Morning Meditations at ACE Coworking

Morning Meditations at ACE Coworking

Office rentals, meeting room rentals, and hot desks are just part of our offerings at ACE Coworking. We are also very proud of our community programming, which includes a workplace wellness component. Our weekly meditation group is part of the mix – and now you too are invited to check it out. Read on to learn more…

Every Tuesday morning for the past two years a morning meditation group has been meeting at ACE Coworking. It’s led by our resident expert, Mark Fornasiero. And now this free 30-minute session is open to our friends and neighbours as well. Yes, that means you!

You don’t need any prior experience with meditation to join us – novices as well as practiced meditators are welcome. These are guided sittings; all you need is an open curious mind to get started.

How can a mindfulness practice improve one’s life? Meditation can help us to:

  • become better friends with our minds
  • manage our emotions
  • bring a more open, balanced awareness to everyday life

Mark’s sessions are based in the tradition of mindful awareness meditation, a secular approach to training the mind and creating a sense of balance and calm. There is no dogma or religion involved. The format is a 20-minute sitting followed by either a Q&A or a brief dharma talk.

We start promptly at 8:30 AM on Tuesdays in the ACE Coworking boardroom. 295 Robinson St, Suite 100. Please arrive a couple of minutes early to get settled in. (Note: street parking in front of our building is free before 9AM.)

To reserve your spot or to ask questions, email Mark directly: mark@clearinsightprogram.com

About Mark Fornasiero:

Mark is an accredited meditation instructor and founder of the Clear InsightProgram. “In 2012 I left a 25-year investment banking career behind to step into a future that felt completely foreign to me. A lifetime of habits that were too focused on short-term wins and external validation meant I didn’t have the tools to create the change I wanted to make.

Ten years of focused meditation practice, silent retreats and deep study, have given Mark those vital tools to move forward with clarity. Today he shares his learnings with others through his Clear Insight Program, and also with visitors and members at ACE Coworking.

If you’d like to get more inspiration and education from the staff and partners of ACE Coworking, sign up for our monthly newsletter. You’ll also stay up to date on the events we run and the amazing promotions we often offer!

ACE Annual Mother’s Day Pop-Up Shop

ACE Annual Mother’s Day Pop-Up Shop

Mother’s Day PopUp Shop

Our Annual PopUp Shop Event includes vendors from our very own “ACE Family.” Just in time for Mother’s Day, they’ll have a variety of gift ideas for you to choose from. Come join us to browse or buy, and bring a friend!

It’s your chance to treat your mother – or yourself – to a unique gift. (A great time to pick up an end-of-year teacher gift or graduation gift too.)

Tuesday, May 9  10AM – 2PM

ACE Robinson Lounge

295 Robinson ST, Oakville

Muge Demirkesen: Enjoy Party Box

“Each of us is unique and so each of my gifts are unique as well! I curate gifts for your loved ones, whether baskets, boxes or other surprise bundles. I love to turn any day into a memorable one with creativity and flair! Anyone who enjoys life can be my customer!” Various price points to suit your budget.

Cara Penkett: Wishing Charms

Created in Bali by Cara Penkett, Handmade of 925 Sterling Silver, blessed with love. Wishing Charms bracelets hold a similar meaning to those given at Balinese ceremonies (Benang tri datu). Blessed by priests, they protect the wearer and are not to be taken off. Cara created Wishing Charms to bestow her kids with constant blessings during their move back to Canada. She is happy to share her charms with you.

Siobhan Kukolic:  Stella & Dot

Stella & Dot offers fashionable, affordable jewelry and accessories that help women style their own life. Treat yourself, a friend or a mom for Mother’s Day with some Stella & Dot jewelry and accessory samples. Prices are all half-off regular!! Plus pretty boxes for gifting.

Christine Da Costa: Decor by Christine

 Decorative Accents for the home, curated by one of the stylish experts at Aspire Design Group. “Where style meets home! Here you will find a collection of home decor pieces that inspire me. I have selected stylish, on-trend fashionable decor accents to hopefully create and reinforce your ‘sense of home.’”

Christa Dionne: Christa’s Tea Shop

 Christa will have some special yummy hot and cold brews ready for us to sample. Plus an array of items to purchase as gifts. “Health and wellness can start with a single sip. Sipology delivers nourishing ingredients to every cup. Steeping up delicious drinks – hot, cold, as a mocktail or a cocktail using all natural ingredients.”

If you’d like to get more inspiration and education from the staff and partners of ACE Coworking, sign up for our monthly newsletter. You’ll also stay up to date on the events we run and the amazing promotions we often offer!

Earth Day Shout-out to Oakvillegreen

Earth Day Shout-out to Oakvillegreen

It’s Earth Day! Here’s what we are thinking about at ACE Coworking this week, and in fact throughout the year…

earth day clean up

Do you know our friends at Oakvillegreen Conservation Group? This non-partisan environmental charity has been helping to protect and restore nature through community education and local action since 2000. We are so proud to have this organization in the “ACE family” – and seeing as it’s Earth Week, we are giving them a well-deserved shout-out.

What is Oakvillegreen?

Working closely with thousands of volunteers, this hard-working NFP organization strives to protect and restore the ecological functions of our local lands and waters. Through local, collaborative action they make a real difference in our community. Their approach is to empower all of us by providing tools, knowledge, and opportunities to create a greener hometown. In-class workshops, outdoor learning activities, partnerships with educators are a big part of the programming.

Speaking of programming, this weekend Oakvillegreen and a bunch of eager volunteers gathered at Buttonbush Woods Park for their Annual Park Clean Up event. This is just one example of the interactive eco-friendly events they organize for people of all ages. If you missed it, don’t worry! Just visit their event calendar for more impactful and enjoyable events to participate in.

Honourary ACE Coworking Membership

It’s because of this amazing work that they do, and because of how aligned our values are, that Oakvillegreen was selected as our free-of-charge Honourary ACE Member for 2022-2023. One of the founding principles of the coworking industry is sustainability & environmental responsibility, so we are a perfect fit for each other!

They hold their board meetings in our space free of charge, and we also support by promoting their initiatives to our members and beyond. We are super proud to be partners with them! (By the way, we will be selecting a new Honourary NFP Member for 2023-2024 in September, so if you know of a worthy organization have them get in touch with us for more information: info@acecoworking.ca) 

How is coworking aligned with green initiatives? 

Coworking in general allows people to work closer to home, thus eliminating long commutes. So hybrid and flex working is inherently more friendly to the environment. In addition, here are some things we do at ACE to make our space as green as possible every day:

  • We encourage ACE members to walk or cycle to work, and many do!
  • We do not allow single use plastics in our spaces, but rather provide reusable mugs, glassware, kitchenware, etc.
  • Disposable plastic water bottles are never welcome at ACE.
  • Members and staff turn off lights and appliances not in use.
  • We upgraded all our lighting to greener LED fixtures.
  • We partner with eco-conscious coffee and beverage providers.
  • Recycle, recycle recycle… we 💚 our blue bins.
  • We support Oakvillegreen!

It’s our aim to be a zero-waste coworking space, but we are always looking for ways to improve.⁠ If you have ideas for us, we would love to hear them. Email us at info@acecowortking.ca with your ideas or text 289-801-8731.

Happy Earth Day 2023!

Follow Oakvillegreen on all their social channels to learn more and/or get more involved.

Fabulous Fives Offer – Celebrating 5 Fab Years of ACE

Fabulous Fives Offer – Celebrating 5 Fab Years of ACE

Woohoo! It’s our birthday! 🎉

January 3, 2023 marked five years since ACE Coworking opened its doors, bringing Oakville its very first coworking space. We are so excited about reaching this milestone anniversary and want to thank everyone who has helped us get here: our members, partners, staff and family.

To learn more about our FAB FIVEs Promo call 289-801-8731 or email info@acecoworking.ca.

About Our Journey

The ACE community has steadily grown over these past 60 months, and we have learned a lot along the way. Since 2018 we’ve accomplished a whole lot that we’re proud of.

Highlights include:

  • serving over 1000 amazing clients/members
  • three expansions in our original Robinson St building
  • launching a second location on Trafalgar Rd in 2022
  • surviving a pandemic crisis (in which people were told to work from home 😳 !)⁠
  • hosting 250+ events & workshops
  • winning several awards including the prestigious OABE “Small Business of the Year” in 2021
  • countless collaborations with local business organizations and community groups such as Oakville Chamber of Commerce, Haltech, Downtown Oakville BIA, Silicon Halton, Mom2MomBiz, 100 Women/Men Who Care, OTHS, among many others…

 

How We’re Celebrating

We are offering a sweet deal to the next FIVE office members and the next FIVE Hot Desk members who join our community. 

Private Office Promo

Sign up for a 12-month office membership, and month number FIVE is FREE. (EG: Sign up this month and you’ll owe no membership fees in May.) Save between $900 and $2100 depending on the office you choose! More info about our turn-key, serviced offices here.

Hot Desk Promo

Our Hot Desk Plans are already an awesome value at $245/month. (You get 24/7 access and a whole bunch of other valuable perks too.) Sign up for a bundle of FIVE months of Hot Desk use and you pay just $1000. That’s a savings of $225! More info about our popular Hot Desk Memberships here.

Fab Fives is a time-limited promotion, so don’t delay! 
(*Offer good only until Feb 28, 2023. This offer is for new members or current members upgrading their plans. It cannot be combined with other discounts/offers.) 

If you’d like to get more inspiration and education from the staff and partners of ACE Coworking, sign up for our monthly newsletter. You’ll also stay up to date on the events we run and the amazing promotions we often offer!

ACE Trafalgar Grand Opening

ACE Trafalgar Grand Opening

Launch Party and Open House at ACE Coworking this summer – successfully making more and more connections among entrepreneurs and professionals around Halton!

Oakville Office Launch Celebration!

Oakville’s newest shared offices are at ACE Coworking’s second location, 132 Trafalgar Rd, in the heart of downtown. Although ACE Trafalgar has been partially open since Spring 2022, the official grand opening celebration took place in the facility’s stylish lounge on August 9th.

The date was chosen to coincide with International Coworking Day, a holiday in which coworking space operators around the world pause to celebrate and showcase this flexible, collaborative and ever-more relevant style of working.

The event featured delicious food by Parlato’s Catering, an open bar, new and old friends connecting, and “good vibes” all around. ACE founder, Nancy Fornasiero, said “It’s just our small way of saying thanks to the wonderful people who make the ACE community awesome,” adding: “It’s also a nice way to celebrate our continued growth here in Halton.” It was also a chance to publicly acknowledge the creative work done on the office renovation by Deb Richmond Designs.

In addition, an Open House was held on August 8 through 10 at the original ACE location (295 Robinson St). It was an opportunity for locals who had always wondered about coworking to try hot desking at no cost for a few days.

Several local businesses supported ACE Coworking during their Launch Party and Open House, including:

– Flourish & Bask: a charming neighbourhood shop that sells everything needed for home bartending and entertaining.⁠ Owner, Chantal Ingram, treated guests to a specialty mocktail featuring Flourish & Bask ingredients.

– Crank Lite Lager: created by a couple of young local entrepreneurs, this beer is perfect for those in search of a lighter style brew.

– Zirkova Vodka⁠: Ukrainian-Canadian premium vodka makers whose administrative headquarters are at ACE Coworking. (Zirkova send a portion of all profits directly to Ukraine’s humanitarian aid programs.)

– Mary’s Muffins⁠: Local baker making all-natural, super tasty, wholesome treats. (Try them with this 10% discount code – MUFFINS10)

– Oakville authors: Catherine Harrison, Three Colours, Twelve Notes; Siobhan Kukolic, The Treasure You Seek

– Downtown Oakville Business Improvement Association

        If you’d like to get more inspiration and education from the staff and partners of ACE Coworking, sign up for our monthly newsletter. You’ll also stay up to date on the events we run and the amazing promotions we often offer!

