What happens when coworking’s boldest content voice steps up to the virtual stage? You get the straight talk, no filler.
Cat Johnson—writer, community builder, and host of the Coworking Creators Summit—tossed out a challenge: how do you stand out in the hyper-crowded coworking market?
Forget logos and fancy chairs. Cat’s mantra is simple: “People don’t buy brands, they join them. So give people something to join.”
Cat teed up the biggest question each coworking operator must wrestle with: differentiation. She’s seen the evolution, from ribbon cuttings with the mayor to a bustling ecosystem where options abound. The trick isn’t out-teching or out-designing the competition—it’s knowing your core community, your “why,” and making it feel unmistakable and irresistible[ file:1].
If you know your values, your vision, and the unique vibe of your space, “You have brand clarity,” Cat advises. And without that, prospective members will float past all your social posts, as elusive as ever.
Cat hammered home a reality check: “Your biggest competition is not other coworking spaces, it’s people working from home.” That means differentiation isn’t about beating the space next door. It’s about giving kitchen-table workers a reason to get dressed and join something bigger.
The first step? Get laser-focused on who’s really thriving in your space—not just a “little bit of everyone.” Dive past superficial demographics and notice recurring threads or subcultures; these are the seeds of your unique brand story.
Why content marketing? Because before anyone experiences your fabulous community, you have to grab their attention and tell your story. “I’ve built my business around content,” Cat says, and she’s quick to point out: “Content and brand building require repetition and consistency… It’s not about the first blog post you write. Let’s talk after you’ve written 100.”
She sees resistance everywhere—“I don’t have anything to say,” “My story is boring”—and gives tough love: just start. “It doesn't matter. Just put something out into the world. Course correct,” she says. The more consistently your messaging reflects your deeper purpose, the more your cumulative brand shines.
Members aren’t magnetized by coffee and Wi-Fi. They’re drawn to connection, belonging, learning, and opportunities. Cat’s purpose statement? “To create a world of activated and connected people doing work we love.” When spaces articulate their purpose beyond profit, “brands with a strong purpose grow at twice the rate of others.” She offers numbers: 82% of shoppers want brands with aligned values, and Gen Z demands companies address social and environmental issues.
The upshot: clarify and live your purpose. Make it aspirational—your “North Star”—and steer content, programming, and member experiences from that point.
Cat’s philosophy is expansive: “Everything public-facing is content, and the cumulative impression of what people see and experience is your brand.” From email newsletters to Instagram reels, from in-space events to signage, it all adds up.
Her advice: prioritize your highest-converting channels (email tops the list). Know which content tasks advance your brand (weekly letter) and which are background noise (occasional social post).
Cat Johnson’s session crackled with practical wisdom and hard-won perspective. Her advice: clarify your purpose, use content to build real connection, and don’t settle for being just another spot on the map. Summit attendees took home not only strategies, but encouragement to find their purpose and share it boldly—one post at a time.