September's HighStreet Hero: The Generator Hub
Each month we’ll be featuring our #HighStreetHero, Devon-based independent businesses which are thriving through a locally-focused ethos. This month we want to shout out an Exeter-based business, at the heart of their local freelancing community ‘The Generator Hub’.
Having moved to Exeter with his family in 2010, Neil Finnie found it challenging to become immersed in the local business community. He’d worked in other cities and found co-working spaces to be the heart of opportunities and new connections and felt Exeter needed a place for its ecosystem to thrive. With this in mind, he found a city centre office space, invited a few connections to join him, and in 2012 launched the Generator Hub; Exeter’s first and completely independent co-work space.
Like other entrepreneurs, digital nomads and freelancers, Generator Hub member Jim Strong, found the co-work space to be a ‘home from home’ workplace and loved the concept. After chatting to Neil about his own passions for building a strong community of like-minded professionals, there was little doubt that together they could grow and strengthen the community; Jim partnered in 2014.
When the opportunity arose in 2016 to take on a second Generator Hub location right on Exeter’s beautiful and historic quayside, Neil and Jim jumped at the chance to be immersed in this unique and evermore vibrant city location, creating a new community to interact alongside their original one.
After the community manager moved overseas in 2018, Neil’s wife Liz – also an active freelance member at the Generator Hub – diverged away from her scientific career and took on the role. As Liz explains,
“The Generator Hub is not just a place of work for our team and members, it is a relaxed yet professional space that offers great flexibility; a place where people feel supported, where businesses can grow and adjust, where collaborations are made, and where friendships are ignited”.
During the great pause of 2020 the Generator Hub consolidated into just one location on the quayside. Liz says “although sad at the time, the upside is we now have all our members under one roof and in a great location”.
The Generator Hub offers a range of tariffs to suit individual and business needs; from daily hot desks to more permanent memberships, alongside other business services including meeting rooms. Internal events are run to showcase members and external local businesses, and the hub is always looking at ways to support the wider Exeter community and local/national/international charities. The Generator Hub remains a strong cog in the Exeter City wheel and the team are looking forward to celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year!
So if your looking to connect with like-minded professionals and want to work in a beautiful location in the heart of Exeter, head on over to The Generator Hub website attached below.
https://www.instagram.com/generatorhub/?hl=en