Coworking Without the Gimmicks: Why People Really Stay with Tom Ball

What if your workspace felt more like your favourite local pub than a startup showroom?

Coworking Without the Gimmicks: Why People Really Stay with Tom Ball

0:00

/200

Episode Summary

"People don’t stay for the decor. They stay because they get more done and feel less alone."

Most coworking spaces chase wow-factor tours. Big glass atriums. Branded mugs. Artfully placed ping-pong tables.

But the reason people stay?
It’s not the hobbit holes or upside-down dining tables.

It’s because they feel less alone.
And they get more done.

This conversation with Tom Ball, founder of DeskLodge, doesn’t offer a five-step growth strategy or Instagram-friendly advice.

It’s a story about building by instinct, not aesthetics.
About designing for real life, not photo ops.

Tom started with a beat-up building, zero budget, and a roll of masking tape.
He didn’t optimise for scale. He listened to the space. And over time, something sticky and human emerged — a place where people don’t just rent a desk, they invest in the atmosphere.

“Scaling is optional,” Tom says. “You don’t need 10 locations to feel proud. You need one that feels like home.”

There’s even a “crap on a shelf” room — not for the brand deck, but for the quiet moment someone makes a new friend at the coffee machine.

This episode is about choosing soul over scale.
About what happens when you build a space that people miss when they’re not in it.

Whether you’re starting your first space or trying to reconnect with why you began, this one’s a compass reset.

Timeline Highlights

[00:06] Bernie introduces Unreasonable Connection—no panels, no pitches, just real conversation

[01:10] Tom shares what Desk Lodge is known for: quirky, creative, ultra-productive spaces

[03:06] Behind the whimsy: how “crap on a shelf” becomes community fuel

[04:24] Big atriums vs. crowded kitchens: what humans want from space

[06:44] Bernie asks why some space owners still chase the WeWork dream

[07:44] Tom’s answer: A thousand tiny things done well beats one big idea

[09:03] The two things people want from coworking: get more done, feel less lonely

[11:08] Silent zones, huddle spots, and breakout areas: designing for how humans actually work

[14:19] From budget constraint to intentional design: how Desk Lodge grew out of making do

[17:38] Why a quirky space builds trust faster than a polished one

[22:47] Self-selection: the secret to building an authentic community without over-engineering it

[25:06] Scaling is optional: how to choose depth over width (and why that's okay)

[27:27] The wisdom of choosing to go deep—and not sit on two toilets at once

Small Decisions, Big Vibe

Every corner of Desk Lodge tells a story. Not because it was branded that way, but because it evolved from genuine constraints, real people, and genuine attention.

From picnic benches in windowless rooms to themed zones that match how people work, this episode peels back the Instagram layer and shows how coworking can be built with heart and screwdrivers.

Creating Places That Smile Back

Tom doesn’t believe in one-size-fits-all coworking. Instead, he shares how building for personality—even if it costs you monetisable space—creates the kind of environment people don’t want to leave.

The Anti-WeWork Blueprint

Forget the polished showrooms and bland lobbies.

If you want people to invest their energy (not just their money), give them somewhere that feels like their own.

Tom’s success isn’t from scale—it’s from soul.

Links & Resources

One more thing

Coworking brings communities together, helping people find and share their voices.
Each episode of the Coworking Values Podcast explores Accessibility, Community, Openness, Collaboration, and Sustainability—values shaping the spaces where we gather, work, and grow.

If this resonates with you, rate, follow, and share the podcast. Your support amplifies our reach, helping others discover how coworking enriches lives, builds careers, and strengthens communities.

Community is the key 🔑

Share this article

🎙️Coworking Values Podcast

Written by

Bernie J Mitchell