Spacing Out: A Common Dilemma
As a purveyor of shared office space, we definitely hope that anyone reading this will consider the services of Office Space Coworking with offices in Akron, Cuyahoga Falls & Canton. But our vested interest aside, we are committed to helping small business owners & entrepreneurs find the right office solution to meet their needs.
We’ve talked a lot about the pros and cons about working from home. As a small business owner, you either started out at home and/or you’re still there. But for some, it might be time to consider making a move out of the extra bedroom to their own office space – even if it’s only a one-person show.
This question is a fairly common one for many small business owners. Some need to move because of growth, others because of loneliness or a need for stimulation. Regardless, the cost of office space is a variable that can have a big impact on a business’ bottom line, so it’s not surprising that it ranks near the top of the list of owners’ concerns. If the time is right, the key is to find a space that meets your business’ needs without breaking the bank. Location is important (especially for retail), but so are issues such as usability, cost and condition.
Decisions, Decisions
The advantages of moving out of your home office boil down to increased professionalism, more space to work and unlimited growth potential. Of course, with any advantage come a few disadvantages, but nothing that can’t be overcome:
- Your daily commute will be longer, but if your office is located near your home, the lost time and frustration should be minimal.
- You may need to furnish your office professionally (unless you go with a shared office solution like Office Space Coworking)
- Your overhead may increase, but your revenues could grow proportionately as you attract larger or more clients.
Here are few points of thought we’ve compiled to help guide you through your decision-making process:
Luxury or necessity: First, it’s important to determine whether or not your business is at a stage where finding an office is a luxury or a necessity. If it’s just you, and you have very few interruptions, you may be fit to stay. However, if you’re overseeing four employees who are working out of their homes, you have a communications disaster waiting to happen. Moving to a central location will most likely improve communication and create new energy in the business.
Assess your space needs: If you’ve made the decision to rent of lease space, the next step is to assess your company’s needs. If you’re business is not retail, you do not need a high-end space. But at the same time, you don’t want the space to be so inexpensive that it is depressing for your employees and potential buyers. One alternative might be to find less expensive space that can be transformed into an environment that stimulates creativity. Or, if you’re looking for a more formal environment consider choosing a reasonably priced office space that can be broken up into different areas. Invest more resources in meeting rooms that will be used by potential buyers, and less in rooms that will be used by employees.
Consider alternative options: If the budget is just not going to work, but you still need an “outside” space, consider some other options. Business centers, for example, are temporary offices that provide traditional office space for you to work in and usually come with amenities like Internet access, videoconferencing, conference space, copiers and sometimes, receptionists.
And then, there’s always the option of spicing up what you have. Reinvent your present office by hiring a professional organizer to help you make the best use of your space. Or, think about outsourcing work to other free agents instead of trying to squeeze employees into your already packed space. The options are limitless – it just takes a bit of time and vision to do what’s right for your business.
Making Ideas “Stick”
Over the years, numerous business ideas, philosophies and approaches have flooded our world, particularly with the proliferation of the Internet. But what makes one idea catch on with the masses and others fall to the wayside?
“Made to Stick,” by brothers Chip and Dan Heath, is an attempt to explain this peculiar fact and many others like it. Why is it that some ideas “stick,” remaining vivid in memory and calling on people to act, whereas others just fade away? Is it in the nature of the ideas themselves, or does it have something to do with how they are “packaged”? And if the latter, are there lessons to be learned about packaging that will help people who are trying to influence public opinion and action?
The brothers – who are experts in organizational behavior — have written a book that lays out the six core ingredients and illustrates them with powerful examples. A useful mnemonic device, the components are organized by the acronym “SUCCES.” To stick, ideas should be Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotion-evoking and entrenched in Stories.
We’ve provided a brief overview of the book and these six basic principles:
Principle 1: Simplicity
How do we find the essential basis of our ideas? To narrow an idea down to its core, we must prioritize and narrow thoughts. Saying something short is not the goal. You need a one-sentence statement so insightful that a person could spend a lifetime learning to follow it.
Principle 2: Unexpectedness
How do we get our audience to pay attention to our ideas, and how do we maintain their interest when we need time to get the ideas across? We need to be counterintuitive. We can engage people’s curiosity over a long period of time by systematically “opening gaps” in their knowledge- and then filling those gaps.
Principle 3: Concreteness
How do we make our ideas clear? We must explain our ideas in terms of human actions, in terms of sensory information. This is where so much business communication goes awry. Mission statements, synergies, strategies, visions-they are often ambiguous to the point of being meaningless. Speaking concretely is the only way to ensure that our idea will mean the same thing to everyone in our audience.
Principle 4: Credibility
How do we make people believe our ideas? Sticky ideas have to carry their own credentials. We need ways to help people test our ideas for themselves-a “try before you buy” philosophy for the world of ideas. When we’re trying to build a case for something, most of us instinctively grasp for hard numbers. But really, the goal is to ask help people ask questions that inspire them to think how an idea might apply to them on a personal level.
Principle 5: Emotions
How do we get people to care about our ideas? We make them feel something. Statistics usually don’t elicit emotions. We are wired to feel things for people, not for abstractions. Sometimes the hard part is finding the right emotion to harness.
Principle 6: Stories
How do we get people to act on our ideas? We tell stories. Research shows that mentally rehearsing a situation helps us perform better when we encounter that situation in the physical environment. Similarly, hearing stories acts as a kind of mental flight simulator, preparing us to respond more quickly and effectively.
To read further, visit www.madetostick.com.
Coworking Reviewed by the Wall Street Journal’s Cranky Consumer
The Wall Street Journal’s ‘Cranky Consumer’ recently gave coworking try sharing their experience in a great article.
As sited in the article there are over 9 million self-employed individuals and 33.7 million telecommuters working in the U.S. today.
As we’ve noted since launching our first Office Space Coworking location in Akron…the dynamics of the independent/ mobile work force are driving more and more freelancers, entrepreneurs, & telecommuters to seek alternatives to working out of their home or out of the coffee shop.
We’re seeing more mentions of coworking in the mainstream media lately….from Entreprenuer Magazine, NPR, & now the Wall Street Journal, it appears we’ve really hit on a growing trend. Hey we even were lucky enough to be interviewed by WKYC.
It’s exciting to see this increased exposure. But let’s not forget New York, Seattle, Chicago, LA aren’t the only areas able to support a thriving coworking community.
Office Space Coworking, Northeast Ohio’s first coworking facility just opened the doors on our 2nd location. Now small business owners, freelancers & telecommuters in Akron and Cuyahoga Falls can tap into all the benefits the coworking community has to offer.
So if you know someone launching their business or someone who’s looking to escape the isolation from working out of their home, please help us spread the word. We’d love to have them join us.
Coworking & Shared Office Space in Cuyahoga Falls – what’s next?
As we work to finalize details on the opening of our 2nd location — this one in downtown Cuyahoga Falls. I figured, it’s a good idea to update everyone on our progress.
So here’s a few of the common questions I’ve been getting – but I’d love to hear more — so please contact me and we’ll work to answer each one in turn.
When will the Cuyahoga Falls location open?
January 1st will be the official launch date. But with the holiday weekend and such I expect most people will be checking in for their first day that following Monday, January 4th.
What has to happen before you can open?
Ohhhh the usual. Finalize some contract negotiations. Paint the walls & decorate the interior. We’re working on internet connectivity now and hope to have something up and running in the next few days here so we can start stationing our ‘advance team’ there.
Specifically the list includes:
- Internet & Technology ready to go – make sure our connectivity is set and that printers / copiers are up and running.
- Install presentation equipment.
- Paint the interior walls – starting with conference & shared facilities then moving on to office by office in order of who’s reserved which office.
- Swap out selected light fixtures to ‘modern up’ the joint.
- Decorate with paintings and available furniture
- Add whiteboard walls
We won’t be getting new carpet – just yet. But as we get more members and it becomes economically feasible — that will be the very next thing on our list.
We are looking at taking down one interior wall to open up the hallway a bit. But we’ll see.
Members will have a BIG say in what specific changes we make so we’re looking for as much input and feedback as we can get.
