Traditional office rentals come with high costs and rigid leases, making it difficult for startups, freelancers, and small businesses to scale. Flexible workspaces provide an affordable solution with virtual offices, shared spaces, and private offices tailored to different needs. Industry leaders drive this transformation by integrating automation and CRM tools, ensuring seamless management while reducing operational expenses. These solutions offer businesses lower costs, credibility through virtual addresses, tech-driven efficiency, networking opportunities, and significant savings, ultimately empowering them to grow without financial strain.
Among these leaders, SAULO DA RÓS, Founder and CEO of Coworking Smart, has been instrumental in revolutionizing the coworking landscape in Brazil. Under his leadership, Coworking Smart has expanded from a single location to eight thriving hubs in major cities, offering accessible, high-quality workspaces for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses. By streamlining operations and integrating automation, CRM systems, and analytics, Ros has maintained a 90% occupancy rate while enhancing customer experience.
His focus on mentorship and customer-driven innovation has further strengthened the company’s impact. This strategy has enabled Coworking Smart to serve over 10,000 clients, introduce the R$49/month coworking plan, and establish support programs like SmartMind and Smart Benefits Club. As a result, the company has achieved significant milestones, including revenue growth from R$100,000 in 2014 to R$8 million in 2024, recognition among Brazil’s top 10 coworking companies, and over R$2 billion in collective cost savings for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
From Idea to Execution
The idea for Coworking Smart emerged from a deep understanding of the challenges entrepreneurs, small businesses, and freelancers face in Brazil. Traditional office spaces were costly, bureaucratic, and often out of reach for new and growing businesses. Recognizing this gap, Saulo Da Ros set out to create a low-cost, flexible, and scalable solution that would enable businesses to operate legally, connect with others, and grow without the financial burden of high fixed costs.
A major challenge was overcoming skepticism. Many in the industry doubted whether a high-quality coworking space could remain sustainable at a fraction of the cost of traditional offices. Expanding to eight locations while maintaining affordability and exceptional service required strategic financial management, operational efficiency, and continuous innovation.
Challenges Transformed Into Opportunities
Building Coworking Smart wasn’t easy.
There were challenges right from the start, including:
- Market Skepticism: Many questioned whether a low-cost coworking model could be profitable.
- Real Estate Accessibility: Finding prime locations while keeping costs affordable was a difficult balance.
- Operational Efficiency: Scaling the business without affecting customer experience or profitability requires careful financial and strategic planning.
By forming strategic partnerships, streamlining operations, and focusing on innovation, these challenges were successfully overcome, allowing for rapid growth while maintaining profitability.
Balancing Innovation with Financial Discipline
Innovation drives Coworking Smart’s success, but financial discipline ensures its sustainable growth.
The company follows a structured approach to risk-taking:
- Pilot Testing: New services are first tested in one or two locations before being expanded across all locations.
- Data-Driven Insights: Customer feedback and market analysis help identify high-demand areas, ensuring investments are made wisely.
- Scalability & Cost Control: A focus on low fixed costs and high operational efficiency makes the business resilient, even in uncertain economic conditions.
Innovation, Accessibility, and Impact
Saulo Da Ros’s leadership philosophy is built on three key pillars: Innovation, Accessibility, and Impact. He focuses on creating solutions that challenge the status quo, making resources available to those who need them most, and ensuring that every business decision drives real economic and social impact.
This philosophy is reflected throughout Coworking Smart by:
- Prioritizing customer needs to ensure services address real-world challenges.
- Building a flexible and growth-focused work culture, encouraging innovation and smart thinking.
- Using data and insights to improve services while keeping them affordable.
Saulo Da Ros leads by example, staying connected with his team and customers to ensure that Coworking Smart’s mission of transforming Brazil’s coworking landscape remains at the heart of its growth strategy.
Strong Workplace Culture
Coworking Smart prioritizes hiring individuals who share its mission of making workspaces accessible and affordable. To nurture talent, the company invests in continuous training and mentorship, ensuring key team members receive direct guidance to enhance their skills and leadership potential.
Employees are encouraged to take ownership, making decisions that improve customer experience and operations. Growth within the company is performance-based, with top performers gaining opportunities for advancement. Beyond internal development, mentorship is a key part of Coworking Smart’s brand through SmartMind, an entrepreneurial mastermind program designed to help small business owners grow, network, and scale sustainably.
Game-Changer for Entrepreneurs
Ranked among Brazil’s top 10 largest coworking companies, Coworking Smart serves over 10,000 clients across eight locations in Brasília, São Paulo, and Belo Horizonte. Pioneering the low-cost coworking model in the country, it provides high-end office spaces at a fraction of traditional lease costs. Its services, including flexible coworking plans, fiscal addresses, and virtual offices, enable entrepreneurs and businesses to operate legally and professionally. By prioritizing affordability, accessibility, and quality, Saulo Da Ros and his company have played a key role in transforming the coworking industry in Brazil, generating over R$1 billion in collective savings for customers.
