Digital 52 4️⃣6️⃣ - On growing locally, supporting SMEs through coworking and improving their experience by switching their tech stack: The story of Panama.
Today’s story will take you to New Zealand, more precisely to Hamilton. What’s there? A family-owned coworking brand that has been fostering a profound local influence through its vibrant community: Panama.
Business Growth - Made with People - On an Island
You can read the full story of Panama on page 144 of “Around The World in 250 Coworking Spaces”.
Over the course of 45 editions of Digital 52s, you've encountered diverse motivations driving individuals and companies to establish coworking brands. Today's narrative adds another layer to this mosaic. While coworking often emerges as a solution to immediate challenges for some, for others, like Panama—a coworking brand rooted in Hamilton, New Zealand—it presents a new avenue within their existing business landscape. Panama is the brainchild of Stark Property, experts in commercial and residential real estate. What insights did Stark Property glean from the coworking concept? How does this venture enhance their current portfolio? Beyond their assets, how does the presence of a coworking brand contribute to the local community's entrepreneurial growth? These are the questions we'll delve into in this feature.
➡️ A little refresher
Who’s behind the featured space?
Meet Matt and Jaimee Stark.
A builder and graphic designer. After being tasked with fitting out an office space for Matt's father's company, the couple saw a massive gap in the market for well-designed, flexible workspaces in the CBD. This drove them to start Panama.
➡️ Key Figures
- Opening year: 2017
- Size when they started: 1 location
- Size today: 3 locations, namely: Panama House, Panama Cottage and Panama Square.
➡️ A little tour around Panama
➡️ Behind-the-scenes
Things you didn't read in aw250cs.
