But some colivings were already long-standing even before we stepped our toes in these waters, paving the path for many others to come and building the values upon which the industry is standing today.

Two years and nine colivings later – The 10th Coliving Spain project partner was one of those colivings; one of the oldest colivings in Spain – Sun and Co.

While colivings are still just becoming, Sun and Co. has already passed through phases of emergence, growth, popularization, and change, and its life cycle continues to be an example for younger businesses.

And now, 2 years since The Coliving Spain Project was born, and has already gone through some of its own phases, we think it was the perfect moment in time for us to finally meet Sun and Co.

This February, for a month, we had the chance to get to know Sun and Co. from the inside out; to witness the changes happening in real-time; to hear the stories from old and new colivers; to help the new team more confidently take its place; and to be a part of the amazing international system Sun and Co. helped built in a small Mediterranean city overlooking Costa Blanca.

The People Behind Sun and Co. Team

Each step in Sun and Co.’s life carries a footprint of the people involved in crafting the experience, and all that makes Sun and Co. what it is today, carries all those phases and people who left their contributions along the way.

Back in 2023, we had the opportunity to talk about Sun and Co.’s beginning and the vision behind it with one of its co-founders Jon.

And this year, we had the opportunity to meet some old and some new faces of Sun and Co., who all at one moment gave a tiny bit of themselves to make this place such a valuable part of many digital nomads’ and remote workers’ lives.

Sun and Co.’s new team

In September of 2023, after 8 years of existence, Sun and Co.’s core team changed its shape, opening the doors to a new chapter of the experience.

Today, the new management team is made up of Edu, Fer, Ana, and Nana, who all bring a part of themselves into the community.

• Edu keeps running the place and keeping it in line with the values that were there at the beginning, and ultimately, who chose the perfect new management for its creation.
• Fer is the bridge between the old and the new team; a local host and the new general manager; and a person who shines positive energy around him and brings his passion for local, fresh, and healthy food… to the table. 😉
• Ana (with one N) – curious, dedicated, persistent, and experienced in living in communities and creating them; with a Ph.D. in nutrition and a sacred view of how important self-care is, Ana is a positive community builder and a tireless learner who brings mindfulness and peace to the house.
• Nana (Anna with the double N) – a positive and warm soul who draws people to her; a passionate yoga teacher and a dedicated host; one of those people whose presence is an ice-breaker, a community glue whose positive energy and laughter gives color and make experiences unforgettable. 

Well…we hope you meet them yourself, but if you’re still curious to find out more about New Sun and Co. Management Team and their views on the new era of Sun and Co., we invite you to check out our interview with them at the beginning of our collaboration.

Now, let’s talk about the location.

Jávea 

There is something about Javea.

At first glance, this is a charming Mediterranean town like many others, but there is an energy that draws you in and that quickly makes you want to stay.

Of course, many clear reasons make Javea a place where many can feel at home – an ecosystem suitable for modern, international residents; a great location; and a community full of inspiring and admirable people.

Nonetheless, Javea has a certain energy about it  – something that just makes us fall in love with it – just by sitting in the sun and sipping on a coffee while people watch on one of its tiny squares.

We won’t take too much space here describing the town, although there is so much to tell. If you want to dive a bit deeper, we invite you to read this article we wrote for Sun and Co..

It talks about all the big and little things that make Javea the perfect city for people like us – curious, looking for valuable communities, and always ready for new opportunities to grow and learn. 

The Coliving Space

Of course, like in any coliving, Sun and Co.’s house plays an important role in its coliving community.

So what is it like? Let me try and paint you a picture:

Imagine a big wooden door opening to a huge colorful entrance; it feels like a ballroom. On each side, you will find silent rooms – sit there if you want to work or brainstorm.

Up front, you will find a cozy living room for evening board games and a huge dining area for all the weekly dinner parties you will experience with windows overlooking the patio that sometimes sparks with a late bonfire. This is where the people are: this is where you can start that conversation.

If you want a more intimate atmosphere, a late-night movie, a deep conversation, or a quick meditation, head straight to the chill room – the one with cozy floor cushions and dimmed lights.

And when you’re tired and need your space – just go up the stairs to your peaceful bedroom, a sanctuary that’s out of reach for anybody but you and your roommates.

That is what living at Sun and Co. looks like.

But what does it mean to be a part of the Sun and Co.’s community? 

Sun and Co.’s Community

The community of Sun and Co. is actually quite different from some other colivings we experienced.

There is a mix of people from all around the world, but there is a certain thread that connects them (us) all; a character feature or a life decision that makes people join under the roof of Sun and Co’s community.

