The operator who knows their local area has something the global brands cannot replicate at scale. That was the thread running through this conversation with Paddy Kennedy, practice leader for Global Flexible Workspace Advisory at Colliers, recorded live at GCUC UK in Manchester as part of the series we made with the GCUC UK team.

Paddy spends his days advising occupiers and landlords on flex, so he sees clearly where the smaller, boutique operator wins. They understand the culture, they wrap their arms around the people in the building and every deal matters to them in a way a global provider may find it hard to match.

Paddy was also honest about a habit the industry needs to break. Managed, serviced, flex, traditional: these are the words operators and brokers use to talk to each other, when the occupier walking in just wants a clear answer on desks, meeting rooms and term length. 

The job is to make the message simple for the person actually choosing the space and when a landlord decides to run flex themselves, Paddy is unequivocal about what makes or breaks it. It starts with the people, because coworking runs on people at the end of the day.

Key Takeaways For Coworking & Flexible Workspace Operators

• Your local knowledge is the advantage. Understanding your local area and your community is exactly what the bigger brands struggle to copy, so lean into it rather than apologising for your size.
• Speak the occupier's language, not the industry's. The person choosing a space wants clarity on what they get, not a lesson in managed versus serviced.
• Every deal mattering is a strength. The care you put into looking after each member is the thing larger providers cannot scale.
• If you are building or running flex, get the people right first. The space and the systems follow from the team you put in place.

These conversations are brought to you in collaboration with GCUC UK.