Date: 6th May (Friday)
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Platform: In-person / MEMBERS-ONLY Event
Whether you are a foodie or not, one thing that you cannot deny is that most happy memories always revolve around good food. Since the beginning of our history, the act of eating together has been one of nurture, friendship and love. And for modern teams, an opportunity to relax from the stresses of the office.
Members, join us this Friday with your lunch from 1:00pm-2:00pm for our community food bonding session at Greenhouse Coworking!
Date: EVERY WEDNESDAY at The Garden
Time: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Platform: In-person / PAID Session
There are so many different kinds of yoga practices, so it’s possible for anyone to start. Whether you’re a couch potato or a professional athlete, size and fitness levels do not matter because there are modifications for every yoga pose and beginner classes in every style.
Join us EVERY WEDNESDAY from 7:00am – 8:00 AM for our weekly yoga sessions at Greenhouse Coworking with our certified instructor, Lillian Delana at The Garden. This session is FJD$7 for members and FJD$10 for non-members. RSVP now and don’t miss out!
Date: 28th April (Thursday)
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Platform: Hybrid / MEMBERS-ONLY Event
As the leader of your business, you are responsible for spotting problems and delegating solutions. You are responsible for setting goals and thinking about the future. The only person in your company who will be genuinely motivated to grow your company is you. Every minute that you spend working on tasks that can be delegated is a minute that you are not planning, strategising and building the best business possible.
About our speaker:
Ram Bajekal is a professional with 35 years experience in the corporate sector – 20 years at the highest level of CEO / Managing Director (15 years heading FMCG businesses). The last 12 of those years have been in the Pacific Region, based in Fiji and transacting business with all Pacific Island Countries. He has a track record of high performance with significant results that enabled rapid career growth. Rams forté has been effective strategising, timely execution and incisive reviews bound in strategic leadership, resulting in significant value creation. Ram is a Fulbright scholar in Management Studies from Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA – only the third Indian to receive the prestigious Fulbright-CII Fellowship for Leadership in Management. Also a qualified Chartered Accountant and Intermediate Company Secretary.
Members, join us from 9:00AM to 10:00AM for our Veiwasei (sharing) event with Ram Bajekal as he shares his tips and tricks on how to step out and work ON your business instead of IN in order to identify areas that need improvement, delegate the work out, so you can continue to be the troubleshooter and visionary that you need to be.
Book your seat now and don’t miss out.
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
Bula, I am Rhenaud Hette, from France. I arrived in Fiji in 2020 and I love the Fijian experience so far. I am working as the Fiji representative for New Caledonia Trade & Invest. Our association aims to assist New Caledonian companies to export in the Pacific as well as assist Fijian companies to export to New Caledonian, since I am based here in Fiji. We help companies in every sector of activity, from startups to big companies. The main team is based in New Caledonia. Before working for NCT&I, I was finishing my Master in Business Engineering while working part time for 2 years at the Economic Development Agency of the city of Marseille. After that I took a few months off to work in a surf hostel in Porto (Portugal) and I got to surf everyday, which was an amazing experience.
How would you describe your personality?
I would say I am someone calm, social and always excited to go an adventure, especially when unplanned. I value a lot time spent with friends and close ones, as well as time spent alone to refocus and recenter myself. I like sports, such as surfing, hiking, boxfit and basically any activities related to water. I would consider myself as someone funny, always joking, but the English speaking part tends to soften this side of me as it is less natural than in French.
What’s your favourite quote?
“Happiness is only real when shared” from Christopher McCandless / Into the Wild.
For me this quote has always made sense and every exciting experience will always feel much better when shared with close ones. Of course the experiences and encounters made alone are awesome and pretty exciting too, but the ones made with friends will just simply make better memories in the end.
What is the most important lesson you learnt in life?
As my current job is my first full time job, I would say to have a good personal / work life balance. We tend to get trapped into the work rush and deadlines circle, but at the end of the journey, what usually fulfils us and creates memories is the time spent with loved ones and our personal projects. So even during a busy work period, always take some time for yourself.
How would you describe Greenhouse Coworking?
Greenhouse brings me a very comfy and cozy working environment. I am actually hosted at the French Embassy of Suva but my team is based in New Caledonia, so I am working remotely with them everyday. Being at Greenhouse allows me to be surrounded with independent workers, consultants and entrepreneurs. It tends to boost my productivity and make work more enjoyable (especially as I have a tendency to be unproductive and distracted when working from home). The events are also very interesting when it comes to networking and professional advice.
Tell us about yourself and Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development?
I am first a husband and a proud father, and I am passionate about the broadcast industry in the region.
For the last 10 years, I have been working in Papua New Guinea, for the country’s first television broadcaster. My career and my background are in television, particularly in the areas of production and content.
After leaving PNG in December 2021, I decided to come back to Fiji to spend time with family and more importantly, to be close to my wife and son. We have been living away from each other for a total of nine months due to the pandemic.
I commenced work with the Asia-Pacific Institute of Broadcasting Development (AIBD) in March 2022 as a Programme Manager. AIBD is an inter-governmental organization, with the purpose of developing the media industry in the Asia-Pacific region, specifically in the areas of radio and television. AIBD has more than 40 members countries, of which 8 of these countries are from the Pacific. My role as a Programme Manager is to manage AIBD’s programs and initiatives in the Pacific.
What is your favourite thing about your career?
On an industry level, my favorite thing about working in the television industry is that no two assignments are the same. The next assignment will always be different from the last. Today you can be working on a live sports broadcast and the next thing you know; you could be working on a documentary about the Covid-19. It’s being able to work across a wide variety of topics, situations, and scenarios and with different people that can really help you widen your perspectives.
With my current role at AIBD, I also like the diverse cultures and nationalities that I get to work with within the organisation. We have people from different countries across the Asia-Pacific region, and we have all come together to work towards a common goal – the development of radio and television in the region. Externally, I also get to work with people from 8 different countries across the Pacific. I also like the fact that in this role, I am in a position to effect change and development in the broadcast space at a regional level.
What’s your go-to guilty pleasure?
Sometimes I like to order a particular dish from different places just to compare them and see which one is the best. Recently, we (me, my wife and son – yes, it’s a family activity) did this with fish and chips from three different fish and chips places in Pacific Harbor, in the same night, for dinner. There was of course a winner. We might be doing this for pizza next.
What is the best advice you have ever received and how has it helped shape you as an individual?
Some of the best words of advice I got was from watching a lot of sermons delivered by of Myles Munroe. Two of the messages he shared that I will never forget are:
- “Find your domain and serve it to the world.” – Myles Munroe
- “Our life is the sum total of all the decisions we make every day, and those decisions are determined by our priorities” – Myles Munroe
Why does coworking work for you?
While working from home can be liberating, co-working from this space is both liberating and empowering. Just seeing and being surrounded by passionate people who people who are driven is very motivating.
Date: 13th April (Wednesday)
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Platform: Zoom / FREE Session
Burnout is more than just feeling tired at work. It’s an emotional and physical reaction to constant stress. This form of mental exhaustion has been known to be associated with increased depression, anxiety and sleep problems, amongst other afflictions that prevent you from being the BEST version of yourself. As high-performing business owners, consultants and professionals, it is sometimes an impossible task to ‘unplug’ from work, take a break and make meaningful connections to the people around you. Or just slowing down, being in the moment and enjoying the little things.
If this resonates with you, join us with our qualified mental health trainers and speakers; Ofa, Gaylene and Soro for a 1-hour free information session on Burnouts, Stress and Coping in the busy lives of entrepreneurs and professionals
Get your free ticket now and don’t miss out!
Tell us about yourself and Environmental Law Oceania Consultancy?
I grew up in France, in a suburb of Paris, the fifth of 5 girls. I was the first of my family to go to university, and studied law. I was always interested and involved in social justice issues, and I ended up graduating with a Master of international public law. As soon as I had enough savings, I left France to travel the world by sailing. I found a travel partner who happened to be Australian, and to cut a long story short, we made it to Sydney, hopping from boat to boat and countries to islands, in a little less than a year later. This is how I discovered the beauty of the Pacific Ocean and of the Pacific Islands. In Australia, while raising my two beautiful children (and surviving cancer), I went back to University. This time to complete my Master of environmental law. I eventually started working in the field of environmental law and development assistance in the Asia Pacific region, but mostly Indonesia. It is the opportunity to develop the Oceania environmental law program of IUCN – International Union for Conservation of Nature that brought me to Suva some ten years ago. I then worked for two years with Fiji Environmental Law Association as Environmental Legal Advisor under the Australian International Volunteer for International Development (AVID) program. In 2018 I established Environmental Law Oceania Consultancy, and started working as an independent consultant.
ELO Consultancy provides technical assistance and capacity building services in the field of environmental and natural resources management law and governance in Fiji and / or the Pacific Islands region. In practice, it involves mostly analysing the legal and policy frameworks governing any particular environmental issue or natural resource management challenge, and making recommendations for improvement; developing awareness and training resources, running capacity building workshops and contributing to various workshops and events. In the last couple of years, I have worked mainly on projects relating to the prevention of plastic pollution, which is a very serious environmental transboundary environmental issue affecting significantly the Pacific Islands. Beyond the most visible ocean plastic litter problem, the production of plastics and plastic pollution are also associated with climate change and with threats to biodiversity, food security, human rights, and health. Recent research has even found microplastics in human placenta and blood!
If you could describe yourself in 3 words, what would they be?
1- Curious / Adaptive
2- Determined/ Resilient
3- Citizen of the world
Can you share your favourite quote with us and why ?
