Build A Good Image: 5 Aspects of A Successful Start Up Space

Image is everything, especially for a startup.

When a startup first enters the business world, it can be difficult to establish a good name or professional reputation. And it’s reputation and image that, in the end, will help a startup generate a solid client list, a pipeline income and eventual growth.

When it comes to first impressions, an office space can either tarnish or build your image, especially when pitching to new clients. If you’re looking to up your new business’ reputation, pay attention to your new office’s design and layout.

Here in San Diego, where start-ups are plentiful, office layout and design play a big role in office image and professionalism.

Here are five aspects of professional-looking layouts that will surely boost your new start-up’s image and have you luring clients away from competitors.

Consolidate Space
A good office space needs to have an equal balance of free space and desk space. For a simple, yet professional design, you may want to consolidate desk space in one area and create open, walk-through space that creates accessibility for your employees and clients.

One way to consolidate office space is by using cubicles to compartmentalize work stations. Last year, when I was redesigning my company’s floor layout, I simply searched cubicles office environments in San Diego and found a practical fit for our budget.

Waiting Room (Space)
If you want to legitimize the feel of your new business space, you may want to plan for a waiting room. A waiting room can be good for organizing appointments, walk-ins and clients. Waiting rooms (spaces) definitely give office spaces a professional feel, which is ideal for attracting new clients.

Meeting Room
Professional offices absolutely need to have meeting rooms. Why? This is the space where both professionals and clients converge in order to exchange and tailor ideas and services. By having a well-sized meeting room in your office space, you’ll be able to provide your clients with a reserved, private area that compares to that of the modern, corporate conference room.

Technology
Technology has to play a big part in office design. Whether it’s having computer access at every desk, accessible phone lines, WiFi access and teleconference capabilities in your meeting room, emphasizing technology in office design will help your brand build a legitimate, professional image.

Branding
If you’re new to owning or renting a brick and mortar office, one of the first things you have to keep in mind is to remind your customers (clients) of your brand, even in your new office. Clients will be coming in for both informal and formal meetings, so that means they need to see your brand stamped on (nearly) every surface of your office.

Most companies tend to have logo and brand signs over their waiting rooms, work rooms, front office (reception), meeting room and on doors around the office. This will help you have brand message consistency, which will no doubt help your clients leave your office space with an impression of professionalism.

Professional office design is definitely essential when you’re trying to create a reputation of legitimacy. By following these simple office design elements, you’ll be able to create a strong name for your business, even if you’re a struggling startup.

Will 3D Printing Reinvent the Logistics Industry?

Take a close look at how the world has handled logistics since the early days of globalization, and it becomes quite clear just how much human enterprise relies on international transport. Without logistics, businesses the world over would be unable to operate and individuals would be affected on a multitude of levels.

With the early days of 3D printing currently taking the world by storm, it appears as if we could see a dramatic change in the logistics industry in the coming years.

Logistics has always revolved around getting an item from point A to point B as quickly and inexpensively as possible. This being said, logistical issues pop up all the time and often cause major hang-ups in industry. What 3D printing has to offer is a new approach to getting goods from one place to another. If industry experts prove to be correct, it could cut out the need for a grand supply chain, thus dramatically affecting the global economy in both positive and negative ways.

What 3D Printing Offers to the World
3D printing has endless applications, but it’s always easiest to start off with a real-world example. Let’s say you’re having problems with your vehicle and it turns out you need a new part - a brake rotor, or maybe even a new vent. Typically, you might have to order this part and wait for it to be shipped to you. But with 3D printing, the part could conceivably be produced right in your own town, which would cut down on the amount of time you’d have to wait and reduce shipping costs.

This is actually closer to fruition than you might think. Ford Motors is already utilizing 3D printing for prototype parts, and it may not be long until this technology becomes commonplace in the automotive industry.

3D Printing and Logistics - The Good and the Bad
When considering the effects of 3D printing on the logistics industry, it’s important to consider how the logistics industry operates today. Many items require custom shipping boxes that must be designed and manufactured before anything can get shipped out. It’s an effective method of getting a parcel from one place to another.

