If the term “cowarehousing” hasn’t hit your radar yet, this episode will change that.

Shannon and Emiliano Lerda didn’t set out to build a flex space company — they just wanted to stop tripping over shipping boxes in their living room. What they ended up creating is Elevator Co-Warehousing, a fast-growing brand built specifically for product-based businesses that need more than a desk… but less than a forklift.

In this episode, Gio and guest cohost Wesley Edmonds dive into how the Lerdas turned a personal pain point into a scalable model that blends real estate, hospitality, and serious operational know-how.

Here’s what we cover:

• How their own experience running an e-commerce brand led to the first Elevator space.

• Why their spaces feel more like coworking than traditional warehouse environments.

• The intentional decision to open in overlooked markets — and why it’s paying off.

• How community, design, and practical logistics create a retention flywheel.

• The financing and buildout lessons they’ve learned while scaling a new category.

If you’re exploring new flex models or thinking about how to serve a different kind of member — this conversation is full of smart, grounded inspiration.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Emiliano on LinkedIn

Shannon on LinkedIn

Elevator Spaces website

Wesley on LinkedIn

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

A couch, a few desks, and a Wi-Fi password won’t cut it anymore.

In this episode, we sit down with Wesley Edmonds, Director of Workplace at Office Furniture Solutions, and Kurt Patrick, Senior Executive at Essensys, to talk about what it really takes to create a functional, flexible space, from physical design to digital infrastructure.

They’ve both worked behind the scenes on hundreds of flex space projects. Their perspective? Too many operators underestimate the complexity of getting a space ready, and keeping it competitive.

Here’s what we cover:

• Why tech infrastructure should be part of the earliest planning conversations — not a bolt-on.

• Common mistakes in space design that hurt member experience and operational efficiency.

• How Wesley helps landlords and operators align vision with real-world furniture, flow, and budget.

• What the biggest operators get right when it comes to tech, access control, and back-of-house ops.

• Why speed to market matters — and how the right team can help you launch faster and smarter.

If you're opening a space, refreshing your layout, or scaling a flex brand, this conversation will save you time, money, and headaches.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Wesley on LinkedIn

OFS website

Kurt on LinkedIn

essensys website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

We're bringing this one back because it's one of our most inspiring episodes. If you haven’t met Chiko Abengowe, you’re in for a masterclass in scaling coworking with hustle, heart, and zero VC funding.

Chiko is the founder and CEO of Perfect Office Solutions, a 20+ location flex brand that’s built for affordability, speed, and entrepreneurs who just need space to get to work.

We talk about:

• How Chiko turned $1,000 and a background in staffing into a coworking company serving hundreds of small businesses.

• The secret behind his “Walmart of coworking” model and why members furnish their own spaces.

• How he gamifies sales and motivates his team with monthly bonuses and international trips.

• The art of negotiating leases where landlords cover 100% of the buildout.

• Why staying lean, scrappy, and mission-driven still wins in a competitive flex market.

If you think you need fancy furniture and deep pockets to grow, this episode will challenge everything.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Chiko on LinkedIn

Perfect Office Solutions website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

In this host-only episode, Jamie and Gio catch up on what’s happening across the flex space landscape, and let’s just say, it’s anything but quiet.

From emerging product types to the mystery of Peerspace algorithms, this one dives into the macro (industry mergers, the rise of co-warehousing) and the micro (why your meeting room pricing strategy might be off).

If you’re feeling the pull to try something new or just want a pulse check on what’s working, this is the episode for you.

What we cover:

• Why showing up to coworking events and conferences is more valuable than ever.

• Meeting room trends: pricing, product design, and creative inventory strategies.

• The (surprising) growth of co-warehousing and adjacent flex models.

• Big moves in the flex industry: acquisitions, brand launches, and new entrants.

• Why some operators are quietly selling out and what others can learn from that momentum.

This one’s got ideas, inspiration, and a few names you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on.

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

If you think all coworking leaders have the same backstory… this episode will change your mind.

Mark Goldfinger, GM and Head of North America for Mindspace, joins us for a deep (and often hilarious) dive into his journey. From running global expansion at WeWork to building boutique, hospitality-forward spaces at Mindspace.

We talk about what he learned from the early days of coworking (and Adam Neumann), why operators should take events seriously, and how to scale without losing the heart of the business.

Plus, Mark opens up about the personal moments that shaped his leadership style, and yes, there’s a Taylor Swift karaoke moment in here too. 🎤

Here’s what we cover:

• Mark’s journey from international expansion lead at WeWork to scaling Mindspace in the U.S.

• The magic of Mindspace’s “host” events business model, and why events are core to modern coworking

• His six-year ride at WeWork and the powerful, human moments that defined it

• Mindspace’s U.S. growth strategy, and what he looks for before signing on a new location

• The unexpected connection between marathon training and scaling a coworking brand

This episode is part ops, part origin story, and full-on inspiration for anyone building a flex space with heart.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Mark on LinkedIn

Mindspace website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

In this episode, Amanda shares how she co-founded Bamboo and scaled it into a multi-location flex space operator managing over 200,000 sq ft—all while staying true to her indie roots and mission-driven values.

