With a dream of encouraging flexibility, networking, and collaboration for entrepreneurs, SuiteWorks has become a pivotal resource for businesses in Barrie. Built from the ground up, SuiteWorks now occupies 23,000 square feet and continues to look forward to a future of growth and success. This year, they are celebrating their 20th anniversary–an exciting and momentous accomplishment for their team. To honour this remarkable milestone, we sat down with Kerri Diggle, president of SuiteWorks, to explore their humble beginnings, dedication to business development, and longstanding endeavors in supporting Barrie’s economic community.
Jenna Bartlett: Tell us, how did SuiteWorks start?
"The original founders wanted to create something in Barrie that offered real flexibility in how people work. They were strong believers in work-life balance and were inspired by the coworking movement they had seen in bigger cities. So, they decided to build something from the ground up—what they described at the time as truly state of the art. It was unlike anything Barrie had seen before. The goal was to bring more flexible work options to the community, and that vision really shaped what SuiteWorks became".
Talia Buffone: Why did you choose to launch SuiteWorks in Barrie?
"A prominent business centre in Central Ontario, SuiteWorks was launched to facilitate enterprise connections and cater to the needs of various business professionals. One of seven investors was originally from Barrie, so it meant a lot to serve business here and give back to their home community. The trajectory inspired many and continued to gain momentum. It was already evident that Barrie was going to be the place to be to start your business. With Barrie being a rapidly growing community, people from many areas now commute here for work and growth opportunities".
Jenna Bartlett: What are some of the services that Suite Works provides? How does Barrie empower you to offer these services?
"Barrie used to be a smaller, satellite community, meaning workers were either working from home or going back and forth from the city all the time. The good thing about establishing SuiteWorks in Barrie is that it offers a place for these hybrid workers to do their work remotely as well as network with various other professionals sharing the space. Companies and large corporations have also begun embracing this idea of collaboration and coworking. With Barrie’s proximity to other major cities, SuiteWorks’ flexible services cater very well to the needs of hybrid workers and new business owners.
SuiteWorks offers many services including meeting space, part-time space, virtual offices They also offer many opportunities to connect with different support systems and businesses.
We’ve built a strong network of contacts and use that to guide people in the right direction. A big part of our role is encouraging collaboration and helping businesses connect in meaningful ways. Every month, we host social events and seminars that bring together professionals from a wide range of industries. With so many diverse backgrounds in one place, those gatherings often lead to valuable relationships that wouldn’t happen in a traditional office environment".
Talia Buffone: How has SuiteWorks expanded since launching in Barrie? What are you most looking forward to for its future?
"The building is currently 23,000 square feet, but half the building was empty when we first started out. We began our expansion on the west side, and as the years went on, we decided that we needed more office space. We initially wanted to be mostly open concept but found that a lot of our clientele preferred closed spaces. We became resilient and learned we had to adapt with our community. We even turned our leases into one month instead of a year lease to provide that extra financial flexibility. People love this, it means they can be here for two months if that is all they need. On the other hand, there are people that have been with me for 15 years.
We have grown incredibly as a business centre. For business owners, it is nice to have a space where a lot of fundamental responsibilities are taken care of—whether that be hydro, maintenance, or cleaning—so they can just come in for their primary purpose. In terms of expansion, aside from recently repainting the building, there are many other things in the works that our team is very excited for"!
Jenna Bartlett: How has the business atmosphere changed since the establishment of SuiteWorks?
"The biggest shift we’ve seen is around flexibility. It really goes back to that core idea of work-life balance. Clients today are looking for adaptable work environments, and we do our best to reflect that. It’s about understanding what our clients need and making sure they can find it here.
We’ve also noticed a significant influx of people coming to Barrie, especially during and after COVID—many from southern cities—who are already familiar with the coworking model. While coworking wasn’t always widely embraced in Barrie, that’s changing. There's a growing understanding now that it doesn’t mean giving up privacy or security. You’re sharing services, yes, but you still have your own dedicated space. Coworking has helped break down some of the barriers that used to make it hard for businesses to get established or feel connected in Barrie".
Talia Buffone: What does it mean for Suite Works to be celebrating its 20th anniversary?
"We have devoted so much time and hard work into SuiteWorks. I have been here for 19.5 years, and the company is 20 years old now! We have seen the business evolve tremendously over time, as we offer an innovative perspective to our community. When the world was doing something different, we had to change along with it. SuiteWorks 20th anniversary, aside from being incredible and exciting, is truly momentous and is analogous to the team’s hard work and perseverance. I cannot believe it’s been 20 years…it has gone by so fast! We have had great support from the City of Barrie throughout our journey. So many people helped us along the way, and we are so grateful for that support".