Joel Hauer

Business: WeCo

Age: 25

State: New South Wales

Joel Hauer grew up in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and says there had never been a work space for entrepreneurs in the area.

So he built one. At the same time he’s tapped into the growing popularity of co-working spaces around the country.

WeCo opened about six months ago in the Sydney suburb of Edgecliff and already has around 35 members who are a mixture of consultants, freelancers and start-ups.

Hauer says WeCo is more than a shared office space.

He says it provides a support mechanism for members by surrounding them with like-minded people and hosting events that encourage learning and growing by collaboration.

“We try to focus on getting everyone on the same page and helping each other’s business.”

Hauer, who has a background in advertising, says he grew up around business-minded people and has plans to expand WeCo in the future.

He says young entrepreneurs should trust their instincts but also be aware that they don’t know everything.

“Be someone who craves knowledge,” he says. “The more you can consume in terms of knowledge, the better you will be equipped.”

Related articles about Joel

Co-working space WeCo to charge members based on levels of collaboration