What happens when a VP of Operations becomes the translator between a founder's 3 a.m. ideas and the team that has to make them reality?

Five years later, she's running the show.

This week, we sit down with Carly Bedini, VP of Operations at iQ Offices, and her boss Kane Willmott for one of the most honest, hilarious, and heartfelt conversations we've had on this podcast.

Carly came from nonprofits and events. She had no idea what coworking was. But she knew how to lead teams, manage chaos, and translate a founder's vision into operational reality. And that's exactly what she's been doing for Kane and his co-founder Alex ever since.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Carly went from running We Day events in Canada to becoming Kane's operational translator
• Why Kane now trusts Carly to speak at industry events more than he speaks himself
• The GWA Atlanta Immersive—and why smaller conferences force everyone to show up and be present
• How iQ is focusing on enterprise clients and broker relationships heading into 2026
• Carly's 2026 goal: embrace AI and stop resisting Kane's ideas quite so hard

This conversation is proof that the best hires aren't always the ones with industry experience—they're the ones who show up authentically, lead with humor, and aren't afraid to challenge their CEO while making magic happen behind the scenes.

If you're a founder wondering how to let go and trust your team, or if you're an operator building a culture where people actually love coming to work, this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Carly Bedini on LinkedIn
Kane Willmott on LinkedIn
iQ Offices website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

What happens when a single-location operator who knows her numbers inside and out decides to fill a gap in her city's small business ecosystem?

This week, Jamie and Gio sit down with Kim Lee, founder and CEO of Forge in Birmingham, Alabama, for a conversation about strategic growth, mental health in our industry, and why she's launching a small business accelerator in January.

Kim shares how she went from a master's in counseling to running one of Birmingham's most hospitality-driven coworking spaces—and why she's still passionate about coaching and creating community. She also breaks down what made the GWA Atlanta Immersive so different from other conferences she's attended and why every single panel offered immediately actionable takeaways.

We talk about:

• Why Kim converted her event space into offices (and how the math made sense)
• The gap in Birmingham's ecosystem that led to launching a Traction-based accelerator
• How her counseling background shapes the way Forge serves members
• Why the Atlanta Immersive felt more operator-focused than any conference she's been to
• The Alliance panel's surprising honesty—and how three competitors who'd never met became instant fans of each other
• Kim's favorite interview advice: keep it short so you don't like them too much
• The importance of mental health, self-care, and why family dinner counts as a win

If you're a single-location operator trying to differentiate in a crowded market—or wondering how to build something that truly serves your community—this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Kim Lee on LinkedIn
Forge Coworking website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

What happens when two first-time GWA Immersive attendees walk into a room of 77 people and realize there's nowhere to hide?

This week, Jamie and Gio are joined by Nicole Antolino from FireWorks Coworking in Marietta, Georgia, and Brittany Alavinejad from Essential Offices in Oklahoma City for a fresh take on what made the Atlanta immersive so different from the big conferences.

With 44 out of 77 attendees experiencing their first GWA event, the room was packed with new energy, honest questions, and real conversations about what's actually working in coworking right now. Nicole and Brittany share what stood out most—from AI and marketing panels to culture conversations and the surprisingly candid Alliance panel where a near-lawsuit turned into newfound respect.

We talk about:

• Why the intimate format made it impossible to be a wallflower—and why that mattered
• Courtney Schwartz's AI panel debut and the power of AEO/GEO over traditional SEO
• How video testimonials and member stories beat flashy marketing every time
• The Alliance panel's real talk on managed service agreements and market saturation
• Why specialization is working for attorneys, creatives, and niche industries
• Brittany hitting 100% occupancy in Edmond and pre-leasing offices for next year
• Nicole's journey from two major member losses to nearly sold out by year-end

If you've been wondering what the smaller GWA events feel like—or how operators are actually implementing what they learn the day they get back—this episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Nicole Antolino on LinkedIn

Brittany Alavinejad on LinkedIn

FireWorks Coworking website

Essential Offices website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast