Bike Share Boom

From Hoboken to Portland and from New York to Chicago, bike sharing programs are popping up around the country. An efficient and green alternative for workers trying to navigate the clogged roads of major business hubs, Chicago is right in the mix of this eco-friendly commuting trend. 

Across the U.S., bicycle commuting grew 47 percent between 2000 and 2011, and spiked to 80 percent during the same time period for cities that are making investments in infrastructure and education.

Chicago ranked in the Top 10 of Most Bikeable Large U.S. Cities, according to Seattle-based WalkScore. 

This ranking comes as the city launches a bicycle-sharing rental program slated for next month. One of the obvious benefits of the program would be a reduction in traffic congestion as bikes begin to replace cars.

Mayor Emanuel noted, “We used to only think cars and mass transit.  Today, Milwaukee Avenue is one of the most-biked streets in America.  The first protected bike lane in the city, on Kinzie Street, has had a positive impact on the economy."

It’s been well-documented, traffic-plagued commutes are having an impact on employee health and productivity. If you are looking for a healthy alternative in Chicago, give the bike sharing program a try.

While you are out on your bike, be sure to pedal over to our Willis Tower location at 233 S. Wacker Dr. to see how our business services can help your company thrive.

 

Client Spotlight: Twenty Recruitment Group

Today’s client spotlight is on the Twenty Recruitment Group. A rapidly growing, award-winning global recruitment firm, the Twenty Recruitment Group was established in London in 2009. After only a few short years in business, Twenty Recruitment expanded operations and established a presence in New York. Today the up-and-coming firm employs 40+ professionals; 8 of whom call our Grand Central West office space home.

The company’s New York office space services North and South America as well as the Caribbean. A multi-sector recruitment firm, Twenty Recruitment has a core focus on technology and finance. In less than five years this thriving organization has established business relationships with: investment banks, hedge funds, exchanges, energy trading firms, management consultancies, and pharma and digital corporations.

We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Nick Careless, North American Director at Twenty Recruitment. With 15 years of international recruitment experience in Hong Kong, London, OFCs and New York, Nick is truly an expert in his field. Responsible for breaking into new markets, building client relationships, business development, and more; Nick is a heavy hitter on Twenty Recruitment’s New York team.

How They Do It:

We asked Nick to describe the measures he and his team are taking to ensure their business thrives in 2013. Apart from regularly attending Officelinks happy hours, a key component to any successful business, Nick and his team are taking a multitude of steps to ensure their success. Efforts include: actively seeking new talent for their team, marketing their services, building their brand, and an on-going commitment to delivering quality service to both clients and candidates.

Established during the recession, the Twenty Recruitment Group has risen from virtual obscurity, at a time when many have failed. If you would like to learn more about the Twenty Recruitment Group, visit them online at http://www.twentyrecruitment.com.

Find Your Grand Central West Office Space

At OfficeLinks we are proud to offer top-of-the-line Grand Central West office space to a variety of global business leaders, including the Twenty Recruitment Group. However we don’t stop there; we maintain five high-end New York business centers and one in the heart of Chicago. If you’re currently in the market for Grand Central West office space, or elsewhere for that matter, we encourage you to schedule a tour today.

Learn why so many leading companies are proud to call our Grand Central West office space home!

While you’re here we also encourage you to follow our blog. Here we are featuring many of the organizations that we proudly serve and shedding light on trends and topics that are shaping the modern business world. While you’re at it, check out these recent posts:

Snoozing on the Job

Client Spotlight: HQ Companies

 

Client Spotlight: HQ Companies

We are excited to introduce the HQ Companies in today’s client spotlight. A consortium of businesses, the HQ Companies are comprised of: HQ Search, HQ Scripts, HQ Services, & HQ Seminars. Together the group provides services which revolve around retained executive search & career development.

