I was traveling in Europe last week and found myself doing what I always end up doing on trips like this… quietly auditing hospitality systems everywhere I go.

Not in a formal way. Just noticing what works, what breaks, and what quietly shapes the experience. And a lot of it translates directly into coworking.

This episode is a little different — it's a solo reflection from the road — but I wanted to share a few observations that came up along the way.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why small hospitality gaps (like not actually offering a welcome drink that's sitting right there) change the entire first impression
• What "good on paper" partnerships look like vs. what actually gets experienced on the ground (gyms, tours, amenities)
• How easily premium spaces lose quality when no one is actively "seeing" the details anymore (dirty tables, unused areas, neglected touchpoints)
• The difference between teams that are executing tasks vs. teams that are anticipating guest experience
• A tour experience that felt completely transactional — and what was missing to turn it into real connection
• A hotel that got the details right in a way you only notice when you slow down enough to pay attention

The overarching theme was simple: anticipation is what separates good hospitality from forgettable execution. And in coworking spaces, it shows up in the exact same way.

If you're running a space, this is worth a quiet audit of your own systems this week.

Everything Coworking Featured Resources:

Masterclass: 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Opening a Coworking Space

Coworking Startup School

Community Manager University

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What does it really take to build a coworking space that becomes a community asset, not just another office?

That was one of my favorite conversations with Rob Archer, CEO of Codebase Coworking in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Rob has built something special. Codebase sits inside a larger entrepreneurial ecosystem designed to attract talent, support founders, and strengthen the local community. What struck me most was how intentional every decision has been.

We talked about the reality of balancing financial responsibility with a bigger mission. Rob doesn't shy away from the numbers. In fact, he broke down coworking economics better than most MBA professors. But he also understands that some of the most valuable parts of a coworking space can't be measured on a spreadsheet.

From giving more than 70 hard hat tours before opening, to building deep relationships throughout Charlottesville, to creating a member mix that reflects the broader business community, Rob has shown what's possible when you lead with both strategy and service.

We also dug into:

• How to think about coworking profitability when your vision is bigger than revenue alone
• Why understanding your market matters more than copying someone else's model
• The lessons Rob learned launching a 20,000 sq. ft. coworking space
• Building occupancy before opening day
• Developing community managers and investing in your team
• Creating a coworking experience that attracts and retains local talent

If you're building a coworking space, this episode is packed with practical insights on growth, positioning, community engagement, and long-term sustainability.

And if you've ever wondered whether coworking can be both profitable and deeply connected to its community, Rob's story is a masterclass.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Rob Archer on LinkedIn
Codebase Coworking website

Everything Coworking Featured Resources:

Masterclass: 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Opening a Coworking Space

Coworking Startup School

Community Manager University

Follow Us on YouTube

Some coworking operators close one space and swear they'll never do it again.

Matt Irvin closed his first coworking space during COVID...packed up his family, drove from California to Chicago in the middle of the pandemic...and opened another one anyway.

Matt and I go way back to our CrossFit days in the Bay Area. We used to do Murph together, and I still remember him air squatting faster than everyone else while we talked about his idea to open a coworking space in Menlo Park.

At the time, he and his wife Meg were trying to solve a very real problem: how do you create beautiful, welcoming workspace for therapists and small businesses without the cold, corporate feel?

That idea became Cocial in Menlo Park.

Then came COVID.

This episode is packed with gems for operators:

• How Matt turned a massive curved-window flex space into an events business with 100+ events a year
• Why community matters more than ever in suburban coworking markets
• What operators miss when they focus only on desks and offices instead of creating a culture people want to belong to
• How he bootstrapped both spaces, negotiated free rent and TI, and built the first location himself with "burritos and beers" labor

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is how much heart Matt brings to the business. You can feel how deeply he cares about creating spaces where people feel comfortable, connected, and supported.

If you're thinking about suburban coworking, events, hospitality, or simply what it takes to start over and build again, this one is worth your time.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Matt Irvin on LinkedIn
Cocial website

Everything Coworking Featured Resources:

Masterclass: 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Opening a Coworking Space

Coworking Startup School

Community Manager University

Follow Us on YouTube