CONFERENCE AGENDA & SPEAKER BIOS
Friday February 6
9:00-9:30am COFFEE AND LIGHT BREAKFAST
Wake up and smell the camaraderie!
9:30 - 10am WELCOME AND KICKOFF
SPEAKERS: Jerome Chang, Jackie Latragna, DeShawn Brown
10:00 - 10:50am Managing Multiple Locations
SPEAKERS: Chiko Abengowe, Geoff Wood, Amanda Lewan
Thinking about opening a second location. Or a tenth? This session is for operators ready to grow beyond a single space. We’ll dive into what it really takes to scale: choosing the right markets, building repeatable systems, hiring for growth, and keeping your culture strong across locations.
MODERATOR: Jackie Latragna
11:00 - 11:50am About AI
SPEAKERS: Samantha Riel, Taylor Mason
AI isn’t just for big tech—it’s already part of your coworking toolkit. This session will demystify AI for operators, showing how tools you already use (like CRMs, access control, or chatbots) may be powered by AI behind the scenes.
MODERATOR: Jackie Latragna
12:00 - 12:50pm LUNCH AND CONVERSATION
1:00 - 1:50pm Mail Solutions for Coworking
SPEAKERS: William Edmundson and Mike Sullivan
What should you offer members to expand your services? How do mail solutions differ in cost and service? Meet providers and users of mail solutions to explore what might be right for your operation.
2:00 - 2:50pm UNCONFERENCE
Open Discussion on topics we gathered
MODERATOR: Clark Rinehart
3:00 - 4:00pm City as Strategic Partner
SPEAKERS: Heather MacDougall, Rebekah Gregg, Shervonne Cherry, Ashley Proctor
What happens when coworking spaces and cities work together? In this session, we’ll explore how operators can team up with municipalities to support local entrepreneurs, activate underused buildings, and become vital community hubs.
MODERATOR: Jerome Chang
4:00pm HAPPY HOUR
Wine, beer, and appetizers sponsored by Romer & Associates
6:00pm FLOCtails at La Santa
Join the members of the Future Leaders of Coworking (FLOC) for an after conference get together at La Santa in Raleigh
SATURDAY February 7
8:00 - 9:00am COFFEE AND LIGHT BREAKFAST
Wake up and smell the camaraderie!
9:00 - 9:50AM Sustainability and ESG in coworking
SPEAKER: Jess Porta
More members—and municipalities—are looking for spaces that walk the walk on sustainability. This session will explore how coworking operators can incorporate ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles into everyday operations and long-term strategy.
MODERATOR: DeShawn Brown
10:00 - 10:50am Selling Space for Public Events
SPEAKERS: Jerome Chang, Rebekah Gregg
Your space can do more than host members: it can bring in the whole community. This session is all about turning your coworking space into a go-to venue for workshops, pop-ups, markets, and more. We’ll talk about pricing strategies, promotion tips, and how to balance public events with member needs.
MODERATOR: DeShawn Brown
11:00 - 11:50am Career Development
SPEAKER: Sam Shea
Coworking is about people, and that starts with your team. This session explores how to hire for fit, not just experience, and how to build clear career paths in an industry that’s still defining itself.
MODERATOR: DeShawn Brown
12:00 - 12:00pm LUNCH AND CONVERSATION
1:00 - 1:50pm Automate the Busywork
SPEAKER: DeShawn Brown
What if your tech stack actually made life easier? This session is all about how coworking operators can use automation and integrations to streamline operations, improve member experience, and reduce manual tasks. From CRMs to billing to door access, we’ll show you what tools play well together.
MODERATOR: Clark Rinehart
2:00 - 2:50pm Referral Partners
SPEAKERS: Ginger Dhaliwal, Sam Shea
Need more tours on the calendar? This session digs into two of the most powerful (and often misunderstood) tools for coworking lead generation: paid ads and listing platforms. We’ll break down how to evaluate aggregator sites like LiquidSpace, Upflex, and others.
MODERATOR: Rebecca Pan
3:00 - 3:50pm UNCONFERENCE and WRAP UP
Open Discussion