If you’re a business owner in the Dallas area, there are so many places and organizations that can help you create new connections, grow your company, and become an integral part of the local community.
From network groups to the best restaurants for casual business meetings, endless opportunities await—if you know where to go. If you’re new to the area, looking to expand your network, or just need a tip on the best coffee shop to do some remote work, we’ve come up with a top-five list of things that every Dallas business owner should know:
Local Coworking Spaces
Local coworking spaces are great places to meet other like-minded business owners and take advantage of the wide variety of resources that they offer. You can work in an open plan, shared working space, or rent a private desk or office by the day or month. Here are three of our favorites:
Addison Treehouse is a 501c3 non-profit that’s designed to help business owners grow their companies through mentorship, education, and community. Coworking spaces start off as little as $75/month. It’s perfect for a centrally located workspace if you travel all over the metroplex.
Common Desk has several locations scattered throughout the DFW area and caters to everyone from the solopreneur to the high-growth startups. They focus heavily on providing an accommodating and inspirational workspace—a place that you’ll find yourself looking forward to coming in and getting some work done.
Tech Culture McKinney is a modern, open workspace with a offering all of the resources a business needs to succeed. From the high-tech office space to their consulting and support services, you’ll have all the tools you need to help grow your business. This location covers the North Texas cities looking for options without the lengthy commute to Dallas and is well plugged in to the local McKinney community.
Coffee Shops
Working from home or a small office can quickly grow old and tiring, especially if you’re by yourself. Coffee shops are great places where you can get some work done or have an impromptu business meeting. However, not all coffee shops are created alike. The ideal ones to visit are those with excellent WiFi reception, ample places to work, and of course—great tasting coffee.
Comfortable seats, a decent sized menu, free WiFi, and even a pet lounge make the Astoria Caffe & Wine Bar a local Addison favorite. They also host a community association happy hour where you can network and meet new people as you sip great-tasting wine.
Houndstooth Coffee has some of the most knowledgeable and experienced baristas you’ll find anywhere in the Dallas area. If you’re in the mood for sipping great-tasting gourmet coffee in an open and airy environment, Houndstooth is the place to be.
Ascension Coffee is another great place to grab a cuppa, connect to the WiFi, and get some work done. It’s also a good place to hold business meetings as they have ample seating, a huge menu, and an extensive wine list.
Networking Groups
Networking groups not only offer peer support but a way to meet other business owners. The best way to take advantage of all the benefits that they offer is to diversify your attendance—tech, social, and business groups allow you to broaden your network, and that could potentially increase new business opportunities. Here are just a few of our favorites:
Association for Corporate Growth helps establish connections for businesses in the Dallas/Fort Worth’s middle market community.
Tech Titans promote the North Texas technology ecosystem, including developers, adopters, investors, and educators.
The Alliance of Technology and Women is a non-profit dedicated to increasing the number of women in leadership roles as well as helping increase the number of women and girls in the technology field.
Networknite allows business owners to meet other accomplished professionals in a speed-dating like setting.
Happy Hour Options
Dallas has some fantastic happy hour options that work very well for casual business meetings. Here are our three favorites:
Del Frisco’s Grille offers alfresco dining in a relaxing and comfortable environment. The patio area provides a great place to sit back, relax, and conversate with your group.
The Oceanaire Seafood Room is a high-end restaurant that offers seafood, steaks, and an extensive wine list.
Public School 214 is a chef-driven gastropub that serves craft beer and amazing food. The atmosphere and interior décor are unique and offer a relaxing setting where you can chat while enjoying some of the best food in town.
Dallas Business Owner Resources
Dallas offers many different resources that will help you expand and grow your business as you become an integral part of the local community. Keep in mind that like any big city, Dallas has its share of traffic jams. Be sure to plan your meetings and events strategically so that you can make the best use of your time. As a digital marketing team that routinely commutes to client offices and also sets up breakfast, coffee and lunch meetings, knowing the landscape of DFW is key to an efficient use of our time.