Dorm rooms, garages, unoccupied classrooms late at night – these locations are the storied incubators of some of today’s most successful innovation and creative economy companies. There was even a Super Bowl ad that looked back at these starting spaces as playing their own pivotal role in forming a company’s vision, culture and identity.
But what happens when it’s time for a company to “grow up”? Does space continue to play as big of a role in corporate success? When you’ve got a great vision and killer programmers, does where you write the code really matter (as long as there is a proverbial ping pong table and fridge filled with after-work beers nearby)?
At Jebbit, where we’re trying to reinvent the way people pay for online ads, space matters in a whole host of ways we wouldn’t have imagined on when we were starting out, snagging quiet corners of the Boston College campus.
After moving out of the TechStars incubator a few months ago into our very own “home” office in the Fenway, I’ve given more thought than I ever expected to the ways that space can contribute not just to our culture, but to our success. Here is what we’ve learned:
Don’t get caught up in the hype: We looked at the traditional spaces you’d consider in greater Boston – the Seaport/Innovation area and Kendall Square in particular. And nothing came close to Fenway. The mix of the actual office building and the way we could customize the space, plus the energy and amenities available in the neighborhood couldn’t be beat.
Fostering collaboration: We really wanted something open and the tower of the Landmark building, where we are now located, offered 360 views of the city, big windows, bright light and open space – it was so different from everything else we looked at. It didn’t feel like a “classic office” and for us, that fit. Today we have orange bean bag chairs in the middle, for group meeting or conversation, and it’s wide open with a lot of desks around windows. White boards everywhere help us brainstorm on the spot.
Recruiting great staff: Now that we are in a place that’s our own, where we can come in every day and make things happen, the company feels like it’s moving forward even faster. It’s fun and exciting to have potential hires meet the team in the office. Having our own space lets us let our culture shine through in a way you can’t when you’re in the corner of an incubator or working in a classroom!
Being in the right place: The Fenway is SO the right place for us, for so many reasons. The area is growing, with new restaurants, bars and shops; a lot of our team is young , and there are places for us to hang out. We do a team lunch at the local BBQ place, Sweet Cheeks, every Friday, we go to movies and grab drinks together, we do meetings at the restaurants and coffee shops nearby.
Making it easy: The best neighborhood won’t be enough if it’s not easy to get there. While most of our team lives in the same area for now, we needed to be sure that our location would be just as accessible to future employees. Plus, as a start-up, we keep crazy hours. The fact that people can run down to the gym in the building or go for a run along the river, take a break for a beer or dinner, go to a nearby grocer for some snacks helps our team recharge when we need to – then we can head back to the office, put on some music and work late into the night.
A garage or classroom may be the right starting point for a company, but our experience proves that care and thought around office space decisions can make all the difference.
Tom Coburn is CEO of Jebbit.
