Dispelling furniture myths, the OFS and ROOM acquisition and what it could all mean for the future of furnishing coworking spaces.📝 See the full show notes at https://twic.co/wesleyWelcome back to 'This Weekend Coworking' podcast!

In this episode, Hector sits down with Wesley Edmonds, Director of Workplace at OFS, to dive into the fascinating world of contract furniture and its impact on coworking spaces. Wesley shares her journey from architecture passion to becoming a workspace futurist at OFS, a family-owned manufacturer specializing in non-residential furniture.

Discover the role of contract furniture in the evolving hybrid work landscape and hear about OFS's innovative move, including their acquisition of Room and the launch of new acoustic lounge sets.

Wesley debunks common misconceptions about contract furniture costs and shares industry insights on sustainable practices and future trends. If you're part of the coworking or furniture industry, this episode is packed with valuable information tailored just for you!Chapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:30 Wesley's Role at OFS01:21 Wesley's Career Journey04:32 The Future of Work and Coworking05:53 OFS's Acquisition of Room11:19 Understanding Contract Furniture16:29 New Product Launches and NeoCon21:56 Misconceptions in Contract Furniture23:01 Addressing Pricing Misconceptions23:54 The Value of Contract Furniture26:34 Challenges Faced by Operators28:50 Understanding Contract Furniture Tiers31:52 Common Mistakes in Furniture Selection38:33 Sustainability and Circular Economy41:14 Conclusion and Future Plans

Join hosts Hector Kolonas and Mike LaRosa, along with guest co-host Momchil Blaskov from OfficeRnD, as they dive into the latest trends and innovations in the coworking industry from this week's newsletter.

In this episode, they discuss the importance of the visitor experience, the evolving role of community managers, and new revenue opportunities for coworking spaces.

Discover how coworking is more than just a perk and can be a lifeline for many, and learn about OfficeRnD's latest product aimed at streamlining operations and elevating guest experiences.

Don't miss out on valuable insights and industry updates!

Chapters00:00 Welcome and Introductions00:55 This Week's Episode Overview01:14 The Importance of Visitor Experience05:55 Community Manager Roles and Challenges14:44 Coworking as a Lifeline18:40 New Revenue Streams in Coworking23:17 Conclusion and Wrap-Up

In this episode of 'This Week in Coworking,' hosts Mike LaRosa and Hector Kolonas recap key developments and trends in the coworking industry for week 16 of 2025. They discuss market adoption rates based on recent data showing a significant increase in flexible workspace inquiries and the evolution from early adopters to early majority. The episode also covers various operator models, including premium branding strategies comparable to Equinox gyms, and the closure of long-standing coworking spaces, emphasizing the personal journeys and market pressures facing these businesses. Key mentions include the transformative role of integrated technology, sponsorship by Syncaroo, the unique case of a supermarket conversion into a coworking space by Regis, and thoughtful insights into both the benefits and criticisms of coworking environments.

00:00 Introduction and Weekly Recap

00:30 Settling In and Technical Difficulties

01:02 Sponsor Spotlight: Syncaroo

01:21 The Rise of Syncing Technology

02:34 Market Adoption and Industry Trends

06:37 Flexible Workspaces and Real Estate Innovations

10:31 Coworking Culture and Cafe Conflicts

17:38 Premium Branding in Coworking

21:33 Closing Thoughts and Future Announcements

In this Weekly Recap episode of This Week in Coworking, Mike LaRosa and Hector Kolonas recap the latest happenings from this week’s full newsletter. 

They discuss Hector's busy week in Boston, interesting takeaways from a round table hosted by iPostal1 Workspace, and the industry buzz from the GCUC conference. 

They also reflect on a mistaken story about a coworking bus from Switzerland that turned out to be an April Fools' joke but spurred serious interest. The episode highlights market moves with new coworking spaces opening in Puerto Rico, London, Omaha, and Paris. 

The episode also touches on aggregator platforms becoming broker-focused and Hector's recent podcast appearances. Tune in for insights into industry trends, networking highlights, and the latest market developments.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Weekly Recap

00:54 Sponsor Highlights and Round Table Insights

02:05 Juicy Conference Recap

05:06 April Fools and Verified Stories

08:00 Podcast Highlights

11:06 Market Moves and New Openings

14:29 Tech Trends and Aggregator Platforms

15:57 Conclusion and Call to Action

In this episode of the This Week in Coworking podcast, host Hector Kolonas welcomes Tim Schabsky from Rivvers, a coworking operator in Germany, to discuss the evolution of the coworking industry in Germany.

Tim shares insights from his 11-year journey in the industry and the significant changes it has undergone. The conversation explores the diverse coworking landscape in Germany, contrasting the unique markets in Berlin and other German cities.

Tim also discusses the merger of his coworking business with Sleeves Up to form a new brand, Rivvers, aiming to dominate the German coworking market.

