Powering Productivity

About Powering Productivity

The Powering Productivity podcast shares real conversations with micro business leaders, neighbourhood coworking operators, and community builders who are leading with heart. It’s not about glossy success stories, it’s about the juggle, the invisible load, and the small shifts that help us keep moving forward. What you'll hear: 🌿 How to keep energy steady when you’re carrying a lot 💛 Ways to build sustainable, people-first hubs and businesses 🔍 Honest reflections from leaders navigating change ✨ The magic is in combining clarity with strategy - people-first, values-led, and sustainable.

Publisher

Suzanne Murdock

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 Feb 2021

Latest episode

7 Jan 2026

Latest episodes

45 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Jan 2026

   What Small Business Really Looks Like: Voices From the Inside

   Welcome to this special episode of Powering Productivity, created in celebration of Small Business Saturday and our place in the UK’s SmallBiz100. Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of sitting with founders, freelancers, independent coworking operators, community leaders and small teams, all people who've shared their truths with such honesty and generosity. What struck me, time and time again, is how similar their stories are, not in the details but in the heart of them. Again and again, our conversations returned to the same quiet realities: the responsibility of holding things together, the emotional load that often goes unseen, and the importance of connection, care and support along the way. Small business isn’t powered by perfect strategies or flawless plans. It’s powered by people. By community. By the courage to keep going when things feel heavy and the relief and joy of finding support in places you didn’t expect. Across Series 4 of Powering Productivity, guests spoke openly about what this looks like in practice. From Claire Carpenter (Claire Carpenter Coaching) and Roland Stanley (Dragon Coworking), we heard how belonging, everyday check-ins and genuine care can turn a workspace into something far more meaningful than an office. Through voices like Stacey Sheppard (Tribe Coworking) and Maria do Céu Bastos (Nowhere Coworking), themes of resilience, vulnerability and the need for peer support came to the fore, particularly for those juggling many roles, responsibilities and expectations. With reflections from Benjamin Carew (Othership) and conversations linked to Connected Hubs, the lens widened to include flexible work, regional opportunity and the ripple effects that occur when people are enabled to work closer to home and contribute back to their communities. And through insights shared by Pauline Roussel (Coworkies) and Yoshio Tsuda (Morino Office), we were reminded that coworking is deeply shaped by place and culture and that care for community, whether urban or rural, sits at the heart of sustainable work everywhere. So in this special wrap-up episode, I’m bringing together some of the moments that have stayed with me most. The short reflections, insights and truths that show what small business really looks like from the inside. This is a celebration of the humans behind the work. A recognition of the emotional and practical support systems that hold us up. And a reminder that none of us are building alone. As you listen, I’d love you to reflect on this: What’s been quietly holding you up in your own work or business lately and who’s part of that support system for you? I hope you enjoy these voices as much as I did and that they help you feel a little more seen, understood and supported in your own small business journey.

2. 

   4 Dec 2025

   S4. Ep12. Leading With Heart: The Emotional Realities of Coworking Leadership, with Lucy McInally

   What it really takes to run a coworking space without running yourself into the ground. From the outside, running a coworking space can look beautifully simple: open the doors, fill the desks, host a few events and “let community happen”. But for most independent and local operators, the reality is far heavier and far more human. In this episode of Powering Productivity, Suzanne is joined by Lucy McInally - a content strategist and writer who works with coworking brands and flexible workspace operators across the UK and Europe, and who also brings the lived perspective of having been a member in several independent and multi-location workspaces. Together, they open up an honest conversation about what coworking leadership really asks of you behind the scenes emotionally, energetically, and financially. They unpack the invisible load of holding space for everyone else, the pressure of keeping cashflow and community afloat, the constant marketing juggle, and the quiet loneliness that can appear when you’re “the one” everyone leans on. And importantly they move beyond the challenges to explore practical, human-centred ways to create more clarity, boundaries, and support so you can keep leading with heart without burning yourself out. ✨ In this conversation, they explore: • The invisible load operators carry (even when a space looks “full” from the outside) • Community, boundaries, and caring deeply without absorbing everything • Cashflow pressure, comparison with big brands & finding sustainable revenue • Marketing overwhelm and using content, podcasts & AI in a way that fits your energy • Loneliness in leadership — why alliances, champions & peer spaces matter • Realistic shifts that help you build a business that works for real life, not fantasy 💬 Quote from the episode: “There’s so much heart in this industry but that’s exactly why operators need support too.” Lucy McInally A few moments to listen for: 00:00 — Welcome & episode introduction 01:12 — Lucy’s background & her experience across different coworking spaces 04:20 — The hidden emotional load behind running an independent hub 09:45 — Why community care requires boundaries 14:55 — Cashflow pressure, sustainability & comparison with larger brands 18:30 — The marketing juggle: content, podcasts & AI without overwhelm 22:40 — The loneliness of leadership & the need for peer support 27:10 — Small shifts that help operators protect energy & avoid burnout 31:50 — Final reflections & where to find Lucy’s work Before you dive in… Running a coworking space asks more of you than most people will ever realise so if this episode touches something for you, you’re not alone. What part of coworking leadership feels heaviest for you right now and what would make it feel lighter? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments or DMs. And if you’re craving more clarity, structure or support as you lead your space, I’m here to help, you’ll find ways to connect with me in the show notes. 🔗 Links & Resources Lucy McInally - Content Strategy & Writing for Coworking https://www.lucymcinally.com Lucy's LinkedIn feed https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucymcinally The Hub Newry – Powering Productivity Podcast https://www.thehubnewry.com/podcast/ The Quiet Reset – Free Guide: 7 Signs You’re Quietly Carrying Too Much https://www.thehubnewry.com/the-quiet-reset Connect with Suzanne LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannemurdock/ Website: https://www.thehubnewry.com

