153. Nurture In Nature: Building A Co-Working Space For Creativity With Julianne Becker

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In this special episode focused on community building, host Sophie Vo sits down with Julianne Becker, co-founder of Coconat — a workation retreat and co-living space in Brandenburg, Germany. Far from a typical tech leader, Julianne shares her remarkable journey from NGO work in Vietnam to launching an award-winning rural innovation hub that fosters creativity, collaboration, and community for creative and game founders.

In this episode, we cover:

* The realities of transitioning careers into entrepreneurship

* The challenges of building a coliving space and thriving ecosystem from scratch

* Insights on funding, bootstrapping, and grassroots marketing

* How to create meaningful community integration in rural areas

* Balancing family life while building a values-led business

* The power of diverse, inclusive residencies, especially the acclaimed Rabbit Indie Game Residency (application deadline: June 15). Rabbit Residency is a standout initiative offering indie game developers a month-long retreat to collaborate, innovate, and connect globally — with a focus on diversity and inclusion.

* Exciting developments, including Coconat's new role as a Brandenburg Startup Accelerator to support game devs, mobility innovators, and more through funded residencies.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in creative leadership, rural innovation, the future of work, or indie game development.

💡 Key Takeaways:

* Start before you're ready: Juliane emphasized the importance of talking about your idea early, even before it's fully developed, to shape it through feedback and co-creation.

* Community-first entrepreneurship: Coconat was built not only for digital nomads but also with and for the local community — from hosting local events to supporting regional development initiatives.

* Bootstrapped & bold: Juliane and her partner self-funded the venture through loans and creative incentives (like early volunteer vouchers), showcasing that you don’t need VC money to start strong.

* Resilience over perfection: From internet infrastructure setbacks to bureaucratic hurdles, they adapted constantly without losing sight of their values.

* Integrating work and family: Coconut was literally built alongside Juliane’s children — a real-world case of family-integrated entrepreneurship.

🔗 Resources & Links:

* 🐇 Apply for The Rabbit Indie Game Residency (Deadline: June 15th, 2025): https://coconat-space.com/the-rabbit-games-residency-2025-call-for-applications/

* 🏡 Learn more about Coconat: https://coconat-space.com/

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