Summary:

• Local partnerships drive coworking community and brand value.
  
  
• Mission alignment is key to successful collaborations.
  
  
• Swinging big with major brands can create powerful opportunities.
  
  
• Intentional, outbound partnership efforts yield stronger results.
  
  
• Tracking economic impact can strengthen sponsorship and partnership pitches.
  
  

Building a thriving coworking community means forging real, meaningful connections with your local ecosystem. That is everyone from yoga instructors to coffee roasters and executive coaches.

In a recent Coworking Convo, Cat Johnson brought together four industry experts to discuss how coworking spaces can create local partnerships that elevate their brand and deepen their impact.

Joining Cat were Anne Olsen from The Shop Workspace, Tim Hasse from General Provision Work Club, Sarah Athanas from Groundwork, and Hector Kolonas from Syncaroo and This Week in Coworking. 

They shared insights, strategies, and plenty of real-world examples to inspire coworking operators to think bigger and partner smarter.

Why local partnerships matter more than ever

Anne Olsen kicked off the conversation with a truth that underpins coworking itself: "Coworking is inherently local."

"You're bringing people who live near each other to work together. That's exciting," Anne said. And partnering with local businesses, nonprofits, and cultural institutions helps operators add value beyond the four walls of their space.

According to Anne, successful partnerships should achieve mutual amplification — where both parties talk about and support each other. She emphasized having a clear framework when evaluating opportunities, focusing on:

• Mission alignment
• Member relevance
• Longevity and lift ("Is the juice worth the squeeze?")
  
  

Anne recommended actively hunting for partners instead of waiting for them to come to you. She shared, "If I ever have a free 30 minutes, I'll scroll through Instagram or LinkedIn and just say, 'Hey, let's collaborate!'"

Swing big, stay local: lessons from the NBA, NHL, and neighborhood coffee shops

Anne also reminded attendees not to underestimate the power of swinging big. From offering free tickets to the local music festival to booking suites at NBA and NHL games, Anne has found creative ways to turn partnerships with major brands into member perks and community-building moments.

"These are the people driving your neighborhood’s economy," Anne said. "You have a whole ocean of business owners — and people will pay good money to get in front of them."

Tim Hasse of General Provision Work Club echoed this strategy. Based in South Florida, Tim emphasized that knowing your brand and knowing your community is essential to building effective partnerships.

"We've thrown a lot at the wall over the last 10 years to see what sticks," Tim said. "But outbound, intentional partnerships tend to work best."

How to structure and prioritize partnerships

Sarah Athanas, founder of Groundwork, added another important layer: Start with relationships.

"Cast a wide net with relationships, then get discerning about which turn into partnerships," Sarah advised. "Trust is hardest to build when you need it the most."

Sarah outlined three types of partnerships:

1. Mission-Aligned Partnerships: Like accelerators or economic development groups, where goals are naturally synergistic.
   
   
2. Mission-Supporting Partnerships: Where you each bring something the other needs, like a developer offering discounted space.
   
   
3. Mission-Adjacent Partnerships: Values-driven collaborations, such as supporting local LGBTQ+ organizations.
   
   

She also reminded operators to align their vendors — banks, coffee suppliers, and more — with their mission for deeper community integration.

Data makes the difference: measure impact for better partnerships

Hector Kolonas zoomed out with a big-picture reminder: Understand the difference between sponsorships and partnerships.

• Sponsorships are transactional: "You’re trying to give as little as possible and get as much as possible."
  
  
• Partnerships are collaborative: "You're sitting on the same side of the table, working toward a shared goal."
  
  

Hector also dropped a powerful tip: Measure the economic impact of your coworking space.

"Even if you just sit down with members and map out their day, you’ll start seeing how much money they spend locally," he said. "Put a number to it. You’ll be amazed — and it makes future partnerships and sponsorships way easier."

Partnerships are the new growth strategy

Building local partnerships isn’t just a nice idea — it’s a strategic move to grow your brand, deepen your community, and provide more value to your members.

As Cat Johnson wrapped up the session, she reminded us: Everything you do — every partnership you choose — sets a tone for your brand. Your members and your community are paying attention.

Coworking Convos is a monthly virtual event series hosted by Cat Johnson. In each conversation, a different topic is presented by guests with real experience, who are subject matter experts and walk the walk in the coworking and flex space industry.

Coworks is a proud sponsoring partner of Coworking Convos, and we have the privilege of sharing these dispatches afterward — spotlighting the juicy tidbits and powerful takeaways shared in the hour-long conversation. 

But by no means does this replace the real value of being there! Check out the next Convo and be in the room when it happens.