We cover:

• The early Bamboo story: humble beginnings, tough calls, and a few desks from Craigslist

• The decision to grow beyond Detroit and what scaling has meant for the team

• Bamboo’s strategy for operating AND managing third-party spaces (and why it works)

• A deep dive into their 115,000 sq ft conversion of a former school

• Amanda’s thoughts on public-private partnerships and building local ecosystems

This episode is packed with practical takeaways for indie operators and inspiring insights for anyone navigating the long game in flex. Amanda doesn’t just talk the talk—she’s walked every inch of this path.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Amanda on LinkedIn

• Bamboo Website

• Wesley Edmonds on LinkedIn

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

If your goal is to create a coworking space that’s profitable, purposeful, and packed with community-driven energy, this episode is required listening.

Gina Schreck didn’t just open a coworking space—she built a village. What started as a 10,000-square-foot coworking concept born from her marketing agency has grown into a 50,000-square-foot hybrid of workspace, event center, and community hub. In this conversation, Gina shares how she and her team doubled down during the pandemic, leaned into events when others pulled back, and built a culture that continues to thrive—even when she’s not in the building.

In this episode, we cover:

• How Gina expanded from 10K to 50K square feet (and why she nearly walked away from it)

• What makes her podcast studio actually get used (and how it supports her community)

• The role of events in sustaining revenue and attracting foot traffic—even weddings and church services

• How her space became a true community center, with a waitlist for offices and thriving nonprofit partnerships

• Why DIY coworking isn’t for divas—and how she leans into a high-touch, high-hospitality model

This one is packed with personality, insights, and the kind of energy that’s hard to bottle—and harder to scale. But somehow, Gina’s done both.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Gina on LinkedIn

The Village Workspace website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

When a real estate problem turns into a business opportunity… and then scales across the West Coast. That’s the CENTRL Office origin story. In this episode, we sit down with Alex Hughes, co-founder of CENTRL Office, to hear how a “no man's land” office building in Portland led to a full-on flex brand with locations in Oregon, Washington, and California.

Alex shares how they’ve transitioned completely to true management agreements, the role of tenant experience, and why the “vibe” is more than just good coffee and nice design.

We cover:

• How CENTRL Office grew out of a leasing challenge and scaled with a flexible model that works for landlords.

• Why they moved from leases to fully aligned management agreement, and what that actually looks like.

• The types of buildings and partnerships that set the stage for long-term success (spoiler: they’re not looking for one-off deals).

• How enterprise demand is showing up in LA and why it’s reshaping what “coworking” means.

• The challenge and opportunity of bringing hospitality-level service to landlord portfolios through flex operations.

If you’re working on creative deal structures, supporting landlords through flex, or just trying to figure out how to scale your vibe, this one’s for you.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Alex on LinkedIn

CENTRL Office website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

Ginger Dhaliwal didn’t plan to end up in coworking—or in tech at all. Her journey from social work to startup founder spans continents, industries, and a through-line of solving human-centered problems. As co-founder of Upflex, she’s now at the intersection of workplace experience, real estate tech, and the flex ecosystem.

In this episode, we cover:

• Ginger’s global path from social impact to launching R&D labs, tech startups, and eventually, Upflex.

• The core challenges of aggregating coworking inventory—and why brokers and operators have been slow to adapt.

• Upflex’s unique strategy: white-label partnerships with brokerages, airport lounge operators, and the U.S. government.

• How Ginger thinks AI will reduce booking friction, improve workspace recommendations, and drive industry-wide transformation.

• Why coworking is evolving from access-based models to experience-driven destinations—and what that means for operators.

Ginger shares her vision of a future where space is dynamically allocated, demand is driven by intelligent systems, and coworking plays a key role in restoring human connection.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Ginger on LinkedIn

Upflex website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

What happens when a designer trades luxury bars and boutique hotels for coworking spaces—and ends up helping shape WeWork’s global footprint? You get Dean Connell: design veteran, creative provocateur, and someone who’s not afraid to say what coworking needs most right now.

In this episode, Dean shares his personal story of stumbling into WeWork, building over 2 million square feet of flexible workspace around the world, and why coworking still has a culture problem. We dig into what’s missing from today’s flex space design and how operators can bring purpose, creativity, and—yes—a little rebellion back into the process.

This one’s part inspiration, part challenge to the status quo, and a must-listen for anyone trying to build spaces that matter.

We cover:

• Dean’s unexpected journey from bar designer to creative director at WeWork, and how it changed the trajectory of his life.

• Why so many coworking spaces feel soulless—and what to do about it.

• The tension between creativity and repeatable models in coworking design.

• How to build spaces that reflect culture, not just brand palettes.

• Dean’s call for operators to stop playing it safe and start building the future, not just repackaging the past.

If you’ve ever looked at your space and thought “there has to be more to this,” you’ll want to hear what Dean has to say.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Dean on LinkedIn

I-AM.D.C website

Wesley Edmonds on LinkedIn

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast