Class was in session with Flavio Gomes, Principal of Savnix at our AI Without the Hype workshop, exploring practical AI tools and productivity systems for small business.
CW Co-Work Log Book
May 2026 Entry:
Welcome back travellers,
Pour yourself a coffee, find a cozy spot, and settle in. This Log Book entry is landing a little later than planned, but for good reason. We were waiting on a few pieces to come together with partners, events, and community plans for the next little while.
First, a belated Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms, stepmoms, grandmothers, caregivers, and mother figures in our community. We see the care, coordination, and effort you pour into your families, your work, and the people around you. We are grateful for you.
May has been a month of reflection and momentum at CW². April brought music, milestones, new members, good conversations, and a reminder that a lot can happen in one year when good people keep showing up.
CW Co-Work is still growing, still shifting, and still learning what this community needs from the space. One year in, we are starting to better understand how people are using CW², what is missing locally, and how we can continue to evolve in ways that feel useful, welcoming, and rooted in Centre Wellington.
Day-to-Day at CW²
April was a full one around the cabin.
We kicked things off with the Elora Record Show, hosted with Adrian Jones Music School and friends. It was a perfect rainy Sunday activity, filled with music, vinyl browsing, local musicians, and a few student performances that helped bring even more music culture into the space.
We also hosted a 2-day Standard First Aid and CPR Level C + AED training course in partnership with Topline Pavement Services and Frontline Trauma Services. It was great to see local businesses and team members using the space to build practical skills and get ready for the busy season ahead. Safety training may not be the flashiest workshop we host, but it is one of the most important.
We were also recognized at the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce Long
CW Co-Work is celebrated for One Year of Service at the CW Chamber of Commerce Long Service Lunch, hosted by the Elora Mill.
Service Lunch for our first year in business and as a Chamber member. I joked that celebrating one year felt a bit like kindergarten graduation, but honestly, it meant a lot. So much has happened in a year. We have welcomed co-workers, hosted workshops, built partnerships, shared coffee, solved problems, moved furniture more times than I can count, and watched this space become something much bigger than a room full of desks.
When I started CW Co-Work, I was building based on what I thought people might need. One year later, we are seeing how that demand is shifting in real time. The space is changing with it, and we are excited to keep making updates that reflect what this community is asking for.
Community Bulletin
Grounded Style Sustainable Fashion Pop-Up
In April, we co-hosted Grounded Style, a sustainable fashion pop-up in collaboration with The Wear Well and Studio Kampina. The event brought together made-in-Canada fashion, curated thrift and vintage pieces, thoughtful slow fashion conversations, and a mini mending workshop to help give well-loved pieces a longer life.
It was a beautiful example of the kind of event we love hosting at CW²: local, intentional, community-minded, and rooted in making more thoughtful choices together. A portion of the day’s sales was donated to Elora Tree Trust, supporting local environmental stewardship and the care of mature trees in our community.
AI Without the Hype
We also had the pleasure of hosting AI Without the Hype, featuring Flavio Gomes of Savnix Advisory. This was our first workshop of that size and format, and we were thrilled with the turnout, conversation, and feedback.
Flavio delivered a clear, practical, and enlightening session on how small businesses can start thinking about AI in ways that are useful, realistic, and grounded in actual business needs.
Personally, I have been thinking more about how automation and better systems could support the administration of CW Co-Work. Running a small business comes with a lot of invisible work, and if the right tools can help create a better experience for members and visitors, that is worth exploring.
On that note, we know the website is not exactly where we want it to be. It was built before we opened, before we fully understood what the space would become, and before we knew how people would actually use it. Over the next couple of months, we will be looking at ways to improve the website, streamline booking and communication, and make the overall user experience easier.
Stay tuned.
L A Gift Solutions & Designs Pop-Ups
Jen from L A Gift Solutions & Designs has been activating the space with her beautiful gift baskets and custom gifting options. She was in the space last week and will be back on May 16 and May 23. If you are looking for spring gift ideas, birthday gifts, client thank-yous, teacher gifts, or something custom for a special occasion, stop by and see what she has available. Jen also creates custom gift baskets, so reach out if you have something specific in mind.
Celebrating Our Co-Workers
April/early May also brought some big wins for members of the CW Co-Work community.
was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce at the Awards of Excellence. We are so proud of everything Katy has built and excited to support what comes next.
Shoutout as well to Topline Pavement Services for receiving their 40-year Long Service Award and for being nominated for Business of the Year at the Chamber Awards. Forty years in business is an incredible milestone and a true reflection of commitment, resilience, and community presence.
It is such a privilege to have a front row seat to the growth, grit, and momentum of the businesses that call CW² home.
Topline Pavement Services celebrates 40 years of service in CW
We were thrilled to be featured in an episode and had a great conversation about the story behind CW Co-Work, building community, and creating space for local businesses to grow.
We look forward to welcoming more local businesses into the space to record their own episodes and share the stories behind the work they are doing in Centre Wellington and beyond.
New Co-Workers
We welcomed some wonderful new energy into the space this month.
A warm welcome to Jason Landry, Kristen Bignell (East Mill Physio), Food Day Canada / Elora’s Longest Barbecue, and Two Birds Marketing. We are excited to have you as part of the CW² community and look forward to seeing the connections and projects that take shape in the space.
Two Birds Marketing has already brought new creative energy into the space through The Early Bird Podcast, and we are excited to see more local business stories recorded right here at CW Co-Work.
One of the best parts of this work is watching the mix of people continue to grow. Different industries, different schedules, different working styles, but all sharing the same need for a place to focus, connect, and feel a little less alone in the work.
