GCUC Podcast - Coworking, Hospitality & The Future of Work

What makes someone choose your workspace—and more importantly, stay?
In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, recorded live at GCUC 50 in New York City in partnership with Brave Ideas, host Caleb Parker sits down with Flip Howard, CEO of Lucid Private Offices, to explore why brand, experience, and intentional design have become some of the biggest differentiators in flexible workspace.
After spending years operating traditional executive suites, Flip transformed his company into a premium private office brand by focusing on one question: What kind of workspace do people actually want to spend their time in?
Together, Caleb and Flip discuss how Lucid found its niche between traditional executive suites and modern coworking, why premium doesn't have to mean expensive, and how thoughtful design, hospitality, and operational discipline create lasting value for both members and operators.
They cover:
Why brand matters more than ever in flexible workspace
How Lucid repositioned itself from a traditional executive suite operator to a premium private office brand
The balance between coworking energy and private office profitability
Why consistency across every location strengthens a brand
How design influences customer acquisition and community drives retention
Lease arbitrage vs. management agreements and why Lucid continues to bet on leases
What landlords are really looking for in today's coworking operators
Why the fundamentals of revenue, occupancy, and profitability still matter
How Lucid is approaching growth while staying true to its brand
Whether you're building a coworking space, operating private offices, or scaling a flexible workspace brand, this episode offers practical insights into creating spaces people remember and businesses that stand the test of time.
Connect with Flip Howard:www.linkedin.com/in/flip-howard/
Connect with Caleb Parker:www.linkedin.com/in/calebparker/
Learn more about GCUC:gcuc.co/
Learn more about Brave Ideas:
www.braveideas.media/
GCUC Events:gcuc.co/coworking-events/
Watch more episodes of the GCUC Podcast:www.youtube.com/@GCUCPodcast/videos

How do coworking operators actually win deals with today's landlords?
In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, recorded live at GCUC 50 in New York City in partnership with Brave Ideas, host Caleb Parker sits down with Justin Halpern and Christine Wyckoff of Cushman & Wakefield to unpack how enterprise demand is reshaping the flexible workspace industry and what operators need to do to stay competitive.
As enterprise occupiers increasingly integrate flex into their real estate portfolios, the conversation has shifted beyond finding space. Today, operators must demonstrate value, understand landlord priorities, and position themselves as long-term partners rather than tenants.
Justin and Christine share what they're seeing firsthand in the market, from the rise of hybrid lease structures and management agreements to the growing importance of speed, hospitality, and data-driven decision-making.
They cover:
How enterprise occupiers are using flexible workspace today
Why speed to market has become one of flex's greatest competitive advantages
What landlords are really looking for when choosing an operator
How hybrid leases and management agreements are changing the industry
Why operators should pitch landlords like investors—not just negotiate leases
The biggest mistakes operators make when pursuing expansion
Whether niche operators or national brands have the advantage in today's market
Why strong data, a clear value proposition, and intentional growth strategies matter more than ever
Whether you're growing a coworking brand, negotiating with landlords, or trying to better understand where enterprise flex is headed, this episode offers practical insights from two professionals at the center of today's commercial real estate transactions.
Connect with Justin Halpern:www.linkedin.com/in/justin-halpern-338ba0a/
Connect with Christine Wyckoff:www.linkedin.com/in/christine-wyckoff-9779193/
Connect with Caleb Parker:www.linkedin.com/in/calebparker/
Learn more about GCUC:gcuc.co/
Learn more about Brave Ideas:
www.braveideas.media/
GCUC Events:gcuc.co/coworking-events/
Watch more episodes of the GCUC Podcast:www.youtube.com/@GCUCPodcast/videos

