In this episode of the This Week in Coworking podcast, host Hector Kolonas welcomes Tim Schabsky from Riverrs, 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 announces the merger of his coworking business with Sleeves Up to form a new brand, Rivers, 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.

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

In this Weekly Recap episode, hosts Hector Kolonas and Mike LaRosa, along with guest co-host Rado Enchev from OfficeRnD, discuss various links shared in Week 11’s newsletter.

Highlights include the launch of OfficeRnD's new e-commerce product, Growth Hub, its potential impact on coworking spaces and the free webinar the team have organized about e-commerce in the coworking industry.

They also delve into a recent LinkedIn post about space selection for organizations, emphasizing the shift towards more niche coworking options. Controversial topics such as the eviction of a member for taking sales calls and how integrating software can enhance hospitality services are also covered. 

Additionally, the episode touches on the significant growth of IWG and its implications, as well as the financial performance of public companies in the sector like WOTSO and IWG. 

The episode is packed with industry news, insights, and thought-provoking discussions.

See the full (and astoundingly-free) newsletter at https://thisweekincoworking.com/week-11-2025/

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

00:29 Guest Co-Host Rado's Introduction

01:03 Webinar on E-Commerce for Coworking Spaces

03:02 Mike's Return and Weekly Newsletter Topics

03:36 Discussion on Coworking Space Selection

09:00 Controversial Sales Calls Incident

13:39 Integrating Software for Better Hospitality

16:36 WeWork's Survey on Midsize Companies

22:26 IWG's Dominance in the Coworking Market

26:34 Public Companies' Financial Performance

In this week's recap episode of Week 10's newsletter, Hector Kolonas and guest host William Edmondson from iPostal1 Workspace share valuable insights into how Strive Workspaces increased their mailbox revenue across 13 locations using iPostal1. They discuss the importance of integrating new technology and methods to enhance coworking operations. They also delve into topics like the importance of retaining members versus attracting new ones, and some heartfelt stories of going the extra mile as coworking operators.

Additionally, the episode covers recent data on coworking costs across US metros, innovative new products in the coworking industry, and the challenges one faces in the coworking business. Tune in for a comprehensive view of this week in coworking!Chapters00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:48 Strive Workspaces Success Story04:27 iPostal1 Workspace Overview06:27 Story 1: Most and least expensive US metros for coworking products06:27 Coworking Cafes and Virtual Offices11:52 Story 2: Owning and running a coworking business is hard AF11:52 Challenges of Running a Coworking Space17:03 Retention vs. Acquisition in Coworking22:12 Industry News and Updates23:16 Conclusion and Farewell

Weekly Coworking Recap: Acoustic Lounges, BubbaDesk & AI with Freddie Fforde from Patch

See this week's full newsletter at https://thisweekincoworking.com/week-09-2025/In this episode of the This Weekend Coworking recap show, Hector Kolonas is joined by guest co-host Freddie who discusses his experiences and insights on various coworking trends and innovations.

The conversation covers topics such as ROOM's new acoustic lounge furniture, the growing trend of combining coworking with childcare services exemplified by BubbaDesk in Australia, and the successful strategies adopted by coworking brands like Maven and Cloudworks.

The episode also touches on the role of AI in coworking spaces and the evolving relationship between coworking operators and landlords.

Tune in for an in-depth look at the latest developments in the coworking industry.

Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Welcome00:18 Special Guest: Freddy from Patch00:51 Sponsor Spotlight: ROOM's Showroom01:04 Discussion on Acoustic Spaces03:37 Coworking and Childcare: BubbaDesk08:07 Maven's Pre-Sale Strategy11:14 Cloudworks' Growth and Market Maturity16:10 Industrious and Management Agreements19:47 AI in Coworking24:23 Conclusion and Farewell

Evolving Workspaces: Hospitality and Innovation in the Co-Working IndustryIn this episode of 'This Week in Coworking Weekly Recap,' host Mike LaRosa is joined by guest co-host Amina Marou, founder, and CEO of Radius. With regular host Hector Colonis on vacation, Mike and Amina discuss the growth and innovation in the coworking industry, focusing on the collision between hospitality and traditional vs. flexible workspaces. They highlight key announcements, including new coworking spaces in Europe and beyond, and delve into the legal and insurance complexities for non-traditional workspaces. Amina shares Radius's approach to creating private meeting spaces in residential properties, emphasizing unique experiences and privacy. The episode also covers recent trends, enterprise demands, and the evolving needs of diverse workforces. The conversation concludes with an interesting job posting by the British Royal Crown seeking a director for their flex workspace portfolio.00:00 Introduction and Guest Co-Host Announcement01:13 Amina Marou Introduces Radius03:36 Exploring Unique Coworking Spaces04:56 Coworking Market Moves and Expansions07:19 Global Trends in Remote and Hybrid Work11:56 Legal Tips for Coworking Spaces19:26 The Collision of Hospitality and Flex Workspaces30:39 Royal British Family Enters Flex Workspace Market31:08 Conclusion and Farewell