People who we met in the past few months were all brave, bold, and not scared to take a leap; people ready to take their lives into their own hands and make their own destinies. Different ages; different backgrounds; different struggles; but a shared willingness to live and create.

Sun and Co’s community has around 25 people in the high season, and 15-20 in the lower one.

This community consists of staff members, colivers, and community pass members.

However, many people stay a part of the wider community even after becoming one of the above. People often stay in Javea, or just stay in touch, meeting each other in other parts of the world and continuing their shared experiences that started in Sun and Co. 

Community Pass

Community pass members are those living outside of the coliving. The community pass access allows you to work from Sun and Co.’s external coworking space and be a part of the community activities (which are Sun and Co.’s biggest strength).

The community pass members are typically those who come for a longer time to Javea and need space for themselves; those who come with friends or families; and those who were once a part of the coliving community and decided to move their life to Javea, at least for a while, so they settled in the town.

However, many people met Sun and Co. through its coworking space.

Located in the old town, in such a perfect spot, designed to facilitate and inspire work and with 2 Skype booths available, it’s not surprising that many people choose the community pass for the coworking space and stay for the community.

The community pass members can be a part of the community as much as they’d like. Some just come to work and spend time with the community here and there; and others are there daily making the core members of the community even without living inside the house.

But typically, those who have the community pass try to make the most out of it because missing out on the Sun and Co.’s community activities is not something many would do!

Community building 

If you’ve heard about Sun and Co., then you’ve heard about their activities.

Their community experience is definitely the most famous for its impeccable program full of professional and personal development activities and events that encourage connection and growth.

Many colivings take inspiration from Sun and Co. but Sun and Co. remains the leading coliving when it comes to the elaboration and quality of its program.

Because of this status, many people decide to join the community so they can work on themselves and meet other inspiring people whom they can learn from. And by attracting creative, entrepreneurial, and proactive individuals, Sun and Co. truly offers a unique opportunity to be surrounded by great minds who are ready to share bits of their knowledge and life with you.

So, here’s an inside into the Sun and Co.’s community program.

Program Overview

Sun and Co.’s schedule is adapted to one week. Each week, a new round of activities and events gets chosen by the community and makes its way to the weekly plan.

In one typical day, there will be 2 to 3 activities, a mix between social, professional, and leisure activities. This distribution is not fixed, but some recurring things happen weekly, such as yoga with Nana, a visit to Fer’s community garden, family dinners, and the community meeting. 

Community Meeting

A community or family meeting is a meeting that happens every Monday night intending to introduce new family members, share a bit more about the individuals that make up the community, and of course, plan the week ahead.

Each Monday, there is a different “introduction” question – something to help new family members meet the rest of the group and vice versa, but also for those who are there longer to give some new interesting perspective about themselves.

These short introductions also serve as icebreakers for a great weekly planning sesh. 

Weekly planning

Weekly planning consists of 2 parts.

The first part is the “Collaboration board”. This is a shared sheet where everybody writes what they can share with the group, what they’d like to learn during their stay at Sun and Co., and what they’d like to do. This serves as an inspiration and prep for the community meeting.

You can write on the Collaboration board at any given time, but at the community meeting, you will always get a chance to add something that you might have forgotten.

After all the things are added to the collaboration board – it’s voting time. The group votes for activities they’d like to attend and the 3-4 most voted activities make their way onto the weekly plan for the next week. 

This system works well because each group can tailor the experience to their liking. 

Social and leisure activities also go on the weekly schedule, but they get up there more spontaneously and are not voted for. 

So, what are these professional and personal development activities that Sun and Co. is so famous for? 

Types of activities 

There are 5-6 different types of activities depending on the structure and the model. 

Masterminds

Mastermind sessions are one of the most beloved activity models among Sun and Co.’s community and they’ve helped many people find guidance, and confidence, and kickstart their next life chapters. 

This is because this model is focused on one community member who has an issue, an idea, or needs help and brainstorming around anything in his or her life. This can be a professional venture such as starting a new business, or a personal one such as guidance on how to improve one’s relationships. 

This is typically a 1-hour session, facilitated by one of the staff members and made up of 3 parts:

1. The first part focuses on the person whose mastermind it is to share the issue, and the background, and give their perspectives. The facilitator helps this person find concrete questions and expected outcomes of the mastermind. The facilitator also typically has a conversation with that person even before the mastermind to understand their needs and plan on how to guide them.
2. The second part focuses on questions from the participants. So, in this part, people would ask questions to further clarify the issue, the obstacles, and the needs of the presenter.
3. The third part is the “brainstorming” together; sharing ideas, advice, or personal experience that can help the presenter gain new perspectives on their issue.

