Best Places to Work From and Start Your Business in Manhattan

Starting a new business or side gig can be scary, especially if you're doing it alone. Here you'll find plenty of places, people and resources to guide you through the process. There's an old saying, "If you want to write, write what you know." Here at Subkit we believe if you want your big idea to succeed, start where you know.

Whether you’re a yogi or a mixologist, whether you want to capture hearts and minds through a podcast, a newsletter or grow your subscription audience, it’s never bad to begin at home. Right here on the island of Manhattan. (If you’re a Brooklyn baby or live large in Queens, please follow these links to more localized Go Solo content.)

New York City. The Big Apple. The centre of the universe. The concrete jungle. Home of Broadway, bagels, pinstripes and wall street. The old cliché is true, if you can make it here then you can make it anywhere.

Starting a business doesn’t have to mean a huge investment of time or money. You don’t need an office space, all you need is a comfortable place with good energy and great wifi. Luckily, you can find that all over Manhattan. There are hundreds of co-working spaces, coffee shops and bars to work from. All with the incredible advantage of connecting with other like-minded people who are also building their business and side hustles from scratch... to infinity.

Now that you’ve found your purpose, it’s time to find your people. Here are where other solopreneurs are getting sh*t done in Manhattan, co-working, and networking over coffee and cocktails.

Downtown

The Assemblage: The John Street location downtown is an inspirational place to get your solopreneur on. They designed their co-working spaces and amenities not just with work, but also your physical and mental well-being in mind.
Serendipity Labs: This palatial co-working space in the Financial District is as flexible as you are. They offer desk options, private offices and large meeting rooms.
Stumptown Coffee Roasters: The 8th St Stumptown location is legit. Forgive us for suggesting a PDX important, but damn. Their beans, pour overs and coffee culture are second to none. Plus, this location has a reputation for having flawless wifi.

Midtown

The Yard: This Herald Square coworking space is steps to Penn Station, and is open 24/7 to its members… and the first month of being a member is free. A great deal for a gig entrepreneur.
The Library Bar: If you have a pulse, you will fall in love with The Library at the NoMad hotel. It is gorgeous and the perfect place to sip one of the 300 artisan NoMad cocktails and scale your business.
MoMA Sculpture Garden: Getting creative has never been easier than when you’re sitting by grand sculptures from some of the greatest artists of all time. When the weather is nice don’t miss out on MoMA's wi-fi-powered patio.

Uptown

The Harlem Collective: This local co-working space is very reasonably priced for Manhattan, and you can pay as you go (day, week, month) rather than become a long-term member. Book a tour today.
Maison: A special space for women entrepreneurs, but don’t take it from us. Founder Ashley Wu says, “We’re not just co-working, or just a social club, we’re a place where members come together to learn, connect, work and relax.”
Lenox Coffee: This locally-owned Harlem coffee shop rules. Whether you’re fueled by cold brews, gluten-free brownies or a cheeky glass of wine with your work, they’ve got it for you.

Places to create free + cheap branding

Canva: Be your own graphic designer! It’s easy to design anything your heart desires, with many free templates.
Easil: Use their drag and drop graphic design tools to create whatever visual you need to kick your business up a notch.

Personal growth + professional development

Creative Mornings: Start your morning with a dose of creativity and learning from experts in NYC (and digitally around the world). Be sure to subscribe to their (actually awesome) newsletter that will keep you apprised of all of their upcoming inspirational speakers. They’re truly worth getting up for.
Innovation Leader: Professional development for just about anything you can imagine! Be a big thinker with one of their wide array of topics, such as innovation methodologies or employee engagement. We 100% believe your little idea will eventually have multiple employees.
General Assembly: Learn UX design, data science, digital marketing and plenty of other digital skills with GA’s bootcamps, courses and on-demand learning opportunities.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.

This article is meant to inspire your solo entrepreneur journey over time. Please follow current Covid-19 health and safety regulations in New York. Stay safe.