Today we meet Nikki Gibson, business woman and founder of SWURF, the new app designed to encourage those who work from home to get out and about and enjoy a variety of work-spaces in and around the city.
Tell us more about the SWURF concept, how the idea for this business network came about and your journey so far.
Swurf is an App built to support the new and growing, remote workforce, find welcome spaces to work from in their community, such as hotels, bars, cafes as well as professional workspace options. It is a free App for users (we call them Swurfers) to download. To ensure the App only lists welcome spaces, we created a Host Manifesto that all venues must agree to before being listed. Our aim is to remove the anxiety and uncertainty from finding and arriving at venues, knowing you are welcome to work from that space. Many hosts also add an exclusive promotion for remote workers….i.e free coffee refills or discount on the final bill.
What have been your biggest challenges and biggest wins so far?
Our biggest challenge, and what remains a challenge, is that there is still so much uncertainty around the future – post covid. As an unprecedented situation, we have very little data to help us make informed decisions, so we are very much relying on our ‘gut instinct’ to guide us and so far, we are doing ok. As for wins, I’d say these are the personal messages we receive from users, who celebrate Swurf, as it gives them the freedom to work where and when they want and helps them find the right space to do their best work. Swurf is a tool to access spaces away from their home, where many people have been stuck for months, it supports meeting and reconnecting with friends, colleagues and teams. Ultimately helping people transition into whatever the new working life will look like. It makes me so happy knowing Swurf is helping people.
Why did you choose Edinburgh to launch, what has the potential to be, an international network?
We chose Edinburgh for our pilot because we live here and love it! But also, because of that, we were able to stay close to our host partners and encourage a collaborative approach to building up from our launch product (our Minimum Viable Product) We didn’t want to try and guess what was needed from our Swurfing Community, we wanted to learn and understand what is important so we can build Swurf better!.
Can you share with us a few of the places already signed up as a SWURF venue?
We have so many spaces now on board, including other cities like Aberdeen, Manchester – Glasgow! They are early adopters in their own cities, until we roll out (which is soon!). In Edinburgh however, we have just over 40 partners across all venue styles, restaurants, bars, hotels. Joseph Pearce, (super welcoming friendly Bar at the top of Leith Walk), was our very first host to come on board but now we have an eclectic mix from The Chaumer Tea Rooms and The Dome in Edinburgh Centre to Dunstane Houses and Dakota Hotels. As well as these spaces which we class as social spaces we have professional spaces like The Melting Pot and Nexus Rooms where Swurfers can access day passes and a dedicated hot desk. There really is a space to suit any need, whether that be a team meeting or a social catch up with colleagues in a different environment.
It’s still early days for SWURF but with the increasing popularity of work from home model you must be excited by the opportunities that lie ahead – what’s in the pipeline?
We are so excited! Our vision and mission is to have a global network of Swurfers. We’re really focused on building a fully inclusive community for anyone working remotely. A modern platform to connect and collaborate.
How can readers who are home-workers get in on the SWURF action?
Just download the App it’s available on Android and IOS and it is FREE. Also check out Swurf.co for our Host Manifesto and maybe some inspiration on your next workspace through our news features.
Top tip for a new ‘work from homer’ based in Edinburgh?
Plan at least one day away from your home setting, it’s surprising how a change of scenery, people and general vibe can impact on your productivity. When you live and work in the same space, it’s really important to have clear work–life boundaries.
Where is your own Hidden Edinburgh and why?
I forever feel like a tourist here and always find something or somewhere new. One of my favourite spots that I regularly return to is Dean Village, I love walking Pip (my dog) along the water there and it looks so different every season.
Life motto
Try not to worry about things you can’t control, focus on what you can.
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