Dec 16, 2025
What happens when two first-time GWA Immersive attendees walk
into a room of 77 people and realize there's nowhere to hide?
This week, Jamie and Gio are joined by Nicole Antolino from
FireWorks Coworking in Marietta, Georgia, and Brittany Alavinejad
from Essential Offices in Oklahoma City for a fresh take on what
made the Atlanta immersive so different from the big
conferences.
With 44 out of 77 attendees experiencing their first GWA event, the
room was packed with new energy, honest questions, and real
conversations about what's actually working in coworking right now.
Nicole and Brittany share what stood out most—from AI and marketing
panels to culture conversations and the surprisingly candid
Alliance panel where a near-lawsuit turned into newfound
respect.
We talk about:
- Why the intimate format made it impossible to be a wallflower—and why that mattered
- Courtney Schwartz's AI panel debut and the power of AEO/GEO over traditional SEO
- How video testimonials and member stories beat flashy marketing every time
- The Alliance panel's real talk on managed service agreements and market saturation
- Why specialization is working for attorneys, creatives, and niche industries
- Brittany hitting 100% occupancy in Edmond and pre-leasing offices for next year
- Nicole's journey from two major member losses to nearly sold out by year-end
If you've been wondering what the smaller GWA events feel
like—or how operators are actually implementing what they learn the
day they get back—this episode is for you.
Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:
Nicole
Antolino on LinkedIn
Brittany
Alavinejad on LinkedIn
FireWorks Coworking
website
Essential Offices
website
Connect with your Hosts:
Connect with Giovanni on LinkedIn