Technically not the owner… but try telling her that.
Q: So, what do you actually do at The Creative Fringe?
Barb: Oh, you know… everything. I’m the Community Manager, social media manager, the unofficial DIY department, part-time furniture flipper, wallpaper-er and full-time chaos coordinator. I look after the daily running of our co-working space, leases, private offices, our residents, creative workshops, manage training room, venue and meeting room hire, and most importantly our people.
My priority is always our residents: supporting their needs, listening to their wild ideas, helping spark collaborations, and making sure they feel seen, welcome, and supported the minute they walk through the door. I’m here to make work feel less like… work.
Q: Who actually runs The Creative Fringe?
Let’s clear this up. The Creative Fringe is proudly owned by the incredible ideas woman Debbie O’Connor. She’s the big boss lady and is always involved and hands on in the business – but now its via phone and zooms… Most of you know that Debbie is living her best life on the Sunny Coast, which leaves me unsupervised…(insert twitching eye.. rubbing hands).
But in practice? Let’s just say Im a very proud to be the Community Manager and Im grateful to have a boss lady who gives me the freedom to do what I need to do. I have a motto: “Seek forgiveness, not permission.” So if something gets wallpapered, repainted, rearranged, or entirely transformed without notice — yep, that was me. And yes, Debbie’s probably only just finding out now.. via our socials. (Hi Deb.)
Q: Favourite tools of the trade?
Easy. Staple gun, cable ties, Fb Marketplace, scheduling tools and solid notebook for planning ( and brainfog..)
I live for a good bargain, I love repurposing old treasures, and I’ve got a bit of a weakness for bold wallpaper and fairy lights. If I can DIY it, zhuzh it, or make it more Fringe-y, I’m doing it. No one asked, but I’m doing it anyway. Theres lots of different moving parts across all areas of the business – so keeping up with everything and scheduling is paramount.
Q: What do you love most about the co-working concept?
What a lot of people might not know is that I actually started out here at The Creative Fringe as a resident almost nine years ago with my co-owned photography business.
Moving into The Creative Fringe completely changed the way we worked. Suddenly, we weren’t isolated at my dining room table anymore. We were surrounded by ideas, people, and opportunities that just didn’t exist at home. There was this beautiful mix of friendly, accidental networking and genuine, natural collaboration. Things just clicked.
That experience has always stayed with me. It’s why I love the co-working concept so much. It’s not just about desks and Wi-Fi. It’s about building those connections. It’s having someone to bounce ideas off, share a coffee with, or high-five after a win.. even support for when things go sideways.
Fast forward a few years, and I stepped into the Community Manager role five years ago with a real understanding of what being in this kind of space can do for someone’s business goals, mindset, and growth. I’ve been on both sides of the fence and that perspective shapes how I support our residents now.
Q: What do you love most about your role now?
The people. Every day I get to meet someone new, whether it’s a volunteer for our TOTS community, a dreamer, a doer, a small business owner trying to make it work.
I love knowing that Im helping build relationships, fostering a sense of community, and being the connector between people who didn’t know they needed each other until they met in our warehouse.
Also? I get to make a little mischief and I’m not afraid of a little dark humour or even bribery. I get to bring my doggo to work as my sidekick and hang out daily with an incredible bunch of people that call this space home.
Q: Any advice for someone visiting The Creative Fringe for the first time?
Come as you are, even with dreams half-baked, coffee in hand, and I’ll tell you all reasons why you should be here and I’ll make NO apologies for trying to sell your an office or a desk space.If you are someone who runs a creative business I WILL stalk you on socials until you run a workshop here.
This is a space for creators, connectors, thinkers, tinkerers, and everyone in between.
And if you see someone climbing a ladder in the background? That’s just me, hanging a green wall no one approved. So that’s me. Barb.
I’m not the boss.
I just act like it.
Come visit us. You’ll feel right at home.