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Harwyn people and their pods: Our top 5 WFH home office spotlights of 2021

From busy parents to crafty entrepreneurs, this year we’ve shone a light on Harwyn owners from across Australia.

In the process, we’ve seen the tremendous breadth and depth to the range of people who need a Harwyn in their home.

So to farewell 2021, we’re sharing our top five stories of the year. Read on to learn about a Harwyn’s epic 24-hour adventure across the Bass Strait, as well as how a Harwyn changed the life of a father of six.

1. Thinking outside the pod: Lee puts a Harwyn on her balcony

Pilates studio owner, Lee Ajzenman, realised she needed a private space at work to complete admin. But with no room inside her studio, Lee had to get creative. Her lightbulb idea? A Harwyn pod on her studio balcony!

In her initial planning, Lee toyed with the ideas of using a shipping container or creating a DIY space. But ultimately, Lee knew she wanted something more in line with her business’ aesthetic.

As Lee put it, “It had to work for the balcony. And I didn’t want something boring!”

When she came across Harwyn, it was love at first sight.

After a quick, seamless installation, Lee’s Harwyn has been making her life a little better each day.

“I’m not exaggerating when I say that the pod has changed my working life. It’s not only comfortable; it’s highly functional too. Now I have somewhere to talk to my staff and hold meetings and reviews.”

“Plus, it’s not just useful for me – my office manager and bookkeeper use it as well. It has given us that private space to really focus and get things done.”

Read Lee’s story.

2. Busy father George’s voice-over studio

Melbourne father of six George Weinberg works as a freelance voice-over artist.

While having many family commitments and a sometimes-erratic job has never been easy, the 2020 lockdowns brought a host of new complications to George’s life.

“With everything going on in 2020, we had all our children at home every day, with half of them doing online schooling. This meant there was never a place for me to work – productively – at home.

“In fact, the only way I could get the peace and quiet I needed was to get up at 3am while everyone was asleep.”

So it’s no surprise that finding Harwyn was a lifesaver for George. The addition of a pod has truly transformed his life – in more ways than one.

“I often receive urgent projects that I need to complete within an hour or two. And if my kids were up and about when that happened? It would be an impossible feat.

“But now with my Harwyn, I can accept projects with confidence and complete them quickly. When I get a project, I just nick outside, into my pod, and get it done… I can complete jobs 24/7.”

Read George’s story.

3. Going bush: Thomas takes his Harwyn to a remote Tasmanian island

When the pandemic first broke out, business executive Thomas, like many others, didn’t know how long remote working would last.

Plus, with two young boys at home, Thomas was dealing with constant noise and interruptions. And of course, Tasmania’s chilly winter didn’t make working from his master bedroom any more pleasant either.

Then, by sheer chance, Thomas stumbled upon Harwyn in the news one day.

The concept of home-office pods was entirely new to him. But Thomas was hooked from the get-go. And within two weeks, he had purchased his pod.

Living on a remote island in the Bass Strait, there’s only one ferry service that runs from Tasmania to Flinders Island. But Thomas decided that multiple stops would be too complicated. So instead, he chose to ferry the pod from Port Welshpool, a regional town in Victoria.

From there, the pod journeyed across the Bass Strait to Flinders Island for over 24 hours before finally meeting its proud owner.

Thomas is now thriving in his Harwyn, saying, “You look forward to spending time in the pod. It’s warm and bright – and has a great atmosphere for working.

“Having a pod means having a space where you can thrive. It’s probably the best office I’ve ever had. And I’ve been working as an executive for over 20 years.”

Read Thomas’ story.

4. Emma makes more space for her growing psychology practice

2021 was a massive period of business growth for clinical psychologist Emma. The undesired outcome? Not enough space for Emma to manage the operations of her growing practice.

With more psychologists and clients in the office each day, Emma knew she couldn’t keep using a consulting room for admin tasks.

“I started looking at some options for turning a shed into an office space, to free up the consulting rooms.

“I did look at a few other options here in Adelaide, but the best I could find was a place that delivered a pod-like structure in flatpack form. But you needed to bring builders in to assemble it – and take care of all the fixtures and fittings.”

It would have been a lot of extra work, and Emma couldn’t afford to have the noise and disruption of a construction site outside the office.

Then, she came across Harwyn online. The fact that Harwyn builds the whole pod entirely offsite, and then trucks it over and pops it down – ready to go – was appealing to Emma.

Now, with a pod in her practice’s garden, Emma’s business is flourishing more than ever before.

“The mental difference of coming out of your everyday workspace into a new space has been great for all of us.

“Personally, it gives me the time and space to plan, organise, implement systems and do all the work that keeps the business running. And my manager in training can do the same.”

Read Emma’s story.

5. A Harwyn helps Vince reclaim mental space – and his spare room

For building surveyor Vince, working from his spare bedroom felt like the only option. Then, after working in that space for five years, Vince and his wife decided they wanted to reclaim the space for their family.

So Vince needed a new, improved home office space.

“We thought about extending the house. But we quickly realised how expensive that would become. I also looked at other options, such as some low-end shed solutions and DIY alternatives, before stumbling on an ad for Harwyn.”

For Vince, nothing came close to Harwyn’s offering. Harwyn pods offer comfort served with a sophisticated aesthetic. Both important factors to Vince.

“After all, it’s for my career – not some hobby,” he says.

So, one thing led to another… and now Vince has his very own home office pod.

This shift has had a profound impact on Vince’s work-life balance.

“Just being out of the house makes me feel like I’m actually going to work. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything working from home anymore.

“I get to enjoy the benefits of WFH, such as a more relaxed environment, while having family-work separation too.”

Read Vince’s story.

A home office pod sits on a stained wooden deck outdoors

See yourself in a Harwyn in 2022?

Is it time to enhance your working-from-home life? Or to build on your burgeoning business? Call 1300 HARWYN (1300 427 996). Or send us an enquiry and we’ll get back to you soon.