This approach is an amazing opportunity for individuals to get some new ideas and broaden their perspectives on matters that are important to them. 

And coliving is a great setting for this as it is one of the few places where so many different people with unique experiences and backgrounds find themselves in the same room. 

And of course, although this session focuses on one person’s problem, thinking together and listening to others gives everybody new perspectives and generates value for all participants. 

Sharing circles

Sharing circle is a bi-weekly activity introduced with the new team. This activity is led by Ana, who has been a part of many sharing circles before and has tested out different approaches and methods. 

Because it’s such a deep-connection activity that asks for the participants to be grounded, and look deep into themselves, it made the most sense that it would happen once every two weeks. 

Before each session (on the Monday meeting) Ana shares the topic for the upcoming sharing circle and invites community members to think about the topics and some specific questions upfront. This is not mandatory as the conversation in the sharing circle should be natural and from the heart, but it’s good to give a bit of guidance and set expectations. 

Even though they last around an hour, sharing circles opens the room for more conversations and connects the people on another level. This experience always helps community members feel more comfortable around one another and feel more connected to each other moving forward.

Skillshares

A skillshare is a model in which one person who has expertise to share with others, either professional or life-related, prepares a presentation (according to their liking) to introduce the participants to the topic and help them gain new knowledge.

Mostly, skillshares are based around something narrow and clear and are made for the participants to be one step closer to understanding and developing a new skill. 

While we were at Sun and Co., we had skillshares on storytelling, writing, and SEO (this one was done by us), but also ones focused more on personal development such as the skillshare on ayurvedic nutrition or personality types.

People come with different jobs, hobbies, and interests, and it is extremely interesting to see what everyone has to offer. 

A skillshare is the most structured activity because it resembles a presentation or a class, but it is also the one that gives the most concrete information on a certain topic and generates the most hard knowledge. 

Roundtables 

Roundtables are typically something in between skillshares, mastermind, and sharing circles. 

Roundtables typically come from somebody proposing something they would like to discuss with others to gain new perspectives.

For example, we had a roundtable on freelancing and roundtables on relationships and love, so these are typically topics that a lot of people have input on and can share their views on. 

Roundtables are about sharing experiences and thoughts, but they can also be about sharing inspiration, motivating each other, or adding some new value. 

These sessions are not facilitated. The “host” is typically the one who proposes the roundtable and they are responsible for drafting topic guidance, some questions, and some points that the roundtable should cover, with which Sun and Co.’s team can always help. 

Support board and 1-on-1

Lastly, when some activities have only one or 2 people interested in them, or when a person is asking for help in a certain area but others don’t seem interested, they can have a 1-on-1 session with a person willing to help or share expertise. 

To further support that, Sun and Co. also has a Support Board, which is right next to the weekly plan in the dining area, where people can write in things they need support with, and people who can and want to help them can reach out to them directly. 

Social and Leisure Activities

Of course, on top of the above-mentioned activities, each day there is a Social and/or Leisure activity.

Some of the most popular recurring activities like these are yoga and meditation sessions that happen every week, hikes that are a beloved weekend activity of many community members, family dinners that always bring a new level of connection to the group, and games, movies nights, nights-out to the town, and many other creative social activities that come and go with the groups changing. 

A tiny recap of our month at Sun and Co.

After a month in Sun and Co., we have seen 2-3 group dynamics changing. We had 15 people in the house, then 6, then 10, then again below that.  We had people going and coming, and all bringing their personalities to the community completely reshaping it.

It is so interesting how one person can bring something with them that has such an impact on how we develop as a group. And with each group – there was something that became a signature of that period.

We had sunrise swims with Alice; a new cake every day with Stephanie, unforgettable karaoke with Ania, late-night conversations with Shlomo, peaceful days and movie nights with Naja, and not-so-peaceful hikes with Bjorn, daily Italian cuisine with Manu, coffee talks with Tal, and of course, the werewolf nights with Serghei, and many many moments more that all went down in history and gave a bit of reshaping to the coliving’s community.

This experience taught us how much impact we all carry as individuals, and how valuable the footprint we leave behind us truly is. 

Thank you Sun and Co. for a wonderful month – and please, keep creating the space for these wonderful human connections!

