Open Office Space

CanvasPop – Turn Photos Into Stunning Wall-Art. Make Your Small Office, YOUR Small Office.

   
As a follow up to one of my recent posts, 9 Ways of Finding Cheap (but not cheap looking) Artwork For Your Office, here is a great resource I came across to help make your small office, YOUR small office.

A site called CanvasPop, offers a pretty awesome service that allows you to create custom corporate art printed on an ultra-high quality canvas. Users can create branded, modern pop-art using a company logo, or even create art from photos shot by staff members.

 

As I mentioned in my previous post, your office is an extension of your brand. CanvasPop really helps you to proudly display that brand by extending it onto your walls, and ultimately creating a more beautiful place to work for you, your staff and your clients.

 

BTW - CanvasPop was recently featured on one of the coolest office interior design blogs in existence The Office Stylist.

 

Here's How The Service Works:

 

10 Reasons To Give CanvasPop A Try

1) Every canvas we print is handmade.

2) Gallery-quality canvas and life-like printing.

3) Choices! Choices! (and more choices) 

4)  Every canvas created from a photo for you is treated with an ultra-protective UV-matte laminate.   

5) 100% satisfaction and lifetime guarantee.

6) Rich, vibrant colors come from state of the art canvas printing technology.

7) Free digital proofs = no surprises.

8) All mounting hardware is included.

9) Being able to work with photos from any source means that you can upload that special picture of someone close to you and have it printed to canvas and sent to them as a gift.

10) A passion for printing powered by proven technology.

 

When we contacted CanvasPop to get more information about their company they were generous enough to set up a promo code for Open Office Space that offers our users free shipping.

The following free shipping code should be entered in the promotion box on the shopping cart page: openofficespace8fs  

Related Posts

10 Inexpensive Ways To Spruce Up a Small/Shared Office Space

Your Office Space Is An Extension Of Your Brand

9 Ways of Finding Cheap (but not cheap looking) Artwork For Your Office

     

The Single Best Piece of Business Advice I Ever Received

   
I was recently invited to attend a Working Lunch with Rob Basso. 

At each Working Lunch event, guests view the premiere of the latest Basso On Business episode, and get involved in a live, interactive business discussion with Rob and leading experts.The goal of Rob's lunch program is to motivate and support small businesses with innovative presentations, business growth strategies and informative speakers.

The focus of the event I attended was Matt Silver of Ultimate Class Limousine. Matt runs a very successful company but seems to have a little trouble managing the long list of tasks that he is faced with on a daily basis. In many cases, even handling tasks that are responsibilities of his employees.

After the 30 or so business owners watched Matt's video a spirited conversation ensued regarding what Matt could/should do to better organize his business. My contribution during the event = a BIG ZERO!

Anyway, a few days after the event it dawned on me that I missed an opportunity to share one of the single best pieces of business advice I ever received...especially as it is so relevant to Matt's organization challenges. 

The following is a letter I sent to Rob detailing this advice (It was re-posted as a guest blog on Rob's site)

Hi Rob,

Not sure if this is too little too late, but before you write me off as a chickensh** for not participating during your event, here is my 2 cents.

My focus for the last 10 years has been growing various internet ventures which in most cases has been a relatively one-man show. Unfortunately, during the event I did not participate simply because I did not go back far enough in my pea brain to recall (aka “blocked out”) a 3 year period in which I was in a very similar situation to Matt.

In 1999-2001 I gave up my 15 client per day/7 day per week personal training business to become the managing partner in a 30,000 sq. ft health club in Long Beach that we took over from an existing company. The health club had well over 75 employees, 6 Indoor Pools, Indoor Track, Sauna, Steam Room, Nursery, Physical Therapy, Aqua Therapy, free weights, cardio, and much more.

Much like Tony’s business, the pace was frenetic and I dealt with one problem after another, making it almost impossible to ever get ahead of the oncoming barrage of problems.

Unlike Matt however, I really had NO experience in the health club business, so it was doubly challenging for me as far as getting organized. (ex. Running  a facility, sales, personnel management, bookkeeping, etc. ).

Here is a small sample of a few of the “small” (yeah right) problems I had to deal with:

-   The Hydraulic line which powered the underwater therapy bikes and treadmills ruptured filling an entire pool filled with jet black oil from top to bottom (think BP disaster in Long Beach)

-   The entire wall of one side of the building fell into the parking lot

-   The heavy glass/steel lid on the pool filter exploded nearly decapitating one of our maintenance workers

Anyway just when I thought I was never going to get my arms around this huge disaster of a business, I received the BEST piece of business advice that I ever received.

It was called the 20-80 rule for employees. If a problem occurred in any area of the health club, an employee should spend 20% of the time focused on determining the root of the problem and 80% of the time should be focused on a solution to the problem. AND most importantly, employees were not allowed to come to ME with a problem without 3 possible solutions.

I basically called for a one on one meeting with every single employee and told them that moving forward if they wanted to keep their jobs they would have to abide by this rule.

The results were amazing!!!

