154. Inside Bamboo: Amanda Lewan’s Strategy for Growth, Community, and Creative Real Estate Deals
In this episode, Amanda shares how she co-founded Bamboo and scaled it into a multi-location flex space operator managing over 200,000 sq ft—all while staying true to her indie roots and mission-driven values.
We cover:
The early Bamboo story: humble beginnings, tough calls, and a few desks from Craigslist
The decision to grow beyond Detroit and what scaling has meant for the team
Bamboo’s strategy for operating AND managing third-party spaces (and why it works)
A deep dive into their 115,000 sq ft conversion of a former school
Amanda’s thoughts on public-private partnerships and building local ecosystems
This episode is packed with practical takeaways for indie operators and inspiring insights for anyone navigating the long game in flex. Amanda doesn’t just talk the talk—she’s walked every inch of this path.Resources Mentioned in this Podcast:
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Flex Uncensored - A Coworking Podcast
Giovanni Palavacini and Jamie Russo have partnered to ask industry leaders the questions that are on your mind.
Giovanni Palavacini is a Real Estate Strategist focused on helping operators, landlords, and investors to make wise coworking/flexible office decisions using a combination of science and art.
Jamie Russo was a coworking space owner/operator for 8 years, Executive Director of the GWA, the industry association, for 5 years, and has spent the last few years helping operators start and run profitable coworking businesses.
- No. of episodes: 157
- Latest episode: 2025-07-15
- Business Entrepreneurship
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