What does it take to build an office building people actually want to stay in?
In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, recorded live at GCUC 50 in New York City in partnership with Brave Ideas, host Caleb Parker sits down with Brandon Medeiros, CEO of ReKalibrate, to explore why commercial real estate is no longer just a leasing business– it's an operating business.
As tenant expectations evolve and market conditions continue to shift, landlords can no longer rely on long-term leases alone. Brandon shares why customer intelligence, hospitality, and operational excellence are becoming the biggest drivers of asset performance, tenant retention, and long-term value.
Together, they discuss how landlords can better understand their customers, why retention matters more than renewal, and what role AI, workplace data, and premium experiences will play in the future of the office.
They cover:
Why commercial real estate is shifting from leasing to operations
The difference between retention and renewal and why it matters
How customer intelligence is reshaping office buildings
Why hospitality has become a competitive advantage for landlords
What AI can (and can't) do for commercial real estate today
How premium amenities and experiences drive stronger tenant engagement
Where landlords should begin if they want to build an operational real estate strategy
Whether you're a landlord, investor, coworking operator, workplace strategist, or commercial real estate professional, this episode offers practical insights into how the industry's most successful operators are adapting for what's next.
Connect with Brandon Medeiros:www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-medeiros-08b82614/
Connect with Caleb Parker:www.linkedin.com/in/calebparker/
Learn more about GCUC:gcuc.co/
Learn more about Brave Ideas:
www.braveideas.media/
GCUC Events:gcuc.co/coworking-events/
Watch more episodes of the GCUC Podcast:www.youtube.com/@GCUCPodcast/videos

What happens when a career in coworking comes full circle?
In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, host Liz Elam sits down with Jessica Knapp, longtime coworking leader, former employee #1 at OfficeRnD, and now a member of the GCUC team, to explore her journey through some of the industry's most pivotal moments.
From discovering coworking at NextSpace in Los Angeles and finding a community that changed her life, to helping build one of the industry's leading software platforms from the ground up, Jessica shares the lessons, relationships, and experiences that have shaped her unique perspective on coworking, technology, and entrepreneurship.
They also dive into why community remains the most powerful force in coworking, what operators often overlook when it comes to technology and financial management, the realities of building businesses with limited resources, how sponsorships and partnerships create value across the industry, and why no operator should feel like they're figuring it all out alone.
Plus, Liz and Jessica share insights from behind the scenes at GCUC, discuss the new GCUC Summer Series, and reveal the exciting location for GCUC 2027.
If you're a coworking operator, entrepreneur, community builder, or anyone passionate about the future of work, this conversation is packed with industry wisdom, candid stories, practical advice, and a reminder that great communities can change lives.
Listen & Connect
Connect with Jessica Knapp
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicalouiseknapp/
 
Connect with Liz Elamhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lizelam
 
GCUC Tickets https://gcuc.co/coworking-events/
 
Watch the GCUC Podcast on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@GCUCPodcast/videos

A quiet shift is happening in Paris: managed offices are surging, and it’s reshaping the entire flex workspace landscape. Coworking Europe will be in Paris this fall, so let’s talk to the man bringing the coworking world to Paris this November, Jean-Yves Huwart. 
Liz Elam sits down with her good friend, Jean‑Yves, the founder of Coworking Europe (the world’s longest‑running coworking conference) and Social Workplaces, to unpack why they’re still bullish on coworking after 16 years, and what’s changing fast across Europe. From the rise of managed/operated offices to the growing influence of flex-focused brokers, to profitability realities and the ways AI is reshaping how companies use space, this conversation is a tour through the next wave of coworking.
Jean‑Yves also shares what to expect at Coworking Europe in Paris (Nov 5–6), including the venue, themes, and why Paris is becoming a major tipping-point market for flex and managed office demand.
In this episode:
Why in-person conferences are thriving and matter more than ever in the flex workspace industry.
The definition of a "managed/operated office" and why this model is booming specifically in Paris.
The emergence and influence of flex-focused brokers and how they are changing deal flow.
The hard truth about profitability and the financial realities the flex workspace industry needs to face.
How AI is impacting operational efficiency and reshaping how teams organize work (focus vs. social time).
Make sure you like and follow for more GCUC content! 
The Links you’re looking for: 
 
Jean-Yves Huwart https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-yves-huwart-73b0464/
 
Coworking Europe Tickets https://coworkingeurope.net/product/coworking-europe-2026-paris-conference/
 
