Here at Us & Co, we guarantee that our co-working and private office members will never face any hidden costs.
Whether you’re looking to rent private offices to single desks, we are up-front about everything that is included in your membership fees and will never ask you to pay more for the ‘extra things’ that make up your co-working experience.
We understand how frustrating it can be to be forced to pay additional fees for every little thing. From cleaning services and storage to fast WiFi and printing, co-workers are often charged extra for services that you would be forgiven for assuming were part of what they’ve already paid.
Hidden costs outside of membership fees are, unfortunately, fairly common practice in the co-working and private office industries. We are determined to be different.
Our Membership Fees
The below is a breakdown of the varying membership fees for our professional, shared workspace in London Monument:
Serviced Private Offices: From £650 + VAT per desk, per month
Fixed Desk Co-Working: From £595 + VAT per month
Hot Desk Co-Working: From £35 + VAT per day or £295 + VAT per month
For our Dublin 2, St. Stephen’s Green business centre, membership fees are as follows:
Serviced Private Offices: From €950 + VAT per desk, per month
Fixed Desk Co-Working: From €550 + VAT per month
Hot Desk Co-Working: From €350 + VAT per month
If you are interested in learning more about private office hire or co-working, please check out the rest of our website. If you would like to find out more or book at tour at either of our spaces, please give us a phonecall on 020 3031 3535 (London) or +353 (1) 529 4100 (Dublin). Alternatively, you can contact us here.
Sometimes long meetings are unavoidable. For example, quarterly reviews, training sessions or staff workshops can easily stretch to half a day or even a whole 9 to 5. But these long meetings don’t need to be painful. In this blog, we outline our top tips for making the most of a long meeting, helping you ensure they are enjoyable, engaging and productive.
1. Go Somewhere New
One of the best way to energise your team ahead of a big meeting is to offer them a new experience. Give them a break away from the office that they work in every day and meeting rooms that they have already spent many hours in.
This works because the human brain naturally seeks out novelty. In a phenomenon known as the ‘coffee shop effect’, changing scenery has been shown to make workers more motivated, productive and creative, through increasing their levels of dopamine.
We therefore recommend booking external meeting rooms, especially for long meetings. This will offer your team a welcome change from the everyday and help you lead a more productive and impactful session.
2. Take Regular Breaks
When you have a lot to cover, it is tempting to try and do so in one long session. However, doing this can significantly impact how useful the overall meeting will be. For both those running a long meeting and those participating, not having regular breaks will naturally reduce an individual’s productivity and ability to contribute.
According to the International Institute for Facilitation and Change, multi-hour meetings should have a break scheduled at least every 90 minutes. Short breaks of just 5 to 10 minutes will make a huge difference to the concentration levels of your team, allowing members to stretch their legs, use the bathroom and drink water. So long as you are clear when participants are expected to return to the meeting room, they will do so re-energised and better equipped to make the most of the session.
3. Use A Variety of Mediums
Not everyone in a meeting responds to the same methods. Some people prefer simply listening to a speaker, so they can make their own notes. Others prefer brainstorming on a whiteboard or receiving hand-outs, so they can focus on participation rather than writing. It is therefore essential that a long meeting doesn’t confine itself to a single method of presentation. Otherwise, there will inevitably be some participants who are less likely to get the most of the session. Also, switching up the mediums you use will add variety to the long meeting, helping to keep your team engaged and interested by offering them something new.
There are a great number of mediums that we recommend you take advantage of when running a long meeting. As mentioned, whiteboard brainstorming is a fantastic way to encourage the participation of the whole room. Likewise, easy-to-follow hand-out notes are a hugely effective method of ensuring everyone in the meeting takes away the key points and actions. Other opportunities include: screen presentations, videos, quizzes, worksheets and role-play scenarios.
4. Have A Clear Meeting Agenda In Advance
If you are clear from the beginning what a long meeting will entail, you are much more likely to get what you want out of that meeting.
