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

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

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

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

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

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:

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

What do antiques and coworking have in common?

For Carol DiGiovanni, more than you'd think.

Carol never set out to run a coworking space. With a degree in material culture and a long career as an accredited antiques appraiser, she loved researching the stories behind old treasures—not managing HVAC contractors or setting up a member portal. But when the pandemic hit, Carol and her husband—owners of a full city block of office space in downtown Chico, California—knew they'd need to pivot.

In this episode, Carol shares her journey from antique expert to community builder, and how she's doubled the size of onFlume Coworking while keeping it intentionally local, friendly, and low-fuss.

We talk about:

• Why her quiet, dog-friendly coworking model works perfectly in her market

• How she expanded from 5,000 to 10,000 square feet (and filled it fast)

• Why pre-marketing matters—and what she'd do differently next time

• How owning the building changes her approach to pricing and expansion

• What she learned about patience, marketing, and negotiating from the operator's seat

If you've ever wondered what it looks like when a building owner takes coworking into their own hands—and falls in love with it—this episode is a must-listen.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

onFlume Coworking's 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

In this episode, Jamie dives deep into how to choose the right business coach for where you are in your coworking journey — whether you're just dreaming about opening your first space or you're years in and ready to grow profitably. She shares personal stories from her own coaching experiences, from mindset breakthroughs to painful early mistakes that could've been avoided with coworking-specific guidance.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• Why the type of coach you choose depends on your stage of business

• The difference between general business coaching and industry-specific coaching

• How a coach can accelerate decision-making, confidence, and ROI

• When one-on-one coaching makes sense — and when a group program is a better investment

• How Jamie's early coaching experiences shaped her approach to helping coworking operators today

Jamie also introduces two new coaching programs — the Revenue Playbook and the Profit Accelerator — designed specifically for coworking operators who want hands-on support, accountability, and a proven roadmap to grow and optimize their spaces.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

The Revenue Playbook and Profit Accelerator Coaching Memberships

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