Key Takeaways from GCUC Australia

Published on September 5, 2017 - By Sondeep Purewal

On August 25th, 2017, we attended the Global Coworking Unconference Conference in Australia. Melbourne served as the perfect backdrop for the next step in the world’s largest coworking conference series. Located in the heart of a thriving coworking scene where shared space and serviced office are used almost interchangeably, GCUC Australia provided the perfect opportunity for networking and exchanging ideas relating to coworking for Australia the rest of Asia Pacific.

One of the conference’s objective was to highlight the new advances happening within “the intersection of real estate and technology”, while also providing an experience full of knowledge, adventure, and community.

The event kicked off with a casual meeting and networking session within the conference room, followed by a group meditation held by none other than Boss Lady and GCUC Founder, Liz Elam herself.
The remainder of the morning featured presentations and discussions about what is happening in the Australian coworking scene. One of the most notable presentations included Melissa Gregg, Principal Engineer of User Experience Research at Intel, who spoke of rising security concerns within the coworking industry. Given that coworking spaces have access member information, including their clients, guests, and company information; many are worried about being exposed to the risk of damage that can potentially be done by hackers.

The Unconference continued with more A-listers from the industry. Co-founder of BizDojo, Nick Shewring, spoke on incentivizing others to take on new opportunities for growth. Conrad Tracy, COO of Inspire 9, spoke of next level community building and the importance of setting goals for business development.

Another notable presentation came from Connor Finlayson, Head of Sales and Marketing at CoLo Life, a company that helps workers, freelancers, and nomads find workspaces throughout the world. Finlayson elaborated on having a unique approach to marketing that involves placing more emphasis on learning SEO, as well as trying out other mediums such as Facebook advertising and videos.

We had an amazing experience down-under and spent some time enjoying nature, the hospitality from the good people of Melbourne, as well as the food and culture. We look forward to next GCUC event and what it has to offer for all of Coworking.