Pre-agreed upon meeting agendas are important because they establish the tone of the meeting. They ensure that everyone involved understands the purpose of the meeting, what needs to be achieved and what they should take away from it. Also, they frame the conversation, helping keep topic points to their allotted time-frames and reducing the possibility of distractions or irrelevant questions derailing the conversation.
Prior to the meeting, contact the participants with your proposed agenda of the topics you want to address. If anyone has any additional topics to add, it is best that you learn this ahead of time so that you can work it into the timeline of the meeting.
5. Ensure You Have Lots of Natural Lighting
An often-overlooked but nonetheless impactful element to consider is whether the meeting space you are using is sufficiently lit. As we discussed in our previous blog post on the ways that natural lighting can improve productivity, offering lots of daylight can really help an individual’s productivity.
Natural light improves mood, concentration and even your long-term physical and mental health. This is both the case in an employee’s day-to-day working environment, but also on one-off occasions like long meetings. Hosting your meeting in a meeting room with windows will help your team stay alert and engaged for much longer, which is essential for helping everyone make the most of the day.
6. Provide Catering & Drinks
Especially if your long meeting is a recurring, compulsory event – such as a quarterly review – it is important to show your team that you value their attendance and participation. Offering them simple meetings perks, like catering and drinks, can make a significant difference to their enthusiasm. Also, there is the obvious advantage of ensuring that your participants remain hydrated, energised and alert.
7. Try Standing Meetings
Remaining seated for a long meeting is damaging to both your physical health and mental concentration. Instead, you should add an extra element of variety to the session, by encouraging users to spend some of the meeting stood up. You can approach this in a number of ways. For example, you could ask the entire team to stand up around the table; you could encourage individual members to stand at a whiteboard for a particular section; or you could even take the team for a walk to continue the meeting outside.
A 2014 study titled ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ found that teams who stood during meetings were more productive than teams who sat in chairs. Some participants also stated that they found standing meetings tended to pass more quickly, as well as finding it easier to participate.
At Us & Co, we have some specially designed bookable meeting rooms with high tables, which are perfect for standing meetings.
Us & Co offers bookable meeting rooms for both members and external bookings at our work spaces in London and Dublin*. All of our meeting rooms are high-tech, collaborative meeting spaces, equipped for video conferencing, presentations and brainstorming workshops. Click here to learn more about meeting room bookings in London Monument, and here for Dublin.
If you are interested in enquiring about our bookable meeting rooms at this St. Stephen’s Green location, or about any of our other co-working and private office services in Dublin, contact us here or on 020 3031 3535.
Research shows that providing workers with access to lots of natural light has a phenomenal impact on their productivity. In this blog, we look at the varying ways that daylight contributes to physical and mental health, efficiency, creativity and overall workplace wellbeing.
1. How Plenty Of Daylight Helps You Sleep Better At Night
Neuroscience researchers from Northwestern University in Chicago concluded that there is a strong relationship between workplace daylight exposure and a worker’s sleep quality. They found that workers in offices with windows slept an average of 46 more minutes per night. They also showed signs of much higher overall sleep quality – with more time typically spent in deep sleep – as well as being less likely to experience sleep talking, sleep walking or snoring.
The reason for this connection comes down to the impact of lighting on a human’s circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm dictates the body’s release of hormones (especially melatonin), natural sleep-wake cycle, body temperature and a whole range of other crucial bodily functions. Not receiving enough natural daylight during the working day causes major disruption to this rhythm.
2. The Impact Of Natural Light On Mental Health
Working for lengthy periods of time without daylight directly increases an individual’s risk of developing mental health issues. Depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) are all linked to disruption to the circadian rhythm. Research also shows that natural light helps people to be generally much happier, calmer and less susceptible to the impact of stress.
Mental health problems currently cost the UK economy an estimated £70-100 billion per year, thanks to loss of productivity and earnings, as well as the burden on our health service. With the average UK adult spending approximately 90% of their waking hours indoors, it is becoming more important than ever that employers prioritise staff wellbeing when selecting office space and consider natural lighting in their decision.
3. The Impact Of Natural Light On Physical Health
Another damaging side-effect of not receiving enough natural light is Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is essential for a number of core bodily functions, including regulating the immune system, maintaining body weight and ensuring healthy cognitive function. Deficiencies in the mineral have been conclusively linked to flu, asthma, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. A workplace study conducted by Cohere found that workers in offices without windows took 6.5% more sick leave each year.
Artificial light also contributes to eye problems and migraines. Dim lighting forces the eyes to work much harder in order to see, leading to eye strain and headaches. Overly harsh lighting – florescent lighting in particular – makes it more difficult to focus your vision, and is also a known trigger for eye strain and migraines.
4. How Daylight Makes Workers More Productive
It is inarguably easier for workers to learn, think creatively and be productive when they are working somewhere with lots of daylight. Research published by Eco Business showed that workplaces with sufficient daylight saw an uplift of between 5 and 40% in productivity and sales. Studies in schools have similarly shown that pupils retain information far better if regularly taught in classrooms with plenty of windows.
Playwright and Nobel Prize winner George Bernard Shaw was a strong advocate of the value of natural light for boosting his creativity and productivity. He worked for over 20 years in a specially-built writer’s hut that he designed to stand on a mechanical turntable, allowing him to move the whole studio on its axis to follow the sunlight.
5. It Saves Money
Selecting a work space with lots of natural light will ultimately save a company money. On average, 47% of the energy used in an office space is used for space conditioning – controlling the temperature and lighting. Offices that receive more daylight don’t need to spend as much on heating, air conditioning or artificial light, helping them make significant savings on their energy bills.
Cutting down on this unnecessary energy usage also reduces a company’s environmental impact, as well as providing your workers with more fresh air.
Our London Monument private office and co-working space provides our members with lots of natural light. Our meeting rooms have large windows and our top-floor club space is surrounded by panoramic views of the Thames and the London city skyline. Click here to learn more about Us & Co London.
Us & Co is very excited to announce our brand new business centre in St. Stephen’s Green in Dublin 2, which opened its doors in October 2018.
Our contemporary, professional and expertly refurbished building at 5 Schoolhouse Lane East offers both private offices and flexible co-working in an open-plan environment. At both our London Monument centre and in Dublin 2, we pride ourselves on providing our members with a five-star-service in five-star surroundings.
By way of introduction to Us & Co Dublin, this article will tell you the story behind our decision to choose Dublin as the home of our second business centre, the impact of Brexit on business in the Irish capital and why we believe the city has such strong potential.
The Dublin Growth Story
We were keen to grow the Us & Co brand in Dublin, inspired by how well the city has recovered from the problems it suffered following the financial crisis ten years ago.
The widespread economic downturn of 2008/2009 hit Ireland especially hard. It was the first state in the eurozone to officially enter recession, with the Irish Stock Exchange general index plummeting to a 14 year low and the unemployment rate rising from 6.5% to 14.8% in just the space of a year. Dublin, in particular, saw significant unrest – with hundreds of thousands of people demanding that the government to do something about the slumping economy.
Fast forward to 2018 and Dublin is a thriving city, with lots of potential for further growth. It is home to many international companies which are expanding their operations there, making use of the well-educated workforce.
In recent years, Dublin has also established itself as a desirable location for the tech sector. Among others, Google, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and Airbnb have all set up headquarters there, spawning growth in other businesses providing services to them.
With current Us & Co members coming from a wide range of sectors and businesses, including the tech industries – we realised that Dublin offers a great opportunity for us.
The Impact Of Brexit On Business In Dublin
The impact of the UK referendum result is already noticeable in the city, as – for many companies – Dublin is the best way to access the European Union. The uncertainty of Brexit has meant that many international companies – big and small – have taken the decision to set up bases in Dublin, in order to ensure they can maintain trading relationships within the EU in the medium and long-term.
