When a real estate problem turns into a business opportunity… and then scales across the West Coast. That’s the CENTRL Office origin story. In this episode, we sit down with Alex Hughes, co-founder of CENTRL Office, to hear how a “no man's land” office building in Portland led to a full-on flex brand with locations in Oregon, Washington, and California.

Alex shares how they’ve transitioned completely to true management agreements, the role of tenant experience, and why the “vibe” is more than just good coffee and nice design.

We cover:

• How CENTRL Office grew out of a leasing challenge and scaled with a flexible model that works for landlords.

• Why they moved from leases to fully aligned management agreement, and what that actually looks like.

• The types of buildings and partnerships that set the stage for long-term success (spoiler: they’re not looking for one-off deals).

• How enterprise demand is showing up in LA and why it’s reshaping what “coworking” means.

• The challenge and opportunity of bringing hospitality-level service to landlord portfolios through flex operations.

If you’re working on creative deal structures, supporting landlords through flex, or just trying to figure out how to scale your vibe, this one’s for you.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Alex on LinkedIn

CENTRL Office website

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast

Ginger Dhaliwal didn’t plan to end up in coworking—or in tech at all. Her journey from social work to startup founder spans continents, industries, and a through-line of solving human-centered problems. As co-founder of Upflex, she’s now at the intersection of workplace experience, real estate tech, and the flex ecosystem.

In this episode, we cover:

• Ginger’s global path from social impact to launching R&D labs, tech startups, and eventually, Upflex.

• The core challenges of aggregating coworking inventory—and why brokers and operators have been slow to adapt.

• Upflex’s unique strategy: white-label partnerships with brokerages, airport lounge operators, and the U.S. government.

• How Ginger thinks AI will reduce booking friction, improve workspace recommendations, and drive industry-wide transformation.

• Why coworking is evolving from access-based models to experience-driven destinations—and what that means for operators.

Ginger shares her vision of a future where space is dynamically allocated, demand is driven by intelligent systems, and coworking plays a key role in restoring human connection.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Ginger on LinkedIn

Upflex 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 designer trades luxury bars and boutique hotels for coworking spaces—and ends up helping shape WeWork’s global footprint? You get Dean Connell: design veteran, creative provocateur, and someone who’s not afraid to say what coworking needs most right now.

In this episode, Dean shares his personal story of stumbling into WeWork, building over 2 million square feet of flexible workspace around the world, and why coworking still has a culture problem. We dig into what’s missing from today’s flex space design and how operators can bring purpose, creativity, and—yes—a little rebellion back into the process.

This one’s part inspiration, part challenge to the status quo, and a must-listen for anyone trying to build spaces that matter.

We cover:

• Dean’s unexpected journey from bar designer to creative director at WeWork, and how it changed the trajectory of his life.

• Why so many coworking spaces feel soulless—and what to do about it.

• The tension between creativity and repeatable models in coworking design.

• How to build spaces that reflect culture, not just brand palettes.

• Dean’s call for operators to stop playing it safe and start building the future, not just repackaging the past.

If you’ve ever looked at your space and thought “there has to be more to this,” you’ll want to hear what Dean has to say.

Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:

Dean on LinkedIn

I-AM.D.C website

Wesley Edmonds on LinkedIn

Connect with your Hosts:

Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn

Connect with Jamie on LinkedIn

Find Jamie on the Everything Coworking Podcast