Startup tips from a LiquidSpace Venue Ambassador
Maggie Regan is the NYC Venue Ambassador from LiquidSpace, a platform that introduces daily and monthly offices and meeting rooms to its members. She works with many venue partners in the New York area and ensures the guests have outstanding experiences wherever they work or book with LiquidSpace.
She has an extensive background in working at various types of office spaces in NYC, as well as working with early stage startups. We’ve asked her to share some startup tips, including choosing the right offices and workspaces, which enable startups to find the successes they deserve.
Q. What is a NYC Venue Ambassador’s life like?
Beyond fun, challenging, and exciting! Since joining LiquidSpace in late 2014, I visited and explored nearly 70% of our partner venues here in NYC. Our company doesn’t have a physical office on the East coast, so it really forces me to adapt my workplace every day. My goal is to match my workspace with the goal I’m hoping to achieve for the day. Midtown Manhattan has a high density of business centers, which I enjoy when I need a private office for calls or video conferencing. Funny enough, the fanciest day-office I’ve reserved with the LiquidSpace app was Workspace by Rockefeller Group at 45 Rockefeller Plaza!
Q. Would you have any tips for startups choosing the right co-working spaces or meeting rooms?
The trick to working “differently” is to think differently! One motto of my company is “Work where you work best” and a luxurious or classy day-office reflects this motto for me. It really can boost energy and productivity levels when you are happy and delighted by your surroundings. Co-working provides a great boost of energy if you enjoy collaborative environments with like-minded peers and companies.
New York is a city of tight spaces and limited options if you are drawn to the startup world that makes under $100k each year. LiquidSpace partners with private businesses (like Big Media Coworking in Greenpoint or Catfish Entertainment in Nomad) to achieve “maximum revenue with minimum presence.” We are fortunate to have partners like Workspace by Rockefeller Group, who pioneered monthly rental options on LiquidSpace, and made updates to the offices to reflect recent co-working trends to meet the needs from the startup scenes.
Q. With your startup background at Suitey, what resources would you recommend startups use to look for office spaces?
Use LiquidSpace! Seriously. When I joined Suitey (now rebranded as TripleMint), co-founders David and Phil moved us downstairs on W 29th into our first office, there were 5 of us and the boys set up all the Ikea furniture on a Sunday. It was an easy move for us, but when teams were growing, space was needed. We built “conference rooms” in the space and it would have been great to have a resource like LiquidSpace when our agents were signing big sales deals. Now, LiquidSpace is the go-to for flexible month-to-month office rentals. Startups with teams of 3-6 (like Suitey when I joined) can use our platform to view all options in their price range in one place, pay NO fees, and have access to thousands of hourly or daily options as well.
Q. Any startup tips on utilizing office spaces to enhance company’s productivity or a company’s image?
Investing a little time and money in your space NOW will really pay off in the long run. My partner, Jamie Lewis, has made helpful suggestions over the years to our venues that have ranged from ripping out that old maroon carpet to chucking the mahogany sets in the back alley dumpster! Companies like Izzy and independent consultants like Lylian Bell (UWS based real estate/design extraordinaire) are thinking ahead, working with office teams to find millennial friendly decor. In terms of physical images, plants make a huge difference and in terms of a company’s image online, make sure your social media outlets are consistent with branding.
Q. Who/What purposes would you recommend the spaces available at Workspace by Rockefeller Group?
Workspace by Rockefeller Group has many prestigious addresses in NYC, including 45 Rockefeller Plaza and 48 Wall Street in the Financial District. I recommend the spaces to modern workers who crave a professional environment, surrounded by top of the line amenities such as tricked out conference rooms, sexy and stocked lounge, kitchen, and break out areas, and a reception team that is friendly and helpful while providing on-point service. Workspace by Rockefeller Group also does a great job networking with their clients so that they can continue to build relationships within the Workspace by Rockefeller Group brand. Workspace by Rockefeller Group’ clientele ranges from startups to top end industries like law, finance, and marketing. For others, I’d recommend a day-office for a professional workspace haven overlooking the world’s famous Rockefeller Center’s ice rink. It’s a pretty unbeatable view from the top of the Rock!
