Everything Coworking

Jamie Russo
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The Everything Coworking podcast shares trends and how-tos for coworking operators and anyone following this exploding trend. Jamie owned coworking spaces in Chicago and Palo Alto under the brand Enerspace Coworking. She was the Executive Director of the Global Workspace Association for 5 years. Since 2018, she's been helping coworking spaces start and run profitable coworking spaces.

  1. 3D AGO

    413. Is "Community Manager" the Right Title for the Person Running Your Coworking Space?

    This week, Jamie Russo tackles a slightly uncomfortable question—especially for someone who runs a program called Community Manager University. But if you're struggling to find quality candidates when you post that job title, this episode might change how you think about recruiting. Here's the problem: the community manager title anchors candidates on member interaction and engagement. But the actual job? It's pipeline management, CRM updates, billing follow-up, vendor coordination, office turnovers, social media, sales tours, and—oh yeah—also community building. When you hire someone expecting to spend their day chatting with members and they end up spending three hours in HubSpot, you've got a mismatch. And that mismatch starts with the title. We talk about: Why "Location Manager" might attract better candidates (and who's testing it successfully) How to prioritize the five hats: operations, community building, sales & marketing, finance, and leadership The front-of-house vs back-of-house split when you have two people on site Why the biggest gap is CRM use—and how the title sets the wrong expectations How to design a daily schedule based on what actually matters most in your business right now When community manager IS the right title (and when it's not) The downloadable template to help you prioritize hats and write a job description that matches reality This conversation is for operators who are tired of hiring people who don't fit the role—or who lose great team members because the job wasn't what they expected. If you're about to post a job or wondering why your last hire didn't work out, this episode will help you rethink your approach. Resources Mentioned in this Podcast: Profit Accelerator Program 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

    37 min

  2. JAN 28

    412. Should You Answer When IWG Calls? What Landlords Need to Know About Regus Partnership Deals

    IWG (the parent company of Regus) just cold called you about turning your office building into a coworking space—and you have no idea how to evaluate their offer. This week, Jamie Russo breaks down exactly what landlords and building owners need to know before signing a management agreement with IWG, Regus, or any other operator offering a partnership model. Spoiler: they're not calling because your building is special. They're calling because you own a building. And that distinction matters—a lot. Jamie walks through the IWG partnership model, why they're pursuing landlords so aggressively right now, and the 13 critical questions you need to ask before even considering their offer. Because while IWG is incredibly good at sales, marketing, and designing efficient spaces, their incentives are not the same as yours. We talk about: Why IWG wants dots on the map—and what that means for your building How management fees work (and why they get paid even if you don't make profit) Why smaller spaces (under 15,000 sq ft) rarely work under a management agreement What happens if the space loses money—and who covers operating expenses The termination clause question you absolutely must ask How to evaluate demand assumptions, pricing, and occupancy ramp in their proforma Why you need to validate their numbers with a third party (and how to do that) When an IWG partnership might actually make sense What other options exist beyond IWG—and why you should explore them This episode is essential listening if you're a building owner considering flex, an operator who's been approached about a partnership, or anyone trying to understand how management agreements actually work in the coworking industry. Resources Mentioned in this Podcast: Revenue Playbook Membership Profit Accelerator Program 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

    41 min

  3. JAN 7

    411. The "Why Not?" Approach: Sue Reardon on Experimenting Her Way to Success at Suite Spotte

    What happens when a small business coach realizes her clients need more than advice—they need a place to actually work? She converts the loft she's been living in with her family into a coworking space. This week, Jamie Russo sits down with Sue Reardon, co-founder and community connector at Suite Spotte in Forest Park and La Grange, Illinois, for one of the most fascinating origin stories we've heard on this podcast. In this episode, we talk about: How Sue went from coaching micropreneurs to realizing coworking was the missing piece Why it took two years to get the Forest Park location rezoned Her "test and invest" mindset—constantly experimenting with flexible memberships Why she stopped doing evening events and started showing up with soup and wine instead The "Team Mashup" concept—bringing remote and in-office teams together This conversation is proof that coworking works best when you stay curious, listen to your members, and aren't afraid to test unconventional ideas. If you're an operator wondering how to create authentic community without forcing it, or navigating flexible memberships, this episode is for you. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Sue Reardon on LinkedIn Suite Spotte 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

    57 min

  4. 2025-12-24

    410. The Day Pass Experience: A Checklist for Turning Drop-Ins into Long-Term Members

    What happens when a coworking expert walks into a national coworking brand as a day pass user—and the experience falls flat? This week, Jamie shares her recent day pass experience and turns it into a practical checklist for operators who want to treat every day passer like a potential long-term member (because they might be). It's the holiday season, which means travelers are staying with family, needing to get work done, and looking for a place to escape for the day. Day passers might be transient—or they might become your next member, referral source, or meeting room regular. But if your onboarding process is clunky, your team isn't asking questions, and nobody offers a tour, you're leaving money (and relationships) on the table. Jamie walks through exactly what went wrong in her experience and what should have happened instead—from the moment she walked in the door to the moment she left without anyone noticing. We talk about: Why signage, parking info, and wifi instructions should be crystal clear on your website The Shop app effect: why consumers expect frictionless checkout (and how Flexspace.ai makes this possible) Why your day pass booking process should never require 20 minutes and multiple steps The power of a simple tour—even if someone's rushing to a call How to read the room and offer help without being pushy Why introducing day passers to members creates instant belonging The one question your team should always ask: "Has this person been here before?" How to use your CRM to track referral potential and pain points Why seasonal offers and meeting room packages are perfect day pass conversion tools The Enneagram lens: why some people want to be seen and others want to be left alone Designing your space so people have to pass the front desk (and why that matters) If you've been treating day passes as transient revenue instead of relationship opportunities, this episode will shift how you think about every single person who walks through your door. Resources Mentioned in this Podcast: The Revenue Playbook (Operator Membership) 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