Liz Elam  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizelam/
 
GCUC https://gcuc.co/
 
GCUC’s next Event: https://africa.gcuc.co/
 

What does research actually say about coworking spaces — and why should policymakers care?
In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, host Liz Elam sits down with Dr. Felicia Fai, Associate Professor in Innovation and Regional Resilience at the University of Bath School of Management, and one of the few academics dedicated to studying what coworking spaces truly do for entrepreneurs, communities, and regional economies.
Felicia's work shines a light on independent operators outside major cities — the spaces quietly having an enormous impact while rarely making headlines. Together, Liz and Felicia dig into why coworking spaces are so much more than just real estate, how the UK compares with Ireland in terms of policy support for flex spaces, and what the industry desperately needs if it wants policymakers to take notice.
They cover:
How Felicia's research journey led her from corporate resilience to coworking
Why the lack of hard data is the industry's biggest vulnerability
The case for coworking spaces as "activist organizations" and place-shapers
What's missing in UK policy — and what Ireland is doing right
The one thing the industry could do today to help researchers (and itself)
Industry life cycles, the coming "shakeout," and what operators need to survive it
Whether you're running a space, building community, or making the case to a local council, this episode gives you the research-backed language to tell a bigger story.
 
Connect with Dr. Felicia Fai: 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicia-fai-991602/
Connect with Liz Elam:
 https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizelam
Learn more about GCUC & get your tickets for GCUC UK:
 https://uk.gcuc.co/
 
GCUC Eventshttps://gcuc.co/coworking-events/
 
Watch the GCUC Podcast on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@GCUCPodcast/videos

What really makes a coworking space unforgettable? According to Ben Newton, it’s not just the design, the coffee, or the amenities; it’s the people, the systems, and the intentional operations happening behind the scenes every single day.
In this episode of the GCUC Podcast, host Liz Elam sits down with Ben Newton, Operations Director at Patch, to unpack what truly drives exceptional coworking experiences. From building hospitality first workspaces and protecting team mental health to creating stronger local communities and rethinking the future of regional flex space, Ben shares a refreshingly honest look at the realities of modern operations.
They also dive into why coworking is really a hospitality business in disguise, the hidden burnout risks for community teams, how hybrid work is reshaping regional coworking, the loneliness epidemic and why coworking can help solve it, Ben’s collaborative OpenOps Project for coworking benchmarking, and leadership lessons on patience, listening, and scaling culture without losing the human touch.
If you care about the future of work, community, hospitality, or building spaces people genuinely want to be in, this conversation is packed with insight, heart, and practical wisdom.
Listen & Connect
Connect with Ben Newtonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-newton-24520092/
Learn more about Patch:https://www.patch.work/
Learn more about the OpenOps Project:https://theopenopsproject.netlify.app/ Connect with Liz Elamhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lizelam
GCUC Eventshttps://gcuc.co/coworking-events/
Watch the GCUC Podcast on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@GCUCPodcast/videos

What really happens inside the room at GCUC? 
 
If you've been, you know the magic isn't just on the stage, it's in the hallway conversations, the shared struggles, and the collective drive to build something bigger than any one operator.
 
In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on our massive 50th event in New York City, and we're doing it with two leaders who experienced it from completely different angles.
 
First up, we have Sam Rosen, Industry Principal at Yardi. Yardi has become an absolute force in the flex and coworking space, and Sam is at the center of it — helping this industry understand itself like never before through real-time data, the groundbreaking new Coworking Index (launched at GCUC), and tools that are genuinely moving the needle for operators everywhere. If you're not paying attention to what Yardi is building, you need to be.
 
Alongside Sam is Kane Willmott, co-CEO of IQ Offices. Kane brings that sharp, boots-on-the-ground operator's lens to tell us what's actually working — and what's absolutely not — across markets, teams, and customers right now.
 
Together, we unpack the real conversations happening beneath the surface at GCUC 50. We're talking AI, investment, shifting customer expectations, and the undeniable rise of landlord-led flex space.
 
We’re digging into what's changed, what's next, and why this community is stronger than ever. From post-COVID resilience to the future of coworking growth, this episode is a candid, energizing look at exactly where the industry stands today and where we are headed next. Grab a coffee and tune in!
 
Like and follow for more juicy chats and join us in Manchester in June!! 
Listen & Connect
Connect with Sam Rosenhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sammyrosen/
Coworking Index 
Connect with Kane Willmot https://www.linkedin.com/in/kane-willmott/
 Connect with Liz Elamhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lizelam
GCUC Eventshttps://gcuc.co/coworking-events/
Watch the GCUC Podcast on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@GCUCPodcast/videos