Naomi Briffett has deep experience in the world of co-working. She previously worked for Work.Life as Membership Manager in both Farringdon and Reading.
Since joining as the Director of Patch Chelmsford she has led the growth of Patch’s first home and supported a growing community of Patch workspace members as well as an evolving public programme. Naomi spoke at Patch’s inaugural Festival of Ideas on ‘Reimagining The Future of Work.’
Here, Naomi explains why she joined as the Director of Patch Chelmsford.
Why I joined Patch
The honest truth is that I was no longer a fan of London life and looking for a route out. Having just moved back to my home county of Essex to be closer to my family, I felt I was simply missing what was happening on my doorstep as my days were spent commuting back and forth. When I first came across Patch I was not only ecstatic that an opportunity was presenting itself to me to break out of that rut. I was also thrilled for the city of Chelmsford to be getting such a new, forward-thinking offering.
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Workspace beyond London
Workspace operators are on every street corner in London, yet step away from the big smoke, and the concept is still unfamiliar to the majority. Patch isn’t just any old coworking space and, for me, that’s what really set it apart. The Patch vision to ‘Work Near Home’ and be a part of rejuvenating our UK high streets really resonated with me. I’ve seen many high streets decline over time, so I’m excited to play my part in supporting Chelmsford, my local town centre, thrive again!
Community engagement at the core
Encouraging people to re-engage with the community on their doorstep and invest in their local economy, all the while surrounded by the people they love, in the place that they call home…it felt like a no-brainer to me.
Since we swung open our doors in Chelmsford, just a mere six months ago, I’ve already witnessed so many valuable moments that really solidify the value of working close to home. I see spaces like Patch as central to this journey and vision. From new friendships emerging over Wordle on our recently formed Slack channel, to member-led panel talks stirring up conversations about the value of being part of a community in the early days of launching a business, to seeing members’ families feeling comfortable to pop in and eat lunch together, as well as have a little play in our ‘kids corner’ — it’s been a joy to see it all.
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Work-life balance
If the challenges of the last two years has taught me anything it’s that I truly value a better, more flexible, work-life balance. I’m delighted to now work for a business that has this ethos at its core and I’m confident that Patch will help me, alongside all our existing and future members, fulfil this!