Open Office Space

My Visit to AMWorks - A Coworking Space in Dublin, Ireland

     
A little over a week ago, my wife and I hopped on a plane to Dublin, Ireland to check out the sites, sounds... and Guinness.

While in Dublin, we had an opportunity to visit AMWorks, a coworking space right in the heart of the city. 

Alan Richardson, Founder of Amworks, was extremely hospitable throughout our stay and a tremendous help in organizing the filming of this interview. Aside from the slight accent (we couldn't agree which one of us had the accent), I found it very interesting how the residents of AMWorks described the benefits they derive from working out of a coworking space. Definitely highlights some common threads that a coworking space offers...regardless of location.

A few quotes from the interview are below:

"The best feature of AMWorks is definitely the diversity of its members. There in a broad range of businesses which creates opportunities for collaboration." Alan Richardson - Founder of AMWorks

"You also engage and you find people quite helpful as well to help you do certain things. So from that perspective, I have to say its been a very impressive exerience so far." John Kamara - Co-Founder of Achieve More Business Training www.achievemorebusiness.com

"We have worked with several of the other small business in here..." Conor Lynch - Founder Connector www.connector.ie

"It's a great opportunity to network internally and share advice and help spur each other along to work more effectively." Greg Fry - Co-Founder of Achieve More Business Training www.achievemorebusiness.com

"The reason I got a good deal on my logo design is because the people here told me to go to someone. So you use each others connections, each others networks, I find it absolutely perfect." Herbert - Founder of CareerTrotter     www.careertrotter.eu

Other Ways To Follow The Interview Subjects:
Achieve More Business/Career Coach: (Greg Fry & John Kamara)
Blog:
http://wwwcareerscoacheu.blog.com
Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/gregfry
http://ie.linkedin.com/in/johnkamara
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/achievemorebusiness
www.facebook.com/thecareerscoach
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/careerscoacheu
You Tube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/achievemorebusiness
http://www.youtube.com/careerscoacheu

Connector: (Conor Lynch)
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/connector.ie
LinkedIn:
http://ie.linkedin.com/in/conorlynch
Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/connector_ie

Career Trotter: (Herbert Croezen)
Web:
www.careertrotter.eu
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/careertrotter
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/careertrotter

Alan Richardson

Web.

http://www.vpm.ie

http://www.inviewmedia.ie

Linkedin:

http://ie.linkedin.com/in/alanjrichardson

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Why Are There No Coworking Spaces In Long Island? Inspired By The Centre For Social Innovation

I just finished reading Emergence - The Story of the Centre for Social Innovation. Emergence is the first of a three part series published by CSI entitled Shared Spaces for Social Innovation. The three part series offers a comprehensive overview of the CSI shared space model...talk about sharing.

Part 1 - Emergence - The Story of The Centre for Social Innovation

Part 2- Rigour - How To Create World-Changing Spaces

Part 3 (coming soon) - Proof - How Shared Spaces Are Changing The World

I dare any entrepreneur to read this book and not feel at least a little ping of interest in opening/ working out of a coworking space. As a matter of fact, I was so personally inspired by this book, I am seriously considering putting out my feelers to see if there is any real interest from others in starting a coworking space here in Long Island, New York. 

Based on my preliminary research there are a grand total of ZERO coworking spaces on Long Island.

I want to know Why?

Is it because Long Island is just too spread out?

Is it because mass transit is somewhat limited and getting to a space would require a car?

Is it because there are not enough entrepreneurs on Long Island? 

Is it possible that there are coworking spaces in Long Island and I just don't know about them?

I did find a couple of random past threads from others looking to start coworking in Long Island but these folks never seemed to get beyond the planning stages. Why?

With the amount of colleges situated in such a relatively condensed area you would think that some young motivated entrepreneur would have led the coworking charge by now. But to my knowledge, this has not been the case. 

So for the last time, as quickly as coworking spaces are popping up throughout the country, WHY hasn't anyone launched one in Long Island? It seems to me that Long Island can certainly benefit from an infusion of entrepreneurial energy.