1)   It empowered every single employee to OWN their dept, even if their dept. was simply keeping the bathrooms clean. Almost immediately everyone became an expert  in their position.

2)   It  allowed me to make quick decisions to fix problems without having to delve into possible solutions myself.

3)   It made it much easier to see which departments might require staff changes

Most importantly, it allowed me to oversee the business without having to “do it all myself”. Based on what I heard at the event, this seems to be one of Matt’s biggest issues.

Perhaps this piece of advice that was so helpful to me can also be helpful to Matt.

 

Dave

 

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 

The Current Trend in Office Furniture. Encouraging Collaboration In The Workplace.

   
In Part 2 of a two part interview on Officebytes TV, Jenny-Lynn Georgiades, Director of Architectural and Design Support Services at Waldners Business Environments, offers entrepreneurs & small businesses insight into the current trend of furnishing the workspace with "collaborative" office furniture.

A few quotes from the interview: 

"One of the biggest trends in the office furniture industry today is the decline of the cubicle. The cubicle walls are coming down and their allowing employees to interact and collaborate."

"They're using the open office space that's left over when they shrink those workstations and doing more with the in-between areas."

"Companies are intermixing lounge areas where people are working with their laptops. They're incorporating informal meeting areas at regular height or even cafe height for more of that Starbucks feel." 

"The worker of the future is going to be more mobile than ever, they're going to utilize new technologies. But they're still going to need to collaborate with their fellow employees, and colleagues, and exchange that information in real time. So, the workspace of the future is going to have to be more flexible and open to support those activities."

About Waldners Waldner’s Business Environments Inc. markets office furniture of brands such as OFS, Metro, Kimball, Steelcase, KI, and Hon. The company also offers furniture storage and refurbishing services. Its clientele include SAP, Ernst & Young, PrimeMedia, Readers’ Digest, MTV, HomeLoanBank, PepsiCo. Random House, GE Capital, Canon, and Sony. The company has strategic alliances with Adden, Buro, Falcon, Golden Oak, ISE, Jofcon, Lucia Group, and Vitra. Waldner’s Business Environments was founded in 1939 and is based in New York City.

Related Posts

Tips For Entrepreneurs & Small Businesses On How To Furnish The "Optimal" Office Space For Their Company

10 Inexpensive Ways To Spruce Up a Small/Shared Office Space

Shared Office Space Part 1 | An Entrepreneurs Perspective

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

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  

Tips For Entrepreneurs & Small Businesses On How To Furnish The "Optimal" Office Space For Their Company

   
  
In Part 1 of a two part interview on Officebytes TV, Jenny-Lynn Georgiades, Director of Architectural and Design Support Services at Waldners Business Environments, offers entrepreneurs & small businesses some very sound advice on choosing the right office furniture to create the optimal working environment for their company.

 

A few good quotes from the interview:  

"When and entrepreneur or a small business is planning to do a new space, I think its really important to examine closely where your company is now, and where you want to be in the future. It's important to examine your work processes..."

"Something as simple as walking through the space, and looking at some of the work arounds that people do to their environments to make it work for them. Are their pads on the chairs? Maybe they need a new chair. Are their monitors up on a bunch of books because the there not at the right height? Are their storage components empty and filled with just their shoes and their purses. These are the type of things that can help you look at how to design a new space, and to design it in a way that's functional for your employees."

"For instance, the younger generation, Generation-Y, there not going to want to work in the typical cubicle, they want to work in these different office environments, they want to work in the lounge areas in the cafes...so you want design your space accordingly if you want to attract and retain that type of employee."  

"What we're really finding is the most important workplace issue for employees these days is access. Access to people that they work with, access to technology and access to information, and that's what's really driving the trends."  

About Waldners Waldner’s Business Environments Inc. markets office furniture of brands such as OFS, Metro, Kimball, Steelcase, KI, and Hon. The company also offers furniture storage and refurbishing services. Its clientele include SAP, Ernst & Young, PrimeMedia, Readers’ Digest, MTV, HomeLoanBank, PepsiCo. Random House, GE Capital, Canon, and Sony. The company has strategic alliances with Adden, Buro, Falcon, Golden Oak, ISE, Jofcon, Lucia Group, and Vitra. Waldner’s Business Environments was founded in 1939 and is based in New York City.

Related Posts

10 Inexpensive Ways To Spruce Up a Small/Shared Office Space

Shared Office Space Part 1 | An Entrepreneurs Perspective

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

 

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  

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.

9 Ways of Finding Cheap (but not cheap looking) Artwork For Your Office

 
As a follow up to suggestion #2 (Cover bare walls with inexpensive artwork or photography) on my recent blog post, 10 Inexpensive Ways To Spruce Up a Small/Shared Office, here are some specific suggestions to actually help you FIND cheap (but not cheap looking) artwork for your office. 

Remember, your office is an extension of your brand so make sure the artwork/photography you choose accurately reflects this.  

1- Tap into the talent of your kids or even the talent of other children in the community: As soon as most children enter nursery school there is a very good chance that they will bring home all sorts of art projects. A nice frame can make even the most simple drawings come to life...while simultaneously "humanizing" your company image.

