What does it really take to build a thriving neighbourhood coworking space as an introverted founder especially when you’re juggling cashflow, confidence, and community in equal measure?
In this episode of Powering Productivity, Suzanne sits down with Melissa Richards, founder of Buick Mackane, a vibrant creative coworking, meeting and event space in the heart of Newbury.
The conversation is honest, warm, and deeply relatable for anyone running a small hub or micro business especially those balancing people-first values with real-life energy and capacity.
✨ Quote from the episode:
“I never really felt I belonged anywhere until I created the space I needed myself — and then I realised others needed it too.”
Together, we explore the quiet strength behind independent operators, the courage it takes to show up consistently, and the beauty that unfolds when community forms in the smallest everyday moments.
Some of the highlights:
Creating a coworking space as an introverted founder
Balancing confidence, cashflow and community connection
Navigating COVID, reopening and keeping the doors open
Why design, atmosphere and energy shape your member mix
Freelancing as a bridge to financial stability
How private offices change the sustainability model
The emotional load of holding space for others
Why “belonging” is built through small, consistent acts
Managing energy, boundaries and burnout as a solo operator
The value of members who become your extended team
Baby-step confidence, comparison traps, and showing up in your own way
Timestamps:
00:00 — Welcome to Powering Productivity
00:48 — Meet Melissa: From freelance insights to founding Buick Mackane
02:45 — The search for a workspace that felt right
03:50 — Building community from scratch
04:58 — Launching during COVID & navigating the second lockdown
06:42 — Freelancing as a financial safety net
07:30 — How design shaped Buick’s community
09:25 — The power of quirky, creative, non-corporate space
10:00 — Cashflow realities & the turning point towards private offices
12:20 — Why private offices bring sustainability + freedom
14:10 — Events, energy and the “ideal” building setup
15:57 — Balancing freelancers, local SMEs & remote corporate teams
17:10 — Encouraging shy members to connect
18:30 — The hidden emotional labour of community building
20:00 — Collaboration, events and members sparking new ideas
21:50 — Introverted founders: leadership, energy & boundaries
23:40 — Recharging after hosting: managing energy well
25:00 — Letting members support you too
26:58 — Who holds the space for the operator?
27:57 — Delegation, extended teams & knowing when to accept help
29:10 — Comparison traps & showing up despite self-doubt
30:53 — Baby steps, consistency and what really builds confidence
32:45 — Listening deeply to what your members actually need
34:38 — Reading between the lines & navigating quiet feedback
35:10 — Unexpected, magical moments of community
36:30 — Where to find Melissa and Buick Mackane online
Links & Resources:
Buick Mackane Coworking (Newbury, UK)
The Quiet Reset – Free Guide:
7 Signs You’re Quietly Carrying Too Much
If you’re a micro business owner or neighbourhood coworking operator who often feels like you’re carrying too much I hope this episode reminds you that you’re not alone.
There is quiet strength in the work you do, and community grows from the small, consistent actions that never make the headlines but change lives every day.