From side hustle to community hub

When Nicola arrived at The Nucleus in January 2025, she came as an employee of a business based in the building, Dunamis Consultancy, a home care and recruitment agency. Just over a year later, she is now also running The Nucleus Café, creating jobs, building confidence and growing something of her own.

For Nicola, taking on the café was not part of some long-term masterplan. It was an opportunity that appeared at the right moment, in the right environment.

“I worked in restaurants and pubs before care, so when the opportunity for the café came about, I thought: this will be something different to jump in on and put my foot in the door for something for myself.”

That opportunity became something bigger: a step towards building her own future.

Growth looks different for everyone

At The Nucleus, growth is not always about overnight success or scaling at speed.

Sometimes it is about confidence. Sometimes it is about community. Sometimes it is simply about having the right people around you to help you believe you can do something new.

For Nicola, being based at The Nucleus played an important role in helping her take that leap.

She had already seen the atmosphere that the café created within the building and wanted to continue that welcoming environment for customers and visitors.

“I watched how friendly and inviting the café was for people coming back and I wanted to create the same sort of environment.”

Of course, taking on a business while continuing to work full time in another role came with nerves and uncertainty.

The support from the people around her - both professionally and personally - helped turn the idea into something real.

Community in practice, not just in theory

One of the strategic priorities for The Nucleus is making community visible, tangible and relevant, not forced networking, but real relationships and practical support that help businesses grow.

Nicola’s story is a perfect example of that in action.

From support from her employer to encouragement from the on-site team, she says the people around her helped keep momentum going when the process felt overwhelming.

“I definitely had nerves and worries,” Nicola explained. “If it wasn’t for the people around me, I wouldn’t be here,” she said. “They kept me on track.”

She also credits the support of the centre team, particularly around helping promote ideas and connect the café into wider activity taking place within the building.

“The support here has been fantastic,” Nicola explained. “The team is brilliant. They’ll promote what we’re doing and help bring ideas together.”

That collaborative, supportive environment is exactly what The Nucleus aims to provide for businesses at different stages of growth. There’s a strong emphasis on creating a business community where relationships develop naturally and businesses feel supported beyond simply renting workspace.

Creating opportunities for others too

Nicola’s growth story is already creating opportunities for other people.

Since taking on the café, she has built a brand new team from scratch. One employee already had café management experience, another is a baker and another is enjoying her very first job.

“It’s Gracie’s first job and she’s doing so well!” Nicola said.

For a local business community, stories like this matter.

Growth does not only benefit one person. It creates ripple effects through employment, confidence, skills and community connection.

A bigger vision for the future

Nicola’s plans for the café go beyond coffee and lunch.

She wants The Nucleus Café to become a genuine community hub for professionals based both within the building and across the wider Bridge estate.

Her ideas include relaxed games evenings, networking without pressure and even a book club, creating spaces where people can unwind while naturally building professional relationships.

“I want it to be a little community hub focused on professionals,” she explained.

That vision aligns closely with The Nucleus’s wider mission to support collaboration, connection and sustainable business growth within Dartford’s growing business community.

More than workspace

At its heart, Nicola’s story reflects something important about The Nucleus.

Growth is not always linear. Sometimes it starts with an idea, a conversation or simply being surrounded by the right environment and support network.

The Nucleus exists to provide more than desks and offices. It is designed to create the conditions where businesses, ideas and people can grow with confidence.

Whether that means launching a side hustle, growing an established business or simply finding a professional community where you feel supported, the focus remains the same: helping ambitious people take their next step.

Thinking about your next step?

Whether you are growing a business, exploring a new idea or simply looking for a professional environment that feels supportive as well as credible, The Nucleus offers flexible workspace, community and opportunities to connect with other ambitious businesses in Dartford and beyond.

Find out more about office space, coworking, meeting rooms and the business community at The Nucleus.