hunting the coworking sweetspot

(Originally posted in 2015, we've recently updated our recommended resources list for 2018).

​As a small business owner, freelancer and coworking advocate, I've enjoyed watching the emergence of a bigger range of options here in the Hunter and Central Coast regions of NSW, with a nod to those who've helped to set up the pattern in other cities, or who are tracking the change in facility focus with new ways of working.

The Hunter and Central Coast have some great options for visitors to the region, or for freelancers who need to get out and connect with others, seeking serendipitous collisions and encounters that can create new business opportunities, or to expand your network of trusted associates. Whilst we do that in part with our DigitalMakers Meetup, others have set out to create compelling new workspaces that are worth a closer look.

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Whilst they might not yet appear on coworking facility listings like desks near.me or TheLoop just yet, they do still exist, with some great design thinking emerging which shows they get what it's about, with some sophisticated regional influences evident. What's nice is that these also reflect entrepreneur driven spaces, rather than larger facility manager centric spaces. Here's the list of who's active in this space in the Hunter + Central Coast at the moment:
Hunter 

• www.innx.com.au (CoWorking Space)
• www.theroostcreative.com.au (CoWorking Space)
• www.slingshotters.com (Startup Accelerator)
• The Business Centre (Regional business support - Newcastle + Central Coast)
• www.theproductionhub.com.au (CoWorking Space)
• Eighteen04 (CleanTech focussed Incubator/CoWorking Space)
• Three76Hub (UoN Incubator + CoWorking Space)
• Dantia Smart Hub (DaSH) (CoWorking Space - Charlestown)

Central Coast 

• www.nexushub.com.au at North Wyong
• Gosford Smart Work Hub at Gosford
• SparkCC Makerspace at West Gosford

Whilst doing some recent work in this space, there's a clear continuum evident in the collaboration and facility design patterns. At one end of the scale are the entrepreneur driven spaces, small but engaging and personal - at the other end are the larger facility managers, seeking tenant occupancy and infill to boost their space utilisation and revenues. Importantly, both have their place, but the motivations differ, which we described in http://www.laughingmind.com/blog/smartworkhubs-and-coworking-spaces-similar-but-different.  For both, they're clearly engaging with the concept of the workspace as a honeypot, drawing in talent and seeking to keep it there, engaged, present and productive. It's an important part of creating and catalysing entrepreneurial spirit.

For more on why that matters, you might like to check out http://www.virginmediabusiness.co.uk/News-and-events/News/News-archives/2014/UK-firms-embrace-remote-working-to-stay-competitive-/