        Coworking Day 2022 at ACE

        Coworking Day 2022 at ACE

        by Nancy Fornasiero

        Every year on August 9th, coworking space operators everywhere celebrate International Coworking Day. It’s a chance to educate the public about coworking and the benefits of flexible work options. We also get to say thank you to the awesome people who make up our communities.

        At ACE Coworking, we’re excited to be celebrating our industry’s 17th birthday along with our coworking friends around the world. We are all grateful to have survived the recent tough pandemic years, and feeling very optimistic about a future that is embracing hybrid and flex-style workplaces.

        What exactly is International Coworking Day about? It marks the anniversary of the day Brad Neuberg first brought modern-day coworking into the world. You can still see Brad’s original blog post announcing the first North American coworking space here. Coworking has come a long way since then – with ups and downs – but the spirit of collaboration and connection is as strong as ever. 

        This year at ACE we will be marking the occasion in a couple of ways:⁠


        1️⃣ OPEN HOUSE! ⁠

        If you have always wondered about coworking, or what it’s like to work with us at ACE, then please come try us out for FREE on Monday August 8th, Tuesday 9th, and/or Wednesday 10th. Day passes are normally $25/ea, but for these three days we are holding a no-cost Open House just for YOU.⁠

        Claim a hot desk spot by emailing us at info@acecoworking.ca. Please indicate which day(s) you are coming. (Multiple days are okay too! Just let us know when to expect you.)⁠

        While at ACE, drop your business card in our raffle box for a chance to win one of our door prizes – including a gift basket for coffee-lovers, gift basket for book lovers, Zirkova Vodka gift box, or even a one-month ACE membership!⁠ (You might even score a free donut or two.)

        2️⃣ PARTY! 🎉⁠

        Current ACE Coworking members are in for a treat. We’ll be hosting a member appreciation event at our newest ACE location: 132 Trafalgar Rd. There will be food, cocktails, friends and good vibes from 5 to 7pm. It’s our way of saying thanks to the wonderful people who make our community awesome. 

         

        WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COWORKING FACILITIES NEAR YOU?

        WONDERING IF / WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN A COWORKING SPACE?

        CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO FEATURING OUR MEMBERS AND OUR COWORKING COLLEAGUES AROUND ONTARIO. YOU’LL GET IT!

        ACE Coworking Cares

        ACE Coworking Cares

        We are always amazed at the sheer number of local organizations and volunteers hard at work to make Oakville and Halton Region a better place for us all. Recently we’ve had the privilege of partnering with some of these amazing groups and/or participating in their fundraising efforts. We’d like to continue to help them raise awareness for the important work they do, so here’s a little run-down of what we (and especially THEY) have been up to…

         Grief Support for Families

        The Lighthouse for Grieving Children & Families is an organization that provides support programs for local children who’ve lost a parent or sibling.⁠ We have a long association with the Lighthouse; we’ve helped to raise funds and raise awareness, and on occasion we’ve donated space for their meetings. Most recently, “Team ACE” participated in their Annual 5KRun4LH. We had a great time (coworkers bonding!) and our $1300 raised helped to contribute towards the event’s grand total of $245,000. Thanks again to our members and friends who donated!⁠ Your contributions will help ensure that Lighthouse’s grief counselling services stay free for local youth in need.⁠ More info about this annual event here.

        Conservation & Environment

        If you are not yet acquainted with Oakvillegreen, we recommend that you check out their website right away! They are a non-partisan charity that has been helping protect and restore nature through community education and local action since 2000. Working with thousands of local volunteers, they protect and restore the ecological functions of Oakville lands and water, creating a more resilient and healthy community for us all. Their site is full of opportunities for you, your kids, or your workplace to get involved with their important initiatives. 

        Oakvillegreen’s most recent board meeting – their first in-person one since before the pandemic – took place in our brand-new ACE Trafalgar boardroom. We were delighted to be able to support their efforts by donating our brand-new functional space to them.

         

        Youth Mental Health

        The 2nd Annual Camaraderie of Hope Golf Tournament took place last month at the Granite Ridge Golf Club in Milton. It was a fabulous day raising $12,000 for Bridging the Gap Halton. Bridging the Gap supports young people in our area, aged 16 to 24, who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. ACE Coworking donated a membership as a silent auction item, and was among 15 other local businesses who sponsored or supported the event in some way. Congrats to the Camaraderie of Hope organizers for a job well-done!

        If you’d like to get more inspiration and education from the staff and partners of ACE Coworking, sign up for our monthly newsletter. You’ll also stay up to date on the events we run and the amazing promotions we often offer!

        Coworking Office: Secret Weapon for Employee Retention

        Coworking Office: Secret Weapon for Employee Retention

        Here at ACE we are always amazed at how our members utilize our space and leverage our community to help them and their companies grow. Lately, we are hearing more and more of our members with staff tell us that ACE is one of the best employee-retention tools they have.

        By now everyone has heard of the difficulty companies are having finding, hiring, and holding onto great employees. A good pay package, time off, and benefits isn’t enough to make a company stand out when they are looking to fill empty positions these days; there are just too many job vacancies and not enough workers. For small and medium-sized businesses, especially with limited resources, it can be difficult to offer those little extras to a potential hire.

        Employee Perk

        Our members report that being able to offer our great-looking space to their employees as a place to work from is a huge benefit to their businesses. “Not only have we successfully hired from within the ACE community, but I am 100% convinced that one of the reasons we’ve retained our people is thanks to the camaraderie and positive atmosphere around here,” says Karie Miller, Director of Client Success for Boutique Growth.  

        Our offices are bright, modern, perfectly equipped with super-fast and reliable internet, offer free coffee, tea, and filtered water along with multiple places to sit at during the day: shared desks, lounges, standing desks, private phone booths, private meeting rooms and offices. We have that sought-after urban vibe, although we are conveniently located in the ‘burbs.

        Coworking Culture

        ACE takes care of holiday parties, professional development sessions, and details like that. It saves me a lot of time and effort, and my employees get a richer work environment” explains Jiwan Thapar, CEO of JTE Claims Consultants. We hear this a lot. Since ACE offers a full menu of curated monthly events (happy hours, learning workshops, networking events, book groups, and more) managers and employers don’t need to worry about creating those types of experiences themselves. 

        Savvy business owners know that a strong company culture helps them attract, and hold onto, great talent. We know how to nurture that culture in our coworking spaces and our member companies get leverage it into their own businesses.

        That Coworking Vibe

        Smaller companies get a lot of the benefits of a corporate environment thanks to flex use of a shared space. Rutendo Chidovi, Senior Client Manager at Nacora Insurance Brokers explains it this way: “Working at an office within ACE gives that exciting feeling that you would get in a larger company where there are a lot of diverse people around to talk with and learn from, but at the same time I still get to work for the small boutique firm that I love.”

        Rina Carlini, CEO of Optimal Innovation Group, who chose to relocate her team as soon as our new ACE Trafalgar location opened up, cites the atmosphere as something she knew her employees would appreciate. “No one on my team was truly happy working from home, because it felt like ‘living at work.’ ACE’s warm and welcoming community feel helps my team feel great as they go about their work in a beautiful environment.”

         

        Whether you’re in start-up, scaling, or somewhere in between, ACE has a membership plan to suit just about any company and budget. A coworking office rental or membership may be just that little extra benefit you need to help find, and keep, your next hire.

         

        Learn more about ACE membership plans here.

        Want to check out our two locations in person? Book a tour here. 

        Second Ace Location, Opens Doors March 1!

        Second Ace Location, Opens Doors March 1!

