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SAINT JOHN —ConnexionWorks, Saint John’s collaborative co-working space, is welcoming a new owner.
Jayne Taylor, ConnexionWorks’ current facility director, will join Heather Acker and Doug Jenkens as one of the co-owners.
“I have enjoyed my role [as facility director] over the past 11 months and was taken out to supper by the three co-founders where I was advised of this new opportunity,” said Taylor, in an email to Huddle. “I took a few weeks to think it over but knew this opportunity may not come up again in the future. I love that I can help entrepreneurs and be a community partner.”
Taylor will be taking over the shares of Brendan Bates, one of ConnexionWorks’ founding owners alongside Acker and Jenkins. Bates, who is the vice-president of office interior design firm Toss Solutions, says he’s decided to step away from the company after three years to focus on other projects. However, he will sit on the ConnexionWorks’ board and help on the volunteer basis.
“This was always a three-year project for me. I was the one who initiated the design and the environment and created the space itself initially. That’s been an evolution of the better part of three years, but the space itself is functioning, it’s working well and its benefits have been reached,” said Bates. “I have a couple of commitments on my own, I’ve become president of [PMI New Brunswick] next year, as well I am launching two new businesses. I’m also still running Toss Solutions, so there’s quite a bit on my plate.”
Bates says Taylor’s involvement and passion for both ConnexionWorks’ and the community it helps made her a great candidate for ownership.
“I saw quite a bit in Jayne, the way she has been managing and handling the ConnexionWorks space and just the complete submersion in the entire enterprise and startup community has been done quite well,” says Bates. “We need youthful invigoration into it and I saw an opportunity for Jayne to take over my shares and be able to become a real formidable input into Connexion Works.”
Taylor will continue to be Connexion Works’ facility director. She says she is looking forward to helping build the growth that’s happened since it first opened three years ago.
“Over the past year that I have been there, I have noticed that ConnexionWorks is becoming more known and that we are taking a big role as a community partner. The resources we offer has grown over the past few years, and we have been able to spearhead Startup SJ which will solely focus on the needs of entrepreneurs and be a concierge to be able to direct them through the eco-system,” she says.
“I hope to continue on filling the space and making ConnexionWorks the best co-working space it can be.”
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