Branding Brilliance: Harnessing Community Power to Elevate Your Coworking Space

• Coworking spaces will play an important part in the future of work by offering collaborative environments that are simultaneously adaptable and flexible.
• On our Future of Work podcast, coworking expert Cat Johnson discussed the importance of brand community in the coworking industry and establishing a clear vision for your coworking brand.
• If you’re struggling with fostering a sense of community within your coworking space or want to understand the future of work in relation to brand community, Johnson has some tips and tricks. 

A sense of community is crucial to humanity as it fosters a feeling of belonging, shared identity, and mutual support. It’s in these close-knit social structures that individuals often find emotional security, practical help, and a collective purpose. 

In fact, the bonds formed within a community can promote mental health, resilience, and overall well-being. Communities can serve as platforms for social change, innovation, and cultural preservation. Ultimately, the sense of community underpins our very survival and evolution as a species, highlighting our intrinsic need for connection and cooperation.

One place that fosters this type of connection and community is a coworking space, which is a shared work environment where individuals, often not employed by the same organization, can work independently or collaboratively in a communal setting. 

At the head of content strategy and community engagement in the coworking scene is Cat Johnson. This industry’s dynamo has founded Coworking Convos, as well as The Lab. Taking her passion further, she explores coworking, content, and community connection through her show, Coworking Out Loud. 

Johnson recently joined Allwork.Space on the Future of Work podcast to share her invaluable insight as to how to go beyond just providing a physical space and create a living entity where like-minded individuals can connect and support each other. 

Using her own experiences and successes as a guide, Johnson demonstrates how to foster a brand community that doesn’t just work — but works wonders. 

Johnson’s efforts have been instrumental in building vibrant communities within coworking spaces, heralding a shift in the way people perceive their work environment. Her understanding and implementation of brand community is rooted in authenticity and collaborative value, solidifying her foothold in this rapidly evolving industry.

If you’re struggling with fostering a sense of community within your coworking space or want to understand the future of work in relation to brand community, Johnson has some tips and tricks. 

During the podcast, Johnson speculated that coworking spaces could play an important part in the future of work by offering collaborative environments that are simultaneously adaptable and flexible. With the right approach, coworking spaces could successfully bridge the gap with corporate clients, unlock new opportunities, and contribute to the industry’s growth. 

Moving forward, coworking spaces need to be adaptable and flexible to cater to a more diverse market, including large enterprises. The challenge lies in integrating these larger corporate clients while preserving the spirit of the coworking community. Simply put, different organizations have varying needs, and coworking spaces should keep this in mind. They need to strike a balance between providing professional services and supporting a relaxed, collaborative environment.

In the podcast conversation, Johnson emphasized the importance of creating a coworking environment that not only welcomes corporate clients but also caters to their distinct cultures and requirements. She stated that by offering a flexible workspace, networking opportunities, and access to a myriad of professionals, coworking spaces can play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between themselves and their corporate clientele.

Now more than ever, creating thriving communities within coworking spaces is of utmost importance for coworking space operators, and the impact of brand community on the coworking industry cannot be underestimated. 

To ensure future success and longevity, It’s essential that operators acquire the tools needed to create a brand community that resonates with their audience and drives their business forward.

There’s something remarkably powerful about a community that shares a common goal. And when that goal is to foster professional growth and success, the potential is limitless. Running a coworking space isn’t just about providing a physical location, it’s about nurturing a community of like-minded professionals who can inspire and support each other. By leveraging your brand community effectively, you can create a coworking space that doesn’t just house businesses, but helps them flourish.

Here are the key steps to building that brand community:

1. Establish a clear vision for your brand community

On the podcast, Johnson discussed the importance of establishing a clear vision for your coworking brand. For her, this starts with creating a human touch to the brand itself. In the example of WeWork, she noted, a lack of ownership amongst members led to its fall as a brand, pointing out the need to have a clear vision about what kind of ownership your community members have. 

To her, a brand community should mean more than just provision of office space. It should provide a comfortable environment that promotes an interactive culture and support among members. Going beyond the sphere of general business metrics, aligning with a clear vision for a brand community begins to illuminate lucrative opportunities for growth, harmony, and resilience. It’s about bringing values of trust, authenticity, and shared goals to the forefront. 

Bringing into light the subtleties and significance of vision, it becomes apparent why having a clear vision for a brand community is paramount. Strong, successful communities don’t just happen by chance; they are systematically planned, cultivated, and nurtured with a deep understanding of the brand’s mission, values, goals, and ethos. This vision does not solely focus on the products or services but endeavors to embrace the emotional part of the brand that surrounds and engages its community. 

It’s less about commerce and more about connection. Can your community identify with your brand? Do they feel at home? These are the questions a clear vision seeks to answer, fostering a sense of belonging and camaraderie centered around the brand.

2. Foster genuine connections among community members

Building strong and genuine connections among community members is a critical aspect of a successful coworking space. The essence of coworking goes beyond offering a comfortable environment with high-speed internet and desks; it’s about creating an intimate platform where individuals can network, collaborate and grow together professionally. Drawing from her experience, Johnson emphasized the unique energy and inspiration she derived from being part of diverse coworking communities. 

A coworking space that resonates with genuine connections evolves into an ecosystem fostering creativity, collaboration, inclusivity, and ultimately, leads to higher productivity levels and satisfaction. Consequently, this makes the coworking space more attractive, gaining more traction from prospective tenants and retaining existing ones. So, while it may seem a daunting task to foster these connections, the rewards, both tangibly and intangibly, can propel the brand community to new heights.

3. Prioritize participation and engagement in the community

Cultivating a communal environment goes beyond the creation of a physical space. For coworking space operators, the active encouragement of participation and engagement within the community is a vital maneuver that can fuel your business’s momentum.  It entails fostering an atmosphere where diverse individuals can bond over shared interests, collaborate on joint initiatives, and invest emotionally in the progression of the community. 

The underlying goal isn’t just about having members who fill up the space, but about encouraging individuals to actively contribute to the community, therefore transforming the space into a melting pot of ideas, cultures, and creativity. Johnson further points out that while everyone’s level of desired connection varies, every individual can gain value and find fulfillment from active participation within the community. As people interact, help each other out, and forge relationships, the coworking space becomes a living entity, pulsing with the energy and inspiration that only engaged participants can create. 

In the dynamic world of coworking, building a strong brand community holds the key to business success. A defined vision sets the foundation for a community where genuine connections thrive. Active participation and engagement are the building blocks of this community, creating a vibrant and dynamic environment. A culture of ownership empowers members to play a more active role, enhancing the sense of community. Strategic use of content solidifies this sense of belonging, fostering a community spirit.