“If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito.” African proverb quoted by the Daila Lama
I like this quote because it is empowering. It gives motivation to persist working towards changing the things and systems in the world that may appear too big or too powerful for a single person or a single group of people to challenge.
“It’s not what happens to you but how you react that matters”. Epictetus, Greek stoic philosopher
This quote reminds me that there will inevitably be things or situations in my life that are not what I intended or wished for. What I can control however, and will make a difference to my life in the end is how I respond to them, accept what I cannot change, learn from it, look at the big picture and move on.
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Why does coworking work for you?
I enjoy working independently as a consultant, but the flip side of working at home is isolation. Greenhouse Coworking is the ideal solution for consultants who, like me miss being part of a community of work. It gives me a workspace outside of home, a bright and open space, pulsing with positive energy, the chance to meet likeminded people and, importantly, good coffee. All of this helps me stay focused on my work.
Date: 1st April (Friday)
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Platform: In-person / MEMBERS-ONLY Session
The word “community” is used so often today and when the term is thrown around in countless contexts, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of community—and how to develop communities that add purpose and joy to our lives. So, what exactly is community? In its simplest form, it’s a group of people with something in common. That shared factor could be family, geography, or life stage. It could also be an overlapping interest, passion, or profession. But for a group of people to form a true community that enriches the lives of its members, the individuals involved must also feel a shared sense of trust, connection, and caring for one another.
We at Greenhouse Coworking believe that the experience of getting together and sharing a meal with friends creates the best relationships. That’s why are inviting all our members to share a meal together to strengthen our community bond at our very first (of many) ‘Lunch at The Garden’ session this Friday! All you have to do is bring your lunch and join us for an informal catchup with good company. Book your seats now or drop us an email to confirm your attendance.
We truly hope to see you all there!
Tell us about yourself and what you do?
I work with 350.org, an organisation that is building a global grassroots movement to take on the fossil fuel industry and big polluters the world over. In my role as the Head of Regions, I oversee work in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Pacific. I also serve on the Pacific Climate Warriors Secretariat and support Pacific Climate advocacy across 16 Pacific Island nations and diaspora communities in New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. I am passionate about storytelling, photography and filmmaking. I also identify as a climate justice movement trainer and facilitator. I have taken those passions, combined them with my love for podcasting, and created my own podcast, Beyond The Narrative. I am also currently a Nia Tero Storytelling Fellow.
What do you consider the most difficult aspect of your job and how do you overcome it?
There is a lot happening in the world right now with climate impacts, war, loss, grief and often times acknowledging that can be difficult. To overcome that, I often have to honor what is and do the work to reconfigure my relationship to the future I hold some fear around. Our brains and hearts are not well equipped for uncertainty so when I begin to go down a rabbit hole I remind myself that its OK to recognise these feelings, honor what it is and how it feels in my body, and answer the call to rest- to take a pause, to breathe and find joy in the world we are all stewarding right now. A beautiful sunrise, an empty beach, the perfect roti parcel from a takeout in Suva, a fresh ‘bu’ (coconut water) on the side of the road, a hug from a family member, and a deep conversation with a friend. All of these things generate such positive emotions and it’s important to be reminded of all that when I’m faced with any difficulties with my job and outside of my work as well. Counting the blessings of the little things have been so great with navigating challenges.
Best piece of advice that you live by?
Staying consistent with whatever somatic practice aligns with your lifestyle. Dedicate time in your mornings to plan out your workday – pay attention to how you steward resources. Let every dollar you’ve been blessed with have a job in your life.
How has coworking at Greenhouse been for you?
Having this space has made such a huge difference. The team at Greenhouse really has been intentional with building out a community around this space and you really do feel like you are coming into a space that is welcoming and generative. I work 3 days a week from here and it’s helped me tremendously! From the private zoom rooms to the open space where the shared desks exist, to the outside decking. Each corner of the coworking space strikes the tricky balance of being fit for purpose and versatile! Its a welcome alternative to the traditional ways of working that exist in our societies.
Date: 8th March 2022 (Friday)
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Platform: Zoom / FREE Session
Many ‘defining’ moments in life come from having crucial conversations, as these create significant shifts in attitude and behaviour. Conversations come in many forms, from friendly to professional, from low-risk to high-stakes, and from relaxed to tense. Every day we engage in numerous conversations, each which play important roles in shaping our expectations, relationships, and outcomes. Navigating conversations effectively takes certain skills, such as social intelligence, courage, self-control, and even humility.
For entrepreneurs and leaders, communication is a key component to leading the people around you, to ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals. When stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong, it’s important that everyone involved in the conversation feels safe. Look for signs of fear and bring the conversation back to safety. There’s often a gap between what we say, what we mean, and how someone else perceives what was said. When engaging in a crucial conversation, blend confidence with humility. Be confident enough to state opinions and facts, but also be open to accept a challenge.
Book your FREE seat now to join us for this virtual session with William Parkinson and don’t miss out on the importance of having those crucial conversations.
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