GCUC Podcast - Coworking, Hospitality & The Future of Work

How do coworking operators actually win deals with today's landlords?

In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, recorded live at GCUC 50 in New York City in partnership with Brave Ideas, host Caleb Parker sits down with Justin Halpern and Christine Wyckoff of Cushman & Wakefield to unpack how enterprise demand is reshaping the flexible workspace industry and what operators need to do to stay competitive.

As enterprise occupiers increasingly integrate flex into their real estate portfolios, the conversation has shifted beyond finding space. Today, operators must demonstrate value, understand landlord priorities, and position themselves as long-term partners rather than tenants.

Justin and Christine share what they're seeing firsthand in the market, from the rise of hybrid lease structures and management agreements to the growing importance of speed, hospitality, and data-driven decision-making.

They cover:

Whether you're growing a coworking brand, negotiating with landlords, or trying to better understand where enterprise flex is headed, this episode offers practical insights from two professionals at the center of today's commercial real estate transactions.

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What does it take to build an office building people actually want to stay in?

In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, recorded live at GCUC 50 in New York City in partnership with Brave Ideas, host Caleb Parker sits down with Brandon Medeiros, CEO of ReKalibrate, to explore why commercial real estate is no longer just a leasing business– it's an operating business.

As tenant expectations evolve and market conditions continue to shift, landlords can no longer rely on long-term leases alone. Brandon shares why customer intelligence, hospitality, and operational excellence are becoming the biggest drivers of asset performance, tenant retention, and long-term value.

Together, they discuss how landlords can better understand their customers, why retention matters more than renewal, and what role AI, workplace data, and premium experiences will play in the future of the office.

They cover:

Whether you're a landlord, investor, coworking operator, workplace strategist, or commercial real estate professional, this episode offers practical insights into how the industry's most successful operators are adapting for what's next.

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What happens when a career in coworking comes full circle?

In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, host Liz Elam sits down with Jessica Knapp, longtime coworking leader, former employee #1 at OfficeRnD, and now a member of the GCUC team, to explore her journey through some of the industry's most pivotal moments.

From discovering coworking at NextSpace in Los Angeles and finding a community that changed her life, to helping build one of the industry's leading software platforms from the ground up, Jessica shares the lessons, relationships, and experiences that have shaped her unique perspective on coworking, technology, and entrepreneurship.

They also dive into why community remains the most powerful force in coworking, what operators often overlook when it comes to technology and financial management, the realities of building businesses with limited resources, how sponsorships and partnerships create value across the industry, and why no operator should feel like they're figuring it all out alone.

Plus, Liz and Jessica share insights from behind the scenes at GCUC, discuss the new GCUC Summer Series, and reveal the exciting location for GCUC 2027.

If you're a coworking operator, entrepreneur, community builder, or anyone passionate about the future of work, this conversation is packed with industry wisdom, candid stories, practical advice, and a reminder that great communities can change lives.

Connect with Jessica Knapp

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalouiseknapp/

Connect with Liz Elam

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A quiet shift is happening in Paris: managed offices are surging, and it’s reshaping the entire flex workspace landscape. Coworking Europe will be in Paris this fall, so let’s talk to the man bringing the coworking world to Paris this November, Jean-Yves Huwart. 

Liz Elam sits down with her good friend, Jean‑Yves, the founder of Coworking Europe (the world’s longest‑running coworking conference) and Social Workplaces, to unpack why they’re still bullish on coworking after 16 years, and what’s changing fast across Europe. From the rise of managed/operated offices to the growing influence of flex-focused brokers, to profitability realities and the ways AI is reshaping how companies use space, this conversation is a tour through the next wave of coworking.

Jean‑Yves also shares what to expect at Coworking Europe in Paris (Nov 5–6), including the venue, themes, and why Paris is becoming a major tipping-point market for flex and managed office demand.

In this episode:

Why in-person conferences are thriving and matter more than ever in the flex workspace industry.

The definition of a "managed/operated office" and why this model is booming specifically in Paris.

The emergence and influence of flex-focused brokers and how they are changing deal flow.

The hard truth about profitability and the financial realities the flex workspace industry needs to face.

How AI is impacting operational efficiency and reshaping how teams organize work (focus vs. social time).

Make sure you like and follow for more GCUC content! 

Jean-Yves Huwart https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-yves-huwart-73b0464/

Coworking Europe Tickets https://coworkingeurope.net/product/coworking-europe-2026-paris-conference/

Liz Elam  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizelam/

GCUC https://gcuc.co/

GCUC’s next Event: https://africa.gcuc.co/

What does research actually say about coworking spaces — and why should policymakers care?

In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, host Liz Elam sits down with Dr. Felicia Fai, Associate Professor in Innovation and Regional Resilience at the University of Bath School of Management, and one of the few academics dedicated to studying what coworking spaces truly do for entrepreneurs, communities, and regional economies.

Felicia's work shines a light on independent operators outside major cities — the spaces quietly having an enormous impact while rarely making headlines. Together, Liz and Felicia dig into why coworking spaces are so much more than just real estate, how the UK compares with Ireland in terms of policy support for flex spaces, and what the industry desperately needs if it wants policymakers to take notice.

They cover:

Whether you're running a space, building community, or making the case to a local council, this episode gives you the research-backed language to tell a bigger story.

Connect with Dr. Felicia Fai: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicia-fai-991602/

Connect with Liz Elam:

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizelam

Learn more about GCUC & get your tickets for GCUC UK:

 https://uk.gcuc.co/

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What really makes a coworking space unforgettable? According to Ben Newton, it’s not just the design, the coffee, or the amenities; it’s the people, the systems, and the intentional operations happening behind the scenes every single day.

