Poland’s first coworking space for women-led companies,
O4 Flow
– another project of one of the largest coworking spaces in the country, O4 Coworking – has been launched in the Olivia Business Centre business hub in Gdańsk. The meeting and debate opening the project was attended by Natalia Hatalska, trend analyst, founder of infuture hatalska foresight institute; Olga Kozierowska, trainer and mentor, founder of the first organization in Poland working for women’s entrepreneurship and promotion of their successes in business called “Success Written in Lipstick”; Marta Moksa, Managing Director at O4 Coworking; and Dominik Ross, Head of O4 Flow.
During one of the Lean in Poland meetings entitled “Managing diversity and inclusion of women” from the representative of Pomeranian Employers said important words: “Legislative changes are needed to increase the visibility of women in senior positions. To stop dealing with this topic, it must be a standard, and it is difficult to introduce such a standard without regulation. We simply have to get used to equality in order for it to become a reality.” The first coworking space for women in Poland is a response to a global trend. One of the pioneers in the women’s coworking market, The Wing had as many as 8000 companies on the waiting list shortly after opening! Isn’t this the best proof that such a place is needed? In Western Europe, there are only a dozen or so such coworking spaces, and the research m.in. conducted before the launch of O4 Flow, clearly indicate that women want a place where they can develop their businesses “in their own way”. The first women’s coworking space in Poland breaks the mold, encourages cooperation, exchange of experiences and views, and mutual support. In this new, unique space, you will certainly be able to feel the flow.
WHO (FEELS) THE FLOW?
Who is the innovative, first women’s coworking space in Poland, O4 Flow, for? According to Dominika Rossa, Head of O4 Flow , it is a space for female entrepreneurs, freelancers, business owners and women working in corporations. In fact, it is for anyone who is interested in appearing in a new, different environment, which is created to help stimulate creativity, strengthen competences, develop themselves and their business.
– Our loved ones are divided into two groups: supportive and depreciating. The first one is delighted with our every idea and action. The second suggests or openly talks about the fact that we could do something differently, better, faster… In O4 Flow there will be a place for representatives of both types of personalities, because we are beautifully different and our differences in character complement us – emphasizes Dominika Rossa. – Sometimes we need a pat on the shoulder, other times we need the proverbial kick in the butt. Sometimes we want to hear, “Don’t worry, you can do it,” and sometimes we want to hear, “Try again and you can do it anyway.” And that’s what we found out in the research we conducted. In O4 Flow, however, you will most often hear “Let’s do it together” –Adds.
In terms of the number of women in senior positions, Poland ranks second in Europe and 9th in Europe. in the world. More and more often, women are starting their own businesses and developing their businesses. Despite the fact that, as research shows*, more and more women are being promoted and more and more often decide to continue their professional careers after starting a family, they do not give up additional responsibilities related to their private life. The results clearly indicate that women tend to take on (for various reasons) not only professional but also private responsibilities, and thus work much more than 40 hours a week.
“That is why we are creating a place where they can work when they want and how they want, while having contact with people who share similar experiences and strengthening the competences that are necessary today to increase competitiveness on the labour market. A lawyer and an accountant will be on duty at O4 Flow. We will guarantee residents access to the platform with business and marketing knowledge. We will focus on networking meetings and events deepening know-how. We have designed, for example: Session Room, a space dedicated to individual meetings with a coach, personal trainer, psychologist, mediator, but also a dietician or speech therapist – says Dominika Rossa.
GENTLEMEN ARE ALSO FLOW
By launching O4 Flow, Gdańsk’s Olivia Business Centre and O4 Coworking have joined the ranks of global pioneers and innovators. It will not only be the first coworking space for women in our country, but also in this part of Europe. Even before the official opening, O4 Flow started cooperation with its closest neighbour, a women’s coworking space in Berlin. But it’s not about the top spot. Coworking, by definition, allows us to work together, thanks to which we achieve better results by using m.in. strengths or competences of different people in the team. The key issue, from the perspective of many women, is that being together they can count on support. This is important, considering the fact that women have a greater need for community and relationality than men. Coworking for women is not discrimination against men – as some people will think. It is a place where men are welcome and needed. No change – and women’s coworking is considered to be such – can take place without the participation of men. O4 Flow is therefore intended to be an inclusive space.
– A woman is supposed to be the center of attention. To meet its needs, we prepare an offer of workshops, inspiring meetings and substantive trainings. This absolutely does not mean that we isolate ourselves. Many men are already supporting our initiative. There are those who would love to join women’s coworking, we cordially invite you Rossa encourages. – In O4 Flow, there is a place for businesses run, managed or owned by women, but men are also their employees, clients, contractors, advisors, business partners. We will certainly benefit from their knowledge and experience. There will be no shortage of gentlemen at Flow.
FLOW, AS IT IS, EVERYONE CAN FEEL
With ladies in mind and with the participation of ladies, the interiors of O4 Flow have been designed. The arrangement works were preceded by research and surveys, whose respondents considered the Scandinavian style to be the one that should dominate in women’s coworking.
– This style is associated with naturalness, simplicity and subdued colours. But also with sustainable development and respect for the natural environment – says Dagmara Czarnobaj-Zielińska from the Desire studio, the designer of O4 Flow. – I wanted to maintain a balance between Scandinavian moderation and a sense of coziness of hygge. Here we are supposed to feel good and feel like being here. I hope that with simple measures we will be able to make the residents feel a sense of belonging to this place, that they will feel the flow here, thanks to which they will develop themselves, their passions and businesses. I believe in this project, that’s why I decided to collaborate on it and eventually I will be a member of O4 Flow – Laughs.
FLOW HAS MANY COLORS
First of all, it is a concept on the border of positive psychology and psychology of motivation. The creator of the concept is Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, according to whom flow is a state between satisfaction and euphoria, caused by the total dedication of an activity. On the basis of Csíkszentmihálya’s flow theory, for example, the cult computer game “Flow” was created. Secondly, in parkour terminology, flow means the fluidity of movements. Thirdly, in the colloquial understanding, it means fluency, commitment, positive attitude, optimism, freedom in thinking and acting, ease, “being on a roll”, feeling that “I am doing well” and that I have a good contact with the interlocutor. The name of the coworking space for women and its graphic sign perfectly reflect the assumptions that guide this modern space.
According to the founders of the women’s coworking space, O4 Flow – with its name and logo – is to communicate the smoothness of business and personal development. It should also emphasize the optimal conditions for achieving success in an atmosphere of support and acceptance. It is also important to incorporate elements of the O4 Coworking logo into the O4 Flow logo. This movement is meant to emphasize the coexistence and completion of both entities; O4 Flow is an integral, but autonomous part of O4 Coworking. The colour scheme of the sign refers to the style of the interior.
OPENING O4 FLOW
The opening meeting and debate of O4 Flow were attended by m.in. Olga Kozierowska , trainer and mentor, founder of the first Polish organization working for women’s entrepreneurship and promotion of their success in business, called Success Written in Lipstick; Marta Moksa, Managing Director at O4 Coworking; Natalia Hatalska , trend analyst, founder of infuture hatalska foresight institute; Dominic Ross, Head of O4 Flow. The ladies spoke m.in. about the power of community, the need for courage in action, the need for equality in private and professional life, the importance of intuition and teamwork.
About people
– People are the key to any good business. And I see this community as a huge strength, also of the coworking space we are currently in – Marta Moksa emphasized.
– I built the Fresight institute with my team. We wouldn’t really be where we are today if we weren’t a team. I wouldn’t be able to do it alone. It’s fantastic because every person in our team is completely different and each has different competences. That’s why we can do anything as a team – said Natalia Hatalska.
About intuition:
– In business, intuition is super-unpopular, but I trust my intuition and really, ladies, trust it. It is born of knowledge, of experience. There is no intuition without knowledge – encouraged Natalia Hatalska.
“Believing in yourself, listening to your heart and intuition, surrounding yourself with wise people, those with passion, is the recipe for success that I wish you best,” said Dominika Rossa.
On courage and equality
– Let’s give ourselves a chance. If 10 competencies are required for promotion, apply for the position even if you have 50 or 30 percent of them. When, as women, we set the bar so high that we have to meet 100 percent of the requirements to submit a resume, it means that the position is too low for us. It’s not worth it. You Will Not Evolve – encouraged Olga Kozierowska.
“Feminism is when men and women fight together for a better and equal world,” Hatalska summed up the meeting.
O4 COWORKING
O4 Flow is part of O4 Coworking, one of the largest and most dynamically developing coworking spaces in Poland. O4 Coworking is 5000 sqm of space ideally suited to the various needs of companies and industries. There will be extremely prestigious places here, with a view of the entire Tri-City from the 13th floor, places where you can feel at ease, walk your dog to work, loud and quiet places – so that everyone can find the perfect place for themselves. It is a space addressed to everyone, without any formal requirements, inviting both startups, novice entrepreneurs, as well as mature or developing entrepreneurs. The O4 Coworking space is not only a place to work, but also a huge number of acceleration projects supporting startups, development projects for students and young entrepreneurs, and above all, a place for meetings and networking. The O4 Coworking space houses over 80 companies from 7 different countries.
PRACTICALLY ABOUT FLOW
Area: over 500 m2. Address: Al. Grunwaldzka 472, Gdansk. The space is located in the business heart of the Tri-City, in the Olivia Business Centre, in the Olivia Gate A building, at 1. Floor. The entrance is both from Al. Grunwaldzka Street as well as from the OBC patio.
*”Women and Men at Home”, Public Opinion Research Centre, September 2018
Project partner:
Project:
Cooperation:
Dream Studio, Zdrojewscy Flower Shop