Its innovative approach offers a wide range of workspace solutions tailored to meet diverse professional needs:
- Coworking Spaces: Fully equipped offices with high-speed internet, meeting rooms, and networking opportunities.
- Virtual Offices & Fiscal Address: Prestigious business addresses that enhance credibility and support legal operations.
- Private Offices: Dedicated spaces with premium amenities, ensuring privacy and stability for businesses.
- Meeting & Event Spaces: Professional venues designed for corporate gatherings, workshops, and networking events.
- SmartMind Mastermind Program: A mentorship and training platform that fosters entrepreneurial growth.
- Smart Benefits Club: A membership program offering exclusive perks and discounts on essential business services.
Effortless Workspace Management
Technology is an essential part of Coworking Smart’s customer experience, making operations smoother and more efficient. The company uses automated check-in and workspace management to simplify access for users. Its online platform allows customers to manage virtual offices and fiscal addresses with ease. Additionally, CRM and analytics help personalize services and improve overall efficiency. These innovations enhance accessibility, streamline operations, and ensure a better experience for customers.
Staying Ahead with Market Trends
Coworking Smart continuously evolves its products and services to meet the changing needs of entrepreneurs and businesses.
The company’s decision-making process is guided by three key factors:
- Customer-Centric Innovation: By analyzing feedback from 10,000+ clients, Coworking Smart identifies pain points and develops solutions like the SmartMind Mastermind Program and Smart Benefits Club, providing mentorship and exclusive perks.
- Market Trends & Competitive Analysis: Leveraging industry reports like the Woba 2024 Coworking Census, Coworking Smart identifies growth opportunities, refining its low-cost model while maintaining quality and strategic expansion.
- Scalability & Sustainability: Designed for long-term profitability, each location maximizes occupancy and efficiency, allowing rapid scaling while keeping costs low for customers.
Through this strategic approach, Coworking Smart continues to reshape the coworking industry in Brazil, making premium workspaces more accessible, flexible, and affordable.
From Startup to Market Leader
Since launching in 2014, Coworking Smart has rapidly expanded into one of Brazil’s top 10 coworking companies, driven by rising client demand, revenue growth, and nationwide presence.
Key Milestones:
2014 | One location, 500 clients. |
2018 | Expanded to four locations, serving 4,000+ clients. |
2024 | Grown to eight locations, with 10,000+ recurring clients. |
Revenue Growth | From R$100,000 in 2014 to R$15 million in 2024. |
Market Impact | Entrepreneurs saved over R$1 billion with affordable workspaces. |
The latest expansion to eight locations was fueled by rising demand, efficient execution, and strong word-of-mouth, solidifying Coworking Smart’s position as a leader in coworking innovation. Its steady growth reflects a proven ability to scale while maintaining financial stability and industry leadership.
Strategic Growth
Coworking Smart approaches risk-taking and decision-making with a strategic balance of innovation and financial discipline, ensuring that every move aligns with long-term goals while remaining scalable and data-driven.
Risk Mitigation Strategies:
- Diversified Revenue Streams: Virtual offices, SmartMind, and Smart Benefits Club reduce dependency on coworking spaces.
- Cost Control & Efficiency: Low operational costs minimize financial risk while ensuring high service quality.
- Adaptive Market Strategies: Market analysis drives pricing, services, and expansion adjustments.
- Lean Growth: A cost-effective model ensures steady expansion with minimal financial risk.
By combining calculated risk-taking with sound financial strategies, Coworking Smart continues to expand rapidly while maintaining profitability, resilience, and long-term success.
Putting Customers First
Coworking Smart continues to grow and evolve by constantly innovating, expanding, and improving its products and services to meet market needs and industry trends.
The company’s approach is built on three key principles:
- Customer-Centric Innovation: Coworking Smart adapts to customer needs, launching SmartMind for entrepreneurs and Smart Benefits Club for exclusive perks.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Market analysis guides expansion, growing from one to eight locations with a low-cost coworking model.
- Scalable & Sustainable Growth: Services like the R$49/month plan ensure affordability, profitability, and efficiency.
Through this strategic and adaptive approach, Coworking Smart remains a leader in the coworking industry, making high-quality workspaces and entrepreneurial resources more accessible than ever.
SAULO DA RÓS’s 5 Powerful Business Mantras
- Innovate with Purpose: Innovation should solve real problems. Saulo Da Ros integrates automation and CRM systems to make coworking spaces affordable and efficient.
- Growth Requires Financial Discipline: Balancing ambition with financial responsibility, he uses pilot testing, data-driven insights, and cost control to scale sustainably.
- Put Customers First: Every service, from the R$49/month coworking plan to SmartMind mentorship, is designed to meet entrepreneurs’ needs.
- Build a Strong Company Culture: Success depends on people. Ros invests in mission-driven talent, mentorship, and a culture of ownership and innovation.
- Adapt to Lead: Market trends and customer feedback drive continuous improvement, keeping Coworking Smart ahead of the curve.
Company Name | Coworking Smart |
Headquarters | Brasília, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro |
URL | https://coworkingsmart.com.br/ |
Featuring Person | SAULO DA RÓS |
Designation | Founder and CEO |