How the co-working space 1880 built a brand, creates conversations and plans to help entrepreneurs in North Korea
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The future is here. In our first episode, we look at the gorgeously designed members club and co-working space in Singapore, 1880. We chat with the club’s co-founder Luke Jones to understand what went into the conceptualizing and making of this unique space—where work, play and wellness co-exist effortlessly.
You can move from a meeting in the conference room to a yoga class in the studio and finish the day with an old-fashioned drink at the bar- it’s all in day’s work in 2018. Have we entered an era where the lines between our personal and professional worlds have blurred and integrated? How does this affect productivity?
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CONVERSATION:
How did they build a lifestyle brand for 1880?
It’s about the people
“It all started with the concept of fascinating groups of people come together to inspire. When interesting and like-minded people come together, opportunities are created.”
“1880 is about bringing people together to inspire conversations. Health, wellness and the F&B element and curating a fascinating membership is a big element of it.”
It’s about similar interests
“When you’re creating programmes around topics and themes where people are brought together because of their love fitness or because of their love for wine, it helps people starts conversations, in a more natural way than social engineering and networking meetings. “
It’s about creating opportunities
“We are trying to create some thought leadership around areas and topics. The format of our salons are different— it’s a very very immersive experience”
It’s about a clear objective
“How to create a sense of pride and create spaces to blow people’s minds away! We built our brand on our community”
What is the concept behind this space which flows between work, play and
wellness?
“The movement from traditional corporate jobs to the gig economy is helping people have more choice. Who they work for? When they work and how they work? And an increasing number of people have reached a stage in their lives and careers where the importance of purpose and the importance working in a wonderful environment for great people is a really high priority.”
“People have that choice – I want to work in a beautiful environment and want to have access to facilities when I need it. I want that control and I see more and more people who want to have the ability to lead their lives in that way.”
North Korea
1880 is planning a trip with Choson Exchange for their members to ‘Engage Local Entrepreneurs in North Korea’. The aim of this trip is to ‘conduct an entrepreneurship boot camp to impart business skills to creative and ambitious North Koreans.’
“The North Korean trip is with Chosun Exchange. It’s the humanization and trying to understand that there are real people in there. In North Korea, there are people who are living there, wanting to start businesses and families and lead a normal life. Within the club, we have a lot of entrepreneurs.”
“We have people who have inquisitive minds. We have people within the club who want to make the world a better place—and I think all three elements of those come together in the North Korea trip.”
Luke is the embodiment of modern day work possibilities. He lives in Sweden, works in Singapore and is British. How does that work?
“It’s not ideal, it’s a long commute. It does put pressure on the family and the team here, when I am not there. But as an entrepreneur, you have to take risks and it is by far the most exciting thing I have done in my career.
“There have been impacts on my family life, but I would also like to look back in 10-20 years’ time and look at my legacy. 1880 will create opportunities and businesses and fix some of the wrongs of the world and I can attribute that to setting up the very first 1880.”
Rapid Fire Round
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Listen to our podcast for the answers!
About the show
On The Story of You, we want to offer a human and real conversation on how people succeed and overcome difficulties in the 21 st century. Technology has changed the way we work and the ability for us to do things, but life still has many challenges, the business world is harshly competitive and people seem more hungry than ever for answers and guidance in midst of all this change.
This podcast will bring out different and great conversations. We are big believers in crafting and asking the right questions to get the right response.
About the hosts and guest
Luke Jones: He is the Co-owner of 1880, a club/co-working space that welcomes an eclectic mix of cultural renegades. Be they artists, entrepreneurs, industry mavericks, or future trailblazers, they are bound by a common intrigue – to learn about and change the world around them.
Puja Disha Bharwani: Founder and Chief Storyteller at What’s The Story — a boutique communications consultancy based in Singapore. She loves hearing, telling and writing stories for individuals and businesses.
Kevin McSpadden: He is the Editor for e27. His main focus is to steer the ship for content and make long-term decisions for the direction of e27.
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