Open Office Space

iPad = A Great Weapon For Real Estate Agents To Put In Their Holster

 
When I first launched my other company, 3Dwalkthroughs.com, I spent a lot of time presenting my company's capabilities on my laptop. While I was extremely confident in my product offering, I was anything but confident in my ability to present it.

3Dwalkthroughs.com specialized in producing several types of 3D assets: 3D renderings, 3D walkthroughs, 3D floor plans, 3D interactive tools and even the type of 3D technology used in the movie Avatar. Depending on our clients needs, the end product was always rendered in a variety of different formats. (jpeg, mov, mpeg, swf, wmv, and more)

...and therein lied the problem.

While I tried my best to prepare samples based on the client I was pitching, they often requested to see examples of projects that were not included in my presentation. Clicking in and out of folders, opening various types of media players and launching different browsers was often a pain-stakingly slow process. (more than once my computer froze altogether) Needless to say, delays in my ability to show our "stuff" probably prevented me from closing a lot more projects than I should have.

Enter the Ipad.

On Friday I finally had an opportunity to spend a few hours test driving the iPad. In my humble opinion - the iPad will be a game changer for entrepreneurs, real estate agents or any other business professional that needs to pitch their goods, services or listings while they're on the go...it certainly would have helped me pitch 3Dwalkthroughs.com more effectively.

The quality of the display coupled with the ability to quickly open and navigate through photos and videos makes the Ipad the perfect device for real estate agents to WOW their clients. Being able to flip through photos, videos and property information as well as tap into the internet to get local statistics and other information will offer real estate agents an ability to provide a new level of service to their clients.

I also believe the touch screen technology will make reviewing listings on real estate sites a much more palatable experience for those who prefer to do a little searching on their own before speaking with an agent.

The one small (probably short term) issue I noticed is the iPad currently does not play Flash. Many virtual tour platforms as well as many video platforms utilize Flash as their core technology. Just yesterday though I read an article about a company that developed some sort of plug-in to get around this issue and I am sure this is just the first of many.  

Here are a few good articles I came across that describe in more detail some specific ways that the Ipad can be utilized by real estate agents. 

Just A Few Ways To Use The iPad For Real Estate - Geek Estate Blog

Apple’s iPad means big changes ahead for real estate - 1000 Watt Blog

More iPad for Real Estate - Property Flyer in Pages - About.com

The Apple iPad for Real Estate Agents - Real Estate Express.com

5 Ways iPad Will Reinvent Real Estate for Agents in the Next 5 Years - The Exit Pro

Apple iPad Real Estate Apps Are Here! - Housing Watch

If you are a real estate agent and are currently utilizing the iPad as a tool in your arsenal, openofficespace.com would love to interview you on Officebytes TV. Please DM us @openofficespace or reach out to us via email info at openofficespace.com.

Officebytes TV - T3 Advisors Discuss The "3 izes" For Start-Ups Looking To Find Office Space

In today's episode of Officebytes TV, Greg Hoffmeister and Jon Frisch of T3 advisors, based in Massachusetts, discuss the "3 izes" that all start-ups and small businesses should keep in mind when searching for office space.

In addition to our friends at T3 Advisors, the interview also contains excerpts from the following on their experiences with finding/helping others find office space:

Sachin Agarwal - Operations Lead | oneforty.com

Derek Lyman - CEO | Dexrex.com

Barrett Bilotta - COO | Dexrex.com

John Hallinan - CFO Cytel, Inc.

Here are the "3 izes" in more detail

Organize

- Set your criteria (location, size, layout, growth plan, budget)

- Prioritize your wants vs. needs

- Form internal real estate team

- Map out decision making process

Optimize

- Engage a professional to leverage your time

- Stretch every dollar

- Look for non-traditional space alternatives (coworking, incubators, squatting)

- Look for bargains on furniture (used or build your own)

- Consider using the cloud whenever possible for e-mail, phone, network, applications to minimize out of pocket capital expenses

Compromise

- Don't waste time looking for ideal space

- Find the best alternative quickly and act

- Be decisive

- Location, price, quality and speed...pick two

Content provided by Greg Hoffmeister and Jon Frisch of T3 Advisors.

