WeWork seemed like the dream start-up. At first glance.
Founder Adam Neumann’s company took on a stuffy sector —commercial property—and reimagined it for a new generation. He foresaw the desire for greater collaborative working, especially amongst young creatives, and gave them what they wanted.
WeWork rented office space, transformed it into a fun, vibrant co-working environment complete with free coffee and beer, then hired it out to individuals and small businesses at a profit.
At least that was the plan.
It is easy to see why so many investors backed this simple but ambitious start-up. In fact, at its height, WeWork was valued at