Tech-Driven Spaces: The Evolution of Coworking with Geoff Wood
Host Joshua McNary interviews Geoff Wood, founder of Gravitate Coworking headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, about building coworking spaces as intentional communities for entrepreneurs, freelancers, startups, and remote employees. Wood shares how Gravitate began after grant-funded space ended and a need emerged for affordable high-density offices, an entrepreneurship “front door,” and community programming, then explains how remote-work tech and the pandemic fueled major growth. ]
They discuss the importance of “sense of place,” shifting work environments for focus, and the infrastructure changes required for modern work, including higher bandwidth for concurrent Zoom calls. Wood outlines Gravitate’s tech stack, centered on Optix for billing, booking, and door access, plus lessons from changing software vendors, consolidation in the market, documentation challenges, and cautious but practical uses of AI. He closes with advice to evaluate technology through the customer’s experience.
They discuss the importance of “sense of place,” shifting work environments for focus, and the infrastructure changes required for modern work, including higher bandwidth for concurrent Zoom calls. Wood outlines Gravitate’s tech stack, centered on Optix for billing, booking, and door access, plus lessons from changing software vendors, consolidation in the market, documentation challenges, and cautious but practical uses of AI. He closes with advice to evaluate technology through the customer’s experience.
Creators and Guests