It is estimated that close to 100 large banks, insurers and law firms are considering Dublin as their EU base and the last two years have seen 1,317 lawyers from England and Wales register for the Roll of Solicitors in Ireland – dubbed an influx of ‘Brexit refugees’. Small businesses, too, are being lured by the Irish city in the wake of Article 50. Back in December 2017, Croke Park stadium in Dublin hosted a dedicated workshop for small businesses around the topic of ‘practical help to navigate Brexit’, which was attended by over 400 small firms.
Companies like these most often want office space with a commitment of two to three years initially, with the opportunity to expand further down the line – which is exactly what we provide at Us & Co with our serviced offices. In fact, we are already seeing direct evidence of this, as our first two clients to take office space at 5 Schoolhouse Lane have selected the Irish capital for this very reason.
What Is The Dublin Co-Working & Private Office Market Like?
The growth of business in Dublin has had an unsurprising knock-on effect on the growth of co-working, hot desking and private office hire in the city, and this market is currently flourishing. As more and more big businesses move to the capital, so too do SMEs, start-ups and freelancers, bringing with them a demand for flexible, professional working space.
The Dublin co-working and private office market is therefore at a really exciting point right now, making the city a clear choice for the Us & Co brand.
Why St. Stephen’s Green?
St. Stephen’s Green is arguably ‘the Mayfair’ of Dublin. It is an extremely prestigious area in which to have an office, favoured by the banking and financial services industry. Many of our Dublin clients come from these sectors.
In addition, the Irish Government, Trinity College and Grafton Street, Dublin’s prime shopping street are all within five minutes’ walk – as are numerous bars and restaurants. This makes the area very attractive to employers and employees of every business and profession and we expect to attract a wide variety of clients.
What Makes Us & Co Dublin Different From The Competition?
Our priority is to offer our members a ‘pro-working’ experience – high quality service, combined with our upmarket design identity differentiates Us & Co from our competitors.
How To Enquire For Private Offices Or Co-Working At Us & Co Dublin?
5 Schoolhouse Lane East, Dublin 2 officially opens in October 2018. If you are interested in enquiring about our private offices, fixed desks, hot desks, meeting rooms or event space, please use our contact form to get in touch with the Us & Co team, or give us a call on 020 3031 3535.
If you wish to come and have a look around and see the facilities, please book a tour here.
Party season will soon be upon us and -whether you’re organising an event for your colleagues, family or friends – one of the surest ways to host a memorable occasion is to find a venue with a spectacular view. Especially in London, where the skyline changes every corner you turn around, there are some fantastic views available.
To guide you in your selection of London summer event venues with views that’ll wow your guests, we’ve put together our top recommendations (in no particular order) from across the capital…
1. Roof Terrace, Sea Containers Events
The Sea Containers building on London’s South Bank is a hugely iconic space, with its illuminated letters forming a hugely memorable part of the riverside skyline. Although the building is not normally accessible to the public, the Roof Terrace has been opened as a spectacular alfresco event venue that can cater up to 200 guests. Close to the Tate Modern, London Eye and the Southbank Centre, this exclusive space offers a fantastic view of bustling central London.
2. Shoreditch Sky Terrace
Shoreditch has a strong reputation as one of the trendiest spots in London, with a plethora of bars, restaurants and clubs. But, if you’re looking to host a summer party somewhere a bit more exclusive and away from all that, the Shoreditch Sky Terrace is an excellent option. Complete with a BBQ kitchen, comfortable seating and a cutting-edge music system, to help you keep your guests fully entertained. Like the Sea Containers Roof Terrace, this venue is ideally suited for larger groups – as it can comfortably host up to 200 guests.