You can find them here on Twitter:

Jon Frisch

Greg Hoffmeister

If you or your company has a knowledge that would help entrepreneurs or small businesses to improve the quality of their workplace, openofficespace.com would love to interview you.

 

Topics might include:

- Commercial Real Estate Expertise

- Workplace Wellness

- How To...(any topic related to improving the workplace)

- Creating an Eco-Friendly Office

- Office Products and Office Furniture

- Workplace Interior Design

- Streamlining Office Expenses

- Property Marketing Solutions

Shared Office Space Part 1 | An Entrepreneurs Perspective

 


One thing I have realized from bumping around from one shared office space to another is that the coolest, hippest and most impressive "looking" spaces do not always make for the most productive.

When I launched openofficespace.com last March, I was sharing office space with an extremely "hip" advertising agency in the heart of trendy SOHO, NYC. From shelves lined with Orange Crush soda bottles to the sliding wall enclosing the conference room, the space reeked of AWESOME! Every single client who came to visit me in that SOHO office was visibly impressed.

The only problem, I was completely unproductive. 

Possible reasons: my toetapping neighbor, the heat banging through the pipes, the construction in the building, the action going on outside, the elevator that took 20 minutes to come, the every company for themself culture, the extra 45 minute commute, etc.

By way of comparison, my previous office, (2 blocks from Madison Square Garden) looked like a garage sale threw up in a second hand store. It was dirty, the furniture was barely standing and there were more random artifacts and used video equipment than the Smithsonian. And guess what, between the collaborative atmosphere and pure energy that flowed in that "dirty" space, I was never more productive.

The moral of the story, while sharing office space can certainly seem like a "no-brainer" for cost conscious entrepreneurs, it is vital that your final space decision extends beyond simply the decor or monthly rent. If the space does not cultivate a productive environment for YOU, then all the "cool" orange crush bottles in the world won't matter.

To help ensure that you find the right shared office space environment for your company, we have compiled a list of important factors to consider before making your final decision:

General
- Long and short term business and real estate priorities

Location
- Location (travel time, accessibility via public transportation, proximity of: clients, customers, competition, suppliers, vendors, partners, hotels, etc.)
- Branding image (What does your office space say about your company? Do you care?)
- Space requirements (How much actual space your company requires?)

Culture
- Is there white noise music played overhead? (yes or no)
- Are you allowed to bring pets to work?
- Does the space offer dress down Fridays?

Maintenance
- Does entire space get cleaned regularly by a professional cleaning service? -     - Is there construction happening in the building? In neighboring buildings?

Supplies/Furniture
- Do spaceholders share a refrigerator?
- Does space com furnished?     - What equipment will be shared?
- Which utilities will be shared? (electric, cable, internet, phone, etc.)

Space Considerations
Open space plan
Closed Offices
Natural Light
Windows

Building Considerations
- Hours of Building Access
- Will every tenant get their own key to the building? To the space itself?
- Does space offer 24 hour air-conditioning?
- Does space offer 24 hour elevator access?

Legal & Privacy Considerations
- Is it required for new tenants to sign a confidentiality agreement? (yes or no) - Are you comfortable with hearing others hearing details of your day to day operations?

Environmental Considerations
- Is space eco-friendly? (yes or no)

Networking Considerations
- What type of business are you in?
- What types of businesses do you want to connect with?
- What types of businesses would complement yours?

If you are an entrepreneur and have additional considerations that you would add to the list above or even have a horror story about a shared office space, we would love hear from you. You might just help prevent a fellow entrepreneur from making a VERY costly decision.

Shared Office Space Part 2 will review things a spaceholder needs to consider before deciding to share their unused office space with a potential stranger.

