At times, we share knowledge and partner with other businesses on campus. It makes coming to work much more enjoyable. We also love the happy hours, too!
How does Cross Campus benefit smaller businesses?
The Cross Campus community has been an amazing experience. It has offered a startup company like BC Design Haus the opportunity to feel part of a larger established organization, offering a community with resources found in most larger organizations. I appreciate the small community feel, along with a friendly staff that’s diligent at building social and networking events to bring the community together. The Cross Campus environment offers the right kinds of solutions for our growing company.
What advice would you give prospective Cross Campus members?
If you decide to start your own business and you’ve outgrown your living room office, Cross Campus is a great next step in establishing a brick and mortar space. It’s flexible, affordable and its style of working is the future of how businesses will operate.
RideAmigos is a commuter management platform and mobile experience designed to reduce traffic and parking constraints. The startup's software is utilized by companies to cut back on the drag often associated with commuting. According to COO Evan Meyer, Cross Campus is perfect for a small startup like RideAmigos which has offices around the country.
How did your company come to choose Cross Campus?
Cross Campus was perfect for my small company to have a convenient, open and active environment for us to thrive. Personally, I don't think anyone should have to spend most of their day in a small white box, most conventionally referred to as an "office." Humans were not designed to do that.
What differentiates Cross Campus from other coworking spaces?
It's based on open space; it's vibrant and colorful, there is a feeling of community, and the number of intersection points between strangers creates a warm and welcoming environment. It's good for both the soul and good for your business.
What is your favorite feature about Cross Campus?
It feels like an extension of my living room. A home away from home.
How does Cross Campus benefit smaller businesses?
There are many networking events and opportunities to meet people, advisors, co-workers and network for exactly what your business may need. There is at least one person doing exactly what you are looking for in the Cross Campus network.
What advice would you give prospective Cross Campus members?
Come in with a smile, and get involved in all Cross Campus has to offer.
Image via Cross Campus and participating startups
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