Toronto Entrepreneur

If a startup has more than 1 founder, it needs an office. It needs a place with a short commute, where you can talk (not scream). You obviously need comfortable furniture with free reliable wireless internet. The place should also allow for cell-phone reception. And finally you need somewhere that you can spend long hours, without having to constantly buy something (like a coffee shop).  In Toronto’s case specifically, since it’s so damn cold, you’d really want to be near the subway station. If that matches your needs, then read on, because we have found this place in Toronto.

We have had several offices in the past year. We started off at one of my partner’s apartment and after about 1-2 months, and not really having comfortable furniture we decided to move the operation. My other partner’s parents had kindly accepted to give us one of their rooms in their basement. We worked there for another 2-3 months but the basement had several problems. The commute was long, we had a tiny little window and the lighting wasn’t enough. The cell-phone reception wasn’t that great either. We finally decided to move the operation once again and this time we found the right place. North York reference library, 4th floor.

The reference library is fantastic for many reasons. They have good furniture (if the chairs were more like Yonge & Bloor’s reference library it would be much better). We have an amazingly large window looking out at Mel Lastman square. It’s right out of the subway station and there are several coffee shops, eateries and a food court. You’ll never have to step into the cold if you want something. I strongly recommend Cafe Supreme (they have great, healthy food for both breakfast and lunch). There are also areas on the 4th floor where you can go and talk. The beauty of those areas is that you can talk but you cannot scream. Yes you will end up screaming many times when you get involved in heated conversations. We literally spend 10 hours every day at the library and we get a lot of work done. Oh by the way you can bring food and/or drinks into the library as well. If you find the location somewhat inconvenient or you rather sacrifice the view for better chairs, then I’d recommend the Yonge & Bloor reference library.

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Yours truly,

Rokham Fard