Open Office Space

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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Shared Office Space Part 1 | An Entrepreneurs Perspective 

Shared Office Space Part 2 | A Space Holders Perspective

Your Office Space Is An Extension Of Your Brand

 
Lets face it, from the first second a potential client, partner, investor or employee steps foot into your office space, your company is being judged. Whether consciously or sub-consciously, a visitor to your space will make some initial assumptions about your company based on the aesthetics, cleanliness, culture, design, vibe, lighting, noise levels, floor plan, temperature, furnishings, etc. of your office.

Does this mean that every office needs to look like Google's headquarters?

NOT AT ALL.

It simply means that if the elements above are not consistent with the rest of your brand/corporate message, you could be creating an unnecessary strike one against your company.

Here are a few examples of an office sending an inconsistent brand message:

- You're an interior design firm but your reception area is cluttered with torn furniture that looks like it was purchased at a garage sale.

- Your start-up company is playing host to a group of penny-wise investors and your space is decked out with the most expensive italian leather furniture that money can buy.

- You're a corporate attorney dealing with very sensitive information and your client's files are openly displayed on your desk.

- Your an office furniture company and your space is completely furnished with another companies furniture. 

- You're a graphic design/branding firm with an outdated corporate logo emblazoned throughout your office.

Stepping back and really looking at your office space from an outside perspective can be difficult if not impossible. By clearly defining your brand, identifying the types of visitors you will be hosting and being crystal clear about what you want your space to portray about your company, you put yourself in a much better position to get valuable 3rd party input.

Perhaps you can create a short survey and invite a few friends and family members to visit your space and offer feedback. This exercise might give you a much better idea of what vibe your office is giving off.

Of course if you're an entrepreneur or small business looking to share space within an existing office, your ability to control every element will be somewhat limited. With that said, you can still do your best to search for available options that best represent your brand. 

Much like your companies website, your office space can go a long way to help ensure that your brand message is consistent.

Save the strike one's for next months opening day.

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Shared Office Space Part 1 | An Entrepreneurs Perspective 

Shared Office Space Part 2 | A Space Holders Perspective

  

   

Shared Office Space Part 2 | A Space Holders Perspective

Question: Have you recently downsized your staff?

Question: Did you overestimate the amount of office space your company needs?

Question: Did your subtenant move out unexpectedly?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it is quite possible that you have been left with unused office space. Assuming your company is fortunate enough to absorb this financial burden, you might want to consider the following great ways of utilizing this open space. 

- a full court nerf basketball hoop

- an indoor current pool

- an octagon

- a paint ball course

- a puppet theater

For the rest of us, sharing our unused office space with another company can mean the difference between business as usual and defaulting on a lease.  In addition to the revenue and cost sharing benefits, the networking opportunities provided by sharing office space can also be quite valuable.

While sharing your office space with an entrepreneur or small business can certainly seem like a "no brainer", there are quite a few things space holders should consider before deciding to go this route. Some of these considerations include: 

- Does your lease strictly prohibit subleasing? If so, perhaps you can try re-negotiating with your landlord. The commercial real estate crisis has made some landlords more flexible than in the past. 

- Is the subtenant required to sign a formal sublease?

- Is the subtenant required to sign a non-disclosure agreement?

- Will the subtenant have 24/7 access to the building? To the space?

- Will the subtenant be required to submit a security deposit?

- In addition to the rent, what expenses will subtenant be responsible for sharing?

- What furniture/supplies will be provided to the subtenant?

- Will the culture of the subtenant's company mesh with yours?

- Will the subtenant have their own private office?

- Will subtenant be provided keys to the space?

- Would it make sense to install 24-hour security cameras in the space?

- Does the shared space require any type of build-out?

- Are there any events, meetings or happenings in your space that would prevent the subtenant from being able to come in the office?

Clearly sharing office space has its inherent risks and rewards. If you do not know the potential subtenant, in addition to a formal background check, you might also want to consider doing some research on venues such as facebook, twitter, linked in, etc. If the subtenant seems sketchy on these platforms, you might want to think twice before making a decision that could cost your company dearly in the long run.

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

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Shared Office Space Part 1 | An Entrepreneurs Perspective

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.   

 

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.

 

 

  

Virtual Office Staging - Make Your Unused Office Space Stand Out From The Crowd

 
Perhaps you recently downsized your staff leaving you with 4 large, but empty office spaces.

Or

Maybe you signed a long term lease right before the economy went south for the winter. As a result, you overestimated the amount of space you needed for your business.

Either way, you have been left with the burden of carrying the costs of this unused office space and all the expenses that go along with it.

The good news (from a psychological standpoint) you are not alone. The bad news...you are not alone.

An increased number of companies are realizing they can use sites like openofficespace.com to find sub-tenants for their unused office space and help ease this financial burden.

The challenge however is that with an increased number of companies competing for the eyeballs of potential sub-tenants, how can you make your property stand out from the rest? To make matters worse, most unused office space is completely empty or the existing furniture/furnishings are in bad shape. And lets face it, not everyone is blessed with the wonderful power of a vivid imagination. 

Why not take a page from playbook from the residential real estate market and stage your commercial property?

Instead of posting washed out pictures of a boring empty office space or trying to populate the space with furniture from other rooms, how about Virtually Staging that bad boy? Using advanced 3D rendering technology, a photo can be taken of your empty office and then virtually staged, so that it looks like a million bucks.

A staged home typically sells more quickly and for a higher price...why not a commercial space? Granted we are talking about sales vs. rentals but it's still about standing out from the crowd if you hope to attract qualified leads.

Below is an sample of this technology utilized for promoting an empty residential property.

 
  

 
  
Disclaimer: Whenever a staged image is used, it needs to be clear that the image is an artists representation of the property and not the actual condition the property will be delivered to the sub-tenant.

If this is something you might be interested in, we recommend contacting Real Tour Vision. RTV boasts the largest network of independent virtual tour providers and can easily dispatch a photographer to help you out with this affordable and cost effective way of making your unused office space stand out from the crowd.

Openofficespace.com is on a mission to identify the coolest and most effective technologies to help our users promote their properties. If you have one up your sleeve, please share.

Image & Content Source: Real Tour Vision

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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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Feature Update: The Commercial Real Estate Broker Business Card 

Feature Update: The Commercial Real Estate Broker Business Card

Feature Update: Improved Commercial Property (Office) Search

Today's feature update comes as a result of a phone call from one of our users which actually made me laugh. It was either laugh or cry, I chose the former.

The user pointed out that when she did a search for office space and typed in Boston, Massachusetts, it returned a certain number of results, whereas when she typed in Boston, MA, the site returned quite a different number of results. In other words, if someone abbreviated a state or entered just a zip code, the search feature was not effectively capturing all the properties in our database for that given location.

All together now..."Hey, that sucks!"

To overcome this issue the "brains" at openofficespace.com have built a new and improved "smart search" feature. The smart search will auto-suggest a location as a user begins to enter a city or zip code, ensuring that all relevant properties for that location (in our database) will be returned. 

As part of this upgrade we have also applied this technology to assist users that are POSTING unused office space. To maintain consistency I think we will call it our new "smart post" technology.  

Similar to the smart search feature, the smart post will auto-suggest a location as a user begins to enter a city or zip code. If for some reason that location is not already part of the database, it will automatically be added and shown on future results.

If you are posting or searching for unused office space in Canada, simply click the international link and select Canada from the dropdown. This will automatically change the data of the "smart search" and "smart post"  to reflect locations in Canada.

Check back in the next few days as we will be launching another new feature that will be very helpful to commercial real estate brokers, executive suite operators or any other spaceholder with multiple properties.

Please continue to give us feedback, good or bad, and we will do our best to accommodate your suggestions.

Here are a few screenshots of this new feature:

SMART SEARCH

SMART POST

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Feature Update: The Commercial Real Estate Broker Business Card

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.

 

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

Today, we are launching a new weekly feature on the Open Office Space blog called Cool Huh?  Every Thursday from here on out,  we will select a new 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 my business. How did I not hear about this before? "

Here's the catch! The selected subject will be featured in 2 parts.

Part 1 will simply mention the featured product or site, include some basic information detailing what it's all about, describe why we selected the subject and then welcome any comments from others who have experienced the subject.

Part 2 will be our review of the subject after WE had a chance to experience it ourselves.

Our first featured subject - Thursday August 13th - Usertesting.com

   

Description: UserTesting.com uses the Web 2.0 crowdsourcing model to dramatically drop the price of usability testing. It lets website owners easily get pre-screened users to rapidly do usability testing of their websites.

What this low-cost user testing service offers:

• A Flash video of a user speaking their thoughts as they browse your website. Watch a sample video.

• A written summary where that same user tells you what they liked, disliked, and what would have caused them to leave your site. See a sample summary.

UserTesting.com lets you "look over the shoulder" of people in your target audience while they use your website. And makes it fast, easy, and inexpensive, so you’re more likely to do it.

Why we chose usertesting.com as this weeks subject:  Because we know that the overwhelming majority of us plot, plan and strategize our online initiatives in a vacuum. Whether it's because we are too "thin skinned", think we know it all, or simply because we think we can't afford it, we usually launch with only feedback from our inner circle. 

Take a look at the powerhouse list of testimonials and you will see why we have such high hopes for this one.

Just because people aren't emailing us telling us why our stuff sucks, does not mean it doesn't. Most people will just move on the someone else's stuff.

Content and Image Source: usertesting.com website

Does your small business have that certain "Je ne sais quoi?"

   

Currently my wife and I are visiting Paris for the very first time. Over the past few days I think it is safe to say that we have walked over 15 miles and have covered many of the "must see" areas according to the travel guides.

In addition to the unbelievable architecture and famous museums, it is amazing how many restaurants and outdoor cafes there are throughout the city. One thing that we find quite unique about Paris is the the seating in many of these outdoor cafes faces outwards. In other words, it is encouraged to sit next to the person you are with and "people watch" everyone that passes by.

Similar to the bar and restaurant scene in NYC, some of these cafes were packed and some did not have a single customer. What was interesting to me is that some of the coolest designed cafes were among those that were empty.

So, what makes a restaurant, cafe, small business, office space, website, blog, social network, etc. have that certain "Je ne sais quoi?" - In english - that certain "I don't know what". For anyone that has not seen Austin Powers, the term is generally used to point out something which is usually undefinable. 

Clearly it's not simply a matter of design.

While I cannot say for sure, it seems to me that regardless of the venue, that undefinable element seems to result in a greater incidence of social interaction, networking and overall sense of belonging.

When I think back to the last few office spaces I have rented, I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that I preferred the grungy, ripped couch space, to the modern and trendy loft space. While the look of the hip space was what initially attracted to it, the lack of interaction amongst the other space holders prevented it from ever feeling like home.

As a small business, I think it is a good exercise to reflect on which elements of your restaurant, cafe, office space, website, blog, social network, etc. will result in a greater incidence of social interaction, networking and overall sense of belonging of your customers/clients.

Perhaps an attention to that undefinable element will prevent YOU from being the "coolest" EMPTY cafe in Paris.