Once 3D printing becomes better integrated into daily life, the logistics industry will be under a great deal of stress to keep up with the demands of the world. We will see companies restructuring how they operate on a mass scale, as global commerce welcomes an additional form of product delivery.

It’s not likely that 3D printing will have a negative impact on the logistics industry in the near future. Technology is still advancing, and until these techniques become more commonplace, their effects will most likely be minimal. But years from now, 3D printing could cause a sea change in global logistics.

On The Go? Online Apps and Tutoring Resources Let You Take Your Education With You

Being a Young Go Getter often means being on the go — from classes to band practice to a sports meet, to homework, study groups, and a part-time job. Squeeze in quality time with friends, a boyfriend or girlfriend, and your family, and you’re just about as busy as you can be.

How do you maximize your resources to take advantage of every moment? With the tool in your pocket or backpack: your smartphone, iPad, or laptop. The current generation has an advantage no other generation has ever experienced: the ability to access a wealth of knowledge nearly instantly, from anywhere that has an internet connection.

Here are some examples of how Young Go Getters can use online education resources to succeed not only in the classroom, but also in your busy lives.

Scheduling apps
Your parents, and even your older siblings, had to handwrite course and homework schedules into a school-provided datebook. You have access to some of the best educational scheduling apps ever created, including Studious, an app specifically designed to help high school students manage time and plan when to do assignments. Studious even silences your phone when you’re in class, and turns the ringer back on when you’re not.

With a scheduling app, you are able to instantly see the blocks of free time in your schedule, and slot in various homework commitments and other activities to ensure you get everything done. If you have a 45-minute break between track practice and your community service project, that’s a perfect time to hunker down by the locker rooms and crank out some calculus worksheets. These scheduling apps can even help remind you when to buy your mom a birthday present.

Knowledge banks
Don’t carry around heavy textbooks unless you need them. Everything from the complete works of Shakespeare to the full set of Euclidian postulates and theorems can be found online. Start with Mashable’s list of 10 Must-Have Apps for Successful High School Students, and you’ll have everything from Yorick’s skull to a fully-dissected virtual frog at your fingertips. (Unlike actual frog dissection, you won’t have to wear gloves or wash your hands afterwards.)

No matter what you’re studying, chances are there’s an online resource to help. You can also use online resources to look up primary source information on various historical topics, such as newspaper headlines run on D-Day, or original sketches drawn by Leonardo da Vinci.

ACT and SAT prep
Just when you thought your schedule was full enough, you have to make room for the all-important ACT and SAT prep. Students who prepare before taking the SAT and ACT have a huge advantage over students who don’t; not only do you learn about the types of questions that will appear on the test, you also learn how to navigate the test itself, and handle hazards such as the SAT’s “wrong answer” penalty. (Remember: if you’re taking the ACT, it’s okay to guess when you have no clue about the answer. If you’re taking the SAT, it’s not — although educated guesses sometimes work if you are able to eliminate other answers.)

It’s always good to take at least one ACT and SAT practice test before taking the real thing, and an in-person test prep class helps you get a quick overview of what to expect on test day. If you need additional test prep, study tips, or tutoring, try the Huntington online library. It travels with you as you go, meaning you can study for these all-important tests while in the car with your parents or while standing in the school cafeteria line.

General improvement
Is spelling not your strong suit? Still unclear on the Circle of Fifths? Nervous that you won’t remember the difference between continuous and continual? If you want quick improvement resources, there are plenty of online apps and programs to help you catch up on any subject. Flashcard programs in particular help you quickly review vocabulary words, historical figures, or any other subject in which you need a quick refresher — and the programs automatically keep track of the answers you miss and continue to drill you until they’re mastered.

These are only a few of the ways in which online educational resources can help a Young Go Getter master subjects, plan schedules, prep for major tests, and ace coursework. Take some time to explore the best educational apps on the iTunes App Store or Android’s Google Play network. The best part about these types of educational apps is that they are both numerous and often free — if you don’t find one that works for you, simply try another until you’re getting what you need. Then take charge of your time and go, go, go!