If you’re running a business in Guelph and need downtown office space for five to fifteen people, I have a unique opportunity for you. The short story is that after running our coworking space for ten years, I’m personally moving on from operating ThreeFortyNine. That’s where you step in.

This is an opportunity to take over the entire coworking operations and move your team into a fully furnished and functioning standalone office in downtown Guelph already outfitted with great internet, desks, a boardroom, kitchen, parking and more. This will be your office, your lease, your new home for your growing business.

Why and where does a coworking operation fit into this?

You will have full control over your own office space immediately. You can move your team in today, while keeping the existing coworkers in the building with you. Those coworkers contribute revenue to help cover the costs of your office space, but they are also a community. They bring ideas, relationships, and are an ongoing conduit into the wider business community. They integrate and connect your team into the local business community, they’re potential partners, freelancers and more.

The coworking portion also allows your office space to flex along with your business needs. If your team grows quickly and you need more space, you have it. If, for some reason, you need less space for a season then you can welcome in some new coworkers.

If you’re looking for a great downtown office space, let’s schedule a call and I can answer any questions you have to clarify all the details.

It’s always a challenge explaining what coworking, or shared offices, are about and if they are right for you. Rather than trying to explain, we decided to simply share the stories of the people around ThreeFortyNine. Our hope is that you will have a better idea if coworking is for you while ‘meeting’ someone new from our community.

Next up, meet Alan!

Tell us about yourself and your history with the city of Guelph?

I moved to Guelph from Toronto in 2014 to establish life in a smaller town. I had several friends who had moved here, and felt the call myself too. I was drawn to Guelph because of its downtown core that doesn’t blend into surrounding cities, but rather has a distinct centre and rural surroundings.

Guelph seems to attract people like yourself, who come here with some expectations about what living here will be like, now that you’ve been here a few years what would you say to someone in a similar situation who is considering moving here?

I would say Go for it! Guelph is a progressive city in many ways with a lot of interesting people and natural surroundings. The connections happened quickly for me. I’ve joined the board of Silence, a music venue dedicated to musicians and “adventurous” improvised music. I have also established my business in the downtown core, and I have a red-brick house in the downtown core that would have been inaccessible in Toronto. Plus, it’s been a huge relief to get out of the big city and into something that feels more “human scale”. I joke sometimes that the traffic is bad when there’s a line up at one stoplight, but it’s true.

Where do you work or what is your business venture if you are working on your own thing?

I run Eigenworks, a boutique research firm servicing US technology clients, and draw employees and other collaborators from this area, fellow Toronto migrants, and the KW area. I’m in my 11th year of business, and am working to productize our offering, make it more scalable and sustainable. Also building a tech platform and training offerings.

How are you involved with ThreeFortyNine?

I guess I’m kind of a “graduate” of the ThreeFortyNine School of Business. I took a desk in 2014, and eventually I think my business was occupying 5 or 6 desks until we finally realized it was time to get our own space. That initial two years or so was essential to establishing myself and my business in Guelph. Meeting Brydon was amazing, as I felt a kindred spirit with many common professional experiences. ThreeFortyNine is a hub of interesting people with lots to talk about. Many collaborations have emerged for me!

Can you expand on how ThreeFortyNine was essential and maybe detail a few or the collaborations?

Sure! ThreeFortyNine naturally attracts people who are thoughtful, entrepreneurial, and out of the box. When I took my desk in 2014, I didn’t know many people in town. At ThreeFortyNine, I met and regularly interacted with a really interesting group of people ranging from solo practitioners to remote workers. Everybody I met was open, and so many conversations happened around the kitchen or the board room. I love the slogan, “work for yourself, not by yourself.” That was the main thing – I felt like I had comrades.

I also engaged in Founders Club, and got exposure to a lot of interesting businesses. But more important was the really interesting discussion that came from the folks in Founders Club. Many of those connections are still the backbone of my local professional network. In fact several of the ThreeFortyNine folks joined my team at Eigenworks for periods of time, and two of them permanently. I would say that being at ThreeFortyNine was a big part of helping me get my business to the next level.

It’s always a challenge explaining what coworking, or shared offices, are about and if they are right for you. Rather than trying to explain, we decided to simply share the stories of the people around ThreeFortyNine. Our hope is that you will have a better idea if coworking is for you while ‘meeting’ someone new from our community.

First up, meet Kyle!

Tell us about yourself and your history with the city of Guelph?

I lived in Guelph between 1992 and 1997 while completing my BA in Drama at the UofG. After brief stints in Edmonton and Toronto, I bought a house and moved back to the city. I live downtown, about 700 metres away from ThreeFortyNine, with my wife, 2 teenage kids, and 1 furry dog.

Where do you work or what is your business venture if you are working on your own thing?

I worked at the UofG from 2000 to 2013, managing the team that supported online courses. In 2013, I left the University and started an educational consulting business.

In the past 6 years, I’ve worked (directly or indirectly) with a dozen Ontario universities and a dozen Ontario colleges. I help them build online courses and resources for students, training materials for faculty, and other projects. I do a fair amount of learning design, some video work, and a lot of writing and project management.

How are you involved with ThreeFortyNine?

I’ve had a desk at ThreeFortyNine since 2013. Depending on what I have on the go, I’m at the office 3 or 4 days a week. I use it as my base. It gets me out of my house and lets me focus on getting things done. I use the boardroom for meetings with subcontractors. I’m a regular at the office Beer Club, and I love the coffee.

Why work out of ThreeFortyNine rather than a home office?

It’s good to have separation. I’ve got a bunch of hobbies that would distract me at home, so chances are good I wouldn’t get things done if I had an office in my house. I come to ThreeFortyNine to work. From a bookkeeping POV, I think it’s cleaner for business expenses.

A coworking setup is good for me. I don’t need an office all to myself. I do my best work at ThreeFortyNine.

For someone considering a coworking situation, what should they know which you didn’t before you started?

I think there’s an image of coworking as a building filled with hip startup folks drinking green smoothies and chasing the next big thing. That’s not the case.

Working alongside with others, even if we are not working on the same projects, is more motivational than working alone. While we’re all absorbed in our own work, it really is the most supportive environment I’ve worked in. Its really is what you make it, which is a great.