When it comes to co-working spaces WeWork is the elephant in the room. They are the giant. The monster. The leader far and away. About the only organization that can compare, albeit with a different goal and model, is Regus, perhaps the first mover in the world of co-working. But both have gaps in their location maps, which in turn presents opportunity for others to fill the gaps.
Over the past few weeks as I've been leading a nomadic life of sorts, I've realized that both co-working companies lack any type of affiliate model, so while I have memberships with both, it's often been my discovery that their isn't a location for miles and miles, sometimes even no location at all in some states in the case of WeWork.
Unlike the gym and workout world that developed an affiliate membership model early on, in the case of the two giants, its all or nothing. But the digital nomad isn't going to always end up where WeWork or Regus are located, which is why models like those from Croissant , the League of Extraordinary Co-working Spaces (Lexco) and CoPass all are ahead of the game. They function much like traveler lounge leader Priority Pass does, where you join the "club" and get access to all the rest, sometimes free and sometimes for a daily rate.
Now here's a thought. If I was running the Centurion Lounge Program for AMEX, I'd quickly work out deals with Regus, WeWork and CoPass, and extend mutually beneficial access rights (as long as the member has an AMEX card) and immediately expand the footprint of the Centurion Lounges.
Co-working facilities need an affiliate model...no one company can be everywhere, and given how the concept is past taking off, it's time to go beyond land and expand, and simply give members one more reason to stay members.
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