What Is Your Brand Without Your Coworking Space?

• For coworking operators, consider the essence of your coworking brand beyond the physical space, focusing on community and members’ connection to one another.
• Evaluate how strongly your coworking community is bonded; assess if they would disband, partially stick together, or fully strive to maintain the coworking spirit if the space vanished.
• Recognize that a coworking area’s quality is secondary to the activation and engagement of its community, which is essential for a sustainable and impactful brand.

What is your brand without your coworking space?

What would happen to your coworking community if your space disappeared?

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I imagine one of three things:

• Your members wouldn’t care and they’d go find another space
• Your members would be bummed and might stay in touch with a few people
• Your community would rally and create ways to continue to cowork

Which of these would happen in your space?

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The goal is to have a group of people who are so connected and committed to each other and the coworking community they’ve helped build that they would do whatever it took to continue to cowork and create together.

It may sound a bit starry-eyed, but I’ve actually lived this.

I was a member of a great coworking community that made some changes internally that, almost overnight, threatened to ruin everything that had been created. The CEO was yelling in the common space, community managers were publicly humiliated, the people who had built the community were unceremoniously let go and we members were freaking out.

It was bad.

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And, here’s the important part: The community began talking about alternatives to working in that space. We considered all moving into another space, taking out a lease on our own building, creating a member-owned coworking company, etc. 

Our goal was to save the community—which, it turned out, had little to do with the actual space.

Our plans never came to fruition because new owners came in and steadied the ship. But it was a valuable lesson about the difference between a coworking community and a coworking space.

So, back to your brand.

As the coworking industry grows and evolves, we’re seeing some truly spectacular space designs and concepts. Which I love. What a thrill to go from the funky little stained-carpet and card tables of the early days of coworking, to spaces that elevate our work, our brands, our clientele and our days. I am not mad, at all, that coworking spaces have gotten really nice.

But let’s pause for a second because this is make-or-break stuff:

A great coworking space is an activated coworking space. And all the nice design and great amenities in the world won’t activate your space. That takes humans, community, collaboration and connection.

So, forget about your space for a minute. Strip away the fancy coffee machine, the impressive offices and nice meeting rooms, the podcast booth, the Instagrammable entrance, even the cool mural.

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What would happen if those things went away? What would be left?

At the heart of this question is a challenge to think more deeply about what your brand stands for and who you serve. Because space alone won’t get it done. Not now, not ever. Humans are a community-based species and when we don’t feel connected, we already have one foot out the door.

So create that amazing, beautiful space full of great amenities. I’ll come visit and take selfies with you when I’m in town.

But keep your eye on the ball, friend. Build something that can transcend space. Build something transformational. Build something that changes the game in your town and in the lives of your members. 

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This is the game we’re playing—and it’s not about space. 

It never was.

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