Big Takeaways from an Unforgettable Few Days

I say it all the time: you have to be in the room.
And after three incredible days at GCUC Boston — surrounded by operators, innovators, thought leaders, and the coworking curious — I’m more convinced than ever that showing up matters.
This year felt different. Not just bigger (it was). Not just better (also true). But different.

Here’s what I’m still thinking about…

1. Connection Isn’t Just a Buzzword — It’s the Business Model
   

   For years we’ve been shouting from the rooftops that connection is everything.
   This year? We backed it up with data.
   Dr. Bobbi Wegner showed us the science of belonging. Raj Chowdhury laid out how connection drives retention and revenue. We didn’t just talk about community — we explored how to create it, measure it, and foster it intentionally.
   This is the work. Connection is no longer fluffy — it’s foundational.

2. Coworking = Hospitality
   

   If there was one word floating through every session, every panel, every hallway conversation — it was hospitality.
   We’re not landlords. We’re not real estate. We’re not selling desks.
   We’re in the people business.
   Operators who treat their spaces like hotels — who think about experience, delight, and service — are the ones thriving.
   Coworking is becoming hospitality 2.0 — with community at the center.

3. AI Isn’t Coming — It’s Here
   

   If you left GCUC without feeling a little urgency to level up your AI knowledge… were you even at GCUC?
   AI is transforming operations, marketing, member experience, and how we work.
   But here’s the thing — it’s not about replacing humans. It’s about freeing humans to do what only humans can do: connect, create, build community.
   Get curious. Get experimenting. AI isn’t optional anymore.

4. You Have To Be In The Room
   

   Sure, you can read the recap. Watch the sizzle reel. Scroll the LinkedIn posts.
   But the magic of GCUC? It happens in the margins.
   The hallway chat that changes your business.
   The dinner where you meet your next partner.
   The accidental conversation that turns into an opportunity.
   Remote is great. Hybrid works. But connection is IRL. Always has been.

5. Space Matters More Than Ever
   

   Let’s talk about The Track — our venue this year.
   People LOVED it.
   Why? It wasn’t just beautiful (it was). It was active. It was different. It changed the energy in the room.
   Design shapes behavior. Space influences connection. Environment impacts creativity.
   Your space tells a story. Make it a good one.

6. GCUC Feels Different — And That’s a Good Thing
   

   If past GCUCs felt like a movement — this one felt like a business.
   This industry has matured. We’re not begging for validation anymore. We are the future of work.
   Real estate is paying attention. Brands are investing. Operators are leveling up. And GCUC is evolving right alongside it.
   We’re still fun. Still scrappy. Still weird in the best way.
   But make no mistake — this is a business. And business is booming.

7. Real Estate Isn’t The Enemy — It’s The Opportunity
   

   One thing that came through loud and clear in Boston?
   We need to talk to real estate.
   For too long, coworking operators and landlords have been living in parallel worlds — often misunderstanding each other, sometimes even working against each other.
   That has to change.
   The future of flexible workspace depends on building bridges between coworking and real estate. We need to listen more. Collaborate more. Share insights, challenges, and ideas.
   Because here’s the truth: real estate needs us just as much as we need them.
   Operators understand experience. We know community. We’re nimble. We’re creative. And together? We can build better spaces, better partnerships, and a more resilient future for everyone in the ecosystem.
   It’s not us vs. them.
   It’s us *with* them.

8. Foresight is the Skill We All Need Next
   

   I left GCUC thinking:
   We have to get better at looking around corners.
   Foresight isn’t just for futurists or academics. It’s for all of us — operators, real estate partners, brands, and communities alike.
   What’s changing in work? In tech? In culture? In human behavior?
   If we don’t actively study what’s coming next — we risk being left behind.
   But if we do this well? We don’t just respond to the future — we help shape it.
   And that feels very GCUC.

If Boston taught me anything, it’s this:
→ Connection is the future.
→ Hospitality is the differentiator.
→ AI is the tool.
→ And you? You gotta show up.

See you at the next GCUC.

Next up this year: Manchester and London. Check out the program and get more details here. 

Post written by Liz Elam, Founder of GCUC Global