Image provided by NewportNet.
A couple of weeks’ back, I was invited to work for the day out of a co-working space on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, NewportNet. Plugging in my laptop and working on the things that I love most – for me – (and you, of course!) – was so exhilarating. It was a really exciting moment, and all I could think about when I arrived was that I wanted more of this.
Located in a blissful office right across from Newport Beach, one of the Northern Beaches’ most delectable spots, NewportNet is a flexible work space supported by high-speed fiber optic cable for all your down-and-up-loading needs. Ideal for start-up businesses and freelancers, the space is perfect to grow your business in a comfortable setting, supported by other similarly like-minded entrepreneurs. The environment is casual with just the right touch of professionalism, sporting desks to plug and play and business rooms for you to hold those all-important meetings.
For pros who don’t want to be caught up in the isolation of their home environments, or who want to separate their home and working lives, this space is a dream come true. Available for reasonable rates by the day, or via negotiable packages, there’s no commitment required – ideal for start-ups who may not know where their next pay check is coming from (yet). It’s also great for those who may be growing at a tremendous rate but aren’t yet willing to lay down a full office rental agreement. After all, if you’re a start up, who knows where you’ll be three, six, 10 months or a year from now? This is an ideal, workable solution and provides a great environment for those who really, truly need it.
I caught up with the owners, Karen and Simon Bond – two friendly professionals who have made the beach both their home and office. What a life.
Working from home can be very lonely, unproductive and can leave people feeling uninspired. People work at their best when they are collaborating, feeling supported and nurtured. – Karen Bond, Founder, NewportNet
What prompted you start up NewportNet?
“My husband Simon owns a stockbroking business, which we deliberately set up close to home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. We didn’t want to commute to the city each day, so we could spend more time with our kids. It was then we realised the potential of a new phenomenon known as ‘coworking’ and observed how it was growing significantly in both the USA, the UK and Europe. We read up about it, spoke to people in the industry and then established NewportNet in June 2011. I then went on a fact-finding mission in order to prove up the business plan, attending the Global Coworking Unconference Conference (GCUC) in 2012 in Texas and also traveled to San Francisco and Austin researching the concept further.”
How does running NewportNet fit your lifestyle?
“Perfectly. The best thing about coworking is that it gives you greater flexibility and allows you to work close to home. So I can drop the kids at school, before coming in to work, and Simon enjoys his daily ocean swim at lunchtime, at Newport Beach across the road. Simon and I love our local community and working here allows us to meet many locals and support local businesses.”
What are the pros and cons of running a business located away from a CBD?
“Pros include avoiding a daily commute, which gives us at least 2 hours more time each day with our family and friends. Another advantage is helping to build and support the local community and local economy, providing local jobs, supporting other businesses, facilitating collaboration, nurturing small business and cultivating entrepreneurship.
The only possible downside to running a business away from the CBD is that we are limited to having clients within a certain distance of our space, but many tell us that driving 30 minutes to Newport is much more pleasant than getting stuck in Sydney’s CBD grid locked traffic for hours each day. The streets of Newport are safe, there’s no pollution, and you get space to think, and when needed some peace and quiet. There’s free parking, and enough decent coffee houses and restaurants nearby to keep the typical urban dweller happy.”
How do you see the start-up businesses that come in flourish away from an alternatively at-home environment?
“Working from home can be very lonely, unproductive and can leave people feeling uninspired. People work at their best when they are collaborating, feeling supported and nurtured. Coworking brings those elements together. Coworking provides a social environment that fosters creativity. These businesses are not bound by the same rules of operation as a traditional business, so they are not constrained by politics, redtape, lengthy processes and policies that can sometime hamper progress and efficiency. There is nothing better than witnessing a business flourish and grow in our coworking space. And when they get too successful, we kick them out of the nest, and make way for a new business to be born. Nothing more satisfying.”
I then caught up with one of NewportNet’s resident co-workers, Alan Jones, Chief Growth Hacker at Blue Chilli Group, to find out about his experiences.
I’m a big believer in karma in business as well as my personal life and so much of the success I’ve enjoyed professionally has come through giving my time to other entrepreneurs and professionals that I believe karma has as much to do with my future as any of my deliberate plans. - Alan Jones, Chief Growth Hacker, Blue Chilli Group
How long have you been with NewportNet and how often do you work there?
Apparently I was the first tenant! Three years now. I usually work there at least two days a week and in the city three days a week.
What were the reasons you decided to start working in a coworking environment?
My industry (the tech startup industry) has always been full of early adopters and we adopted coworking as an industry about 7-8 years ago, but it has taken a while to become more mainstream. I had originally planned to work from home when I first moved to Newport but the appallingly slow ADSL1 internet speed in my part of Newport forced me to seek an alternative. I was actually considering starting my own coworking space in Newport or Avalon when I was introduced to Simon Bond from NewportNet while buying a coffee at Zubi Bar in Newport. It’s a small town!
I’m a big believer in karma in business as well as my personal life and so much of the success I’ve enjoyed professionally has come through giving my time to other entrepreneurs and professionals that I believe karma has as much to do with my future as any of my deliberate plans. Coworking gives me an opportunity to help those around me, and in time, perhaps those people will choose to help me out too. But true karma comes from giving without thought of reward so it’s important not to think about what might happen, and just give some time to help others.
What are the most valuable parts of coworking?
I love the vibe of the space at NewportNet — it’s open, bright and full of fresh air and color. With birdsong and salt in the air it really feels connected to the sea and the local community. Getting out of my home removes me from the temptations of yet another episode of Mad Men and hanging out another load of washing, and meeting new people and thinking about other industries and customers gives me a big creative breath of fresh air every week. It’s inspiring to be among other entrepreneurs all taking on the same daunting and rewarding personal and professional challenges.
What is your advice to others starting up their own businesses?
Seek the clear written permission of your spouse, partner or children! Be realistic about how long your startup idea might take to commercialise and accept that it might take twice that long, but set aside some deadlines for key milestones like refining the idea, testing the concept, establishing the marketing channels and establishing the cost of sales and revenue model. Each of these can take all of your time, from here to the end of time, so I find it helps to have an unmoveable deadline: I know I’ll start today if I make myself meet that next fixed deadline a few weeks away. If you feel you need a mentor or advisor to help you, be very clear about exactly how you need them to help and don’t try to make them commit to a deep or long-term relationship — just ask them for one little thing they can do immediately. And then thank them, and ask them for another…
Looking for a co-working space in your area? Check out the first full, regularly updated list of all co-working spots across Australia on The Fetch.
How do you feel about working from home, as opposed to a shared space? Do you get lonely and uninspired or distracted working from home? Or do you love it? I’d love to hear your thoughts – leave a comment below!