This spring the Global Workspace Association conducted its annual Industry Financial Survey, and the results are in. They are both consistent with the market trend towards growth and debunk myths that have been circulating about the industry. Here are the findings that stand out.

The GWA is ramping up for their annual conference, to be held this September in Miami, with a workspace operator survey. Make your voice heard on workspace products, services, and profitability. In our relatively young market where limited data is available, your input will help the larger, continuously emerging workspace community to understand the challenges and solutions encountered by operators. 

David Kinnaird, President, essensys N. America, has joined the Board of the Global Workspace Association (GWA). This time last year it was announced David would lead essensys' United States operation. With a successful 2016 and now, his appointment to the GWA board, David has been well received among our friends and peers in the US Shared Workspace industry. 

We sat down with David to find out about his new role with the GWA. Here's what he had to say... 

This year’s GWA brought together new members, new vendors and old friends under the bright lights of Sin City. We’re taking a stand against the cliché whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. We took it all with us and want to share our 10 key takeaways from this year’s 30^th Annual GWA Conference.

1. New Faces to the Industry

It was great to see so many new operators at GWA 2016. We spoke with many new members at the welcome events and later during the breakout sessions and it was refreshing to see new faces, ideas and investment beginning to proliferate through our industry. Not only are there new members who have been running spaces, but we met a slew of future-operators attending the GWA to get the guidance and know-how from industry experts.

There is an entire market out there seeking interactive environments to grow and nurture their business objectives. This goes for professionals in creative industries as much as it does for TMT industries. At GWA 2016 we saw new and existing Operators keen to optimize on this and deliver customized space and services to their membership.

2. Co-working is Dominating Discussions

There is no doubt that coworking is booming – but almost all of the new operators I spoke to at GWA 2016 were operating coworking spaces. Many were still in the early stage and had big ideas of how they can scale their business and grow their membership and number of sites. Many were looking to find out how they could integrate technology into their operation and to their portfolio.

After a successful week at GWA 2016 in Las Vegas, it’s time to reflect. Not about the amount of money lost at the tables but about what it takes to be a successful workspace operator. This year there was a lot of discussion around how to monetize services and provide upsell and cross-sell opportunities in both coworking spaces, business centers, and executive suites.

With the event held at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Resort in Vegas, it occurred to me that there is a huge amount that flexible workspace operators could learn from Sin City. So, here are my thoughts on the top five things that workspace operators can learn from Las Vegas: