About Us

About Spare Biz Space

Spare Biz Space is the brain child of Helen Cowley, a home-based business consultant, coach, mentor and trainer. Helen started her consulting business from home to enable her to balance managing her husband’s business as well as looking after her 5 children. This business Story is based on Helen’s own experiences over the last 20 years. During that time Helen has identified four areas:

• The need of others like her to continually find facilities that are available and suitable for delivery of professional services and presentations.
• Th underutilized facilitates available of other business owners who have assets that could be used and gain better returns on their investment.
• The acceptance of the share economy and
• the growth in the mobile business market.

As an example: trying to find training facilities when she is engaged to deliver a program to a group in a new region. The internet search would start with hotels, motels and conference centres. Trying to source suitable facilities that were within the required region, and budget often meant having to ring anything up to 12-15 facilities prior to finding something suitable.

Face to Face Business Place

Helen often meets clients face to face to discuss their needs this is generally in a cafe, restaurant or something similar.  For many consultants, coaches and sales people this has become the norm.

Although very nice there are a number issues that arise with these venues:

• Discussing confidential information
• Noise and distractions
• The cost of food and beverages in facilities like these is often not tax deductable.

“When I am coaching, a restaurant or cafe I find most unsuitable for a private conversation and the distraction of surrounding noise” Helen says. “And yes, I do use some innovative venues that help with open thinking!” There is a continual search for appropriate spaces and places

Helen also delivers retreats and once again the need arises for facilities that are suitable, and it is a matter of once again researching the internet from one website to the next to find what is available and fits the budget.

Start-up for Launch

“I work with many new business start-ups”, helping them develop their idea at home without a rented space or approved facility.  These businesses are looking for everything from commercial kitchens, to enable them to produce their small runs, popup shops to try out their ideas, develop their prototypes and even quiet places to hold a confidential professional meeting.  They are bootstrapping their businesses and looking for innovative ways to expand and trial new ideas and products.  Looking for facilities in areas other than their local region can be very time consuming and daunting for everyone.

Businesses that are based in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide or even a small town within Australia, may find the need to fly interstate to meet a potential client, and once again, where do they meet for such a presentation?

Based on this, and the ever-growing trend globally, of a mobile and transient workforce that is working from home or on the road.  Research: such as American base International Data Corporation has forecast that by 2020 72.3% of the US workforce will work from a mobile location! Currently 40% of people are now work from or at home in Australia. A large majority of this sector do and will always have the need to find appropriate spaces for running events, launching products, producing products and to simple meet with new or potential clients.

Innovative Businesses – Innovative Spaces

Innovation in:  Think where and what type of facilities can only expand with the creativity of a younger generation. “Globally I am hearing of conferences being held in vacant warehouses and old manufacturing facilities and other open or vacant spaces” Says Helen.

“Over the last few years I have also become aware of businesses that for some reason or another have spare space” – they may have down sized, have an area that is just used for storage, or simply own or pay rent for more space than they need.  There are many businesses that have boardrooms that may only be used occasionally or restaurants that don’t open on Mondays or Tuesdays.  Everyone of these business’s are paying for area or space that isn’t being used and could be getting a profitable return on the unused space.  There are also many vacant shops in shopping complexes that are being used by a business that has developed a popup store model and are taking advantage of vacant facilities on a short time leases.

EG: “The Outlet” A win win situation for both the owner of the vacant space and the renting business.

It would really be wonderful to connect all of theses needs on the one website. – SpareBizSpace.

All of these things have created a vast need and availability which is untapped.

Simply put, our aim is to be that partnership or union for those looking for space and those that have it.  To expand on the sharing economy (over two thirds (68%) of Australians now spend and earn money through the sharing economy according to research from P2P lender Rate Setter). We plan to play our part by providing innovative resources and venues for use, and support the development and profitability of millions of small businesses throughout Australia.  Sparbizspace is going to aid, add and connect those benefits through this website, for those needing adhoc and temporary space.