Why Neighbourhood Coworking Spaces Need Smart Systems That Evolve With Us
Here’s how simple, values-led systems helped us find more space, clarity, and confidence
What do you think of when you hear the word structure?
For many of us leading neighbourhood coworking spaces or micro businesses, it doesn’t always bring a sense of ease. It might sound like more admin, more bureaucracy, less room to breathe.
That’s exactly how I felt in the early days of running The Hub Newry. I worried that bringing in “structure” would water down the very thing that made our space special: our ability to adapt quickly, tune into the emotional and practical needs of our community and lead from a place of care not control.
But over time, I’ve learned that the right kind of structure one that’s shaped by your values, your people, and your local context does the opposite. It protects what makes your space unique. It gives you energy instead of draining it. It helps you show up with clarity, even when everything around you is shifting.
Why we built our own smart systems (and made ISO work for us)
In 2021, we made the leap to pursue ISO 9001:2015 not because we had to, but because we needed a better way to navigate the day-to-day realities of running a local coworking space.
We weren’t looking for red tape. We were looking for relief.
Running a neighbourhood coworking space means holding a lot - decisions, emotions, and often the mop.
At the time, we were feeling stretched - emotionally, logistically and mentally. Like many small space operators, we were holding a lot: juggling member needs, trying to anticipate change, making constant decisions without always feeling confident and spending too much time fixing things that kept going off-track.
We needed a framework that could help us:
Stay connected to what our members really needed
Make decisions more easily and consistently
Spot issues early before they became problems
Free up time for the work that really mattered: relationships, mentoring, and community-building
So we created our own version of a smart, human-first system, something that could evolve with us, rather than restrict us.
And to my surprise?
It didn’t feel dry or corporate.
It felt like space.
Space to breathe, pause and reconnect with our “why.”
Space to stop reinventing the wheel every time something changed.
Annual audits that feel like alignment, not pressure
Before ISO, I used to dread the idea of an audit, it felt like a formality, a performance review we didn’t ask for.
Now, I see it differently.
Our yearly review is one of the few times we get to zoom out, to step away from the day-to-day and ask some powerful questions:
Does how we say we work still match how we actually work?
Are our goals and ways of measuring success still meaningful?
Has anything shifted in our community, our sector, our local economy that we need to adapt to?
For neighbourhood operators, who are so often caught in the details, this kind of reflection is gold dust. It’s a rare chance to adjust with intention, not urgency.
Structure as a form of self-support
If you run a local space, you’re likely wearing all the hats.
You’re not just “the manager”, you’re tech support, the emotional anchor, the decision-maker, the cleaner, the community builder and the person who shows up (even on the days you feel wobbly).
Without clear systems, it’s easy to feel like the whole thing rests on your shoulders and let’s be honest, sometimes it does.
When everything lives in your head, there’s no space to step back, no space to delegate, no space to rest.
That’s why I now see structure and rhythm as self-care.
Not spreadsheets-for-the-sake-of-it.
But living systems that free you to lead with less stress, more flow, and greater confidence.
What thoughtful systems actually make possible
When your structure reflects your values (not just someone else’s best practice), here’s what happens:
You lead with more calm and clarity
You make quicker, better decisions
You stop over-functioning in areas that drain you
You feel less guilt when you say no
You create space to focus on your strengths and build real momentum
It’s not about being more efficient.
It’s about having something steady under your feet so you’re not always reacting.
Structure isn’t a cage it’s a container.
Something that can hold the chaos so your creativity and care have room to breathe.
If You’re Feeling the Weight Right Now…
The answer might not be a new tool, a better app, or another strategy.
It might just be time to build a rhythm that supports how you already work and lets the rest fall away.
That could look like ISO, or a simple team handbook, or a few intentional feedback loops and role maps.
It doesn’t need to be perfect.
It just needs to help you stop holding everything in your head.
Because when we support the human behind the space, the space becomes stronger too.
Let’s keep the conversation going….
If you’re holding a lot right now especially as a local operator trying to lead with heart I’d love to hear what’s working (and what’s weighing you down).
You can reply directly to this post, drop me a message, or share your story.
We don’t have to figure this out alone. 💛
Always with heart,
Suzanne Murdock
Coach for Micro Business Leaders & Neighbourhood Coworking Operators
Founder | The Hub Newry