3. East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf
One of the most enticing aspects of Canary Wharf is how the modern financial district and the historic dockland sit side-by-side, making it a hugely memorable location for hosting an event, especially in the summer. East Wintergarden is a luxury occasion venue, sitting at the heart of the area, nestled in between the iconic skyscrapers and right on the bank of the river – perfect for impressing your guests.
Second image © Martin Pearce
4. The Corinthian Roof Terrace, Kia Oval
This bright, open event venue is the perfect spot for a summer party with a difference, as it based at the top of the OCS Stand, overlooking the stunning Kia Oval international cricket ground, home of Surrey Cricket Club. Close to Vauxhall and Kennington, this space is considered somewhat of a hidden London gem. With views of the cricket pitch on one side and iconic London landmarks (including the London Eye) on the other, hosting your party at the Corinthian Roof Terrace is a fantastic way to enjoy the best that London has to offer.
Image © Chris Allen
5. The Century Club, Soho
Soho is home to some of the most iconic London landmarks, including the London theatre district and Piccadilly Circus, not to mention being close to Trafalgar Square and the British Museum. If you want to host your summer event in among some of the most recognisable London buildings, the Century Club could be perfect for you. Gazing out over Shaftsbury Avenue, the club’s roof terrace – with a fully retractable roof – is great for offering your guests a memorable party.
6. The Winter Garden, The Drum at Wembley
Memorable party venues are not exclusive to central London, as the spectacular Drum at Wembley proves. The Winter Garden venue offers floor to ceiling windows, through which you can see excellent views of the nearby Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena. The space has a capacity for up to 100 guests, with a professional kitchen and on-site events team.
7. The Club Space, Us & Co Monument
We are extremely proud of our very own Club Space at Us & Co Monument, where your guests can enjoy fantastic panoramic views of the London skyline. This intimate City of London venue looks out over the Thames and the Shard and is truly spectacular, especially on a clear summer’s day. With a luxury copper bar at the heart of the room, friendly serving staff and fantastic catering, the Club Space is equipped with everything you need for an event to remember. The space is also available for highly affordable events all year round, including summer or Christmas parties. For more information, including a floor plan and menu, click here.
Here at Us & Co, we get a lot of start-up companies through our door, looking for somewhere reliable to work while they find their feet as a business. We love to watch brands with only a handful of hot-desking, co-working employees thrive and grow into a flourishing company ready to take over a whole floor or private office.
It’s not hard to see why co-working is so suitable for up-and-coming, new companies. Options such as hot-desking or renting a fixed desk mean that you don’t have to put up with the financial commitment of hiring a whole office, the distraction of working from home, or the instability of moving from coffee shop to coffee shop.
So, if you are part of a start-up and are weighing up your day-to-day working options, read on to see why co-working could be the ideal step forward for you.
Co-Working Offers Flexibility
Life as a start-up can be unpredictable. Fortunately, fixed-desk or hot desk working is designed to offer you complete freedom to flex with that unpredictability, should you need to. That’s because, unlike with traditional office leases, you’re not tied into extensive contracts. You only pay for the desk space that you need, for as long as you need.
What’s more, co-working is the ideal starting point for a company looking to expand. It offers you the flexibility to begin with just a few desks and then add more and more until you’re ready to take over your own private office – helping you bridge the gap between start-up and thriving new brand.
Co-Working Opens Doors To A Wealth Of Facilities
As a start-up, you likely don’t have the funds to focus on creating high-tech meeting rooms, relaxing breakout spaces or barista-style coffee machines. Even getting hold of high-speed internet can often be difficult. But with co-working, all that is taken care of for you.
When you hire a hot desk, for example, you don’t just get access to that single desk. You get access to a variety of additional amenities, often including showers, bike racks, meeting rooms, break rooms, kitchens and even event spaces.
Offering your valued team such fantastic facilities could really help them to buy into your new brand from the get-go, and could prove crucial for employee engagement and retention.