In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, host Liz Elam sits down with Ben Newton, Operations Director at Patch, to unpack what truly drives exceptional coworking experiences. From building hospitality first workspaces and protecting team mental health to creating stronger local communities and rethinking the future of regional flex space, Ben shares a refreshingly honest look at the realities of modern operations.

They also dive into why coworking is really a hospitality business in disguise, the hidden burnout risks for community teams, how hybrid work is reshaping regional coworking, the loneliness epidemic and why coworking can help solve it, Ben’s collaborative OpenOps Project for coworking benchmarking, and leadership lessons on patience, listening, and scaling culture without losing the human touch.

If you care about the future of work, community, hospitality, or building spaces people genuinely want to be in, this conversation is packed with insight, heart, and practical wisdom.

Listen & Connect

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What really happens inside the room at GCUC? 

If you've been, you know the magic isn't just on the stage, it's in the hallway conversations, the shared struggles, and the collective drive to build something bigger than any one operator.

In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on our massive 50th event in New York City, and we're doing it with two leaders who experienced it from completely different angles.

First up, we have Sam Rosen, Industry Principal at Yardi. Yardi has become an absolute force in the flex and coworking space, and Sam is at the center of it — helping this industry understand itself like never before through real-time data, the groundbreaking new Coworking Index (launched at GCUC), and tools that are genuinely moving the needle for operators everywhere. If you're not paying attention to what Yardi is building, you need to be.

Alongside Sam is Kane Willmott, co-CEO of IQ Offices. Kane brings that sharp, boots-on-the-ground operator's lens to tell us what's actually working — and what's absolutely not — across markets, teams, and customers right now.

Together, we unpack the real conversations happening beneath the surface at GCUC 50. We're talking AI, investment, shifting customer expectations, and the undeniable rise of landlord-led flex space.

We’re digging into what's changed, what's next, and why this community is stronger than ever. From post-COVID resilience to the future of coworking growth, this episode is a candid, energizing look at exactly where the industry stands today and where we are headed next. Grab a coffee and tune in!

Like and follow for more juicy chats and join us in Manchester in June!! 

Connect with Sam Rosen

Coworking Index 

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What does it take to build world-class coworking outside of a major city center? In this episode, Liz Elam sits down with Adam Walker, CEO and co-founder of Foundry, to find out.

Adam is one of the most exciting operators in the UK coworking scene. Growing up surrounded by pubs and community clubs, he watched the traditional pillars of local community disappear, and decided to build something new in their place. Foundry now operates six premium, purpose-led coworking spaces in regional and suburban UK markets, with another six to seven locations set to launch in 2026.

In this conversation, Adam and Liz cover the origin story of Foundry, the strategy for bringing central London-quality workspace to local high streets, and the creative model of embedding coworking in built-to-rent residential developments. They also dig into the state of investment in the flex space industry, why better data is finally unlocking institutional capital, and why the coworking industry has a unique opportunity — and responsibility, to lead the way on member mental health.

This episode dropped the morning of GCUC in New York, and Adam was on stage that same day to help kick off what could be a defining moment for mental health in our industry.

If you are an operator, investor, or community builder who cares about where coworking is headed, this one is not to be missed.

Learn more about

https://www.foundryuk.com

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-r-walker/

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Meet Angel Kwiatkowski, a true original in coworking and the unapologetic force behind Cohere in Fort Collins. For over 15 years, Angel has been quietly and sometimes loudly redefining what community actually means, ditching scale, rejecting sameness, and building a space where connection is not a feature, it is the whole point. From buying her building to designing “unscalable on purpose” communities, Angel proves that smaller, scrappier, and more human might just be the future.

Liz Elam, founder of GCUC and longtime champion of the coworking movement, jumps in for a candid, no-BS conversation that pulls no punches. Together, they go head-to-head on hospitality versus community, unpack the loneliness epidemic, and share hard-won lessons from building spaces that truly matter.

This episode is equal parts philosophy, practicality, and playful debate, covering everything from friendship as a KPI to why alcohol on tap might be the worst perk in coworking.

If you care about community, connection, and the future of work and are not afraid of a little friendly sparring, this one is for you.

Learn more about Cohere

https://coherecommunity.com/

Connect with Angel

https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelkwiatkowski/

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What if the best social club in New York didn’t revolve around alcohol, but around connection?

On this episode of the GCUC podcast, we sit down with Justin Gurland, Founder & CEO of The Maze, an alcohol-free members club in New York City that’s redefining how adults gather, connect, and build community. After nearly two decades of sobriety and a career in behavioral health, Justin saw a gap: plenty of places to drink together, but almost nowhere designed for meaningful connection without alcohol at the center.

Enter The Maze, a thoughtfully designed social club where professionals, creatives, and entrepreneurs can meet, collaborate, and form real relationships in a hospitality-driven environment rooted in wellness and intentional programming.

Justin joins GCUC Founder Liz Elam to discuss the growing alcohol-free movement, the loneliness epidemic in big cities, and why rebuilding social networks is one of the most powerful drivers of human well-being. They also dive into the surprising rise of sober-curious culture, the role hospitality plays in community spaces, and what coworking operators can learn from the next generation of membership clubs.

From morning routines and meditation streaks to building a business when “everything finally clicks,” this conversation explores what happens when purpose, timing, and community align.

In this episode, Justin and Liz explore why alcohol-free social spaces are booming, how The Maze is helping tackle loneliness in New York City, and what coworking operators can learn from the world of hospitality and social clubs. 

If you're interested in the future of community- and wellness-driven spaces and hospitality, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Learn more about The Maze

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