What’s Giving Me Energy Right Now: 10 Projects to Explore
Bernie J Mitchell
?? Coworking Strategist & Creator | I help coworking spaces go from unseen to thriving community hubs
Please don't read this as a list.
It isn’t a list—it’s an invitation.
Every section has a link you can follow and join.
I find my energy and connection in these projects, people, and spaces—they’re all wide open for you to step into.
If a little old me can plug into this web of ideas and community, so can you!
Everything here feels?alive—interconnected, accessible, and built on shared energy.
From the no-BS work ethic of Urban MBA to the weekly grounding of the Drive Network, these aren’t exclusive clubs or “cool kids” cliques.
I’ve seen people from these projects cross paths, share ideas, and spark something new just by being in the same room so many times.
This kind of energy makes these communities unique—and there’s no telling what connections might happen next.
This newsletter isn’t just about what I’m doing—it’s about what you can be part of.
One of the next best chances to see this magic in action will be at the Workspace Design Show London in February 2025. ????
1. Citizen Collective: A Space for Shared Learning and Action
The Citizen Collective is a Discord community inspired by Jon Alexander ’s book?Citizens.
The Citizen Collective is a hub where people connect to share ideas, ask questions, and learn from one another.
Rooted in the belief that collaboration—tapping into the energy and wisdom of everyone—can tackle today’s challenges, the collective offers an open environment for building relationships and exploring new ways to shape a better future.
This isn’t an exclusive club or a branded movement; it’s about growing together and shaping what Jon calls a “Citizen Future.”
The “Citizen Future” is essential to our London Coworking Assembly and Coworking Values Podcast antics.
Live in-person chats like this with Martyn Sibley , Simon Duffy , and Jon are on YouTube: Adventures In Democracy: Everyone A Citizen.
If you’re curious about the power of collective action, this is a great place to start.
2. Hero on a Mission
I first found?Hero On A Mission?as a workshop when I was a StoryBrand Guide in 2020.
It's a free online planning tool - Hero On A Mission.
Donald Miller ’s work has always resonated with me; this planner is no different.
It's a simple but powerful tool inspired by Don's journey and the work of Stephen Covey and Viktor Frankl.
I complete it at least four times a week, and it helps me refocus even when things aren’t going well.
When I skip it, I feel the difference.
But when I stay consistent, it keeps me grounded in my goals.
It’s free and straightforward—no overcomplicated planning, just a daily reminder of what you have chosen is essential.
???? Hero On A Mission
3. Cotton Works Wigan
One of our favourite projects this year is the coworking space at The Cotton Works in Wigan, which is being developed by the local family firm The Heaton Group .
So many coworking spaces are looking for a community, but Wigan is a community looking for a coworking space.
The energy in Wigan, especially around the Wigan Youth Zone (WYZ), is unique.
The way Wiagn people are committed to each other and their town is beyond inspiring.
It is a very different way of connection from where I grew up in London.
Follow ‘Feast At The Mills’ on Instagram — everyone from the England Rugby team to The Lathums is popping in to eat!
4. Coworking Values Podcast
Emily Breder and I started recording the Coworking Values Podcast twice weekly a few months ago.
At first, I wasn’t sure we could keep up, but it quickly became one of the most energising parts of my week.
Moving the whole thing to Substack has made it even more of a connection point for us and the audience.
Each Coworking Values Podcast episode digs into how coworking connects people and gives meaning to their work.
These conversations help us unpack the actual value of coworking: bringing people together to find their voices, build careers, and strengthen communities.
Working on this podcast challenges my thinking about community and motivates us to incorporate what we discuss into our work.
5. Chris Marr's Book Club
After years and years of reading a book (or two) a week, I hit a wall.
I had crammed so much information into my head that I couldn’t move forward.
Luckily, my mate Chris Marr started The Authoritative Coach Book Club.
I’ve been participating in Chris's workshops and groups for nearly 10 years, and this club has been the reading reset I did not know I needed.
Chris has this knack for slowing down the process and making you focus on the?right?things for you.
As with so many things, sharing and collaboration make life more prosperous and allow you to learn even more.
I now read slower, and to be honest, I'm reading all of these slowly simultaneously!
6. Creator Write Club
The?Creator Write Club?at Creative Works, E17, is where writers and creators can get work done every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
For over a decade, we’ve been gathering in London coworking spaces to write, create, and get sh*t done.
So, what’s Creator Write Club?
It’s not a workshop.
It’s not a class.
It’s a space—a damn good one—for anyone who needs to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).
Whether you’re hammering out a book chapter, crafting an email that lands, or sketching the bones of your next song, this is where it happens.
Who shows up? Writers, freelancers, poets, academics, podcasters, coders, comedians, musicians, sailors.
People from all walks of life come here with one goal: to create something that matters.
How it works:
“What if I don’t know anyone?” Good.
You’ll meet people.
This is the kind of place where everyone feels welcome.
And yes, there’s coffee. Tea. Biscuits.
Creator Write Club isn’t just a meet-up - it’s a rhythm, a discipline, and a way to carve out a little sanity in a world that never shuts up.