We recently had the privilege to learn a bit more about HQ Companies founder, Kathy Graham. Graham’s vision, when creating HQ, was to connect companies with successful professionals and to connect professionals with career-enhancing strategies. Finally Graham wanted to help craft smart financial choices for both the professionals and organizations she serves. 

HQ caters to organizations offering financial positions paying upwards of $200k, who are either struggling to find the right people or simply can’t dedicate the time. In addition, HQ serves professionals who make more than $100k a year and are looking for career advancement in a multitude of industries including: finance, accounting, engineering, healthcare, strategy, market research and C-suite. Kathy and her team are always looking to connect with contingency recruiters with successful track records in HQ’s focus market segments, executive leaders of large corporations and human resource consultants.

Looking to the Future:

When asked what steps she will take in 2013 to ensure that the HQ Companies thrive, Kathy pointed to the core of HQ’s business model, not to mention its namesake. The HQ team will continue to provide the “Highest Quality” customer service on the market today. Other initiatives will include traditional, social media and referral marketing.

Find Your Chicago Office Space

At OfficeLinks we are proud to offer high-end Chicago office space in the famed Willis Tower. Did we mention our five beautifully appointed New York office solutions? As leading providers of the very best in New York and Chicago office space, we proudly serve global business leaders like the HQ Companies. If you’re currently in the market for Chicago office space, or elsewhere, we encourage you to schedule a tour today.

Learn why so many leading companies are proud to call our New York and Chicago office space home!

While you’re here we also encourage you to follow our blog. Here we will be featuring many of the organizations that proudly call OfficeLinks home and addressing trending business topics. While you’re at it, check out these recent posts:

Communicating in the 21st Century

Client Spotlight: Vice-Roi Travel at ALTOUR! 

 

The Art of Networking

Would you characterize yourself as a master networker?  Do you always have the perfect response to a question?  Networking, like any other business skill, requires practice, refinement and dedication.

Luckily, there are more resources available than ever before to help improve your networking IQ.  Passing out business cards used to be the only way to make connections, but thanks to social media channels like LinkedIn, you can now quickly expand your network of contacts to include profressionals from around the world. On top of all the benefits businesses in a shared work environment enjoy, the spontaneous and impromptu connections available by being in a space populated with different companies often leads to new ventures, partnerships and opportunities. These are valuable encounters that you would miss out on if you were working from home, the local coffee shop or in traditional space.  

A shared work environment fosters organic connections for those who are not necessarily comfortable or good at networking.  A recent post in the Huffington Post offered tips, which can help you hone your networking skills.  In summary:

Do your homework:  Don’t walk into an event cold. Brush up on who will be attending and know some key facts about their industry - that way you can have some talking points ready to go.

Position yourself as a problem solver:  Business owners tend to get caught up in the tedious details of their companies. During a networking event, you have just a few seconds to make a lasting impression.  The person you are speaking with wants to hear how you can help them, now.

Branch out: Attend functions outside of your industry. You never know what new opportunities can come up.

For the savvy business person who is already working in a co-working space, keep your eyes open - your next big project or partnership could be right down the hall.  

Client Spotlight: The Association to Invest in the U.S.A.

We are excited to introduce The Association to Invest in the U.S.A. (IIUSA) in today’s client spotlight. A non-profit organization, the IIUSA supports the industry trade association charged with the EB-5 regional development program. EB-5 helps foreign investors obtain green cards, for themselves and their immediate family members, with the assumption that their investments will save 10 U.S. jobs.

Since 2005, over $4.7 billion has come through the EB-5 program and 95,000 U.S. jobs have been created. Program investors have come from all over the world. IIUSA’s purpose is to represent the involved domestic organizations and to raise foreign capital. Working with a large number of clients, IIUSA is committed bringing foreign money into U.S. development programs nationwide.

We recently had the opportunity to learn a bit more about Peter Joseph, Executive Director of The Association to Invest in the U.S.A. Peter shared his great passion for public policy, particularly the EB-5 program. During his 3 years in the association Peter has met with many Americans who are employed as a result of the program as well as many of the foreign investors who make EB-5 possible.

