Read this article on Destiny Man here, on how “The founder and owner of Business Exchange, David Seinker, left his corporate job to start his own enterprise helping entrepreneurs connect with investors.”
23 Aug 2018 – The popularity of shared workspaces is increasing as younger professionals enter the workforce in search of a company where they can align their personal values in a positive environment.
Leaders of every size of company, from small businesses to large corporates, need to understand how a great company culture can become one of its strongest assets, improve collaboration and foster communities, especially within coworking workspaces.
The Business Exchange, a provider of cost-effective private and co-working office space in Gauteng, understands this principle very well and has successfully assisted its tenants to create their own unique corporate culture through a range of services and activities on offer. This cultural difference is clearly seen in each of their business centres.
The company’s CEO, David Seinker says that their business is not just about providing flexible office workspace to companies.
“We value our tenants as individuals and take a personal interest in seeing their companies succeed. Our staff are trained to provide a competitively high level of service and, as a business centre offering flexible workspace, we provide the resources and opportunities for our tenants to grow and the space in which to create their own corporate culture.”
Culture provides a purpose and connects management and staff with a shared set of beliefs. A healthy and vibrant company culture ensures that employees are valued, regardless of their position.
If building a workspace culture isn’t a priority for you, it should be.
Increase Productivity – and Your Bottom Line!
Creating a stimulating culture that you can all be proud of produces loyalty amongst your employees, which means that they will probably enjoy coming to work, resulting in less sick leave taken. By taking pride in their work, they will become more productive – which is great for your business targets.
Culture Creates Innovation in Your Workspace
A positive company culture can contribute greatly towards your business’s success by allowing employees to perform at their best. This is done by promoting your company values and designing your company policies around these values, which in turn have a positive impact on your employees’ attitudes. Ultimately this is reflected in the high quality of innovative work generated by them
Promote Cohesion in Your Shared Workspace and Increase Loyalty
A great company culture is a platform for your guiding principles and also an extension of your company’s personality – which both your employees and clients will see. It will create collaboration not only between your own employees, but also between yourself and your clients, as well as other companies occupying the same shared workspace as you.
Attract and Retain Valuable Talent
It goes without saying that the right set of skills and experience is important. However, by creating a unique culture, your company will be able to both attract talented candidates and keep them in your company.
Employees want to feel that they belong and that they are valued. An effective company culture can be the foundation of a successful, niche community in your workspace!
June 2018 – Although it may be very tempting to rent traditional office space soon after you launch your business, it can be very risky when your business is still starting up since it adds pressure to your monthly expenses.
“As much as one wants to warn against moving into offices too soon, it’s also understandable why a lot of businesses decide to do so. They want a Receptionist who can answer the phone, they want a nice boardroom where they can meet with clients — it all adds to the level of professionalism a new company can offer,” says David Seinker, founder of The Business Exchange.
Seinker believes that a flexible working environment should easily allow start-up businesses to move from cost-effective virtual offices to shared offices or co-working spaces. Once they are more firmly established, a private office should then also be an option, without the aggravation of stringent leases and lengthy documentation to be completed again.
In line with global demands, workplace specialists, such as The Business Exchange, who offers flexible office space solutions providing private, virtual and shared office spaces, have also experienced an increased uptake of these spaces since 2017 as more people realise that co-working is not just for sole-entrepreneurs or millennials.
Many companies are acknowledging the impact that a diverse working environment can have on their growth, and larger businesses are increasingly making use of co-working spaces to lower their property costs, improve recruitment efforts and increase employee satisfaction.
Another trend coming through into the flexible office space environment is an emphasis on health. “We have added fully-equipped gyms with showers to some of our business centres and are currently offering Pilates classes to our tenants in an effort to reduce working isolation, increase community spirit and improve mental health,” says Seinker.
Technology is also an added benefit when businesses share office space. The rate at which technology is advancing with regards to connecting marketing efforts, security, meeting room bookings, environmental monitoring and other daily business elements, sometimes makes it impossible for a smaller business to keep up with or even to afford the technology. Sharing flexible offices space reduces these costs, yet still allows the benefits to be experienced.
“Each one of our business centres has its own personality,” says Seinker. “They are unlike because of the dynamics of the different people at each centre and the exchange of values between the various companies, which emphasises the important role that our tenant community plays. This dynamic also allows for a platform for business networking.”
The flexibility provided by shared office spaces means that a virtual or co-working tenant who only pops into the business centre for a few days a month may eventually become a long-term tenant after experiencing the tangible benefits that this flexibility offers.
To find out more about how flexible office spaces can benefit your business, contact officespace@thebusinessexchange.co.za.
