I’ve been reading the updated and expanded edition of one of my favourite books, Deploy Empathy.

It’s a practical guide to interviewing customers that I often recommend to clients. Though it’s written for people building software products, its lessons apply to any business.

The new edition introduces the Four Forces model from Jobs-to-be-Done theory. It got me thinking about reframing what I've learned from talking to people like you when considering coworking:

Push of the situation (internal motivator)

Summer’s over. The days are getting shorter, and you’re dreading the isolation of working alone - spending most of your waking hours within the same four walls, with only Zoom calls and weekends to break things up.

Pull of the new (external motivator)

Coworking means building a habit of getting dressed, leaving the house, and seeing real humans. Do it long enough and you’ll feel healthier, make friends, and maybe even discover new ways to work better.

The Anxiety of the New

What if it’s just £200+ a month to sit uncomfortably close to strangers in headphones, making occasional small talk with staff juggling high-paying teams while trying to sell you back the comforts you already have at home?

The Inertia of the Present

Rolling out of bed at 8:45 and starting work at 9 is easy. Trying something new can always wait until tomorrow, next week, or next year. Remember how that gym membership turned out?

Does any of this resonate? Or am I missing the mark?

I’d love to hear what it’s really like for you working from home in Brighton in 2025 - just hit reply and tell me.

Jon

If you liked this you might like to:

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