Brave Ideas Season 17, Episode 2
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Most coworking brands talk about hospitality. Far fewer actually deliver it.
In this episode of Brave Ideas, Caleb Parker sits down with James Panepinto, Group Ancillary Revenue Manager at Clockwise, to unpack what hospitality really means in a coworking environment, and why getting it right can directly impact retention, pricing power, and long-term profitability.
Joining as co-host is Eyal Lasker, CEO of Flexspace AI in the MUTE Showroom in Clerkenwell London.
James makes the case that coworking is not just serviced office with better furniture. It is a hospitality product, and operators who fail to understand that will be left behind.
Check out James’s Brave Ideas article on hospitality and grand gestures.
James also shares his work with FLOC, a platform helping support the next generation of leaders in coworking and flex.
Listen now and hear why the best coworking brands are not built on desks and WiFi alone.
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What You’ll Learn in This Episode
sponsored by MUTE
Why James believes coworking belongs in the hospitality category, not the serviced office category
What hospitality actually looks like in practice, beyond slogans and big gestures
Why the smallest details often matter more than the grand statements
How Clockwise thinks about community programming and why it must evolve with the people in the building
Why operators should not force a static events calendar onto a dynamic member base
How hospitality and community work together to improve retention and long-term value
Why strong systems and better pricing tools can free teams up to focus on the human side of the business
How ancillary revenue, events, and wider business community activation fit into a stronger operating model
Key Takeaways for Operators
Hospitality is not a bolt-on, it is core to the coworking product
Retention improves when members feel seen, looked after, and genuinely part of something
Community cannot be forced, but it can be cultivated with care and consistency
Programming should reflect the real needs of the current member base, not a static annual plan
Great systems matter because they create more time for teams to deliver meaningful member experience
Ancillary revenue should support the member experience, not compete with it
Key Takeaways for Investors and Landlords
The best performing coworking brands are not just selling space, they are creating reasons for people to stay
Hospitality-led operations can strengthen retention and support pricing power over time
Member experience is not soft or secondary, it is directly tied to income durability
Buildings that feel like commodities will compete on price, buildings that feel like places can compete on value
Operators who understand both community and commercial discipline are better positioned to create sustainable performance
Behind The Scenes
This episode was recorded in the Mute showroom in Clerkenwell before an invite only operator dinner later that evening. James & Caleb used to work together, launching the Bold coworking brand in Manchester.
This conversation is part of Brave Ideas Season 17, where we are digging into what actually makes coworking profitable, from hospitality and community to pricing, operations, and underwriting.
