As far as unicorn start-up stories come and go, co-working spaces giant WeWork‘s is a spectacular one marked by aggressive growth, heavy losses – and, most recently, an exorbitant, last-ditch attempt to salvage the flailing company.

That attempt comes courtesy of major investor and Japanese telcom conglomerate SoftBank, in a bailout valued at some US$9.5 billion.

The surprise move – announced on 23 Oct, 2019 – seems a staggering sum, but not when you consider that the co-working company was valued at US$47 billion just earlier this year.

Whether you’re a start-up or enterprise company looking into growth plans, WeWork’s is a classic case study in what not to do. While only time will reveal whether the co-working company can be saved, these are some lessons we’ve gleaned from its almost-fall.

When ousted co-founder Adam Neumann voluntarily stepped down as