To quote from the book Emergence "If you're in, I'm in..." If you have any interest in exploring the concept of coworking in Long Island, please reach out to me as I would definitely be willing to coordinate a meeting. I can be reached at david (at) openofficespace.com

Here are a few of great excerpts from the book:

Animation As Practice. Community animation is what turns "a place to work" to a space of social innovation. We've been building the practice of animation and developing its role as a central feature of successful shared spaces.

Openness & Light. "...light is how you achieve openness...I don't think people should be anywhere where they can't have access to natural light."

Equally essential to creating and sustaining this sense of community are common spaces. Everyone coming into or out of their office in CSI has to pass through the common area, and much like the living room in your house, it contains all the essential for a comfortable break: an arrangement of couches, a rug or two, a coffee table piled with newspapers, a few plants and knick-knacks that have been picked up over time.

There is much wisdom in the old adage that bonds are forged and friendships formed over the breaking of bread. It is wisdom that hold to this day, and it was over shared meals and communal lunches that CSI's members first and most strongly developed connections to one another.

The selection process itself was an exercise in breaking traditional workplace models in which factors beyond a potential member's ability to make rent were taken into account.

Animation as opposed to programming, is all about enabling community rather than directly trying to create it: it's a philosophy of supporting and fostering an environment in which collaboration emerges naturally rather than intervening to try to instigate collaboration by sheer force of will.

Now, on to the next book in the series, Rigour.

Content Source: Centre for Social Innovation

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How Do You Encourage Collaboration in Your Shared Office/Coworking Space?

    
The following is a re-post from an article I came across a few weeks ago on Fastcompany.com entitled: 11 Ways You Can Make Your Space as Collaborative as the Stanford d.school. The article gives some very good suggestions for creating a collaborative workspace within an organization. (all 11 suggestions are below)

But what about environments such as coworking spaces or shared office spaces where many different companies are residing in the same space?  As we continue to tour/interview founders and residents of coworking/shared office spaces, here are a few of the questions we will consistently seek answers to.

Is collaboration actively encouraged or does it happen naturally on its own? 

Was the layout of your space specifically designed to encourage collaboration?

Have you made changes to the original design of your space to improve the interaction between your residents?

Does your space offer any special type of furniture/equipment that has increased the collaboration within your space?

We will compile all of our findings and release them as part of a future article as well as a new section on our interactive guide to leasing office space for entrepreneurs and startups. If have founded or worked in a coworking/shared office space, and can speak on behalf of the questions above, please email us: info at openofficespace.com . Of course we will give full credit for any participation. 

Later this week we will be interviewing one of the top office furniture dealers on the east coast to discuss (affordable) new advances in workstation design, specifically as they pertain to maximizing interaction/collaboration in the office.

Here are the 11 suggestions from the Fast Company article:

1. Start with what you have. "We started in a trailer," Kembel points out, "with the 'd.school' as a sign on the table." Kembel's advice: Claim a space and label it.

2. Go to the people who are interested first. Form a crack team of true believers to spearhead your campaign. Revolutions start from the bottom up.

3. Empower your team to change their space. Somebody high enough up the food chain needs to defend this activity against facilities managers who may not be amused. Then, be willing to keep changing things. Try out different ways to configure space to see what works best.

4. Watch the behavior of the group and take notes. Have somebody in your band of innovators own this task. What's working, what isn't? "Try, reflect, modify," says Kembel.

5. Develop group-sized artifacts. Whaa? In short, forget the spreadsheets with the tiny type. "Get your ideas up in big enough form so that others can see and add to them."

6. Keep any prototypes, sketches, or idea-jam artifacts low-rez and not precious. "Don't get too formal too fast," says Kembel. Making things precious locks them in too soon, short-circuiting potential improvements.

7. Show your work in progress. "Put your underwear up on the line and let people comment. But keep it safe," Kembel says. No rude comments allowed.

8. Do something simple to surprise people. At the d.school, they painted the women's restroom lipstick pink, and hung disco balls. "That makes people realize that somebody cares about your experience," Kembel says.

9. Invest more in "we" spaces than in "I" spaces. Cozy nooks for teams, not plush corner offices for the alpha dogs.

10. Mix up seating options. Take the table out of the room and sit on the floor. Vary seat heights. Change customary positions at meetings. For example, put the group leader in the middle, instead of at the head of the table. Try holding a meeting where only standing is allowed. In general, work to lower status markers.

11. Make idea generation and capture easy. Any non-porous surface can be a whiteboard, says Kembel. Buy a sheet of sheer acrylic at Home Depot and mount it on a wall as a writing space. Keep markers handy. Put prototyping tools out where people can grab them when an idea strikes.

"Creativity follows context," says Kembel. The main idea, he says, is not to segregate creativity from other activities. "You don't need to be fancy to do it," he says.

Content Source: Fast Company

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Officebytes TV - 3 Common Mistakes Made By Many Entrepreneurs Looking for Office Space

On today's episode of Officebytes TV, Patrick Braswell, Founder of MOSAtlanta.com and Assistant Vice President with Colliers Spectrum Cauble discusses 3 of the top 10 mistakes made by many entrepreneurs and small businesses when looking for office space.

A few good quotes from the interview:  

"Companies that come out of executive suites or that are looking for traditional office space for the first time, they tend to fail to look at their current and future priorities. They don't list them out and make sure they have those ducks in a row before they actually go out and look for space."

"Going to an office suite or an office space based solely off of price. This one for entrepreneurs, people coming out of executive suites, looking for office space and traditional office space for the first time, make this mistake all the time."

"Determining the amount of square footage you need up-front. Get an architect involved if you can afford one, if you can't afford one, here's a general rule that you want to keep in your head. For every employee that you have, you need to think that it's going to be about 250 rentable square feet of office space that you need for them."  

About MOSAtlanta.com

MOSatlanta.com, short for My Office Search Atlanta, was designed to be a single point of reference for companies looking for office space in Metro Atlanta.

The goal of MOSatlanta.com is to provide their clients with a web based application that will simplify the office leasing process from start to finish, therefore, saving their clients time and money. Ultimately, their approach will align your business initiatives and financial objectives with the right real estate strategy to meet both.

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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

Officebytes TV - Advice for Entrepreneurs on Sharing Office Space by Rob Basso

Officebytes TV just launched a new interview with successful entrepreneur Rob Basso. Rob is the owner of Advantage Payroll Services, BassoOnBusiness.com and Working Lunch With Rob.

Rob describes his experience with sharing office space and offers some very good advice/insight to entrepreneurs that are just starting out as well as those that are thinking about expanding into a bigger space.

A few good quotes from the interview:

"Just get creative, don't get stuck thinking I have to be in a $50 per square foot building, or I have to be on this street or I have to be on that street. The reality is if you are in an entrepreneurial business people understand the mode that you're in."

"As long as you do what you do really well,it won't make a difference if you're in the lower level of a hotel or renting space from somebody. So don't let that pressure really make a difference in the type of office space that your going to look for."

"If you can help it, don't get locked into a really long term lease, especially if your going to be a growing organization."

"When you rent space from somebody else, or you work in a shared or collaborative work environment, you can do and have access to some people that you may not have access to if you're out on your own and you buy a building or your rent a space where you have no inter-connectivity with other small business owners."

About Advantage Payroll Services

Advantage Payroll Services, based in Freeport, New York, has been providing comprehensive payroll and tax-filing services for clients since 1996. With professional and responsive local customer service associates and backed by the strength of a centralized processing system and technology, the company has become one of the most recognized names in the industry in the New York metropolitan area. The company is proud to call many of the region's most recognized companies and not-for-profit organizations as its clients.

About Basso On Business 

Basso on Business an in-depth business program hosted by successful entrepreneur Rob Basso. Episodes focus on regional companies, organizations and associations and the visionary owners who lead the charge.

Rob explores each operation firsthand, uncovers challenges and helps with practical advice and solutions to make businesses stronger.