    28 min

  5. 2025-12-17

    409. The Invisible Flex Model: How Andrea Pirrotti Helps Landlords Activate Space Without the Friction

    What happens when a flex workspace veteran with decades of global experience decides the future isn't about branded coworking takeovers—but about making flex invisible so the building itself can thrive? In this episode, Andrea Pirrotti, Head of Real Estate at infinitSpace, shares her unconventional approach to helping landlords activate underutilized space without heavy CapEx, long lease-up timelines, or the friction that comes with traditional flex operators. Andrea's background is extensive—she ran global marketing for IWG across 65 countries, led operations at Office Evolution, and now she's bringing a Dutch operator's profitable, partnership-first model to the Americas. We cover: Why spec suites look like a solution but often lose money for landlords How infinitSpace's semi-white-label model (Beyond) blends into a building's existing design and brand The fatal mistakes operators make that Andrea's team capitalizes on when taking over failed spaces Why "high optics, low friction" (like a barista at the entrance) creates outsized value without blowing budgets The magic 10% rule: why every building should dedicate at least 10% of inventory to flex Why banks still don't know how to value flex revenue—and what needs to change If you're a landlord wondering whether flex makes sense for your building, or an operator curious about partnership models that actually work, this conversation is essential listening. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Andrea Pirrotti on LinkedIn infinitSpace 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

    37 min

  6. 2025-12-10

    408. The Power of Fractional Offices: How Vena Boddy Built The Foundry Workspaces

    What happens when a lifelong hairstylist-turned-life-coach steps away from the salon and builds one of the most flexible, hyper-local coworking models I've ever seen? You get The Foundry Workspaces, created and operated by Vena Boddy, who brings an action-oriented, community-centered approach to coworking that works beautifully in her Michigan suburb. In this episode, Vena shares her unexpected journey into coworking, how her husband's early entrepreneurial experiences inspired their model, and why she leaned fully into fractional private offices instead of the typical dedicated office or open coworking setup. If you've ever wondered whether part-time private offices can actually work, Vena is proof that they can—not only functionally, but profitably. We talk about: How her background as a hairstylist and certified life coach shaped her philosophy as an operator How she runs a mostly unstaffed space while still delivering a boutique, high-touch experience Why her day passes and conference room rentals have become an unexpectedly strong revenue driver The power of being embedded in the local community—especially in smaller markets Why her 24 five-star Google reviews in year one are no accident The Foundry Workspaces' next chapter: a new workshop space coming in 2026 Vena's story is such a refreshing reminder that coworking doesn't have to look one certain way. You can take the space you already have, design around the needs of the people in your community, and create something that is profitable, personal, and sustainable. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Vena Boddy on LI The Foundry Workspaces' 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

    46 min

  7. 2025-12-03

    407. Building Coworking Where It Doesn't Exist Yet: Jodie Gallant's Story

    What happens when a lifelong marketer and multi-business entrepreneur realizes she's tired of working alone — and decides to build the space she wishes existed? In this episode, Jodie Gallant, CEO of WORK Lakes Region, shares the remarkable story behind launching the first coworking space of its kind in New Hampshire's Lakes Region — and why the idea lived in her for nearly a decade before becoming real. Jodie's journey is full of surprising turns, smart marketing insights, and honest lessons about opening a coworking space in a smaller market. We cover: How growing up inside a family-run corporate environment shaped her entrepreneurial instincts The marketing tactics that actually work in small markets (including radio and direct mail) How chambers, connectors, and partnerships accelerated her visibility What she learned about the fears people bring into coworking spaces (including what to wear) Why 60 percent of her revenue comes from day passes and meeting rooms — and how she nurtures those users If you want to understand what it really takes to open a coworking space outside a major metro — and do it with heart, clarity, and creativity — this episode is a must-listen. Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Q1 2026 Planning Workshop Jodie Gallant on LI Work Lakes Region 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

    1 hr

  8. 2025-11-28

    406. Planning for 2026: Themes Every Operator Should Be Thinking About

    In this episode, Jamie shares the key themes she's taking into her 2026 planning — and why now is the moment to shift from working in your business to working on it. She also walks through what to expect in this year's Q1 planning workshop and pop-up community. In this episode you'll learn: • Why "radical responsiveness" is becoming a major differentiator • How to plan for outcomes instead of tactics • What owners should keep close instead of delegating • Why carving out R&D time (especially around AI) matters • How to think realistically about projects, KPIs, and capacity Join the Q1 2026 Planning Workshop: everythingcoworking.com/quarterly Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Q1 2026 Planning Workshop: everythingcoworking.com/quarterly 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

    26 min
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About

The Everything Coworking podcast shares trends and how-tos for coworking operators and anyone following this exploding trend. Jamie owned coworking spaces in Chicago and Palo Alto under the brand Enerspace Coworking. She was the Executive Director of the Global Workspace Association for 5 years. Since 2018, she's been helping coworking spaces start and run profitable coworking spaces.

Information

  • Creator
    Jamie Russo
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Everything Coworking 2023
  • Show Website
    Everything Coworking

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