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Sun and Co. – Embracing The New Chapter

• ByMarko
• February 4, 2024

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Sun and Co. (Part 1) – 8 years of Hosting, Learning, and Community-building in Javea

• ByMarko
• April 4, 2023

The post Coliving Spain 2024: #10 Sun and Co – The Coliving that Shaped The Industry appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

In the short history of coliving, few places have played as pivotal a role as Sun and Co., standing as a cornerstone in the industry’s narrative.

Last year, we explored the origins and the journey that led Sun and Co. to its current standing with Jon, the co-founder and former general manager.

Now, we’re excited to introduce you to the fresh faces (and some familiar ones) stepping into these renowned shoes, marking a new chapter for Sun and Co.

Join us in this exclusive interview as we unveil the dynamic personalities shaping the future of Sun and Co.

New Faces of Your Favourite Coliving

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

-John F. Kennedy

1. The new coliving season began with significant changes in the Sun and Co. management team. Could you share more about that transition?

Nana: You can surely say that the past season for us started with a bang!

During the first half of 2023, both Jon (general manager and co-founder) and Iva (local host and marketing and sales specialist) decided to pursue their careers elsewhere.

When it comes to Jon, you have to understand that he had been with Sun and Co. since the doors opened 8 years ago: his image and name have always been very much intertwined with the identity of Sun and Co., therefore it was clear that big challenges were on the way.

We decided to face this the best way we knew: took a deep breath, and after the initial shock (we won’t deny it!), we looked at the situation as an opportunity for change.

Sun and Co. has always been an inspiration for a lot of the colivers that crossed our doors, and we decided to practice what we preach – learn and grow together, as a community.

Edu opened new positions to the world, and he leveraged the name of Sun and Co. to get in touch directly with some professionals in the field, including myself and Ana.

What was key at this stage was knowing that the structure of the team needed to be flexible in order to better fit the new personalities that would come in. Having the right team members is the key, tasks and responsibilities can always be adjusted and moved around.

It took a few months of interviews, talks, and brainstorms…but eventually a new team that could support Sun and Co. in this transition was put together and ready to start!

2. Can you introduce the new team members who joined Sun and Co. last fall?

Nana: The team right now is composed of three core members, supported by a young mind through the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program.

Ana and Nana are the new additions that started in September 2023. Both have worked for several years in the coliving industry, supporting and developing the growth and well-being of different communities of nomads.

Ana had experience as a social media manager and joined the team as Head of Marketing and Community Pass. She is a mindfulness and emotional intelligence trainer and adores holding space for people to express themselves.

I (also Anna, but I go by Nana here!) have been extremely involved in community hosting and customer experience, testing the industry through direct experiences in different colivings throughout Europe. I am also a yoga teacher and I am an advocate of all the beauty that comes from being surrounded by a community.

What surely made the transition easier, was Fer! After being with Sun and Co. for two years as a local host, he stepped into the role of general manager, allowing a smoother transition and onboarding of the new team, as well as making sure that the core identity of Sun and Co. was maintained intact.

So if you have been with us before, not all faces are new!

3. Sun and Co. has a history of wonderful interactions with guests. How do you plan to maintain connections with guests who have fond memories of the original team and atmosphere?

Nana: As a new relationship builds with time – we trust that time will create new fond memories for our guests the same way it happened before.

Ana and I are directly involved in the community, from running our community meetings to participating in community dinners and activities when possible.

Our expertise and skillset have allowed us to review some of the processes that were in place since years and brought significant changes that we believe will help us in the long term to stay connected with the broader community and function better on the operational side.

Not to forget, our social media channels and newsletters are up and running, allowing us to showcase that the essence of Sun and Co. is still here.

We can sense the excitement of new beginnings, and we invite our community to come and meet the new team for themselves!

For the big nostalgics, we are proud to say that former team members will always be part of our family. The Slack community will allow us to keep these contacts alive, as people like Jon and Iva will also be invited to join us there; and for the people that want to stay longer, we invite them to check out the Community Pass.

Jon and Siena are active members in the Javea community, and it’s easy to stay in touch with them once you’re here for some time!

4. What positive changes or improvements can guests expect with the new management?

Nana: Let me start with Slack, a new addition launched in January 2024. It’s a very big change for Sun and Co., but as our community grows constantly, we felt the need to have a better way to stay connected with each other.

Experiences in other coliving places have confirmed that this communication tool is extremely effective: not only does it allow easy communication among all community members (current and past), but it also helps us in operations such as welcoming guests and sharing announcements.

Sun and Co. is known for a structured community-building approach, where the community takes the lead in organizing the weekly activities and where a special emphasis is put on professional and personal growth.

The new team brings in elements that allow to create a space where vulnerability, self-discovery and connections are welcomed and encouraged to a new level.

Ana has started hosting a bi-weekly sharing circle, inviting people to open up on different topics each time; while I have started offering a weekly yoga class whenever the group is interested, to bring in more awareness on the connections between body, mind, and breath. It feels to us that these events bring a more holistic approach to the transformative experience we always wished to provide to our guests.

At the same time, Fer is more and more sharing his passion for gardening, local products, and cooking. Every Wednesday the community is invited to join him for a Garden Session!

A lot more changes are on the way, big or small, and once again we invite everyone to follow us on social media, check our newsletter, and come to visit us – as, in general, the new energy of the team is something truly special and marks a new chapter.

What Future Brings for Sun and Co.

“Change brings opportunity.”

-Nido Qubein

5. What are the key goals and aspirations for Sun and Co. in the upcoming period?

Nana: Our main focus right now is to fully settle down with the new team. Re-establish good dynamics, ways of working, and explore each one’s interests and skills. As mentioned before, in this first year the team’s structure is a test so that we can learn and then leverage each one’s strengths.

Besides that, we want to make sure that everyone that comes across our door feels welcomed and inspired to be their true self. A big focus is on facilitation and holding space, which we believe is the ABC of a healthy community and that should have our attention especially in such a moment of transition.

As a leader in the industry for years, Sun and Co. is facing one of the biggest challenges that any small business could go through: a complete change of the team. We are sure that we will succeed in this, and that Sun and Co.’s identity will be once again re-defined as a result of contributions from all sides of our community and team.

6. Can you share any upcoming events or initiatives that guests can look forward to in 2024?

Nana: We have just launched our third edition of the Basque Country Pop-Up, which we very much look forward to! There might be news coming up for our community later this year…but too early to say. So stay tuned!

We are also investing a lot of time in the growing community based in Jávea and all the people who decide to come to visit us for longer periods through the Community Pass.

For us, it’s a new and exciting experiment that brings a new perspective on the coliving industry. We are trying to understand how to accommodate the needs of a growing community, and a community that changes in needs and age.

We are also working on submitting some Erasmus+ Projects that would allow us to open our doors to meaningful and impactful projects.

At last, we always seek for new collaborations that can bring to our community new insights, expertise, and growth from different sources. The collaboration with Travel & Tapas is one of those.

Overall, with a new team the energy and motivation to explore what this industry has to offer is high, and surely 2024 will be a year of exploration for all of us.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Sun and Co. (Part 1) – 8 years of Hosting, Learning, and Community-building in Javea

• ByMarko
• April 4, 2023

The post Sun and Co. – Embracing The New Chapter appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Located in the beautiful small town of Javea, just about 100 kilometers from Valencia, Sun and Co. earned its recognition due to its long history and a thoughtful, dedicated, community-first approach. And today, we’re bringing you a part of their story.

Jon Hormaetxe, the co-founder and former general manager of Sun and Co., one of the first colivings in Spain, shares their journey from opening the coliving in 2015 until today, just days before leaving Sun and Co. after 8 years of being at its heart.

This is also the first Travel & Tapas interview focused on showing the beginnings and the journey of the pioneers in the coliving world in Spain.

Without saying too much, we invite you to read the first part of the interview with Jon below and learn about Sun and Co.’s beginnings, followed by years of exploration of the community, dedication to hosting, and reinvention of the work-life balance in the digital nomad era.

Disclaimer: This piece of content may contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase or book through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

How it all started

“To make great ideas a reality, we must act, experiment, fail, adapt, and learn on a daily basis”

-Jocelyn K. Glei

1. Could you tell us a bit more about the journey that led to opening Sun and Co. back in 2015? As one of the first colivings in Spain, it must have been a different motivation and path than what we typically see today.

Jon: It all started in 2015. I was attending a coworking conference in Valencia. I used to work in real estate in Edinburg (The Melting Pot) for about 2 years and was already familiar with the coworking movement so I decided to attend this coworking conference in Spain.

That is where I met Eduardo, the owner of Sun & Co. Eduardo already had the idea of creating a coworking space in Javea (the town where Sun & Co is, about 100 km from Valencia) as there was nothing similar there.

He was one of the last speakers at the conference and presented this idea which I loved. I remember thinking to myself Wow, this looks like the best idea ever.

Javea is a gorgeous destination surrounded by beautiful beaches, nature, with great weather, and this seemed amazing to me – especially after living in Scotland for years and originally being from the Basque Country, I’ve never actually lived in a sunny destination. So, after Eduardo presented his idea, all I could think of is how it sounds like such a cool project.

Fast forward to the conference end, there was one last dinner for the attendees, and by chance, I ended up sitting next to Eduardo. It was a complete coincidence, but we started talking about his project with Sun & Co. and started brainstorming around the idea some more.

At one point, he told me he was looking for somebody to join the team and help him launch it; somebody who could do marketing and just a bit of everything else along the way. Even though I love the project, I wasn’t sure at that moment as I was not planning on staying in Spain, but we kept in touch. I went back to Edinburgh for another 3 months. During that period, we had another chat and I decided to come to Javea and launch Sun & Co. with Edu.

The property was Edu’s family house he previously refurbished and redesigned to be a hostel. He’s an architect so he made quite a nice place. The reality with the hostel was that there was a high demand for this service during the summer as there was nothing like it in Javea back then, however, during the colder seasons, it was not fulfilling its full potential and was sitting empty.

That’s why he wanted to find a solution how to fill the space up during the low season, and that’s how we came up with the whole concept of a coliving.

We already had a few references. There was already a space in the Canary Islands called Surf Office, another one in Morocco (SunDesk), and there was also one in Galicia named Sende. We also knew the market was growing and that there were more and more digital nomads traveling to Southeast Asia.

In 2015, there was already a group of pioneer digital nomads leading the path and setting foot for others to follow. Being a digital nomad was still a new concept, something unique and innovative that brought together different people ready to try out new concepts like coliving, so it was a great time to open a space like this and experiment.

2. Even though there were not as many direct reference points (colivings) to take influence from, when building your coliving space, was there something that influenced your approach or inspired you guys to create the space and experience you have now?

Jon: I think when you start, it’s always good to look at some other references that are already making this happen. Of course, you get some inspiration, copy the things that you enjoy or improve things you think you can do better.

For us, in the beginning, it was very important to see that there was already something like this existing; that there were already a few places like this, and that they were getting clients.

Background in the Coworking niche

Jon: The biggest influence, however, I think, in one sense, came from the fact that I had already been involved in the coworking movement. Back when I moved to Javea, in a way I was already a part of the coworking community in Spain. I had already attended a few coworking conferences, so that helped us gain inspiration.

Also, in 2013/14, I couldn’t say it was the very beginning of the coworking movement, but it was still in the early phases. The conferences were full of small operators. The biggest ones had only 2-3 locations, no more.

The coworking movement came from something very aspirational and very passionate. Most coworking owners put a lot of passion into what they were doing, and there was a lot of focus on community. They used to see the coworking space as a tool to create meaningful connections that will improve people’s lives.

The coworking was supposed to provide a nice space that will spark those connections and potential collaborations that could be born by meeting other freelancers.

So, there wasn’t a big focus on growing and making a very successful business out of a coworking space but rather putting a lot of focus on the community aspect. So coming from that atmosphere of co-working communities to co-living, I think it was one of the biggest influences.

We knew the importance of creating a community and putting our focus there and making sure we create opportunities for our guests to connect.

Experience in hospitality

Jon: Besides that aspect, we also had Eduardo’s perspective that came from his experience in running a hostel for two years before opening the coliving space.

So we had a lot of input on how to run a hospitality business in general. The logistics were more or less already implemented when I arrived.

Providing the local experience

Jon: And the third influence to me would be the booming of Airbnb.

In 2015, there was this vision of utilizing empty rooms and renting them to other people so they can make the most out of them. You rent them out, people use them, and you get some money. It was kind of a social impact project. Many people started getting interested in hosting and trying hard to provide the best hosting experience: to welcome their guests, show them around, make them feel special, etc.

And also, there was a big focus on how you can get a local experience by going to an Airbnb because you will be sharing a house with local people who will welcome you and show you around. So there was also this aspect of the local atmosphere, the local experience, the local host, and so on.

That was something that we knew we really wanted to implement. We wanted to allow people to experience the local culture and create this local atmosphere where not only me or Eduardo are the locals but also other people working with and around us. We knew we wanted to involve different local people in the experience.

Creating a personal experience

Jon: And lastly, we wanted to make this experience as personalized as possible. This was not supposed to be a place that you come to and just leave like another client or just a number on our guest list. We wanted to make sure that our guests feel that we know who they are and we welcome specifically them into our experience. We know your name and what you do and what you like and welcome you to our family when you arrive. That was the experience we wanted to provide (and still do).

So those are more or less a few influences we had back then.

The interesting thing was that for us, there wasn’t a huge risk involved in opening this space, because we already had the hostel. We already had a good business, even if it was open only for 2-3 months. The space was also already refurbished and renovated for the hostel, so we didn’t have that challenge or the need for that kind of investment. That gave us a lot of security and allowed us to be patient and take our time with the Sun & Co. coliving brand and work on the concept.

The security from the hostel allowed us to be flexible in the first few months and not rush into any decisions. In the first month, we didn’t have anybody in the coliving, it was just me living there. After two whole months, we had our first client ever – a Finnish girl named Kaisu.

We went to pick her up in the car and I stayed with her for two weeks and we had our first real coliving experience.

Kaisu had an amazing time and came back to Sun & Co 10 more times after that stay. She even met her boyfriend in Sun & Co. And that’s exactly what we wanted to create – a place where people can create meaningful connections and a place they’ll want to come back and feel like a part of something. And after a few months, little by little, we had the first few people and by having them, we were able to slowly improve the experience.

3. Did you have any challenges in marketing/educating people on the coliving concept at the beginning of your operations? How did you approach the market back then when people still haven’t had much knowledge of this concept?

Jon: Mostly in the rural areas or those who are more focused on digital and remote workers, the operators might fear offering a product or a service where the main value is the community, but being empty when they open the space. But, I always say the same: the space is never empty because you are there. You are the first member of your community.

The same went with us. In the beginning, we knew that if anybody was going to decide to come to stay with us, they first had to like our personalities, or at least like our values and our way of doing things.

So during the first few months, even a year, we were exposing ourselves quite a bit. We used a lot of comedy and humor because that was something representative of us. A lot of funny videos were a big marketing tool for us because we wanted to share a part of ourselves in the marketing. If somebody comes, we don’t know how many people will be around, but we will, so if they seem to like what we do, they will probably like the experience.

So in every email we sent, we were adding a picture, not of us, but a picture of the concept so they get a taste. There was a lot of marketing around who we are, our values, and our visions in order to connect and link other people who identify with the things that we envision or enjoy doing.

I think this is the very best way to start a community, to connect with the founders’ personalities and values.

A community is something that always starts very small and then grows by word of mouth, and little by little because human relationships evolve slowly. Building a relationship with someone is not something you can do in one day; it’s something you need to work on and invest time in. So, when you’re building a community, you also need to build it slowly, one person at a time, starting with yourself.

That is why the passion and the transparency the owner puts into setting up their space is critical. It is the only way to make other people connect to the same values, and the same vision, and make them engage. And then, slowly, people start talking about you and their friends start talking about you, and that’s how it begins.

Having said that, for us, there weren’t many coliving around when we opened. So if you were to type on Google Coliving in Europe or Coliving in Spain, we were coming out on the very first page. Even though the term wasn’t very popular and not many people were searching for it, it definitely helped us get discovered by the few who were.

There was also a growing trend for people searching for coworking spaces or coworking in a hotel or similar, trying to figure out how to work and travel, and they were finding us. The people who came like that also helped us shape the concept throughout the years.

I remember the first year, being there with everybody was a part of my everyday life. We were all together, working socializing, and I think the people who came then really felt as if they were a part of what Sun & Co. is today. I think they feel that Sun & Co. maybe wouldn’t be what it is now if they haven’t contributed with their presence. And it is true. It’s all about belonging.

That’s more or less how we started and marketed. We also went to a few conferences and marketed ourselves in Facebook groups.

4. After 8 years of operating, what would you say was the most difficult or challenging phase of operations and the most difficult year/period for the business?

Jon: The most difficult was the Covid situation and the lockdown.

We had a few guests stay in the house when the Spanish government announced that all of the hotels and hostels had to close their spaces. So since we are registered legally as a hostel, we had to close our doors.

It was a struggle, so we decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign. It was just donation based.

We asked our members if they could donate some money to keep Sun and Co alive during this period and to make sure that we were able to cover our costs to open again when the situation gets better. And one of our main quotes at Sun and Co is Communities are built when you give to others without asking for anything in return. So we always try to encourage everyone to give unconditionally to others and care about each other.

But we were asking ourselves how can we ask our members to give something to us without expecting anything in return. But, of course, they knew that there was an end goal there. So the campaign was quite impressive because we raised 17000 euros out of donations.

Our biggest donation was made by a guy whose name is Javier. He said that he felt that Sun and Co was like his own house and when you have your own house, you sometimes need to pay for some additional costs to keep it in good shape. He donated 1000 euros just for this reason. So, for us, all that was extremely surprising and we weren’t expecting that at all. We were constantly thinking of what makes Sun and Co affect people’s lives in a way they want to support us and donate their money.