About Working Lunch With Rob

Working Lunch with Rob Basso is a unique forum for those who have the craving to feed their entrepreneurial spirit. Each monthly lunch is designed to motivate and support small businesses with innovative presentations, business growth strategies and informative speakers.

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. Topics vary, but the advice and commentary is priceless.

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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

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Shared Office Space and White Noise - A Toe-Tapper, A Candy Wrapper...A Knuckle Puncher

My previous shared office space was in an awesome loft building in trendy SOHO, NY. While the space was awesome, it was situated in an old building and the wood floors were somewhat creaky.

I am not sure if the guy a few desks in front of me was trying out for the Tap Dance Kid or he was getting ready to take over drums for Neil Peart of Rush, either way, he was a compulsive toe-tapper. From the minute he sat down, to the minute he left for the day, his foot was going.

Step back a few years earlier and the star of the "annoying show" was played by the famous "candy wrapper", a.k.a the guy who only purchased candy covered in loud wrappers. And much like "toe tapper", "candy wrapper" was busy doing his thing ALL DAY LONG.

The part of Knuckle Puncher would have been played by me, luckily I was able to control myself. Therefore we will just chalk up knuckle puncher to a character that only made the cutting room floor.

Conclusion: Quiet workplaces need office white noise systems (Follow this link to a pretty funny post explaining the need for white noise by Dudley B. Dawson of the Examiner)

White noise machines are small, compact devices that emit a gentle “humming” sound, much like that of a fan. The white noise machine's hum is actually composed of every sound audible to the human ear, so that any one individual sound in the environment is “absorbed” into the white noise machines sound. This phenomenon is similar to the way in which one individual voice is indistinguishable from that of a large crowd. 

Content Source: sleepwell

Whether you're a space holder or an entrepreneur/small business looking to move into a shared office space, you really need to consider the acoustics and potential for distractions. Over time these little annoyances can add up to hours of lost production for everyone sharing the space.

Even a simple white noise system can help to increase everyone's focus within an office space. Here are a few resources for white noise systems:

Ear Plug Superstore

Avlelec

Sound Machines Direct

By the way, if you happen to know "toe-tapper" or "candy-wrapper" please keep this post quiet. I would hate to be forced to drag "knuckle-puncher" out of retirement.

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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.

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

3 Invaluable Resources For Entrepreneurs - Mixergy, Startup Lucky, The Rise To The Top

 
Quick Story - A little over a year ago (Dec 2008) I broke my hand right before heading off on vacation with my wife and some friends. With lifting out of the question, one of my friends convinced me that it was a good opportunity to take up running...and just like Forest Gump, I have not stopped running since.

Interestingly enough, the trip also marked the first time I was introduced to the "POWER" of the Podcast. 

While planning my music for my first run, I asked my friend (a huge real estate developer) what music he listens to when he runs. His answer...Milton Friedman, the economist. At first I thought he was kidding, but he was actually quite serious.  

To put things in perspective, December of 2008 was when the economic downturn was really starting to weigh heavily on everyones mind. What I did not realize at the time, my friend was using running not only to manage the stress of his business, but also as an opportunity to gain insight from leading economists while his brain was in a heightened sense from his workout.

In previous posts I have written about the book Spark - The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise And The Brain, written by John J. Ratey MD. The book is a groundbreaking exploration of the connection between exercise and the brain’s performance that shows how even moderate exercise will supercharge mental circuits to beat stress, sharpen thinking, enhance memory, and much more.

After reading the book Spark coupled with seeing the impact the "learn and burn session" had on my friend, I decided to download a podcast for my next run. While I was not blown away by the content of my first few podcasts, I definitely became a fan of the concept.

And then within the span of about 6 months the following happened...I launched openofficespace.com, I learned firsthand what is meant by "the chicken and egg problem" faced by most marketplace websites and I discovered 3 extremely valuable podcasts which have made a significant impact on my ability to endure as an entrepreneur - Mixergy, Startup Lucky and The Rise To The Top. 

The reason for my quick story above, I believe that the value of these podcasts can be increased if listened to during an aerobic workout such as jogging, rollerblading, etc. (Sorry, I guess you can take the trainer out of the gym...blah, blah, blah)  

Anyway, while each of these 3 shows have their own subtle differences, they ALL have a few traits in common: They offer powerful advice, inspiration and great interviews designed to help entrepreneurs and startups on their challenging journey.

From my perspective, the most powerful apsect of these shows are the live interviews with industry leading entrepreneurs, founders of startups, bloggers, book authors and international speakers. Almost as valuable as the "how to" tips and tricks, sales and marketing ideas and other information that can be garnered from these interviews is the notion that EVERYONE of these interview subjects faced ups and downs on their road to success...very powerful stuff for entrepreneurs at any stage of the game.

Here is a brief description of each one of these shows and a few interviews which resonated with me:

Mixergy

Founder: Andrew Warner

On Twitter: @AndrewWarner

Mission (from the website): The Mixergy Mission is to introduce you to doers and thinkers whose ideas and stories are so powerful that just hearing them will change you.

The Mixergy Mission is to give you an alternative to the "know-it-all, professional gurus." I want to convince you that no single person knows it all. I want to show you that the best way to grow is to learn from a mix of smart people who are willing to share their expertise and experiences.

The Mixergy Mission is to infect you with a passion for business and then help you build your business.

The Mixergy Mission is to encourage YOU to have a mission, not just a startup, not just a company, but a calling.

The Mixergy Mission is to act as a counter-weight to all the venture capitalists who'll try to convince you that the only reason to build a business today is so you can flip it tomorrow. The world isn't changed by people who have an eye on the exit.

The Mixergy Mission is to convince you to follow a vision so big and important that you can't do it alone. Then I want to give you a mix of wicked-smart people who will help you achieve it.

The Mixergy Mission is too big for me to achieve alone. If what I'm describing here calls to you, jump in and join me.

My favorite interviews:

Founders of airbnb.com Nathan Blecharczyk, Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia  

Founder of wufoo.com Kevin Hale

Founder of Smart Bear Jason Cohen

Startup Lucky

Founder: Aronado Placencia

On Twitter: @Aronado

Mission (from the website):

We are the web portal for connecting startups with education, inspiration, & funding! We work directly with VC’s and Angels behind the scenes to learn what they want and how startups can obtain funding in the quickest & most efficient way possible. Simply put, we are the bridge for startups to connect with investors.

Why did we create StartupLucky? We have launched several startups ourselves. We understand wholeheartedly the challenges of getting attention for your startup. We know what it’s like to pitch bloggers, editors, angels, VC’s etc. StartupLucky was created to be the bridge for startups looking for startup investors/advisers etc.

Mission Statement:
Connect startups with investors around the globe as quickly & efficiently as possible.

My favorite interviews:

Author of Linkworking Lewis Howes

Editor of Entrepreneur Magazine Amy Cosper

Founder of The Good Life Team Krisstina Wize

The Rise To The Top

Founder: David Garland

On Twitter: @therisetothetop

Mission (from the website): A daily online show for entrepreneurs and marketers.

RISE includes business and marketing tips & tricks, how to advice, resources, breaking down marketing strategies of small and big companies, social media marketing, tech you can actually use for business, product & book reviews, expert interviews, questions & answers and much more.

My favorite interviews:

Founder of Smart Bear Jason Cohen

Co-Founder of Crazy Egg and KISSmetrics Neil Patel

Founder of Wine Library TV Gary Vaynerchuk

If you are thinking about starting up your own company or already have one under way, I highly recommend utilizing these free but invaluable resources. They can not only prevent you from making costly mistakes, they can also provide with that much needed inspiration when things are not exactly going your way. 

Image and Content Source: Mixergy, Startup Lucky and The Rise To the Top

If you know of any other podcasts that might be helpful to a fellow entrepreneur, please share.

 

 

  

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

Before I get started I just want to clarify, when I say bring "health and fitness" into your office, I am not suggesting that you need to make room for a treadmill, I am strictly speaking of bringing the "health and fitness" mindset into your office.

