More Than Office Space, Your Advocate and Consultant
What has your office business center done for you lately? Other than provide you office space, internet service and a phone? Probably not much, particularly if you’re in a corporately owned facility. You’ll get what you pay for and you’ll pay for every last thing you get. That’s not what I had in mind when I created the Meadow Creek Business Center in Issaquah, Washington.
I’ve never really been in the real estate business and never had the urge to be. My education iin marketing with an MBA in finance. My career background is in corporate strategy, business development and business turnarounds. When I acquired Meadow Creek, it was not to just collect rent and live in semi-retirement. My vision was to provide office space for startups and small businesses and be in a position to provide advice when needed and act as an advocate for my tenant clients.
Most tenants are not particularly interesting in this aspect of our business. They just want their office and to be left alone. A growing number of them though are interested on how we can work together to help their business grow. Every year, fortunate tenants grow out of the business center as their office space requirements justify moving to convention commercial office space. The majority of these “graduates” maintain some of the services they used as tenants after leaving Meadow Creek Business Center.
Our complimentary services include light consulting, tossing around ideas and from time to time some free implementation support. On a fee basis we do everything from market analysis, strategy definition, business plans, lead generation and sales and service support. Basically, we will do just about everything you need that as a small business, you don’t have the staff for. Our motto is that we “Help Businesses Grow.”
Maybe this is atonement for the first part of my career that was spent making unprofitable large businesses into profitable smaller businesses. I can only say that it is far more rewarding to make a small business into a profitable larger business.
So what does it take to give your business center the capacity to truely make them a partner in your entrepreneurial efforts? What qualifications does your business center need to have to help transform a solopreneur into a leader of a successful thriving business? The same qualifications you would be looking for if you were chooosing and partner; expertise, experience, reputation and success.
Most center managers are employees of large entities that make the decisions for them. They are experienced in making sure the receptionists show up for work, taking care of the books and giving tours. They more than likely have a fairly limited business education and breadth of experience. This is not meant to denegrate business center managers, I know many and they are great people that have generously shared their knowledge of managing business centers with me. They are not likely candidates to coach you on how to grow your business.
The ability to help a small business grow is not only based on business education experience and success, it depends very much on connections and stature within a community. I’ve made it my business to get connected in Issaquah, Washington politically, in business and in the community. I’ve supported and weighed in on important local issues, supported local and regional candidates, served as President of the Issaquah Kiwanis and serve on the board of the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce as well as co-chair the Membership Committee. I think it’s important to support the community in which you do business and I take great pride in pleasure in these activities. This participation also results in many connections that can be of great benefit to my tenant clients when they need help.
Successful entrepreneurs are skilled at using their time to build relationships with people that are vital to the success of their business. I can connect my tenant clients to people they need to know to be successful.
Not everyone is looking for anything more than an office when looking for space. I think most of them should be.
If you’re a startup, solopreneur, entrepreneur or a small business owner or professional looking for office space, ask yourself if you would be better off getting something extra with that office space. At Meadow Creek Business Center we help businesses grow. Let’s make one of those businesses yours.
“The fact that you provide an excellent executive suite service at very competitive prices only tells a small part about how you serve your tenants. You are there to “think tank” development plans, offer marketing and business management suggestions and seem to always be ready to go out of your way to support everyone’s success.”
John Long, John Long Law PLLC
“Meadow Creek Professional Center has done an outstanding job for my company. Our firm relies upon the team at Meadow Creek to handle everything from clerical needs to conference rooms, even accounting and outbound sales. They do it all expertly and with enthusiasm. All while allowing our staff to work just minutes from our homes. I would strongly encourage any small to medium size business to open offices at Meadow Creek Professional Center.”
Bryan Finney, Executive Director, Democracy Live
Richard Gabel
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