Like many others, we started our business (LMNO
Technologies) working in one founder's apartment - it was really more the
living room than the garage. Conventional wisdom says this is just part of the
natural formula for a successful startup, right? The apartment was a
comfortable setting, but it wasn't the most productive for intense development
sessions. Since we were living separately (one of us in Lincoln Park and the
other in the South Loop) and each of us had roommates not involved in the
business, it was difficult to establish a consistent and focused work
environment. We would meet in person for limited periods of time and then work
independently from home, occasionally touching base through video conference.
Our development schedule began to suffer.
We took the unorthodox approach of leasing short-term
office space with Servcorp at 155 N. Wacker in downtown Chicago, essentially
midway between our apartments. While this did cost more than working out of a
Starbucks or other more public space, the investment paid off in several
ways:
Structure - Having this quiet, professional, and
well-appointed meeting space of our own helped establish a daily structure to
our work that was missing. Also having the essential facilities of an actual
office environment, including helpful administrative staff, enabled us to work
more efficiently.
Collaboration - When creating something novel, it really
pays to actually spend time together and communicate as much as possible. In
that office space, we were able to discuss, argue, and collaborate with
immediacy. This re-energized our creative process. Previously, with the
occasional meetings and video conferences, we were not able to play off each
other and get instant feedback in the same way. Body language and tone just don't
come across in a video conference.
Inspiration - Plunging into a diverse sea of active
people every day provided great insight regarding challenges that we might
address. The energy and excitement of the city inspired us to explore a better
way for friends to find opportunities to hang out.
Socialization - We were developing a fun social web and
mobile service that enables real friends to share, discover, and plan
activities
(www.zupstream.com)
- it made sense to actually be social. Our new city location allowed us to
easily meet up with friends, colleagues, and potential investors while
exploring the incredible selection of nearby bars, restaurants, and
entertainment venues. Since a co-founder relationship can be as intense as a
marriage, interacting with others helped keep the relationship healthy.
While it may be tempting to spend as little as possible
in the early days of a startup, the cost of an office space can be viewed as
more of an investment. A good work environment can truly improve productivity.
LMNO Technologies (www.lmnotech.com)
is a Chicago-based developer of web, mobile, and embedded software for social
and multimedia applications.
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