Why I'm qualified to write this blog post - I hold a B.S. in Adult Fitness from Cortland State, have worked in the corporate fitness programs of several Fortune 100 companies, was the managing partner in a 30,000 sq. ft. health club and for over 17 years have been a personal trainer to hundreds of clients just like YOU.

So in no particular order, here are 10 reasons entrepreneurs MUST bring "health and fitness" into their office:

1) Stress Relief - As an entrepreneur, it is inevitable stress and you will become intimate coworkers. How you manage this stress will have a direct impact on your ability to perform at work, your general health and your sanity. A 30-45 minute exercise session is one of the most effective ways to keep your stress at  manageable levels.  (i.e. walk, jog, run, hit the heavy bag, hit the weights, go for a  swim, whatever)

2) Productivity - Let me guess you work long hours and don't have time to fit exercise into your day. Some of the most successful/busy clients I have ever worked with were able to fit exercise into their schedule, but you can't? I cry Bu** sh**! You need to re-organize your schedule to make it fit.

An hour spent exercising before, during or after your workday coupled with a proper eating plan can help ensure that you have a generous amount of energy during the day and sleep more soundly at night. Two important commodities for entrepreneurs...so its worth organizing your day accordingly.   

3) Monkey See/Monkey Do - Whether you like it or not, you are a role model (the head monkey) to your employees.  If your employees see that you are passionate about health and fitness, it is very likely they will follow suit. The result: more productive/creative employees, less "sick days" and possibly a better looking staff picture.

4) Self-Confidence - Your ability to sell your concepts, products and even yourself will often boil down to the level of self-confidence you are able to portray. Regardless of the starting fitness level of clients I have trained, one thing always held true, a noticeable improvement in self-confidence after only a few weeks of consistent exercise.  

5) A Direct Connection Exists Between Exercise and Brain Performance - In today's challenging business environment, the slightest competitive advantage could mean the difference between a homerun venture and Chapter 11. Over the past several years, several research projects have delivered indisputable proof that exercise and brain performance are linked. Perhaps doing something (such as exercise) to strengthen the "noodle" can ensure you fall on the homerun side of the equation. For more on this topic you should read Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brainby John Ratey.

6) Improved Morale - A company that exercise together...well never mind that. The fact of the matter is that exercise often serves as a good opportunity for employees to get together outside of the workplace. I am convinced that one of the reasons many personal trainers are so well liked is they are in contact with people at a time when the beta endorphins are elevated. If you buy into this train of thought you can see how exercising together might result in a more cohesive staff.

7) Reduced Employee Turnover- Personal trainers often work with the same clients for years as their clients become dependent on the motivation, attention and direction offered by the trainer. If your encouragement has resulted in a workforce that feels good about themselves due to exercise, don't you think they will think twice before leaving you?

8) Improved Creativity - Many a great idea has been conceived on the treadmill. Regular aerobic activity improves the efficiency of the circulatory system ensuring more oxygen rich blood is delivered throughout the body..this includes the brain. Aerobic Exercise = the electricity to power the "light bulb" over your head.  

9) Consistent Energy Levels Throughout The Day - Without getting into a scientific explanation, eating small meals (low in simple sugars) spread throughout the day will improve the likelihood that you will have a consistent level of energy throughout the day. Very big meals will often leave you feeling sluggish and unable to concentrate.

10) You Will Help Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Other Illnesses Caused From Inactivity - I recently came across a funny cartoon, a doctor is standing with his patient and says "What fits your schedule better, exercising one hour a day, or being dead 24 hours a day?" The daily stress we face as entrepreneurs can result in severe consequences to our health. Embracing "health and fitness" as a lifestyle can help prevent many of these illnesses before its too late.

Some actionable advice- I highly recommend hiring a personal trainer for 2 or 3 sessions every 6 months. Be clear that you are looking for an organized program that you can do on your own. Exercising with proper technique and intensity levels will help prevent you from getting injured and improve the chances you will see results...and stick to the program.

Time to put my entrepreneur hat back on and focus on making Open Office Space one of those homerun businesses.

 

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.