Work In The Heart Of The City
It is hugely important when growing your brand to locate your office close to where your customers, clients or potential investors are predominately based, so that you are able to arrange meetings without the hassle and expense of cross-country travel. This often forces you to require space in central London or in other prominent hubs of business, such as Dublin, where rents are high.
Co-working is the most cost-effective way to acquire city centre desk space, particularly when you’re a small team. It makes it affordable to remain close to your contacts, as well as giving you the added perks of popular lunch spots, bars and restaurants right on your doorstep.
A Place To Impress
Fostering solid relationships is an essential component to establishing yourself as a start-up. Whether you’re looking to attract and retain talented team-members, impress potential investors or woo clients and customers, being able to meet and greet contacts somewhere professional is integral to making that all-important first impression.
Co-working spaces, such as Us & Co, are dedicated to providing all their members with an office environment that is not only enjoyable, comfortable and attractive to work in on the day-to-day, but offers them a great space to host.
Stylish and easy-to-book meeting rooms are ideal for holding meetings, conference calls or interviews – unless you’re wanting something a bit more informal, in which case co-working provides access to comfortable and spacious breakout spaces where you can chat over a coffee.
Time-Saving
Particularly as your team grows and your business climbs from strength to strength, it can become harder and harder to find time for those ‘little things’ that always just need to get done – namely cleaning and sorting out utilities.
But – with co-working – there are dedicated staff members on-hand to sort all that, so you can concentrate on running your business.
All essential utility bills are arranged and included in your membership fee, so all you have to do is plug in and get straight to work. Similarly, the cleaning team save you time on those much less desirable tasks and helps keep your working environment in order.
Co-working is work custom-made to reduce your stress and help make you as productive as possible.
Networking Opportunities
One of the most significant benefits of co-working is the opportunities it generates for making valuable business connections.
Through co-working, you will be working alongside a myriad of like-minded individuals, brands and freelancers on a day-to-day basis. Collaborative workspaces attract companies from a range of industries and service specialties, including: journalism and copywriting, website and software development, fintech, accounting and much, much more. So if you’re seeking a partner, client or collaborator, co-working offers a very good chance of finding exactly what you’re looking for within the same four walls.
Co-working spaces are also great locations for finding or even hosting networking events, based out of the work-space’s members’ club room or dedicated event venue. This offers you a great opportunity to circulate with experts in various fields and really get your start-up’s name out there.
If you are interested in learning more about how co-working could work for you, make sure you check out our Work Spaces page for further information on hot-desking and fixed-desking, as well as private offices, meeting room hire and the Club Space.
Also, download our free ebooks: The Ultimate Guide For Start-Ups In London or The Ultimate Guide For Start-Ups In Dublin.
Finally, check out this article from Travel Mag on 20 of the best coworking spaces in London, which featured our Monument work space among some other fantastic communal business centres in the capital.
Co-working spaces are becoming a popular option for many corporations to foster innovation rather than just being a workspace for freelancers and start-ups. Having this trend in mind, many co-working spaces are starting to give more and more importance to their atmosphere to respond to this changing demand. We listed the trends you need to keep an eye on if you’re looking to move to a new co-working space:
Inclusive atmosphere
As suggested by Oliver Marlow, co-founder of TILT at this year’s Business Centre Association (BCA) Annual Conference & Exhibition, co-working spaces should represent the inclusive nature of the concept. Today co-working is sought by different generations – Baby Boomers, Generation Z and Millennials. Predictably, each of these different type of communities have diverse requirements and priorities. A successful co-working space is the one that creates an inclusive atmosphere for all and that is a hub allowing them to exchange beneficial knowledge. It is extremely valuable to choose a co-working space that includes members from diverse career paths and generations to get the true benefit of co-working.
Local Identity
When it comes to choosing a new co-working space it is important to go for the one that embraces the local identity. For example, Us&Co’s central City of London Monument workspace represents the professional character of the capital’s business centre, while not falling short of the comfortable co-working ambiance. As for many things, also in co-working spaces the “one size fits all” approach isn’t proven to be extremely satisfying for the members. Once you are a member of a co-working office, you shouldn’t only be expecting to have a workspace but also to become a part of the local community. Through different in-house events and networking opportunities, a co-working space should create a base for its members to get the most of its location.
