What's worse than overspending on things that don't deliver ROI? Underinvesting in the areas that actually make or break your business. This week, Jamie flips last week's episode on its head and tackles the critical areas where coworking operators consistently underspend—and pay the price in lost revenue, lower margins, and frustrated members.

From soundproofing decisions during construction to the size of your private offices, Jamie breaks down the build-out choices that seem expensive upfront but deliver massive ROI over time. She explains why an 80-square-foot office will always outperform a 120-square-foot one when you're trying to hit $70 per square foot in revenue, and why phone booths aren't optional—they're essential to selling flex memberships.

This episode is packed with specific, actionable advice on where to invest, how to evaluate ROI, and what trade-offs to consider based on your market, lease term, and access to capital.

We talk about:

• Why soundproofing should be built into construction from day one (and what to do if you're already open)
• How small private offices (80 sq ft vs 120 sq ft) dramatically impact your revenue per square foot
• Why phone booths are essential for selling flex memberships—and how to finance them if budget is tight
• The critical importance of professional photography for meeting rooms and day offices (users buy visually online)
• Why SEO is a must-have investment alongside paid ads—and how AI search is changing the game
• How to use a CRM to track every lead and achieve "radical responsiveness" in 2026
• The three audits every operator should run quarterly: customer journey, sales funnel, and competitive market
• Why investing in your team's training and your own professional development always delivers ROI
  
  

If you're trying to figure out where to allocate budget, what's worth the investment, and how to avoid the costly mistake of underspending in critical areas—this episode is essential listening.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

CoLevel (CRM platform)

Everything Coworking Featured Resources:

Masterclass: 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Opening a Coworking Space

Coworking Startup School

Community Manager University

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What if the secret to running a thriving coworking space isn't fancy software or a massive team… but one incredibly grounded, genuinely caring community manager?

I finally got to sit down with Nicole Antolino, Community Manager at Fireworks Coworking in Marietta, Georgia and this conversation was long overdue.

Nicole has been part of our Community Manager University program since 2022 and I've watched her grow into one of those rare unicorn operators who can truly do it all. She talked about the real balancing act of this role. When to extend flexibility and when to hold the line. How to juggle task lists with real human connection. What it's like to be a working mom running a space. And why she believes customer service experience matters more than industry background when hiring.

We also dig into:

• Why 30 percent meeting room utilization might actually be normal
• How she and her teammate divide and conquer to grow the business
• The evolution of Fireworks' ideal customer profile
• What it really takes to stay energized in this role year after year
  
  

If you're an owner wondering what makes a great community manager, or you are a community manager trying to figure out how to build longevity in this career, this one is for you.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Fireworks Coworking website
Nicole Antolino on LinkedIn

Everything Coworking Featured Resources:

Masterclass: 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Opening a Coworking Space

Coworking Startup School

Community Manager University

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This week, Jamie Russo tackles a slightly uncomfortable question—especially for someone who runs a program called Community Manager University. But if you're struggling to find quality candidates when you post that job title, this episode might change how you think about recruiting.

Here's the problem: the community manager title anchors candidates on member interaction and engagement. But the actual job? It's pipeline management, CRM updates, billing follow-up, vendor coordination, office turnovers, social media, sales tours, and—oh yeah—also community building.

When you hire someone expecting to spend their day chatting with members and they end up spending three hours in HubSpot, you've got a mismatch. And that mismatch starts with the title.

We talk about:

• Why "Location Manager" might attract better candidates (and who's testing it successfully)
• How to prioritize the five hats: operations, community building, sales & marketing, finance, and leadership
• The front-of-house vs back-of-house split when you have two people on site
• Why the biggest gap is CRM use—and how the title sets the wrong expectations
• How to design a daily schedule based on what actually matters most in your business right now
• When community manager IS the right title (and when it's not)
• The downloadable template to help you prioritize hats and write a job description that matches reality

This conversation is for operators who are tired of hiring people who don't fit the role—or who lose great team members because the job wasn't what they expected.

If you're about to post a job or wondering why your last hire didn't work out, this episode will help you rethink your approach.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Profit Accelerator Program

Everything Coworking Featured Resources:

Masterclass: 3 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets to Opening a Coworking Space

Coworking Startup School

Community Manager University

Follow Us on YouTube