Key Coworking Focuses on Community, Helping Others
June 10, 2021 - San Antonio
The Key to Success. Founded by Karla Garza, Key Coworking has successfully hosted events, weekly workshops and provided resources to the San Antonio community of young professionals. Courtesy Images.
By Valeria Torrealba, Senior Reporter | San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Key Coworking aims to provide a space in which professionals and entrepreneurs can find themselves with the necessary tools for success.
- A key component of the organization is to help clients value their worth, whether they are freelancers or entering into other professional fields.
Key Coworking in San Antonio aims to provide a space in which professionals, entrepreneurs and those aspiring to enter any professional field can find themselves with the necessary tools for success. Founded by Karla Garza, the organization has successfully hosted events, weekly workshops and provided resources to the San Antonio community of young professionals.
Garza’s goal centered around helping others. A key component of her organization is to help clients value their worth, whether they are freelancers or entering into other professional fields.
“Getting people to actually value their time so they charge an appropriate amount for their work… I’ve sat with too many people,” Garza said. “You do the math. You take out everything they spent through a project, how much they worked on it, and it’s like… That’s $4 an hour, McDonald’s pays better. You should be valuing yourself.”
With other community endeavors and experiences under her belt, Garza realized that the San Antonio community lacked the proper space for entrepreneurs. Having worked at Launch SA, Garza sought to bring the proper conversations regarding entrepreneurs to the table, allocating resources to best fit their needs: networking, knowledge and the marketing essentials.
Currently, Key Coworking provides various services that allow clients to be in a space where they can focus on their work. With dedicated offices and permanent desks, clients gain 24-hour access to their professional workspace, allowing them to work either independently or with other community members. Additionally, the business offers memberships at $75 per person, which grants members with access to common areas during weekdays and conference room access. For those who just want to see the space and use it every so often, day passes are also available.
As a growing organization, Garza has a multitude of plans in the works. Funded by investors and focusing on the clients Key Coworkers aids, Garza hopes to expand the services provided.
“There’s a lot of plans in the works. Some of them might not happen. [Everything I say is tentative],” Garza said. “We’re planning out a podcasting room, where people can either do podcasts, Clubhouses, or virtual workshops in a nice well-lit environment with pretty ring lights and professional mics in a sound-treated room. I am currently looking for a second location, which is like 2-3 years away.”
Garza’s primary focus remains to connect the San Antonio community. Key Coworking’s blog contains more resources to help members and those alike, offering tips and services regarding coworking and balancing work and life.
“I don’t care if someone walks in and they’re not ready to be a client. I care that they get the help they need... I’m happy to sit down with people and have that conversation, like, ‘hey, these are the people in the [city] who can help you, who you should talk to,’” Garza said. “Whether or not they’re a client, they’re a part of our community. I got to where I was because someone took the time to unselfishly help me, and I would like to pay that forward.”
Valeria Torrealba is an opinions columnist and public relations assistant at the University Star, a student publication of Texas State University. Email her at reporter@sasentinel.com