Sheree Rubinstein
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Sheree Rubinstein is a former corporate lawyer and founder of One Roof Women, a hub for women in business. She is an entrepreneur and advocate for women's advancement in business leadership.
Career
Sheree graduated law school and was employed by one of Melbourne's top firms.{{Cite news|url=http://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/advice/startupsmart-growth/female-entrepreneurs-get-their-own-pop-up-co-working-space/|title=Female entrepreneurs get their own pop-up co-working space – SmartCompany|date=3 February 2015|work=SmartCompany|access-date=2 May 2017}} Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit{{Cite web|url=http://www.woman.com.au/why-female-founder-sheree-rubinstein-quit-the-law-for-entrepreneuralism/|title=woman.com.au profile on Sheree Rubinstein}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.leagueofextraordinarywomen.com.au/member-profile/sheree-rubinstein/|title=League of Extraordinary Women – Sheree Rubinstein|website=leagueofextraordinarywomen.com.au|access-date=2 May 2017}} combined with a desire to foster social enterprise, Rubinstein decided to leave the confines of her 'top tier' law firm for advocacy for women in business.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vwt.org.au/people/sheree-rubinstein/|title=Sheree Rubinstein |work=Victorian Women's Trust|access-date=2 May 2017}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/advice/startupsmart-growth/the-top-10-moments-for-australian-women-in-tech-in-2015/|title=The top 10 moments for Australian women in tech in 2015 – SmartCompany|date=4 January 2016|work=SmartCompany|access-date=2 May 2017}}
= Establishment of One Roof =
In 2015, Rubinstein joined with US based strategist, Gianna Wurzl{{Cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/new-coworking-spaces-to-support-women-under-one-roof/news-story/d10921503cdfb0a47fcb8783742725c6|title=Women to co-work under One Roof|date=27 October 2015|access-date=2 May 2017}} to found One Roof with bases in Melbourne and Los Angeles.{{Cite news|url=https://www.businessinsider.com.au/new-coworking-space-wants-to-help-more-women-start-startups-2015-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151014150951/http://www.businessinsider.com.au/new-coworking-space-wants-to-help-more-women-start-startups-2015-10|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 October 2015|title=This new co-working space wants to encourage female startup founders|last=Nicholas|first=Josh|date=13 October 2015|work=Business Insider Australia|access-date=2 May 2017}} The early iteration of the One Roof model looked at conversions of under-used physical spaces, to transform them into shared work spaces supporting women in business.{{Cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/new-coworking-spaces-to-support-women-under-one-roof/news-story/d10921503cdfb0a47fcb8783742725c6|title=Women to co-work under One Roof|date=27 October 2015|access-date=2 May 2017}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theweeklyreview.com.au/meet/meet-the-female-entrepreneurs-creating-new-ways-to-connect/|title=Meet the female entrepreneurs creating new ways to connect|date=23 August 2016|work=The Weekly Review|access-date=2 May 2017}} The intent was to combine traditional support such as networking,{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/09/27/e-learning-makes-sense-for-time-poor-small-business-owners/|title=E-Learning Makes Sense For Time-Poor Small Business Owners|last=Beattie|first=Andrea|date=28 September 2016|work=HuffPost|access-date=2 May 2017}} events and workshops, and access to legal, finance, fundraising, and communications services,{{Cite web|url=http://www.businessnewsaus.com.au/articles/raising-the-co-working-standard.html|title=RAISING THE CO-WORKING STANDARD|website=Business News Australia|access-date=2 May 2017}} with less traditional support such as yoga and meditation classes.{{Cite web|url=http://www.woman.com.au/pop-coworking-space-one-roof-hosts-women-entrepreneurs/|title=Pop-up Coworking Space One Roof Hosts Women Entrepreneurs – Women in business, entrepreneurs, trailblazers and female founders|website=woman.com.au|access-date=2 May 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.businessnewsaus.com.au/articles/raising-the-co-working-standard.html|title=RAISING THE CO-WORKING STANDARD|website=Business News Australia|access-date=2 May 2017}}
While the Los Angeles and Sydney branches transformed into virtual networks, not using physical space, the Melbourne branch, run by Sheree Rubinstein experienced enormous growth. In April 2016,{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/from-cannabis-startups-to-surfers-coworking-spaces_us_5868818de4b014e7c72ee211|title=From cannabis startups to surfers: Coworking spaces go more niche as the shared office market explodes|last=Zhao|first=Helen|date=4 January 2017|website=HuffPost|access-date=2 May 2017}} One Roof took over space in Southbank establishing dedicated office space as well as coworking space. One Roof estimates it has engaged 10,000 women, across four cities, and hosted over 500 workshops. Rubinstein continued her connection with the One Roof charity partner, SHE, run by Melbourne-based non-profit YGAP,{{Cite web|url=https://www.fya.org.au/|title=FYA {{!}} Welcome home|website=FYA|access-date=2 May 2017}} which seeks to foster female entrepreneurs via its accelerator programmes in Kenya, South Africa and Australia in a bid to improve the lives of women and girls.{{Cite news|url=http://www.smartcompany.com.au/startupsmart/news-analysis/poverty-fighting-accelerator-joins-forces-with-los-angeles-melbourne-startup-community-to-put-more-women-in-front-of-investors/|title=Los Angeles-Melbourne startup community unites with poverty-fighting accelerator to put more women in front of investors – SmartCompany|date=12 December 2016|work=SmartCompany|access-date=2 May 2017}}
Awards and grants
In recognition of One Roof's contribution to women in business, Rubinstein won the 2016 Victorian Young Achievers Leadership Award{{Cite news|url=https://www.jewishnews.net.au/top-accolade-tom-founder/53854|title=Top accolade for TOM founder – The Australian Jewish News|date=17 May 2016|work=The Australian Jewish News|access-date=2 May 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.awardsaustralia.com/young-achiever-awards/vic/current-winners/|title=Current Winners {{!}} Awards Australia|website=www.awardsaustralia.com|access-date=2 May 2017}} and was nominated as one of Australia's top young innovators by The Foundation for Young Australians. In 2015, Rubinstein won a $10,000 seed grant from BASF{{Cite web|url=https://www.basf.com/documents/au/en/news-media/news-releases/2015/08/20150807_Young_entrepreneur_Sheree_Rubinstein_wins_10000_in_seed_funding_to_create_a_better_Australia.pdf|title=BASF Grant}} to drive innovation.
In October 2018 Rubinstein was named one of the Young Leaders in The Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence awards.{{Cite news|url=https://www.afr.com/brand/100women/women-of-influence-2018-winner-fights-for-recognition-of-indigenous-australians-20181015-h16npc|title=Women of Influence 2018 winner fights for recognition of Indigenous Australians|last=Patten|first=Sally|date=2018-10-17|work=Australian Financial Review|access-date=2018-10-18|language=en-US}}
In 2022 Rubinstein was selected as a finalist in the 2022 Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-06 |title=Announcing the exceptional finalists of the 2022 Women's Agenda Leadership Awards |url=https://womensagenda.com.au/leadership/leadership-awards/announcing-the-exceptional-finalists-of-the-2022-womens-agenda-leadership-awards/ |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=Women's Agenda |language=en-AU}}