Related Posts

Entrepreneurs and Startups, How "Walkable" Is Your Office Space Location?

Small Biz/Entrepreneurs - Estimating The Right Amount of Office Space For Your Company

Looking For Office Space? Price is only one of the options you need to consider.   

The Eco-Friendly Workplace | 10 Suggestions + A 3D Office

Regardless whether you are a company of one or one thousand, you can make a positive impact on the environment by adopting a few simple, but effective changes in your workplace.

The following 10 eco-friendly suggestions will not only help to preserve the environment, they can also save your company money and contribute to a healthier/more productive office.

    
  
1) Printing

Eliminate unnecessary printing. (waste of paper and ink)

Consider printing non sharable documents on both sides.

Use recycled paper.

Encourage a paper recycling initiative within your office.

Recycle empty ink toner cartridges.

Use re-filled ink toner cartridges as opposed to new ones.

Use email for internal memos.

2) Coffee Cups, Plastic Cutlery and Other Kitchen Supplies

Encourage employees to use coffee mugs which can be washed and reused.

Prohibit the use of Styrofoam cups, wood and plastic stir sticks, plastic cutlery and paper plates.

3) Eco-Friendly Office Furniture

Purchase office furniture made of recycled materials.

Purchase office furniture that is recyclable when it is no longer of use.

4) Eco-Friendly Flooring  

Consider purchasing flooring made of material that is comprised of recycled content.

Consider purchasing flooring that is recyclable when it is no longer of use.

5) Electricity

Turn off and unplug computers, monitors, lights or any other electrical equipment that’s not in use when you leave the office.

Use shading devices for windows to keep the heat load out and minimize air-conditioning usage.

6) Eco-Friendly Paint

Consider using eco-friendly “Green Paints.” Green paints are defined by their lack or low levels of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). VOC’s are the toxic fumes emitted from most synthetic-based paints and can have negative effects to people and the environment.

7) Eco-Friendly Water Cooler

Consider using an eco-friendly water cooler. Eco-friendly water coolers do not use plastic water bottles and eliminate the environmental impact resulting from regular water bottle deliveries.

8) Eco-Friendly Lighting

Use natural lighting whenever possible. Open the blinds or even add skylights in your space.

Purchase energy efficient bulbs. They tend to use less energy, release less heat and last longer.

Purchase lamps or lighting fixtures that are made with natural, recycled, or reused materials.

eliminate the environmental impact resulting from regular water bottle deliveries.

9) Energy Efficient Equipment

Purchase energy efficient copiers, computers, fax machines, printers, monitors, scanners, microwaves and air-conditioners.

Consider using laptops as opposed to desktops as they require much less energy to operate.

10) Eco-Friendly Janitorial Supplies

Consider using eco-friendly janitorial supplies. These supplies feature environmentally conscious attributes such as being recyclable, eco-responsible packaging and/or being made of all-natural materials, etc.

Demand your outside janitorial services use eco-friendly supplies.

BTW - Another great way of helping the environment is sharing your workplace with a startup, small business or entrepreneur that is looking for a small office space. Sharing office space can go a long way to conserve energy while also helping to reduce waste.

Over the next few months, openofficespace.com will be conducting interviews with companies that are sharing office space and learn what they are doing to promote an eco-friendly workplace.

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Looking For Office Space? Price is only one of the options you need to consider.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Batch Upload - Add Multiple Office Space Listings At One Time

To quote one of our users: "Your site would be so much better if I was able to upload all my office listings at one time instead of entering them one by one."

Well user who chooses to remain nameless, we agree. So, as a result, we are happy to announce the launch of our new batch upload functionality which makes the process of posting multiple properties on openofficespace.com as easy as posting a single property. 

Here's how it works:

Step 1: Login to an existing account or create one.

Step 2: Once you've logged in, click the batch upload link located in the manage properties area.