The discussion delves into the motivations behind the merger, the new brand identity, and future expansion strategies, which include achieving 100 locations across 70 cities and focusing on exceptional customer experience.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:54 Tim's Background in Coworking

01:19 Evolution of Coworking in Germany

03:37 Big News: The Merger and New Brand

03:56 Founding and Growth of Work Inn

06:08 Challenges and Successes During COVID-19

07:10 The Merger with Sleeves Up

10:39 Creating the Rivers Brand

15:34 Future Plans and Expansion Strategy

20:21 Conclusion and Contact Information

In this episode of This Week in Coworking, co-hosts Mike LaRosa and Hector Kolonas welcome special guest Tashi Dorjee. They dive into various news topics, including a peculiar story that seemed like an April Fool's joke and the intersection of hotels and coworking. The team shared about a new series in the works focusing on interviewing industry leaders in APAC. Additionally, the discussion covers the rise of mobile coworking buses in Switzerland and innovative coworking initiatives in hotels. They also highlight a noteworthy partnership between IWG and Jabber Box, aiming to install thousands of coworking pods worldwide. The episode concludes with a mention of the Spanish operator Monday's expansion plans and a celebratory nod to Alkaloid Networks' 10-year anniversary. Tune in for a comprehensive overview of the evolving coworking industry and its innovative future.00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Announcement01:23 Exciting New Video Podcast Series07:25 Coworking Bus: A Mobile Workspace Revolution14:58 Coworking and Hotels: A Perfect Match23:02 IWG and Jabber Box Partnership31:29 Funding News and Celebrations32:40 Closing Remarks and Shoutouts

In this episode of 'This Week in Coworking,' host Hector Kolonas sits down with Ben Wright from The Instant Group to address pressing questions from the global coworking community.

Ben discusses his role and recent changes at The Instant Group, emphasizing a shift towards a more operator-focused market strategy. He delves into the company's history, its evolution into a tech-forward flexible workspace broker, and the strategic partnership with IWG.

Ben also explains the challenges and opportunities in the coworking industry, particularly around lead generation, conversion rates, and the implementation of AI in sales processes. The conversation further touches on the launch of the Worka Partner Portal and future industry trends. This episode offers valuable insights into how The Instant Group is navigating its role within the evolving flexible workspace market.

00:00 Welcome Back to This Week in Coworking

00:22 Introducing Ben Wright from The Instant Group

01:05 Ben Wright's Role and Responsibilities

03:37 The Evolution of The Instant Group

08:21 The IWG and Instant Group Deal

10:32 Addressing Operator Concerns

36:58 The Future of Flexible Workspaces

40:02 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Welcome to the Week 13 recap of the This Week In Coworking newsletter! 

Hosted by Hector Kolonas with co-host Mike LaRosa and guest co-host Eyal Lasker, we're diving into a packed agenda this week. 

Topics include a new GSA pilot program selecting two booking platforms, Eyal Lasker's innovative Pricing Agent for coworking spaces, insights from the e-commerce undercurrents report, and exciting developments from Spain and Australia. Plus, we explore the untapped potential of libraries as coworking spaces. 

This episode is sponsored by Flexspace AI. Tune in for all the latest coworking news and trends!

00:00 Introduction and Today's Agenda

01:19 Dynamic Pricing in Coworking Spaces

08:07 E-commerce Undercurrents Report

14:54 GSA's New Pilot Program

22:16 Global Coworking Trends: Spain and Australia

27:33 Libraries: The Overlooked Coworking Spaces

30:46 Conclusion and Farewell

Welcome to Undercurrents, our deep dives that explore a trend that we feel has the potential to drastically disrupt or change the way the thousands of coworking businesses run or grow.

Follow along with the online, pdf or other version of this Undercurrents edition at http://thisweekincoworking.com/undercurrents-ecommerce/

Chapters00:00 Welcome01:11 Foreword02:08 Why OfficeRnD underwrote this Undercurrents edition04:07 Experts for this edition05:03 Vendor Intros05:12 Why now?09:41 Search Trends11:46 Who's doing ecommerce today?16:41 What does a fantastic ecommerce experience feel like?23:04 What do you wish you could sell online?25:51 Challenges32:44 Vendor Insights46:17 Pro-tips52:53 Conclusion53:35 Last Words

In this episode of 'This Week in Coworking,' Hector Kolonas and co-host Mike LaRosa are joined by guest James Shannon from essensys, this week's sponsor and product lead for their new product, elumo. They discuss the challenges of managing bookable spaces in the coworking and flex office industry and how essensys' new project addresses these challenges by integrating booking and access control into a single, user-friendly product. The conversation delves into the evolution of tech stacks, the importance of seamless user experiences, ongoing trends like mixed-use spaces, and the rise of aggregators. The episode also highlights the role of community and social impact in coworking spaces, underscored by a heartwarming story of community service from the Village Hive team. Overall, the episode provides a comprehensive look at how technology is shaping the future of coworking spaces.

00:00 Introduction and Weekly Recap

00:38 Introducing Guest Host James Shannon

00:48 Exploring Luo Biosense

03:13 Technical Integration and User Experience

05:08 Payment and Billing Solutions

09:17 Industry Trends and Tech Stacks

15:23 Aggregator Market Insights

23:07 Mixed-Use Spaces and Flexibility

30:38 Community Impact and Conclusion