        ACE Trafalgar opening March 1, 2022. 23 Brand new bright and renovated private offices in a stylish downtown address.

        Welcome to our second location!

        We are so excited to be opening our doors to our second downtown Oakville location at 132 Trafalgar Road, just a few minutes walk from our flagship location on Robinson Street.

        Our bright newly renovated furnished offices feature super-fast reliable WIFI, desks with ergonomic chairs, file cabinet, waste baskets and dedicated ethernet ports. We have also ensured that the offices are lit by natural white LED lighting and have excellent ventilation.

         Our second location features stylish common spaces, a huge boardroom and equipped breakout rooms and lots of flexible space for growing businesses. We haven’t compromised on any of our great office amenities including that special ACE community vibe.

        Membership at either location allows access to all ACE perks and community events

        Come and visit for a tour of our new digs!

        ACE is setting the mood to become downtown Oakville’s most stylish, flexible and functional office space — for the second time!

        ACE TRAFALGAR — OPENING SPRING 2022

        A freshly renovated workspace with upscale design at the corner of Church St and Trafalgar Rd.

        23 Bright and Spacious Private Offices!

        Onsite Parking! – Limited Spots Available

        If you’d like to get more inspiration and education from the staff and partners of ACE Coworking, sign up for our monthly newsletter. You’ll also stay up to date on the events we run and the amazing promotions we often offer!

        ACE Is Growing! Brand New Downtown Private Offices

        ACE Is Growing! Brand New Downtown Private Offices

        New office spaces are availailable at ACE Coworking Trafalgar. Offices at ACE Trafalgar are turn-key and have sunny exterior-facing windows. The new location will be a sister space to the original ACE Coworking Robinson, just two blocks away. Members from both locations will join together to create one fluid community – with a members’ event calendar and multiple conference rooms accessible to everyone.

        ACE is setting the mood to become downtown Oakville’s most stylish, flexible and functional office space — for the second time!

        ACE TRAFALGAR — OPENING SPRING 2022

        A freshly renovated workspace with upscale design at the corner of Church St and Trafalgar Rd.

        23 Bright and Spacious Private Offices!

        Onsite Parking! – Limited Spots Available

        Our second location is coming this spring!

        January is here and it’s a great time to think about fresh starts and the steps you might take to reach your goals for 2022. Here at ACE, we are well on our way to achieving one of our big goals: the launch of a second location!

        ACE Coworking Trafalgar will be a sister space to the original ACE Coworking Robinson, just two blocks away. Members from both locations will join together to create one fluid community – with a members’ event calendar and multiple conference rooms accessible to everyone. Offices at ACE Trafalgar are turn-key and have sunny exterior-facing windows.

        Our new property (132 Trafalgar Rd., former home to BMO-Nesbitt Burns) is undergoing an extensive renovation and will be ready for occupancy in early spring 2022. It’s comprised of 25 state-of-the-art private offices, meeting rooms, and a comfortable and stylish members lounge. There’s onsite parking for several of the units too. Hot desks, dedicated desks, and virtual plans will still be available at our original location.

        Mood board created by Deb Richmond of Colourful Notions

        If your 2022 goals include any of the following, then you’ll want to give us a call asap. Are you aiming to…

        • gain increased productivity & focus?
        • create better boundaries between work life & personal life?
        • finally get your team back together in person?
        • step up your networking game?
        • gain a much-needed change of scenery after WFH?
        • have more human-to-human connections?
        • trade in a traditional long-term lease for a flexible modern solution?
        • treat yourself to a well-deserved luxury?

        An ACE Coworking office membership can offer you all of the above, plus much much more.

        Three of our largest units have been snapped up already by the fabulous folks at Zirkova Vodka, Nacora Insurance Group, and MyCourier Inc. Don’t miss out on your chance to claim an office too!

        Call 289-801-8731 for more info

         

        If you’d like to get more inspiration and education from the staff and partners of ACE Coworking, sign up for our monthly newsletter. You’ll also stay up to date on the events we run and the amazing promotions we often offer!