How will access work?
Same as our Akron facility. Members will get a set of keys for the facility and will have 24×7 access.
Resident members of one facility, will get full access to any and all future Office Space Coworking facilities.
Ohhh and did I mention we have an opportunity to open a Canton location like – pretty quickly here?? I hope to know more an post out details next week. But if we can get that going, it’ll be our 3rd location!
How will membership fees work?
Same rates as posted on our site.
Although – NEW members who sign up to be charter members of the Cuyahoga Falls location will receive a 20% discount off our posted rates for the first 3 months of their membership.
Can I get a private office at the new location?
Definitely. We’ve got plenty of private offices. That’s one thing we knew we were looking for in a second location.
Of course, as space is a premium at any of our locations – we have to charge a *little* more for private offices than we would for someone willing to share their space.
But it’s just like we learned in kindergarten. Sharing is good. If you’re willing to pack up your things at the end of the day and put them in a locking cabinet located on site, you’ll save some greenbacks as compared to someone who just wants, nay…needs the privacy and security a locked door office can provide.
Either way, we have TONS of space and anyone coming in to work will have NO problem finding their own corner of the facility to hunker down and get some stuff done.
So while my recommendation is — be open to sharing, you’ll get so much more out of the experience by working side by side with your peers — it’s NOT a requirement.
The space you’re moving in in Cuyahoga Falls – it needs some love. Will you guys get it the same level as the Akron facility by January 1?
Yes. Environment is VERY important to what we’re doing.
Our mental model for how the site should look is…a cross between Starbucks, Apple Store, & Panera. Will we be there straight off?
We may not get EVERYTHING we want done by January 1. But through quiet and continuous improvement we’re confident we’ll create a work environment you’ll LOVE to be a part of.
While the space does need some sprucing up – it’s got all the bases covered. And the opportunites & potential for the facility are excellent.
Anyone who’s been to our Akron facilities knows — we believe in investing in quality improvements. And that’s our committment.
Can I tour the facilities beforehand?
Yep. Just contact us at 800-644-0683, Bill, Heidi or I can arrange to give you a personal tour and who knows maybe you’ll even get first dibs on one of the private offices.
Coworking is Coming To Cuyahoga Falls
Office Space Coworking is hosting this event to celebrate the opening of our 2nd location in Cuyahoga Falls.
We provide shared office and meeting space for independent workers, telecommuters and solo entrepreneurs.
Office Space Coworking is a refuge from the isolation of working at home and the restriction of working in busy coffee shops. Members get all the tools and community of a modern office without the soul-crushing corporate environment. Meet clients, network with peers,or use it as your satellite office as you’re moving from appointment to appointment.
With the opening of our 2nd location, members of Office Space Coworking will have full access to BOTH the Akron & Cuyahoga Falls facilities.
It’s a great location with free parking, private offices & plenty of space for meetings & presentations. It’s right off the Front Street mall between Portage & Baird street.
Get a sneak peak at the new facilities!
We’ll be hosting a special preview of the facility to get your ideas on the design, look / feel, & amenities before launching the Grand Opening in December.
But – here’s the catch – if you’d like to see coworking come to Cuyahoga Falls, we NEED YOUR HELP!
We need 6 people to sign-on as Charter Members for the Cuyahoga Falls location before we can commit to moving forward.
Charter Members will receive a 20% discount off our published rates for a 3 month commitment to use Cuyahoga Falls as their primary location.
Charter Members will also get first dibs on private, dedicated offices.
If you’d like to learn more, please give us a ring @ 800-644-0683
…Or register for Open House event on Friday, November 13th.
Doors open at 3pm.
Get a sneak peak at the facilities, give your input on design, furniture, decor — and stake your claim on your future office.
Parking: FREE
Wine & Appetizers: FREE
Network with Peers: FREE
Why join us?
- Tour our facilities
- Learn more about coworking
- Meet some of our members from the Akron office and learn why they love coworking
- Learn why people who work in a collaborative environment make more money
- Network with your peers and make a new business contact or two
- Great music, great food, great company AND frosty beverages.
