Meet Emma, Amy and Tim from Joll Commons

People Behind the Space: Joll Commons

Emma Lindsay & Anna Gillespie, Co-Founders of Joll Commons

Joll Commons is more than just a coworking space—it’s a beautifully curated hub for connection, creativity, and collaboration in Hawke’s Bay. Founded by Emma Lindsay, Amy Gillespie, and Tim Gillespie, Joll Commons was born from a shared vision of creating a workspace that blends the best of home comforts with the energy of a dynamic professional environment. From its thoughtful design to its thriving community of professionals, Joll Commons has become a vibrant space where conversations spark opportunities, and local businesses come together.

In this People Behind the Space feature, we sit down with the co-founders to discuss their inspiration, the evolving culture of coworking, and what’s next for Joll Commons.

What inspired you to create Joll Commons, and what was your vision for the space when you started?

We had met in a private shared space and built a friendship working alongside each other. We started talking about how amazing it would be to have a similar space open to the public within the village. This, combined with noticing how many young professionals had moved to HB and were working remotely, meant we knew there would be demand for a space if we committed to the idea. We wanted somewhere that would feel residential yet functional—so tenants would enjoy coming to work because the space felt a bit like all of the best parts of working from home, but with the energy that arises from being in a shared environment.

And we wouldn’t have had the confidence to go ahead without Tim—he makes the numbers feel manageable and keeps a really good eye on costs and tenancy targets, ensuring the business remains both sustainable and accessible.

Joll Commons is designed to foster community and collaboration—how do you see this come to life in the space?

We've met so many incredible people through Joll Commons, and it's been amazing to see the sense of community that has naturally developed. The space fosters spontaneous conversations that lead to everything from new friendships to exciting business collaborations and strategic ideas. There's a great balance between corporate and creative professionals, as well as a mix of Millennials and Gen X, which brings diverse perspectives and lively discussions.

Beyond our members, the boardroom is frequently hired by the public, making Joll Commons a hub for the local community—a place where connections happen organically, whether through daily work or shared ideas over coffee.

Amy, as the designer behind Joll Commons, what was your approach to creating an inspiring yet functional coworking environment?

I started with the spatial layout, working out the best way to zone the areas to accommodate the variety of services we wanted to offer - these being Private Offices and Dedicated Desks for the more corporate clientele, and a more casual, buzzy area for drop-ins and flexi-workers. We needed shared communal spaces to serve everybody, as well as quiet zones for meetings, Zoom calls, and a boardroom.

From there it was all about developing a colour and materials palette with a conceptual foundation of specific use of strong colour; contemporary vs handmade furnishings to give a crafted fee, and an overall goal of creating a refined, tactile environment. Coming from a residential design background, making the space feel inviting was instinctive; the challenge was ensuring it also functioned at a commercial level - for example, seamlessly integrating the practical needs of cables, monitors, and tech without compromising aesthetic integrity. I am happy with the result as JC is a workspace that feels both serene and purposefully designed for modern work.

Emma, as the operations manager and daily face of Joll Commons, what do you love most about interacting with members?

I’ll answer this on behalf of Emma - as a natural people person who immediately makes people feel welcomed, Emma brings a life to the space that moves people quickly beyond being strangers working beside each other, to being friendly and chatty. As she works full time for Activist Manuka from her desk at JC, she has unwillingly become the IT support person and general office bi*ch, which is quite hilarious at times!

Emma: I feel incredibly lucky that I have been able to create this beautiful space, which happens to provide a desk for my full-time remote work, so I can approach it from a place of both tenant AND owner, which is incredibly satisfying.

What types of professionals and businesses call Joll Commons home, and how has the space adapted to their needs?

We have a wide variety of permanent and casual professionals using the space - from lawyers and financial advisers, to marketers, stylists, and graphic designers, and everything in between. Joll Commons is divided into two spaces - a private office side that has individual suites, a meeting room, and an internal security door; and the other side is our open-plan desking, boardroom, and communal facilities, including phone booth meeting rooms and a chic lounge and kitchen.

Have there been any unexpected moments or collaborations within Joll Commons that have stood out to you?

It’s been amazing to work with local businesses, whether that be the architects who designed the whole building, local cafe catering, the cocktail bar below us, and florists and artists/galleries who loan their works to us. We love to make the space showcase what we are both into at the current moment, while supporting these local businesses.

What’s next for Joll Commons? Are there any exciting expansions, events, or initiatives on the horizon?

We do aim to host events and talks eventually but we are also both so tapped out with our work lives, that the potential of Joll Commons is yet to be realised! We are excited about some upcoming workshops that have been booked within the space, and working with our local gallerist, Andrew Crawford, to exhibit some of his latest European antiques and artworks. 

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