What happens when someone who lived through the internet boom of the '90s starts seeing the same patterns with AI—and decides to map out exactly what it means for your coworking business?

This week, we chat with Ben Wright, who's spent eight years in flexible workspace—first at Square Foot, then leading office space.com at Instant Group, and now helping operators understand how AI will actually impact their P&L.

Ben just launched a seven-part series breaking down AI's real applications in coworking. His bottom line: this is more about growing revenue than cutting costs. When 50% of your expenses are real estate, a chatbot isn't saving you money on rent.

We talk about:

• Why AI feels eerily similar to the internet boom (and why that matters)
• The "wrong goes wrong, right goes right" principle—and why clean data wins
• How Unity AI is helping operators turn 70% of their leads into revenue
• Why 75% of AI agents built for Yardi do one thing: data cleaning
• Why human hospitality will never be replaced by a bot
  
  

This conversation is proof that AI isn't about replacing humans—it's about freeing operators to do what they do best while automation handles the repetitive work.

If you're wondering whether AI is hype or reality, this episode gives you a clear roadmap for what to implement now.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Ben Wright on LinkedIn

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

What happens when a VP of Operations becomes the translator between a founder's 3 a.m. ideas and the team that has to make them reality?

Five years later, she's running the show.

This week, we sit down with Carly Bedini, VP of Operations at iQ Offices, and her boss Kane Willmott for one of the most honest, hilarious, and heartfelt conversations we've had on this podcast.

Carly came from nonprofits and events. She had no idea what coworking was. But she knew how to lead teams, manage chaos, and translate a founder's vision into operational reality. And that's exactly what she's been doing for Kane and his co-founder Alex ever since.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Carly went from running We Day events in Canada to becoming Kane's operational translator
• Why Kane now trusts Carly to speak at industry events more than he speaks himself
• The GWA Atlanta Immersive—and why smaller conferences force everyone to show up and be present
• How iQ is focusing on enterprise clients and broker relationships heading into 2026
• Carly's 2026 goal: embrace AI and stop resisting Kane's ideas quite so hard

This conversation is proof that the best hires aren't always the ones with industry experience—they're the ones who show up authentically, lead with humor, and aren't afraid to challenge their CEO while making magic happen behind the scenes.

If you're a founder wondering how to let go and trust your team, or if you're an operator building a culture where people actually love coming to work, this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Carly Bedini on LinkedIn
Kane Willmott on LinkedIn
iQ Offices website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

What happens when a single-location operator who knows her numbers inside and out decides to fill a gap in her city's small business ecosystem?

This week, Jamie and Gio sit down with Kim Lee, founder and CEO of Forge in Birmingham, Alabama, for a conversation about strategic growth, mental health in our industry, and why she's launching a small business accelerator in January.

Kim shares how she went from a master's in counseling to running one of Birmingham's most hospitality-driven coworking spaces—and why she's still passionate about coaching and creating community. She also breaks down what made the GWA Atlanta Immersive so different from other conferences she's attended and why every single panel offered immediately actionable takeaways.

We talk about:

• Why Kim converted her event space into offices (and how the math made sense)
• The gap in Birmingham's ecosystem that led to launching a Traction-based accelerator
• How her counseling background shapes the way Forge serves members
• Why the Atlanta Immersive felt more operator-focused than any conference she's been to
• The Alliance panel's surprising honesty—and how three competitors who'd never met became instant fans of each other
• Kim's favorite interview advice: keep it short so you don't like them too much
• The importance of mental health, self-care, and why family dinner counts as a win

If you're a single-location operator trying to differentiate in a crowded market—or wondering how to build something that truly serves your community—this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Kim Lee on LinkedIn
Forge Coworking website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast