The Best Places To Work From and Start Your Business in Queens

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 personal trainer or a tutor, 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 in Queens. (If you're a resident of Manhattan or Brooklyn, please follow these links to more localized Go Solo content.)

New York City. The Big Apple. The centre of the universe. The concrete jungle. From Long Island City to Flushing, from Astoria to Kew Gardens, and everywhere in between in Queens, 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 Queens. 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 Queens, co-working, and networking over coffee and cocktails.

Special places to work

Spaces: Rent a space to work in creative Long Island City! This co-working space has top notch extras, including parking and a rooftop deck where the wifi signal is still strong.
Toast & Roast Bagels and Coffee: Start your workday with a cup of hot coffee and a snappy, chewy New York bagel. Or two. The sweethearts that work here won't kick you out if you keep ordering, even if you work the full day away.
Judy & Punch: This loveable dive can get a little bit loud + tight, but it's sure to get your creative juices flowing. And don't worry! The free wifi reaches their outdoor tables. If imbibing with your work, we recommend trying the General Tom Thumb.

Helpful tech goodness

QED Studios: This local basement studio can help you record a podcast with up to four people. It's got everything you need to DIY a more professional sound, or you can hire one of their techs for only $20/hour.
DVDepot: Want to up your brand's visuals? This old school equipment rental place is magic. Any camera, video or related equipment you need is here for you to rent. Plus they have thousands of things you never knew you needed to try!

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.