May + June Events Bulletin
🌟L A Gift Solutions & Designs Pop-Up Shop Days🌟 Saturday May 16, 23 & June 6, 13, 20th 10am to 3pm
Jen from L A Gift Solutions & Designs will be back in the space with spring gift baskets and custom gifting options. Stop by during the day if you need a thoughtful gift for a birthday, client, teacher, host, or upcoming celebration.
🌟Weird Girls Book Tour & Writing Workshop🌟
Saturday May 30 2:00 to 5:00 PM
Workshop portion will be ticketed.
We are excited to welcome the Weird Girls Book Tour to CW Co-Work, featuring author of Weird Babies, Jaclyn Desforges and Gold Star author, Emma McKenna.
This event will include a reading, book signing, and writing workshop offered in partnership with Elora Writing Workshops. It feels like a perfect fit for the space, creative, thoughtful, a little weird in the best way, and rooted in the kind of honest storytelling that brings people together.
More details and registration information will be shared soon.
🌟From Insight to Freedom & Joy🌟
4-Week Channeling Workshop Series with Grace Insight
Starting Sunday May 31 CW Co-Work
We are also excited to partner with Grace Insight for a small-group channeling workshop series. This four-week series is designed for those interested in exploring intuitive or metaphysical practices in a supportive group setting. Final dates are being confirmed around Father’s Day and other scheduling considerations, but the first session is expected to begin Sunday May 31.
More details will be shared once dates are finalized.
🌟CW Chamber Coffee Break🌟
Tuesday June 2 8:00 AM CW Co-Work
L A Gift Solutions and CW Co-Work will be co-hosting the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce Coffee Break with us on Tuesday June 2 at 8:00 AM.
Chamber members are invited to drop by for coffee, conversation, and a casual start to the day with other local business owners and professionals.
We are really looking forward to hosting Work With Your Wiring, a workshop developed in partnership with Liisa Kukk, Founder of SEED Education Strategies + Solutions.
This session is designed for entrepreneurs, business owners, and professionals who want to better understand how their brain works and build systems that support focus, planning, follow-through, and sustainable productivity.
Liisa brings deep experience supporting learners and professionals with different neurotypes, and this workshop will include practical information as well as two guided exercises to help participants begin building systems that work for them.
This one is also a bit of a passion project for me. As someone diagnosed with ADHD in my 30s, I know how helpful it can be to better understand your own brain and the conditions that help you succeed. Many entrepreneurs are incredibly passionate, creative, focused, and gifted in their areas of expertise, but the mental load of running a business can still get heavy.
You do not need a formal diagnosis or neuro-type to attend. If you have ever felt overwhelmed by the build-up of tasks, struggled to translate ideas into systems, or wondered whether there might be a better way to support the way you naturally work, this session may be for you.
We are partnering with Move CW and James Scott for another round of Play for Purpose, a beach volleyball tournament in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Centre Wellington. All proceeds will support local youth mentorship programming.
As a former board member, and as someone who believes strongly in the impact of mentorship, this cause is close to my heart. Investing in youth is investing in the future of our community.
Sign up as a team, join as an individual, make a donation, or consider learning more about becoming a mentor. There is a real need for mentors in Centre Wellington, and the impact of showing up for a young person can be significant.
Out-of-Office Note
Sara will be out of the office from May 25 to May 29 while visiting family in Nova Scotia and taking a bit of a breather.
The space will still be supported while she is away. We have a few friendly backups lined up to help with coffee, welcome anyone new, and keep things moving. If you are planning to come in that week, no need to stress. Someone will be around to help you get settled.
Log Book Closing
CW Co-Work continues to grow because of the people who show up. To work, to connect, to ask questions, to try something new, to support each other, and to build something meaningful.
One year in, we are proud of what this space has become, and even more curious about what it still wants to be. The community is shaping the space, and we are listening.
To all of the mothers and mother figures in our orbit, thank you again. Your dedication to both your work and your families is impressive, and we feel lucky to know so many formidable and unstoppable women.
Special surprise deliveries to the Mom's of Co-Work on Friday. Bouquets arranged by Sara with flowers from Mapleton Acres
Looking for a place to work, host a workshop, pop up your business, or gather your team? Let’s co-create. Reach out anytime at hello@cwcowork.ca.
Until next time, keep building, keep connecting, and we will keep the coffee hot.
CW Co-Work Log Book July 2026 Entry: Welcome back travellers, June sure started with a bang. I returned from a five-day trip to rural Nova Scotia feeling refreshed and immediately jumped back into hosting five events in seven days. Would I recommend scheduling it that way? Absolutely not. Did I mean to? Also no. Did everything somehow come together? Thankfully, yes. Was it worth it? Without a doubt. From author readings and writing workshops to networking breakfasts, puppy yoga, business...
CW Co-Work Log Book July 2026 Entry: Welcome back travellers, June sure started with a bang. I returned from a five-day trip to rural Nova Scotia feeling refreshed and immediately jumped back into hosting five events in seven days. Would I recommend scheduling it that way? Absolutely not. Did I mean to? Also no. Did everything somehow come together? Thankfully, yes. Was it worth it? Without a doubt. From author readings and writing workshops to networking breakfasts, puppy yoga, business...
Fireside Update: May 29, 2026 Upcoming happenings you don't want to miss! Hi Co-Workers & Friends, Before we jump into this week’s events, I wanted to share a small reminder that’s been sitting with me after a recent trip to Nova Scotia: rest matters. As entrepreneurs, creatives, and community builders, many of us are wired to keep moving, keep producing, and keep saying yes. Taking a step back can feel uncomfortable, even when we know we need it. But spending a few days near the ocean...
