Coworking has become a viable option for startups, small businesses, telecommuters and freelancers looking for an alternative to working from home or a traditional office.
Without trying, many coworking spaces develop a core group of members who have interests in common and a desire to share costs and experiences.
You often see this amongst health professionals where a number of practitioners might co-locate. This can be a really positive experience for these businesses.
They become a great support network for each other and often a source of referrals and new business.
This sense of collaboration was the first thing that struck us when we walked into BrainSpace in Kingston.
There was none of the stereotypical props you associate with the young hip coworking spaces you see in magazines or TV – no foosball table, bean bags and wine bar; instead there was just a collegiate atmosphere of people working, conversing and problem solving together. This made me wonder whether the mix of businesses might have something to do with it.
Kieran May, the founder of BrainSpace explained they were probably more a shared office space than a coworking space even though they have the usual mix of office spaces, work stations, meeting rooms and even an audio visual room with a camera and green screen.
His analogy was one of a share house, where you have your own room, but share communal areas like the kitchen and lounge. He explained that many of the businesses using the space land up collaborating on projects. There's an exchange of ideas and conversations naturally evolve because of proximity. The tenants have a lot in common and conversations around shared problems flow easily.
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BrainSpace tenants include business service professionals, graphic designers, social media experts, web developers and IT consultants. They are in general established companies who have customers and a proven track record in business.
Kieran says BrainSpace doesn't focus on one particular industry group, but welcomes all. He believes what appeals to these companies is the relaxed corporate atmosphere BrainSpace offers.
The success of BrainSpace is also evident in that even when companies outgrow the space they come back for social visits. Another plus point is the flexibility and willingness to work with tenants to find a format that meets their needs especially as their business grows and they take on more staff.
Kieran emphasised the importance of running BrainSpace as a sustainable organisation.
As a coworking space, BrainSpace has never received any Government funding and Kieran believes that independence is important. He had an interesting point about funding startups - maybe it should be the individual that is funded rather than organisations or programs. That way the individual can access the service and provider that best meets their needs.
It reminded us of the objectives behind the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the focus on empowering individuals with choice and control in accessing services to help them realise their potential.
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What you need to know:
· BrainSpace is located at 29 Jardine Street, Kingston
· There are various memberships available from permanent monthly to part-time monthly and casual spots
· WiFi is included in a membership
· There are 6 lockable office spaces, 2 meeting rooms and 8 desk spaces
· A fully equipped kitchen and a resource room with an A4 printer, laminator and document shredder
To find out more visit http://brainspace.com.au/index.html
About Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre
Lighthouse has a strong track record of supporting entrepreneurs, researchers and inventers on the path from concept to commercialisation. Since July 2008, Lighthouse has worked with over 990 distinct enterprises and provided group and peer based services to over 3400 enterprises and individuals. For over five years Lighthouse has successfully delivered business advice, education, mentorship and networking opportunities to help these businesses commercialise their ideas and grow their companies. Lighthouse also delivers programs such as the ACT Microcredit Program for the ACT Government. Visit www.lighthouseinnovation.com.au for more information.