A client of our Willis Tower office space, Peter and his team are always interested in meeting service providers that deal in association needs, such as: software, communications, public relations and advocacy. In addition EB-5 is always looking to engage those who are interested the regional center program industry, including: immigration and securities attorneys, broker-dealers and financial advisors.

Find Your Willis Tower Office Space

At OfficeLinks we are proud to offer high-end Willis Tower office space to organizations, like IIUSA, who are making an impact within the global economy. In addition, we maintain five beautifully appointed New York office space solutions. If you’re currently in the market for New York or Willis Tower office space, we encourage you to schedule a tour today.

Learn why so many leading companies are proud to call our Willis Tower office space home!

While you’re here we also encourage you to follow our blog. Here we will be featuring many of the organizations that we proudly serve and tackling trending business topics. While you’re at it, check out these recent posts:

Modern Business is Going Green, How About You?

Client Spotlight: Vice-Roi Travel at ALTOUR! 

Workplace Changes from the Top Down

The composition of workplace is changing right in front of us and today’s managers must be prepared to adapt if they are going to offer an environment where employees can thrive.

Social media has created a world where we impart our opinions, likes and dislikes with vigor to mass audiences.  This confidence and freedom to share our positions has spilled over into how employees interact in the workplace.  Now more than ever, employees are comfortable stepping forward to have their “voice” heard.

As a result, the traditional hierarchy of the workplace is being challenged and many managers are struggling to adapt without completely relinquishing control. Moving away from the current business structure, managers will have to do more listening and more asking.  An agile environment can help foster collaboration without having it feel staged or contrived.

Spaces where colleagues of all levels can gather to exchange ideas or brainstorm on a project evens the playing field and can help put everyone more at ease. Managers and supervisors will need to recognize that employees are working differently than they did just 10 years ago and management styles will need to evolve as well.

In order to thrive in today’s competitive landscape your best asset is being flexible.  OfficeLinks’ range of work options has proven to be a resourceful tool for companies who are looking for an environment that can suit a variety of work styles. 

 

North Brooklyn Start-Ups Report a Lack of Office Space

Recent reports from the likes of the New York Times state that area start-ups are finding it tough to secure office space.* As providers of cutting edge, on-demand New York office space we felt that we had to report on this one ourselves.

Area real estate experts are attributing the lack of dedicated North Brooklyn office space to a rise in availability of more lucrative residential lease offerings. A long time hub for start-ups and tech companies; many are reporting fears that a dwindling availability of commercial space may squeeze out the very companies that have contributed to the area’s economic diversity over for decades. In an area that is teeming with creative, innovative startups, we invite those of you who are feeling the pinch in North Brooklyn to explore other areas of our fair city.

Enter Flexible New Your Office Space Services

As more and more reports surface, pointing to the decline of available New York Office space, those of us offering work space as a service are taking note. At OfficeLinks we offer highly desirable, on-demand New York office space in some of NYC’s most sought after neighborhoods. We proudly offer beautifully appointed, state-of-the-art business centers in: Chelsea, Park Avenue South, Grand Central West, Wall Street and Bryant Park.

Offering New York office space in these highly desirable neighborhoods, we encourage those who are feeling displaced by residential development to pay us a visit. Whether you’ve outgrown your coworking space or you’re simply looking for a new executive space to call your own, we’ve got you covered. Each of our locations offers top-of-the-line office furnishings, advanced digital telecom systems and gigabit-speed network access. Whether you’re looking for a single month of occupancy or you’re ready to set up shop permanently, we can help.