When that was happening, one of our members, Remi, who actually moved to Javea now, posted on Facebook how much money was collected and said how we were always so generous with everyone in Sun and Co, so now they wanted to be generous towards us and give back. This made me think a lot. Generosity is a big word. And with generosity, there is care. When you put generosity and care together, you create a safe space.

With only a few of these ingredients, you create a space where people truly feel comfortable and free to express themselves; a place where people feel comfortable sharing their biggest fears, talking about love, family, or those type of topics that actually make us grow, and improve and transform our lives through relationships and conversations that we build in an environment like this.

So even though it was the hardest period, it let me realize that we’re creating this kind of environment in Sun and Co. that creates a transformative experience where people actually end up donating 17,000 euros for it to keep going.

5. Lastly, after many years of operating, where do you find the driving force/passion?

Jon: First of all, I think coliving is a very aspirational business. Like often with hostels, many people open a space like that just so they can combine their life with their work and meet people who fit that picture. For example, people who want to move to a rural area open hospitality space there so they can remain there, meet like-minded people, and share their passion for the region or the lifestyle.

I also started this business from a bit of a selfish perspective. I wanted this lifestyle for myself and it seemed like a great job to do. But after we opened, I started questioning myself if I am really making an impact, leaving something good for the world.

We talked about this in one of our mastermind sessions and I had some of our members telling me how they found inspiration here and that’s the impact we’re leaving with Sun and Co. but I still struggled to see it clearly.

I later volunteered as a case study participant in a session about finding your life purpose, and this helped me realize how connected my current life was with my childhood and my younger self. I found connections in my family relationships and realized that I was building this company and the customer experience based on something rooted in myself.

I realized one of my goals or missions in life is to create safe spaces where people connect in meaningful ways and that I was doing it every day by running a coliving space. When you look at it from that perspective, from your life purpose, the chances for you to keep the excitement and motivation about what you do for a long time are higher.

Over time, I run more than 100 mastermind sessions in Sun and Co. And how we do these mastermind sessions is that usually for an hour, we focus on one person who is facing a challenge and for that hour, we all try to help them solve it.

The session is usually run or moderated by one of the hosts. But for me, hosting these sessions, and seeing that 10-12 people are willing to spend an hour focused completely on somebody else, all thinking together to help another person, a stranger they met only a few days ago, solve their challenge, and then the outcomes – it was very enriching. That was very much aligned with my life purpose.

And of course, this is only my example. We all have different purposes and life paths, but connecting what you do to that is what helps you maintain the motivation and excitement for it.

On the other hand, in this business, even if it aligns with your life purpose, it indeed seizes to be sustainable at one point, and you need to know when to take a step back or go further. Meeting so many people over and over again, it’s true you get a bit blind. Instead of seeing one individual at a time, you start unconsciously grouping. So, at that point, you need to take a step back and give space for other people to run things while you focus on other parts of the business and take more managerial roles. For the past few years in Sun and Co., I’ve been taking care of things operationally while the other team was running things more from the management, leadership, and BD aspect.

This month, after seven and a half years, I’m leaving Sun and Co. to continue creating spaces where people connect in meaningful ways but through other coliving brands and projects. That is my step further.

It’s very easy for the host to burn out if he/she lives in the house because it’s very easy to mix what work is and what is not. You might have a great relationship with your clients and even become friends, but I think it’s important to differentiate between when you’re working and when you’re not. It’s a very social job, but it’s crucial to take clean breaks and know when you’re going home on your own to rest and do your thing and then come back to work and be in full working mode.

Then, another challenge is when you have a small coliving space to provide opportunities for your employees to grow and advance in their careers, and the job and day-to-day easily become very repetitive. And if your employees feel like their job is repetitive, they might get frustrated, tired, burnt out, and so on. That’s another challenge.

That’s why you have to be really, really connected to your mission in life or the lifestyle that you want, and you really need to be able to balance that lifestyle properly. Because, if not, you can easily get tired (literally, but also from what you do).

This is just the first part of the interview we did with Jon from Sun and Co. To find out more about the Management, Community, and Future goals of Sun and Co. check out part two.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Coliving & Surfing: Explore the Benefits of the Community and Remote work in Fuerteventura

• ByMarko
• March 7, 2023

The post Sun and Co. (Part 1) – 8 years of Hosting, Learning, and Community-building in Javea appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.