Flex in Five with Mike Kriel

When Launch Workplaces CEO Mike Kriel speaks with building owners about why they don't have flexible office space in their buildings, he hears six reasons most often. In this episode, he explains these hesitations and why they might be worth reconsidering.  Want to learn more about what it takes to open and run a profitable coworking business, and whether it makes sense for your portfolio? Downloa...

You've got vacant space, and you're weighing whether to run coworking yourself or bring in an operator. Before you decide, you need a clear picture of what running a good space really takes. In this episode, Launch Workplaces CEO Mike Kriel walks building owners through everything that sits behind a well-run coworking center: the technology backbone, the software, the right person on the floor, th...

Are you making the right assumptions about what financial information your coworking operator should be giving you? Most landlords aren't. In this episode of Flex in Five, Mike Kriel breaks down what a complete financial package from a coworking operator should look like, why the variance report is the most critical piece, and what a good operator should be able to tell you before you even ask a q...

In 13 years of opening coworking locations, Mike's seen one thing kill more deals than anything else. It's not the agreement. It's what happens after you sign one. There's a void between picking an operator and opening your space, and that void is where most landlords get caught off guard: What does it cost to get your space to the operator's standard?  How long will it take?  What return can you...

Not every management agreement with a flex operator has to be a 10-year deal. In this episode of Flex in Five, Mike Kriel breaks down why shorter-term agreements (24, 36, or 48 months) can be the right fit for landlords trying to fill a vacancy gap, reposition a building, or bridge a transition. What you'll learn in this episode: Why the 10-year assumption is costing landlords real opportunities H...

Property management companies need flexible office space in their toolkit, and most of them don't have it yet. In this episode of Flex in Five, Mike Kriel breaks down why the largest firms in the country are already integrating flex management into their business and what regional and local property managers need to do before they get left behind. He discusses: Why the biggest brokerage and proper...

The most important part of a management agreement is the exit, and most building owners don't figure that out until they're stuck. In this episode of Flex in Five, Mike Kriel breaks down the four exit rights every landlord needs before signing a management agreement: Termination for cause  Termination without cause Free will termination Sale of the building  If you want to learn more about how man...

Your building survived. Now, how do you make it more valuable tomorrow than it is today? In this episode of Flex in Five, Mike Kriel breaks down what the "perfect building" looks like in today's market — and why you should think of it as an ecosystem that feeds itself. He's talking you through what every competitive office building needs:  Flexible workspace, from hot desks to enterprise-level spa...

You just got a letter from a coworking operator saying your building would be their best location ever. Flattering—but what do you actually do with that? In this episode, Mike breaks down how building owners should evaluate a coworking operator who comes knocking—the questions to ask, the red flags to watch for, and why you should never stop at one conversation. In five minutes, you'll learn: The...

What does a coworking operator actually look for in your building? In this episode, Mike breaks down Launch's proprietary 12-point evaluation system. This is the weighted criteria we use to determine whether a building is set up to succeed with flexible workspace. From competition proximity to amenity activation, capital strength to tenant mix, this is the same scoring system Launch has used for 1...

Everyone's sharing their predictions for coworking in 2026. Here's what Mike's actually seeing in the market. In this episode, he breaks down four major trends shaping the coworking industry this year: consolidation and the different strategies driving it, operators exiting the business, authenticity becoming non-negotiable, and wellness and sustainability as table stakes. The encouraging part? Th...

Mike Kriel, CEO of Launch Workplaces, has never been short on thoughts about the flexible office industry. Now, he's channeling that passion into a new series: Flex in Five. The concept is simple: In five minutes or less, Mike breaks down one focused idea, trend, or insight about what's happening in flexible workspace and what it means for you. Whether you're a commercial landlord, broker, develop...