Make OfficeLinks Your Home

Looking for New York office space? We encourage you to consider one of our 5 New York business centers. Discover what so many rising NYC companies already have! Interested in learning more about the area real estate market? Follow our blog. Here we address this and other trends that impact the New York business community. We also encourage you to read these recent, related blog posts:

New York’s Soaring Start-up Scene

OfficeLinks Invites Google to Join Us in Our New York Office Spaces

Are you currently finding it tough to secure New York office space?

*http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/21/nyregion/north-brooklyn-start-ups-find-office-space-is-scarce.html 

NYC Subway System Expands Wi-Fi Availability

Attention New Yorkers:  go ahead, keep talking as you head down the subway steps at Times Square – Wi-Fi  is now available at this station and 29 additional subway stops throughout New York City.  The MTA’s plan to have all subways stations wired by 2016 took another step forward this week by bringing NYC’s underground into the 21^st century.    

Recent events like Superstorm Sandy and the Boston Marathon bombings have shed light on how being connected can provide valuable real-time information.  The MTA explains that the increasing underground service allows commuters to have access to information and can communicate any issues or events happening in the subways.  

And, for the adept commuter who can keep one eye on his mobile device while keeping aware of his surroundings, you might even be able to get some work done during your morning and afternoon commute to work.

On the flip side, loud conversations and a concern for theft are some of the drawbacks expressed by straphangers. 

Let us know what you think of having Wi-Fi underground.  Is it about time; or will it be more of a distraction and pose an additional crime threat for commuters?

Client Spotlight: SmartSimple Software Ltd.

We’re excited to place our next client spotlight on SmartSimple Software Ltd. SmartSimple offers world class, browser based Software-as-a-Service that allows for intra- and inter-organization interaction and collaboration. Their cutting-edge system can be configured to meet workflow needs of any organization, but they specialize in working with diverse and disperse communities including: not for profits, granting orgs, research orgs and medical claims. A Canadian based company, SmartSimple also calls our Chelsea office space home.

The SmartSimple Chelsea office space is headed by President Cameron McLean. McLean is joined by Technical Community Support Team Member Arthur Lathrop. We can also expect to see visitors from the company headquarters from time to time.

Find Your Chelsea Office Space

At OfficeLinks, we are proud to offer cutting-edge, on-demand Chelsea office space. Staffed by a team of talented administrative and IT specialists, our Chelsea office space is home to some of the area’s fastest rising organizations, including the SmartSimple team. If you’re currently in the market for Chelsea office space, we encourage you to schedule a tour today.

Learn why so many area business leaders are proud to call our Chelsea office space home!

While you’re here we also encourage you to follow our blog. Here we will be showcasing many of the companies that call OfficeLinks home and addressing the trending topics that are shaping the modern business world. While you’re at it, check out these recent posts:

New York’s Soaring Start-up Scene

Client Spotlight: Vice-Roi Travel at ALTOUR!

ROI for Social Media

Do you think your social media activity is having a real impact on your business? Most professionals would like to think so. However, the latest survey reveals small businesses aren’t getting the return they expected.

The great thing about social media is that businesses - both large and small – can jump in and afford to have a social presence. But small business owners still seem to be struggling to find an effective social voice. 

Manta, an online network for small businesses, polled 1,200 owners and found 49 percent of businesses allocated more time to social media this year over last year and, looking ahead, 25 percent of those surveyed plan to dedicate more budget in the future.

What’s interesting is that 61 percent of owners who are admittedly investing time and money didn’t see any significant ROI for their business.  

Here’s what small businesses are looking for from their social media efforts:
- 36 percent want to acquire and engage new customers
- 19 percent are looking for leads and referrals
- 17 percent want to boost awareness

So what’s a business owner to do? Businesses have to create benchmarks that are specific to social media. Many owners are learning along the way and misteps are expected.  In fact, Manta’s CEO says, “Small businesses get returns from social media they just don’t know what they are when they see them.”  Worried that customers will forget about them if they are not engaging via social platforms, business owners should continue to plug along and tweak their strategies to help them deliver the content that best suits their customers.