On the last episode, we posted a GWA conference debrief among Giovanni, Megan Brown (Executive Director) and Cid Rhomberg (GWA Co-President). This week, we invited a few attendees AND non-attendees for an informal review of the event. Grab your own bag of popcorn and join us.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Global Workspace Association

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

On this episode, the GWA Team (Megan Brown, Cid Rhomberg, Giovanni Palavacini), shares the highlight reel of this year's Flex Forward Conference and announces next year's conference venue and the Immersive location for May 2023.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Global Workspace Association

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Heather Harris on LinkedIn

• Intelligent Office website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

Fun Fact: Chelsea was a member of the Executive Centre as an employee of a marketing agency before she joined the Executive Centre Team as Managing Director, Global Marketing & Communications.

The Executive Centre has been around for 29 years, and has 180 locations in 33 cities. Their locations are mostly in Asia but they also operate in Australia and the Middle East.

They focus on making easy for foreign companies to establish a compelling work environment for their teams in Asia.

They expand in a market where the demand factors are strong and clear, and each location is premium and designed with local preferences in mind.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Chelsea on LinkedIn

• The Executive Centre website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

Ryan Fogelman is a JD/MBA although he claims he could do the work he does with a high school degree. What started off as a way to solve a personal problem - needing office space for a business, turned into a passion project among a group of friends committed to supporting small businesses in small communities.

Cohatch is a way to work, meet and live. COhatch now operates in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Atlanta and will be opening in Tampa. No two locations are alike - they are in different types of buildings with different amenities - from rock climbing to theatres... and each is designed to support the community in a different way.

We talk to Ryan about:

• Their business model
• Customizing their offer for each market
• Supporting non profit businesses while still making a profit
• and more.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Ryan on LinkedIn

• COhatch website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

Firmspace has the ultimate clarity on who its best customers are and what its brand positioning is. That's clear from their location strategy, product mix, design aesthetic and relentless focus on customer service.

Kenny Kane has moved up the ranks of the organization and is now the CEO.

We chat about:

• His ideal customers

• How he approaches his role as CEO

• His experience with demountable walls and sound management

• And more…

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Kenny on LinkedIn

• Firmspace website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

On this episode, Dror Poleg delves into the transformative shift in how we perceive and design office spaces. Gone are the days when developers had a clear roadmap for constructing workplaces. Today, with the rise of remote work and the shift of considering 'home' as the baseline, the game is changing. Poleg discusses the uncertainties leaders face, especially as emerging AI technologies stand to reshape the work dynamic even further.

A central idea presented is the concept of the office of the future. Not confined by a physical location, it's envisioned as a network. Instead of static places, the focus is on enabling employees to access what they need, whenever and wherever. Poleg presents the idea that while offices will continue to exist, they'll differ in design, accessibility, and financial agreements. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability in future designs, suggesting the ability for spaces to be easily reconfigured, moving beyond furniture adjustments to transforming entire wall structures.

The episode also highlights regional distinctions in office dynamics, underscoring differences between places like Austin, Texas, and San Francisco. In a rapidly changing world, Poleg suggests we may not settle on a standardized answer about workspaces for decades to come.

Dive in to explore the future of office spaces, understand the contrasts of macro vs. micro views, and see how work environments are perpetually evolving.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

• Dror on LinkedIn

• Hype Free website

• Dror's book Rethinking Real Estate

• Global Workspace Association Annual Conference

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

Michael's passion is creating workspaces that people actually want to use.

Gone are the days of enduring choppy calls - Michael Przytula tells us the new gold standard is all about that crisp, Zoom connection. Big corporations might have deep pockets, but transitioning massive office spaces post-pandemic? It's not as easy as it sounds. As we dreamt of next-gen tech and shiny meeting rooms, Michael brought us back to earth with the realities of budgets and the challenges of scale. And for a fun twist, we pedaled through Austin's best cycling routes

Key Points:

• Clear tech communication is non-negotiable for today's Zoom or Teams users.

• Michael P. sheds light on the corporate transition conundrum.

• The dream of tech upgrades meets budget realities.

• Michael's take on Austin: It's not just about tech, but also a cyclist's paradise.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Register for our Live Flex Uncensored session with Dror Poleg on Wednesday, August 16th.

• Michael on LinkedIn

• Accenture website

• Michael's Podcast

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

If you attended either the GWA or GCUC conferences this year, you might have met the one and only Tasha Hydar. She's the Vice President of Business Development at Isofy. What does Isofy do? It delivers world-class network management for your coworking members.

Have you ever read the book "The Go-Giver?" Tasha exemplifies the moral of that story. She just wants you to succeed and wants to take the stress out of designing and managing your coworking space network. Because we all know there is one thing that your members won't forgive you for. Bad Internet.

Tasha also shares a personal challenge that she overcame this year and how it impacted her life.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Tasha on LinkedIn

Isofy website

John Arenas has had a 20 year career in flexible workspace. This guy has seen it all.

After business school, John worked in lending for office buildings, then worked for a developer doing office buildings…then he started a shared office franchise company that was later acquired by Regus. Today he's the CEO of Serendipity Labs operating 30 locations in the US and the UK.

John shares his perspective on the tipping point in demand for flex, the shift he's seeing in end user requirements…the landlord's decision to build or partner when it comes to converting office assets to flex… and more

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

• John on LinkedIn

• Serendipity Labs website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast