Coworking space opens in downtown Roseville

A new business in downtown Roseville is offering entrepreneurs and startups a place to work, socialize and network. The Studio Coworking on 224 Vernon St. opened March 27 and offers paying members and daily visitors a shared office space. This type of space, commonly seen in tech hubs such as San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, provides affordable working space and also bolsters collaborative opportunities. "I'd say we are the first true coworking space in Roseville," owner Geoff Sakala said. "Just in Sacramento, there's about 20 coworking spaces now and it's starting to spread out into the suburbs." The space includes three private offices, which are currently booked, along with two conference-style spaces and a large coworking room with various desks and seating options. The facility, open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, also includes WiFi access, A/V capabilities, complimentary beverages and monthly networking events. The Studio Coworking currently has 17 monthly members, whose membership types range from a private office to a dedicated desk to part-time desk access. Excluding the daily pass option, there are five monthly membership options. Members also range, representing design and marketing firms to sales and insurance companies. Sakala, who owns a digital-marketing company called ClickSpring, said that the areas surrounding downtown Sacramento need coworking spaces to promote business growth and innovation. To meet what he calls an unmet need, Sakala decided Roseville would be an ideal place to open his first coworking business. "I want to help small businesses get started and all of Placer County doesn't have anything like this," Sakala said. While the financial element is important, Sakala said, it's not the main motivator for those who use coworking spaces. He said the coworking spaces also help businesses that have satellite locations or employ people who need flexibility. Additionally, Sakala said. it's convenient for professionals who travel and for those who work from home, as it provides them a professional space when needed. Carrie Jeske, a real estate advisor for startups and entrepreneurs, recently moved from Portland to the Sacramento area. During a tour Monday of the new space, she talked of the importance of coworking spaces for businesses she works with. "Especially in Portland, and I think this is happening in Sacramento, companies who aren't sure if they went to set up shop yet want to get integrated with the local business ecosystem and coworking spaces plug them into resources that could help them get better connected," Jeske said. The flexibility it offers allows business to retain and attract talent more easily, according to Jeske, as employees who need to relocate or work elsewhere can have professional and reliable spaces. The Studio Coworking will begin hosting series aimed to assist local businesses and individual entrepreneurs, such as an event aimed to help startups get off the ground and another revolving around fostering innovation. Events are posted on the Studio Coworking Facebook page and are open to members and non-members. Sakala said the networking element of coworking spaces is a main draw, as it solves the "isolation problem" and aids budding businesses to make lucrative connections. "It's a space for people to go and collaborate," Sakala said. "You never know who you're going to meet. You might meet your next business partner or startup co-founder."