I have a very strong intuition and I am a big believer in trusting your gut. I had been working in East Brisbane, where Studio 42 Workspaces is now located, and I loved the area. It’s leafy, rich with history, a quick walk to the river and super close to the CBD. One day I found myself looking through a warehouse space near my office and in my mind’s eye, I could see it fully refurbished as a modern, flexible workspace. I could imagine small businesses working in there, networking and there was just nothing like it around East Brisbane. Decorating and design are right up my alley, so it didn’t take long before I embarked on this building transformation project taking an empty warehouse and turning it into 9 offices and meeting rooms.
As anyone who has built anything will know, it always takes longer than you think. It took the best part of a year for a project I initially thought would take a couple of months. We launched in January 2018 with a beautifully furnished venue and 2 paying customers. It only took a few months to generate amazing traction and seemingly all of a sudden, all our permanent workspace was full. Throughout it all, there have been some big challenges even in our first 11 months open to the public. I’m a single mum with 3 boys so I have to keep a fairly flexible schedule. To add to that, I went to the doctors to get a flu shot in preparation for Winter and on the way out of the doctor’s office I tripped on a large flight of stairs covered in water. On my way out of the doctor’s I managed to break my ankle and severely bruise both legs – the irony! I was strapped up in a moon boot for weeks and reinjured myself a few months later during recovery. Many, many MRI’s, doctor appointments and physio rehab later I am finally back in heels. Safe to say it was a major curveball of 2018!
Going in to 2019, it’s an exciting time for us. We’ve already been through one expansion in 2018 and now we are looking to open a second venue. This year we’ve already experienced a lot of success in the traditional sense – we’ve opened a brand-new business and it’s worked! So many small businesses don’t make it, so I am grateful for the incredible year we have had so far. On the other hand, despite injuries and a very full schedule, I have been able to be present for my kids and for my family. I think the balance of being able to work with great people, doing something you love, kicking business goals whilst prioritising your loved ones is the best kind of success.
Merran Jack