3. 

   3 Dec 2025

   Scaling With Heart: How Mantle Grew to Eight Locations Without Losing Their People-First Culture

   What does it really take to scale a coworking business without losing the soul of what made it special in the first place? In this episode of Powering Productivity, I’m joined by Jo Hart, who has been at the heart of Mantle Space’s growth from a single serviced-office centre to eight thriving locations across the South East of England. Jo’s story isn’t flashy or polished, it’s real. She’s worked her way through every layer of the organisation over the last 14+ years: front-of-house, operations, business development, marketing. And because of that, she brings something rare, a grounded understanding of what teams, members, and communities genuinely need to feel supported. This conversation is especially meaningful for independent hubs, neighbourhood coworking operators, and micro business owners who want to grow in a way that still feels human. Even though Mantle is a larger operator now, the challenges they’ve navigated culture, communication, community balance, energy, wellbeing are the same ones small spaces face every day. ✨ Together, we explore: How Mantle scaled from 1 to 8 locations while keeping member + staff culture at the centre The realities of building community across multiple locations Why team wellbeing is foundational to member experience The juggling act of operations, hospitality and emotional labour The role of design, environment and atmosphere in shaping community How digital tools help without replacing the human touch What independent operators can learn from a bigger regional player This episode is ultimately about growth that doesn’t cost your heart and why scaling with care, clarity and culture still matters more than ever. “What stayed at the heart of Mantle through growth is simple: look after your people, and everything else follows.” Jo Hart Highlights: Jo’s journey from PA to leading across multiple business functions How Mantle kept its family-feel culture even as the team grew from 8 to 48 Culture, communication and why empowerment matters more than processes Navigating challenges: COVID, new centre openings, political + economic uncertainty Balancing diverse communities across different types of locations The power of thoughtful workspace design in belonging and productivity Using digital tools to support (not replace) human connection Supporting centre teams who juggle HR, operations, community, emotions The importance of celebrating wins and looking back at how far you’ve come What regional coworking operators can learn from each other Timestamps: 00:00 — Welcome to Powering Productivity 00:54 — Introducing Jo Hart & Mantle Space 02:06 — Jo’s journey into coworking 04:26 — From 1 centre to 8: what has changed (and what hasn’t) 05:33 — Culture, values & how Mantle “scaled with heart” 10:58 — Operational challenges & opportunities in regional coworking 13:57 — Navigating COVID, furlough, and rebuilding with care 15:55 — Member mix: corporates, SMEs, remote workers & entrepreneurs 18:20 — Why design + environment matter more than ever 22:27 — Digital tools and keeping the human touch 25:18 — Team wellbeing, boundaries & emotional load 28:19 — Collaboration, connection & the future of regional coworking 31:12 — Where to find Jo and more about Mantle Space Resources: Mantle Space → https://www.mantle.co.uk Powering Productivity Podcast Homepage → https://www.thehubnewry.com/podcast Suzanne’s Coaching & Support for Micro / Coworking Operators → https://www.thehubnewry.com/coaching-mentoring/

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

4,657,709,572

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Podcast Authority Score: 56 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

64

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

27

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.