263. David Brown On Why He’s Oversold His Flex Desks In His Two London Neighborhood Coworking Spaces

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Creative Coworking Partnerships: How to negotiate and structure management agreements from the landlord and operator perspective

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Good Space

Groundworks

David Brown on LinkedIn

David Brown moved his family of 5 to London from North Carolina in 2019 and attempted to open his first coworking space in a London neighborhood in 2020. That didn’t go well until mid-2020 when neighborhood members needed Good Space and good community.

Here are my key takeaways from my conversation with David:

1. He had a clear vision of what he wanted to create and didn’t waiver
2. The success of Good Space (in terms of attracting members) is part art and part science. David and his team have a deep focus on building relationships with their 112 members. They want their members to feel seen and known in their space. They also pulled off that je ne sais quoi that you sense when you walk into a space that is “for you.” The vibe, the design, the coffee, the lighting.
3. David and his team are intentional about what they’re creating. They take time to zoom out and reconnect with their mission and values.
4. They make decisions based on their mission and values. He gave a great example around phone booths. More phone booths would get used, but would not align with the culture they have built.
5. A lease on a small space is challenging, even with 112 members. David’s real estate structure going forward will be creating partnerships with landlords.
6. David broke the week up into percentages and put pressure on the 28% that is Saturday + Sunday to earn their keep. They go all-in on evening and weekend events of all shapes and sizes and their event revenue is a significant and growing portion of their overall revenue.