If you don't have kids of your own, perhaps you can visit a local school/community center and offer to feature their children's artwork in your office. You can make it a policy to only take a few pieces at a time, and return the old artwork as you pick up new pieces. In addition to getting some nice (free) artwork for your office space, you will also be building goodwill in your community.

2- Utilize online marketplaces such as Craigslist, E-Bay, Oodle, Etsy, etc. to find great deals on all types of artwork and collectibles. Spending a few minutes surfing around on these sites can save you a ton of money on some very impressive pieces.

3- Look for ads in your local classifieds announcing office/home liquidation or estate sales. As many companies/individuals move from location to another (for whatever reason), they will sometimes look to sell their artwork as opposed to bringing it with them. When this happens there are often great deals to be had.

4- Purchase a bunch of art supplies and invite a bunch of friends over for an "artwork party". While I am not advocating drinking, perhaps a few bottles of wine will help to get the creative juices flowing. Worse case scenario, you will get a fun evening out of the deal. 

5- Visit stores like IKEA, Target, K-mart, etc. that offer inexpensive (but very nice-looking) prints. Take the inexpensive prints to a discount framing store and get a nice looking finished product on the cheap.

6- Check out stock photography sites such as istockphoto.com or dreamstime.com to find some extremely nice artwork/photography that can be purchased for well under $20.00. 

7- Visit any street fair or local arts and crafts shows and you are sure to find some great artwork at reasonable prices.

8- Try using a site like blockposters.com. Their site lets you create any size wall poster from any size image.

9- In addition to the suggestions above, here is a list of a few websites I found that offer reasonably priced (but nice-looking) artwork.

Overstock.com

Posters.com

Gallerydirect.com

Art.com

Poster Gods

Wholesaleartsframes.com

Wholesaleartmall.com

Postercheckout.com

Content Source: e-how.com

If you have other suggestions on how to find cheap (but not cheap looking) artwork for an office space, openofficespace.com would love to hear from you.

Check back for a few new interviews on Officebytes TV coming later this week.

10 Inexpensive Ways To Spruce Up a Small/Shared Office Space

  

Sharing a small office space does not mean you need to spend your days in a robotic, "suck the life out of you" cubicle. As Greg Hoffmeister of T3 Advisors commented on one of our previous blog posts, Your Office Space Is An Extension Of Your Brand -You only really get one chance to make that "first" impression. What startups need to remember is that inexpensive space doesn't need to look "cheap". Splashes of color on certain walls, lighting and cool/slick Ikea furniture can really make a difference without breaking the bank.

Below are 10 affordable ways to breathe life into a small/shared office space:

1) Add a fresh coat of paint- Dig up some of the old clothes you were about to donate to the Salvation Army and pick up a gallon or two of paint. Adding some color to the walls, even better, adding colors that reinforce your brand, can help to breathe a little life into your space and your company.

For an example of a powerful use of color in an office, check out this photo profile of Yahoo's Toronto Office by Chris Fyvie.  

2) Cover bare walls with inexpensive artwork or photography - Whether online or at a local street fair, inexpensive artwork/photography can be found quite easily. Remember, your office is an extension of your brand so make sure the artwork/photography you choose accurately reflects this.

3) Go green by adding a few plants - Most local groceries or even bulk outlet stores like Walmart, Costco, BJ's etc. have inexpensive plants for sale. Adding plants to your office space can help to improve the air quality, reduce stress and improve morale. Plants can also help your company be more successful. (well maybe that parts not exactly true) 

4) Improve the lighting by adding lamps- Not every spaced is blessed with great natural lighting. Stores like Ikea offer a nice selection of inexpensive decorative lamps that will not only help add light to your space but style as well.   

5) Make use of colorful storage units/filing cabinets- Who says that filing cabinets/storage units have to be boring? Home Depot, Kmart and Target all offer affordable storage units that are available in a variety of colors. If you can't paint your walls, colorful storage units can be a great way of adding an accent of color to your space.

6) Visit thrift stores or garage sales to find unique furniture pieces - One man's junk is another man's treasure. A unique coat rack, bean bag chair, umbrella stand or bookcase can help give your office space a character of its own.

7) Organize your loose computer wires with colorful tubing- In my last shared office space the entire decor was focused around orange crush soda bottles. To maintain this theme, the space holder provided us with inexpensive orange tubing to hide our loose computer wires. 

8) Make use of knick-knacks - Inexpensive wall/desk clocks, colorful vases, artifacts and statues can help add a finishing touch to your office space and tie your whole theme together. These items can be found at most discount and department stores. 

9) Magazine/Book Shelves- Inexpensive magazine rack/book shelves offering strategically selected periodicals can help manage the initial impression you make on your visitors. 

10) Bring your pets to work - While this option might not work for every office, bringing a well behaved pet to work can go along way to improve the morale in your office. (my favorite option) 

If you have additional suggestions that can help a small business/entrepreneur spruce up their shared office space on a shoestring budget, Open Office Space would love to hear from you.