My bad company experience
BAD COMPANY EST.2017
*This piece mentions an eating disorder
One of my favourite quotes is "there is always Spring after Winter." What felt like a never-ending series of hardships, struggles, and setbacks was made all the brighter by Bad Company.
How's this for timing? You're 28 years old, you buy a house, get made redundant, and then are admitted to the hospital for an eating disorder. Your mental health is at an all-time low, and needless to say, this is pretty much the rockiest of bottoms.
And then, a small brightness - you win an Instagram competition for a free month at a co-working space, Bad Company. It was a small glimmer of hope I needed.
I won't lie, the first day I went into Bad Company, I was a *total mess. I was struggling to hold onto my sanity, my work ethic, and I didn’t actually have much work to do. I came in just to feel normal when life was very far from it.
The space was buzzing. Everyone around me seemed so busy and successful. And while there is truth in that, there was something I quickly learned: the people at Bad Company weren't just busy and successful; they were also kind, interesting, engaging, and genuine.
I thought, "surely this isn't normal; maybe I've just caught them on a good day". But sure enough, as the days went by and the trial went on, I got to know the different crew members, and what epic members they are. At the time, my husband and I were new to the area and it was honestly life-changing having such awesome humans to connect with.
It wasn't just that they were lovely people; they were also inspiring and diverse. From accountants to Kajabi geniuses, graphic designers to sustainability warriors, I had a lot to learn from everyone. You know what they say: you become the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. After seeing the amazing work that the BC crew were doing, I wanted to be proud of my work, too. I started applying for new jobs, and climbing out of the deep hole I had gotten myself into. I began to really look forward to each day at BC, going on strolls for coffee at Soul Boul, and feeling more productive than I had in years.
“The end of the trial was nearing, and I had found myself a new job. My luck was turning around and better yet, my new role was remote”.
The end of the trial was nearing, and I had found myself a new job. My luck was turning around, and better yet, my new role was remote. Bad Company wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was I. I signed up for a BC membership, or as we call it, a friend's membership. It's now been over a year of working from BC, and without sounding dramatic, BC and the people that occupy this space have honestly turned my life around.
As someone who (ironically) works in the wellness industry, I have come to learn that community and connection are monumental for mental health. It’s one of the third most important pillars for basic human needs. I notice a huge shift not only in my mood but also in my productivity on BC days versus home days.
So thank you, BC, for the shared lunches and surf missions, for satisfying those 3pm chocolate cravings, and for enabling a space for true connection with other humans.
Thank you for being spring.
*If you're wondering, I am now just a partial mess, but with good friends and a much better work ethic.
Written by: Daisy Dervine
Mount Maunganui
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