If you are interested in learning more about how to get the most out of co-working in London, particularly if you are a start-up or a SME, make sure you check out our free downloadable ebook: The Ultimate Guide For Start-Ups In London.
Flexible Space
A co-working space needs to be a catalyst rather than a container. So, the space should be shaped in a way to promote collaborations. Co-working spaces’ flexible nature also allows them to become a “contact centre” for larger organisations to reach out to smaller start-ups and work together without having to compromise their company culture. At Us & Co you can find spaces to focus on your task on your own or with your team, as well as relaxing in break-out areas located on each floor.
Tech Integrations
By far the most important element for a co-working space to have is its adaptability to the newest technology. This doesn’t just include offering high-speed Wi-Fi or cutting-edge telecom solutions – technology needs to be an integral part of the service, making the co-working membership as efficient as possible. At Us & Co, you feel this seamless integration from the moment you enter the building.
Join the Us&Co family today at either our London Monument or Dublin 2 co-working centres. Get in touch with the Us&Co team, or book a tour to look round our exciting workspaces.
The concept of co-working is taking business as we know it by storm. Its effects are not only limited to how organisations or freelancers operate but how innovation takes place: According to JLL’s latest report “A New Era of Co-working”, 42% of companies expect collaboration with entrepreneurs to accelerate disruptive innovation and 63% of companies say the main reason behind their decision to use a shared office space is the ability to collaborate.
The notion of co-working may have been pioneered by entrepreneurs, young start-ups and freelancers in search of a convenient and friendly space to do their business. However looking at the field today, we see that companies of all sizes are intrigued about this hype and starting to opt for co-working spaces across the world. This triggered the motivation behind a new co-working space in the City of London. Us & Co is suitable for entrepreneurs who are at the beginning of their career as well as corporate organisations or teams who need a professional workspace away from their normal surroundings. Situated over 8 floors in the City of London, Us & Co welcomes members from various career fields and steps, offering bright and modern co-working spaces.
Offering two types of memberships: Hot-Desks and Dedicated Desks as well as meeting rooms and rooftop event space. With the hot desk membership option, you will have the freedom to choose your spot every time you are here, make use of the complimentary coffee bar and enjoy breaks or informal meetings on the top floor – Clubspace – overlooking London riverside between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, both just moments away. You will also be eligible to book high-tech, spacious meeting rooms, just say when! Dedicated desks can provision larger teams who join Us & Co as you could get up to 50 desks on a floor. Business never stops – so you will have access 24/7, with a large desk of your own and a lockable cabinet.
Every floor has informal meeting spaces, private meeting rooms and complimentary break out areas with Mozzo coffee and many more drink options for you to choose from. Us & Co blends the flexible and modern co-working approach with the professionalism of London’s business hub, The City. Get in touch now, if you want to experience Us & Co first hand with a free day pass!
Whether you are a new entrepreneur or have launched your exciting company a few years ago, getting recommendations and inspirations via books is always quite beneficial. Here we listed our top 5 picks of entrepreneurship books which you must read this summer – trust us, they’re good.
1. The Myth of the Strong Leader, Archie Brown
When Bill Gates strongly recommends a book, you know you have to read it. Even though this leadership best seller has a political tone, it is indeed very applicable to business. The main theme of the book is “strong leaders” (as most of us would define) being eventually bad for a country (or a business) as they create bigger problems while trying to solve immediate ones. According to Brown, qualities such as integrity, articulateness and empathy are more essential in a leader than plain perception of “strength”.
2. The Psychology of Selling, Brian Tracy
You might have launched an awesome new product but if you don’t know how to sell it, its bound to be a failure. In his book “ThePsychology of Selling”, Tracy explains different selling strategies which have one common denominator– the person. At the early stages of entrepreneurship it is normal to be in a fully result (and money) driven mindset however this leads many to forget the essential human factor in sales. This book is a great guide for any entrepreneur who needs that little help to get successful returns.
3. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t, Jim Collins
Collins and his team of researchers analysed over 1,400 organisations, to find the best of the best and settled on 11 business giants including Wells Fargo, Gillette and Walgreens. In this book, he explains what is that “thing” some companies have that makes them go from good to great. If you’re looking for an inspiration for your new venture, definitely give this one a read.
4. The Innovator’s Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book That Will Change the Way You Do Business, Clayton M. Christensen
Written by a Harvard Business School professor Clayton M. Christensen, this book tries to find an answer to the question “I’ve done everything by the book, played by the rules. Why is my company not managing to be successful?” Full of great practical advice and case studies, The Innovator’s Dilemma is going to be your go-to book whenever in need.
5. Creativity, Inc., Ed Catmull
You’re not yet an entrepreneur but you want to be one? Do you need to find some motivation to turn your idea into reality? Creativity, Inc. tells the story of Pixar – how it came to where it is today from the very beginning. From power struggles and failed risks to positive exposure and credibility, this book is going to be the best friend of an entrepreneur looking to start a creative business. Also, it is one of the favourite books of Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg!
Inspiration and motivation can come from anywhere and anytime, but these books would definitely give the right start. At Us & Co, the newest co-working space in the City of London, we are home to entrepreneurs from various sectors, as well as small and large corporate teams. Whether you are at the beginning of your career or have years of experience, we are here to provide the best environment and community for you to take your business to next level. If you want to see it for yourself, why not book a free week pass? Its exclusive for July and August only, so hurry up!
5 habits you need to start right now to supercharge your weekIt’s a Monday morning, you’re tired and at a loss as to how you’re going to accomplish all that you have planned for the week. Well now’s the time to stop, take a moment and check out our handy five habits that will help supercharge your week ahead (and all the weeks following).
Forward planning
When you’re an entrepreneur you can’t play things by ear, which means you need a plan to know what you’re doing and when. Plus, it’s always easier to complete tasks when you’ve planned for them and know when you’re set to complete them. It’ll also save you time in the morning as you’ll already know, straight away, what you need to do that day. If you can, write your to-do list the night before; that way you know exactly what you’re doing as soon as you get to the office the following morning, freeing up more time to get started on your tasks.
Get up early
The early bird really does catch the worm! Your brain is at its most optimum in the morning; giving you more focus and brain power to accomplish your tasks for the day. You will also find that it’s a lot calmer in the morning, meaning you’ll be able to work on tasks undisturbed. Not only should you be getting up early, you should also have a morning routine established (link to morning routine). This will signal to your brain that it’s time to work, making mornings a little easier for you if you’re still not ‘a morning person’.
Learn/practise mindfulness
Whilst mindfulness may feel like a fad that is currently making the rounds, it’s been proven to provide incredible benefits on your mind and in turn your work; making it something that is here to stay. By mastering mindfulness and making it a habit, you’ll find that you’re calmer, focused and more attentive in every aspect of your life.
Set a weekly goal
Everyone enjoys the rush that’s felt after accomplishing a goal, so set yourself a new goal each week for something you’d like to achieve. This could be anything, both outside of work, such as completing a 5K, or inside of work such as finalising a big contract you’ve been working on for weeks. Change your goals each week, and make sure they’re attainable whilst still allowing you to push yourself.
Exercise
Exercise is not only good for the body; it’s good for the mind. It can help increase brain power and productivity. If you’ve always wanted to exercise regularly, studies show making it a part of your morning routine helps aid consistency, and people that work out in the morning are more likely to stick to their workout routines and fitness goals. If that’s not enough, the endorphins will put you in a great mood for whatever the day has to throw at you, so why not give it a go?