 

Step 3 Upload an excel file with all of your office property listing information. The batch upload system will automatically separate all of your data into columns as per your excel file.

Step 4 Select the relevant label for each column from the provided drop down menus. Each drop down menu consists of labels that pertain to listing fields on our property pages. 

 

Step 6 Click next and your done! At this point you can click the manage properties link to modify any of your listing data as well as add photos of your properties.

So what are you waiting for? Expose your unused office space to a captive audience of entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to find the"perfect office space" for their company.

Also, before I forget, we just launched a slightly new look to our homepage and would love your feedback, good or bad.

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Entrepreneurs and Startups, How "Walkable" Is Your Office Space Location?

Openofficespace.com is proud to announce that our property listings now include Walk Score which calculates the "walkability" of an address based on the distance from an office to nearby amenities. We believe this is pretty important information as a walkable office location can save an entrepreneur, startup, or small business time, money and even help the environment.

 
  
As bootstrapping entrepreneurs, we are always on the lookout for ways to save a few bucks. Knowing how close or far away a potential office space is to public transportation, grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, movie theaters, schools, parks, libraries, bookstores, fitness centers, pharmacies etc. can help determine if a car is required or if we can travel via the Q-Footy-Footy (as my mother used to say). 

When reviewing property listings on openofficespace.com, the walk score can be found right below the property description as a new tab.

 
  
What does my score mean?

Your Walk Score is a number between 0 and 100. Here are general guidelines for interpreting your score:

• 90–100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
• 70–89 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.
• 50–69 = Somewhat Walkable: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
• 25–49 = Car-Dependent: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
• 0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only): Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

Why Walking Matters

Walkable workplaces offer surprising benefits to our health, the environment, and our communities.

Better health: A study in Washington State found that the average resident of a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood weighs 7 pounds less than someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood.  Residents of walkable neighborhoods drive less and suffer fewer car accidents, a leading cause of death between the ages of 15–45.

Reduction in greenhouse gas: Cars are a leading cause of global warming. Your feet are zero-pollution transportation machines.

More transportation options: Compact neighborhoods tend to have higher population density, which leads to more public transportation options and bicycle infrastructure. Not only is taking the bus cheaper than driving, but riding a bus is ten times safer than driving a car!²

Increased social capital: Walking increases social capital by promoting face-to-face interaction with your neighbors. Studies have shown that for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, time spent in community activities falls by 10%.³

Stronger local businesses: Dense, walkable neighborhoods provide local businesses with the foot traffic they need to thrive. It's easier for pedestrians to shop at many stores on one trip, since they don't need to drive between destinations.

Content Source: Walk Score Website

Please check back over the next few days as we have some very cool new feature updates on tap. All of these updates are a result of "spot on" feedback from our users...please keep the feedback coming.

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Entrepreneurs - 10 Reasons Why You MUST Bring "Health and Fitness" Into Your Office

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Small Biz/Entrepreneurs - Estimating The Right Amount of Office Space For Your Company

Whether your company is looking for its very first office space or your current lease is ending and you are looking for some new digs, it is very important that you first carefully assess your office space requirements both from a short and long term perspective.

While a small and cozy space might cost a little less initially, if there is a strong possibility your company will need to expand its staff within your lease term, choosing this less expensive space can result in some very tight quarters and severly hinder productivity in your workplace. (#7 on our list of the Top 10 Leasing Misaktes)

Conversely, while it might be fun to have a football catch across the office, taking on too much space can result in a big drain on your company’s bottom line and a potential blow to morale.

Estimating how much office space you will need is not an exact science. The nature of your business, corporate culture, workflow and even your individual preferences might vary significantly from other company’s. These variations make it virtually impossible to standardize a specific guideline that will work for every company.  

As you contemplate the amount of space your company actually needs, it is helpful to understand the difference between rentable and usable space.

Landlords charge tenants based on the number of rentable square footage leased. The rentable square footage is calculated by adding the usable square footage (the amount of square footage to be used exclusively by you, the tenant) to a portion of the common area (areas shared by all tenants such as the lobby, restrooms, shared hallways, etc.).

The distinction between the two is especially important as you estimate the amount of usable space that will best suit your company.

As many leases will lock you into your space for at least 2 years, it is vital to carefully consider your company’s future growth before making a final decision on how much space you need.

Terminating your lease early because your company outgrew its space will cost your company money, time and probably serve as a major distraction from your normal course of business.

OK, good advice but how exactly are we supposed to estimate the right amount of space for our company?

Good question.

Open Office space recently launched Office Space For Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses: An Evolving Guide to Leasing. The guide breaks down the entire leasing process and offers several strategies to ensure you accurately estimate the amount of office space that is right for your company. 

The guide includes an indepth look at the Top 10 Leasing Mistakes, a breakdown of The 4 Steps involved with the leasing process and also includes 50+ ways to streamline office expenses.  

In addition to valuable content, the guide also features two powerful (and FREE) tools to help you estimate and plan the right amount of space for your company:

1) The space planner/floor plan tool allows a user to layout their entire office space including furniture...before the moving van arrives. The extremely easy to use interface features an ability to drag and drop furniture directly onto a floor plan. Finished plans can be saved, printed and shared.

2) A space estimation tool  which will give you a head start with regards to estimating the right amount of office space based on your company's needs.

As an entrepreneur or small business it is very likely that a large portion of your time/overhead will be devoted to your office. With stakes so high, it is mission critical that you take the time to plan accordingly.  

If you do find yourself in a situation where you are left with unused office space, consider posting it on our site and we will do our best to promote it for you.  

 

 

 

Open Space Ventures LLC Launches a New Website to Help Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses Find and Plan the Perfect Office Space for Their Company

Woodbury, NY (PRWEB) October 26, 2009 -- Open Space Ventures LLC. launches OpenOfficeSpace.com (http://www.OpenOfficeSpace.com) an innovative new website that allows companies to post their available office space online, while offering small businesses and entrepreneurs an opportunity to find and plan the "perfect office space." It's a win-win situation: companies with unused office space can eliminate the extra carrying cost, simultaneously small businesses can find niche office space at the right price. Best of all, there is no cost associated with either listing or finding a space.

Created by David Gise and his partner Marc Spector, OpenOfficeSpace.com (http://www.OpenOfficeSpace.com) was designed with ease of use as the number one priority. "We set out to create an extremely clean and user friendly experience that is unlike any other typical real estate or classified website" said Gise.

OpenOfficeSpace.com (http://www.OpenOfficeSpace.com) streamlines the process of finding and posting office space, while providing insightful advice and powerful interactive tools to help small businesses throughout the leasing process.

Gise, a former personal trainer turned entrepreneur and social media consultant, conceived the idea for Open Office Space after meeting with several of his clients. He noticed a trend of companies hampered with carrying the cost of their extra office space but unsure or unaware of the options available to ease this burden.

The comprehensive "Evolving Guide to Leasing" (http://openofficespace.com/index.php?mistake=1&mod=top_10_leasing_mistakes_made_by_entrepreneurs_and_small_businesses) alone is worth a visit to the site. The interactive guide explores the "Top 10 Mistakes" made by companies during the leasing process, outlines in layman's terms "The 4 Steps" it takes to be successful every step of the way and even offers more than 50 ways for companies to reduce their office expenses. From finding the right space and negotiating the lease to planning the layout and creating an eco-friendly work place, the site's powerful interactive tools and easy to understand content simplifies the leasing process for everyone involved.

One of the most common mistakes made during the leasing process is estimating how much space a company actually needs. Leasing too much can result in an unnecessary expense while leasing too little can leave a company in some very tight quarters. The site's free space estimation tool (http://openofficespace.com/index.php?guide=4steps&mod=space_estimation_tool) helps entrepreneurs and small businesses calculate the right amount of square footage based on their specific requirements. Whether a business requires a single desk, a cubicle, a shared office, a private office, a coworking space or an executive suite, the space estimation calculator will ensure that a company gauges their space requirements correctly.

Once a company determines their correct space requirements, the space planning/floor plan tool can be used to lay out the entire space by dragging and dropping furniture directly onto the plan. "It's a lot easier to arrange furniture using the space planning tool than to be surprised when the moving van arrives" Gise explains. Determining the placement of phones, computers, printers and copiers before the day of the move can help save entrepreneurs valuable time" adds Gise. Floor plans including furniture layouts can be saved, printed or shared with friends and colleagues or even posted on other property listing sites.

"The site is an excellent resource, not only in this economy but in any economy. It can really help many companies streamline their expenses while helping others create an ideal working environment" said Spector.

Open Office Space is based in New York. Users can design, find or post available office space at no cost anywhere in the US and Canada. Featured cities on the site include Austin, TX; Charleston, SC; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Toronto, Ontario; Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; San Jose, CA; Vancouver, British Columbia; Boston, MA; Dallas, TX; New York, NY and Seattle, WA.

Cool Huh? pick of the week (chargepod mobile charger) Don't Lose Your Work Like I Did

This weeks Open Office Space Cool Huh? pick is a day late and also the reason for our selection.

Our featured subject for (Friday) Thursday August 27th - the chargepod mobile charger by callpod 

Description: The Chargepod by callpod could have come in most handy yesterday when my laptop battery died, erasing all my work.

The Chargepod is a 6-way charging device that allows you to charge multiple cell phones, PDAs, headsets, and most other mobile electronics with a single power cord. Just pick out the manufacturer-specific adapters for your devices and throw away the dozens of power cords and wall warts that are cluttering your office and home. Chargepod uses voltage regulator technology and interchangeable power adapters to safely charge all of your mobile devices regardless of manufacturer or model.

Features:

• Charges up to 6 devices at the same time
• Small, portable and lightweight
• Eliminates the clutter from having multiple chargers
• Compatible with thousands of mobile devices such as iPods, cell phones, Bluetooth headsets, PDAs, digital cameras, navigation units, mp3 players, digital readers and portable gaming systems
• Chargepod is compatible with all foreign 120/240 V adapter wall plugs; no additional power supply is necessary

Why we chose the callpod as this weeks subject: Currently I am on a houseboat in the middle of Lake Powell, AZ. In an effort to stay as productive as possible I brought along my laptop, blackberry, ipod and a few other mobile devices.

Yesterday while multi-tasking, I looked down and realized that I was about to lose power on my laptop. I quickly tried to save my work but unfortunately for me it was too late. The laptop died and I lost about 4 hours worth of work. With limited available outlets, and what seems to be an unlimited amount of devices that need to be charged, I guess something had to give.

Vowing that this would not happen to me again I searched for a device that could charge multiple devices at the same time, all from one outlet.

Today's entrepreneur relies on multiple mobile devices to stay productive while they are on the go. Hotel rooms, offices, coffee shops, and as I found out firsthand, even houseboats, often have limited electrical outlets.

Perhaps the chargepod can keep prevent another embarassing episode of a grown man yelling expletives at a beautiful lake with a bunch of people standing around...jaws a dropping.

Content and Image Source: callpod website

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Cool Huh? pick of the week (The Surf Shelf) No more excuses! Surf the internet while you exercise.

Cool Huh? pick of the week (usertesting.com) - Great Resource for Entrepreneurs/Small Businesses

 

Cool Huh? pick of the week (The Surf Shelf) No more excuses! Surf the internet while you exercise.

As we announced last week, we just launched a new weekly feature on the Open Office Space blog called Cool Huh?  Each week  we will select a new product, tool, application, website or technology that we think will make at least one entrepreneur or small business person (besides us) say "Holy s...! That could really be helpful to me and my business. How did I not hear about this before? "

Our featured subject for Thursday August 20th - The Surf Shelf

Description: The Surf Shelf is a shelf made of 100% polycarbonate and affixes to most cardiovascular machines for the purpose of surfing the internet during exercise.

       

The Features of The Surf Shelf:

- It is completely transparent so you can easily see the exercise machine readout

- Adjustable angle settings fit any exercise machine console

- 100% Polycarbonate- The same material used to make bullet-proof glass

- Easily collapses for storage in a briefcase or gym bag

- Built-in Velcro strap secures any laptop or DVD player

- Air vents keep the laptop or DVD player cool

- Stays out of the way while you exercise

Why we chose surfshelf.com as this weeks subject: As I mentioned in a previous post, for 17 years prior to getting involved in the whole technology thing I was a personal trainer. During this period, I worked with a very diverse group of clients including: professional athletes, CEO's of public companies, stay at home moms & dads, weekend warriors, children, teens as well as basically every personality type you can think of.

A by-product of working with this diverse clientele is that I became an expert on fielding all types of excuses. I became very accustomed to clients using a "lack of time" as the #1 reason they were not able to adhere to a regular exercise program.

Note: This excuse came in especially handy for the entrepreneurs I worked with.

Therefore, the reason we have chosen the Surf Shelf as this weeks pick is to help entrepreneurs kill two birds with one stone. There is overwhelming data which supports the positive impact exercise can have on a persons brain, stress levels, self confidence and overall ability to handle difficult situations.

I hope that the "inactive entrepreneurs" out there aren't going to be too angry with me as The Surf Shelf might just have eliminated their most effective excuse.

After we have had a chance to test this product ourselves we will offer our opinion. 

Content and Image Source: Surf Shelf Website

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Cool Huh? pick of the week (usertesting.com) - Great Resource for Entrepreneurs/Small Businesses

Entrepreneurs - Are your thumbs the most fit part of your body? 

As we announced last week, we just launched a new weekly feature on the Open Office Space blog called Cool Huh?  Each week  we will select a new product, tool, application, website or technology that we think will make at least one entrepreneur or small business person (besides us) say "Holy s...! That could really be helpful to me and my business. How did I not hear about this before? "

Our featured subject for Thursday August 20th - The Surf Shelf

Description: The Surf Shelf is a shelf made of 100% polycarbonate and affixes to most cardiovascular machines for the purpose of surfing the internet during exercise.

       

The Features of The Surf Shelf:

- It is completely transparent so you can easily see the exercise machine readout

- Adjustable angle settings fit any exercise machine console

- 100% Polycarbonate- The same material used to make bullet-proof glass

- Easily collapses for storage in a briefcase or gym bag

- Built-in Velcro strap secures any laptop or DVD player

- Air vents keep the laptop or DVD player cool

- Stays out of the way while you exercise

Why we chose surfshelf.com as this weeks subject: As I mentioned in a previous post, for 17 years prior to getting involved in the whole technology thing I was a personal trainer. During this period, I worked with a very diverse group of clients including: professional athletes, CEO's of public companies, stay at home moms & dads, weekend warriors, children, teens as well as basically every personality type you can think of.

A by-product of working with this diverse clientele is that I became an expert on fielding all types of excuses. I became very accustomed to clients using a "lack of time" as the #1 reason they were not able to adhere to a regular exercise program.

Note: This excuse came in especially handy for the entrepreneurs I worked with.

Therefore, the reason we have chosen the Surf Shelf as this weeks pick is to help entrepreneurs kill two birds with one stone. There is overwhelming data which supports the positive impact exercise can have on a persons brain, stress levels, self confidence and overall ability to handle difficult situations.

I hope that the "inactive entrepreneurs" out there aren't going to be too angry with me as The Surf Shelf might just have eliminated their most effective excuse.

After we have had a chance to test this product ourselves we will offer our opinion. 

Content and Image Source: Surf Shelf Website

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