WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR BEST WORK DONE?

What does your desk look like? Standard with a chair, or do you stand or have a kneeling chair? Are you in a solo or shared workspace?

What else is in your office that makes it uniquely yours? Artwork? Furniture? Vintage Violin? Sitting area? Teapot?

Is there a specific style that you’re going for? Southwestern, Tuscan, Asian?

Your work environment will have an effect on your ability to be creative and productive. Any interior designer or professional organizer will tell you clutter will slow you down.

What does any of this have to do with your personal brand? If you hang out with yogis- they might say, ‘as without – so within’ – your outside world is a reflection of your inside world. If your network owns your brand – it might just be that it is also a reflection of your inside branding story.

Here’s the good news – don’t like what you see? You are the decider – you get to change your thoughts, your brand, your dress & your office space as you like.

Let’s see what Jessica, Founder of a marketing firm has to say:

When I started my firm, my office was an IKEA desk in my home. My only co-workers were my dachshunds. I spent most of time at various coffee shops or my favorite place, La Madeleine to meet clients.

My work environment slowly evolved as my life and my business evolved. After I had my daughter, named Madeline (wonder where I got that idea), I needed to “park” somewhere near her childcare center and the nearest Starbucks was not a great option. I signed up for a virtual office at a local, independently-owned office suites company so I could check email, drink coffee, and finally have a proper business address.

It only took a few months before I was ready to hire my first employee, so my virtual office at the office suites turned into a real office. Now, two years later, I have four employees and we sit shoulder to shoulder in two small offices.

In the coming year, we’re going to go out and get our first real commercial lease in a space all our own. We’ll probably hire 2-3 more people in the next 24 months.

To me, thinking about how our work environment has evolved brings me such pride because it correlates directly with the hard work I’ve put in to evolve and grow the business. I can’t wait to move into our new space. We’ll be able to decorate it as we’d like — make it a true reflection of our brand (maybe even let our dogs come to work).

I think Jessica’s is a great story to illustrate how your work environment can reflect the stage and growth of you business. Where do you love to work?