???? RSVP Creator Write Club
7. Urban MBA
A few weeks ago, we had an Urban MBA trustee board meeting, and once again, I was reminded why this thing is gripping me.
Urban MBA is scrappy and relentless, and it refuses to let big or small challenges derail it.
Since I got involved in 2019, Kofi Oppong 's mission has been dead simple: empower people, build skills, and create real opportunities.
No fluff, no shortcuts—just straight-up work that makes a difference.
And the way people rally around this project blows my mind every time.
Urban MBA isn’t about going it alone.
The community—whether it’s folks from our London Coworking Assembly or people who understand what we’re about—always finds a way to pitch in, share resources, and keep things moving.
It’s bootstrapping at its best: make it work with what you’ve got, and somehow, it keeps growing.
(I've seen many more prominent, established projects suffer from a lack of vision and drown in their ego and bureaucracy.)
But not Urban MBA because it isn’t just a project—it’s a reminder of what’s possible when the mission and vision are more vital than the setbacks.
Urban MBA doesn’t just survive; it keeps showing up, punching above its weight, and pulling people together in real and lasting ways.
That’s the kind of energy I want in everything I do.
Next time you need a workspace near Old Street, book a coworking seat at the Urban MBA EdTech centre!
???? Book your coworking seat here.
8. Drive the Network
Ann Hawkins runs?Drive the Network, and it’s been one of my weekly anchors.
(If you remember our TAGtribe anti-networking group, I hope it would have evolved into what Drive is.)
Over the years, Ann has collected some of the most rock-solid people from other projects and networks I've been part of.
For an hour every Thursday morning, I meet with freelancers, coaches, consultants, and micro-business owners to discuss what’s working and what isn’t.
This group has grounded me, especially after moving to Vigo in Galicia in 2022.
Every Thursday is like reconnecting with old friends and discovering new ideas, with much laughter, a lot of purpose and giraffe gags.
Martyn and Jon are also connected to this group, and it’s wild how much collaboration and connection happen just by showing up.
If you are in the UK, also check out people like You Are The Media in Plymouth and the Neotists in Huntingdonshire, which are examples of local 'un' networking groups—whom I consider the real Creator Economy
(P.s. It's worth checking the YATM instgram with Mark Masters on Thursdays! ??)
9. European Coworking Day
It might still be November, but we’re preparing for European Coworking Day in May 2025.
We’re telling people now so they can start thinking about how they want to engage with their community.
This isn’t just about coworking spaces coming together for one day; it’s about months of planning and collaboration that lead to meaningful change.
At the?London Coworking Assembly, we’re encouraging spaces to find ways to connect with their communities.
Jon Alexander’s idea of “finding the others” resonates here— bringing people together around shared values.
Get on the London Coworking Assembly newsletter for local updates.
???? Sign up your space for European Coworking Day
10. Unreasonable Connection: The World’s Smallest Coworking Event
For Coworking Community Builders and Space Operators
If you’re running a coworking space, managing a community-led hub, or balancing business with building community,?Unreasonable Connection?is for you.
This online event series is designed for people like you—micro and small business owners and community managers who shape coworking spaces every day.
Here’s what makes it different:
Unreasonable Connection isn’t just another drab online event.
You'll connect with good people and walk away with something tangible—an idea, a connection, or just a conversation that sticks.
No fluff. No BS. No Bromancing. No ego.
It's just something that hits you where it counts.
One more thing
Coworking brings communities together, helping people find and share their voices.?
Each episode of the Coworking Values Podcast explores the core values driving coworking: Accessibility, Community, Openness, Collaboration, and Sustainability.
These values aren’t just ideas—they shape the spaces where we gather, work, and grow, helping others discover how coworking can enrich lives, build careers, and strengthen communities.
Community is the key ??
#coworking?#communityisthekey #coworkinglondon?
Creative Director
1 天前Thanks for sharing Bernie J Mitchell and being instrumental in creating, building, growing and developing communities that all eventually exist as independent ecosystems; so many concepts, productions, stories and inter-communities have stemmed from the spark you provided.
Creating opportunities for collaboration. Advisor and mentor to small businesses. Accountability to stay on track to achieve your goals. Working towards a citizen future through deliberative participation.
3 天前Wow, what a wonderful trip through Bernie's world! Thank you for including me and Drive the Collaborative Network in your list of things that bring you energy and meaningful connection. I unashamedly stole / copied your ideas from TAGTribe and have never regretted it! I'm thrilled to be connected to so many other wonderful people through you!
Empowering professional people-pleasers to step into their authority.
3 天前Hey Bernie, thanks for mentioning the book club - this will be getting a revamp in 2025!
I help creative business people find their voice to build their community. I’m also the Thursday newsletter paperboy ??
3 天前Great initiatives to check out Bernie. That's some list and the most important thing is that if the path is worth it, we keep going.
Helping People Deliver More Than They Expect - saving money, making money, creating new connections. Partnering with an award winning company based in the UK with a range of second to none services.
3 天前Great read, Bernie. So many good ideas within.