Brave Ideas Why Are Managed Offices On Fire Right Now?
Brave Ideas Season 16, Episode 7
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Business Is Personal
In this episode, Brave Corp CEO, Caleb Parker, and co-host Gary Helm from MUTE sits down with Rob Schogger, Cofounder & CEO of MetSpace, to unpack how this long standing operator has built a resilient managed office platform in central London.
Rob first entered the flex market in 1999 with Reflex Managed Offices, which he and his partner grew and later sold in 2015. MetSpace, launched in 2018, is the next chapter, focused on managed workplaces delivered through operator agreements with building owners.
Today, MetSpace operates around 60 workplaces across 35 buildings.
In this episode you’ll learn:
* How Rob and his partner created one of the earliest managed office products in London
* Why they exited their original long lease business
* Wow they rebuilt around a structure that lets landlords participate in revenue without becoming operators themselves.
* MetSpace’s commercial model and their culture of kindness
* The practical realities of running managed space
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* MUTE
What You Will Learn In This Episode
* How Rob and his partner identified a gap between serviced offices and conventional leases in 1999 and launched Reflex Managed Offices
* Why Reflex was built on long leases, and why Rob ultimately sold that business in 2015
* How MetSpace was launched in 2018 as an evolution of that experience, using floors in multi let buildings rather than period townhouses
* What an “operator agreement” means in MetSpace’s model, and how it compares to traditional management agreements
* How MetSpace structures deals so the landlord is effectively paid first, then shares in the upside once income exceeds conventional rent levels
* How culture, kindness, and an open plan team setup translate into commercial resilience and long term relationships
* How workplace design has shifted from cellular offices and fixed desk ratios to community tables, breakout areas, booths, and modular solutions
* Why Rob believes landlords will need professional operators to run services in their buildings, and why “refurbish and stick in desks” is not a sustainable strategy
Key Takeaways For Operators
sponsored by Flexspace AI
* You can evolve the model without chasing hype: Rob’s journey moved from Reflex on long leases to MetSpace on operator agreements, through multiple market cycles. He has adjusted structure and risk profile, not chased fashionable labels.
* Simple, repeatable deal structures help you scale with landlords: MetSpace uses one core operator agreement and a consistent financial formula across its 60 workplaces. Landlords compare a conventional five year lease outcome to the managed model, then roll additional floors and buildings once they see the numbers work.
* Culture is part of the operating model: MetSpace treats landlords, occupiers, and suppliers all as clients. Internally, the team works in an open plan office with a strong focus on kindness and reading the room. That is not “soft” culture, it is how they preserve relationships when markets turn.
* Design needs to match actual behaviour, not old metrics: People do not just sit at desks. MetSpace spaces blend desks with community tables, breakout areas, kitchens, booths, and soft seating, while Mute’s modular approach helps future proof layouts as team sizes and patterns change.
* Indecision is more dangerous than the wrong decision: Rob’s biggest lesson from mistakes is to be brave, decide, observe the impact, and adapt. Staying frozen is the real risk in a shifting market.
Key Takeaways For Real Estate Investors And Landlords
* Managed is becoming a requirement, not a niche: Shorter leases, more demanding occupiers, and post COVID expectations mean simply offering Cat A space is not enough. Owners that layer in managed solutions are better placed to capture demand.
* You can access operational upside without building your own platform: Under MetSpace’s operator agreements, the landlord is paid first at a level that matches or exceeds conventional rent over a five year period. Income above that threshold is shared, while MetSpace funds furniture and services, and takes responsibility for day to day operations.
* Operator quality is a major risk factor: Slow responses to basic issues, such as a light bulb taking days to be replaced, damage occupier satisfaction and renewal prospects. The “managed” label on a brochure is not enough, execution quality determines whether the strategy works.
* Crisis behaviour reveals whether you chose the right partner: MetSpace has remained in business through the dot com crash, 9/11, the global financial crisis, and COVID, leaning on strong relationships with landlords, occupiers, and suppliers. In stressed conditions, that relationship capital protects income.
* Spending on experience is now non negotiable: Rob’s view is blunt. If owners do not invest in their space and services, they will not let it. Those who spend intelligently and pair that with a capable operator are better positioned than those who simply refurbish and hope.
Behind The Scenes
💡 This episode is part of Brave Ideas Season 16, diving into the 6 Pillars of Space as a Service, spotlighting operator playbooks and practical moves that lift demand, protect margins, and build workplaces people choose.
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