Working from home has its benefits but, if you’re trying to build a business and foster company culture, flexspace is a much better option.
That’s the view of North Sydney member Harry Fry, Head of Asia Pacific at MAS Group, an institutional derivatives broker specialising in rolling spot foreign exchange, metals contracts, index CFDs and digital assets.
Harry hails from England, where MAS Group is based, and was tasked with starting the company’s operations in Australia.
He’d never set up a business before, so it was a somewhat “daunting” challenge but one he immediately met.
MAS Markets Australia got off to a great start and a few months down the line Harry hired his first staff member, with both working from their respective homes.
“My colleague and I would meet every one or two weeks for a coffee and a catchup,” explains Harry.
“A few months later I received my first resignation letter, which didn’t come as a shock and it was clear that if we were serious about running a business here in Sydney, we needed an office space – somewhere I could interact with colleagues in person, bounce ideas off one another, but more importantly for me and the business, learn from each other.”
Flexspace was the answer and Harry started looking for an office. “I searched far and wide, high and low, and North Sydney, with its vibrant community, ticked all the right boxes – plus I lived 10 minutes up the road.”
It was the right move and Harry hasn’t looked back.
Fast forward several months, MAS Markets Australia now employs three people and Harry is eyeing off larger spaces.
“With no contract tying us to our three-person office there is certainly room to grow.”
As for the work environment, Harry says the positive energy generated by the WOTSO staff is infectious – “even on a Monday morning”.
“I am grateful for the effort the WOTSO team put into making 50 Miller Street a comfortable place to work,” he says.
“We are looked after with fresh fruit, tea and coffee, snacks and the highly anticipated Wednesday breakfast.
“There seems to be more and more members joining every week, which only adds to the productive working environment.”