Feb 2018 – We recently sat down with Marjorie Ndesi, General Manager of The Business Exchange, a provider of fully-serviced office space in Sandton, Morningside and Rosebank, to understand a little more about herself and her role in The Business Exchange.
Marjorie, can you please tell the readers a little more about your first job and how you acquired it?
My first job was at Prosper Communications, a telecommunications company that worked closely with Cell C and Vodacom. I was employed by them in 2006, a year after completing my course in Business Management, initially as a Receptionist/Office Administrator and promoted in 2008 to the position of Personal Assistant to the CEO. During 2009 I was further promoted to the position of Office Manager.
When did you feel that you first achieved success in your career?
Firstly, I’d like to explain that to me, success means personal fulfilment. I would say that I first achieved success when I realized that I was happy with the direction that my career had taken and I was content with what I was doing in my daily work routine. I also now have the confidence to know that nothing limits me from exploring my strengths and sharing the knowledge which I’ve gained over the years with other individuals. In fact, I find it incredibly enriching to do this.
What was your biggest mistake or regret that other entrepreneurs can learn from?
I would say that I initially made the mistake of doubting my capabilities and strengths, which is something most of us tend to do at some stage. However, having an inspirational boss like David Seinker, our CEO, has shown me that there are no limits to your capabilities when you surround yourself with competent people who believe in you. I don’t have any regrets because I know that I am on a journey and one will always face challenges during a journey. What is important, however, is what actions you take when faced with these challenges to prevent any regrets.
What is the most important advice that you can give to young entrepreneurs?
Integrity is everything. Doing what you say you will do really goes a long way and earns you credibility.
How and when did you first become interested in working in the serviced office space industry?
Honestly, when I first started working for TBE in 2015, I was not necessarily interested in the type of industry but more about the growth and the experience that I would gain. However, my interest in this work model grew as I began to better understand what TBE was all about. The realisation that I was employed by a company that has redefined serviced office space, brought me a sense of fulfilment as I began to understand that, not only would I gain the experience which I desired, but that I would also be exposed to some excellent mentors during our networking sessions and gain an opportunity to learn about different industries from our diverse mixture of tenants. In the process I would also be able to enjoy and gain a better insight into the serviced office space industry.
The serviced office space must present many daily challenges. What would you say is one of your greatest challenges here?
I would say that a regular challenge is housing such a variety of entrepreneurs with so many different requirements under one umbrella. Each entrepreneur has different principles and expectations. Yet, they all require a unique service from us that not only speaks to their brand, but also represents their clientele. It has been a very interesting path and I must say that I am still in the process of mastering this. One of the Business Exchange’s main principles is to ensure that we build a professional relationship with each one of our tenants in order to better understand their needs and this is a priority for me.
To what do you attribute your success so far?
Determination on my part, as well as encouragement from various mentors in my life.
The office space industry is quite competitive. How do you retain your high-quality, key staff?
I believe that one can retain key staff through motivation and appreciation. Employees really love to know that their efforts are being recognized and simple words like “well done” can really go a long way. Each of our employees needs to identify with all our values so that they can truly carry them across to our Tenants and I believe that this speaks a lot about the type of person whom we hire.
We discussed that the office space industry is very competitive. What benefits does TBE have over its competitors?
That is a very good question and I would firstly like to make mention of our Values to bring more clarity to this question. We are driven by four main values; Creativity, Drive, Professionalism and Collaboration.
In one of your earlier questions, I mentioned that TBE has redefined the serviced office space industry. This has been done through these four values which I have just mentioned, and to which all our staff believe in and portray.
These four values are our foundation; we live, we act and we know that everything we do at TBE has to be aligned with these values. Having these as a foundation provides us with an opportunity to understand that the entrepreneurs whom we house, not only face their own set of challenges but also have a need to grow and develop themselves. We use our creativity and drive to constantly come up with and implement unique ideas that allow our tenants to collaborate and grow their businesses.
Through our professional and personal approach, TBE has successfully organised several monthly business events that give our tenants an opportunity to network with each other and to learn more about business. We also afford our tenants an opportunity to meet Angel Investors when they are ready, and it is here where they are given a chance to pitch directly to these investors for business funding.
On a much lighter note, we understand that everyone needs a good start to their week and so we bolster our tenants by providing them with a free barista-served coffee between 8 am to 10 am on weekdays. TBE also has onsite gyms at some of its properties, and these are freely available to our tenants and accessible 24/7.
What has the reaction been to the TBE office space model as it has grown?
I would say that the reaction has been very positive and I believe that this can be attributed to that fact that not only have we managed to grow our business centres, but we have also been given opportunities to house start-up and mature companies, as well as some international brands.
What type of tenants looking for office space does TBE attract?
As I mentioned, we attract start-ups as well as mature companies and international clients. However, our types of tenants vary greatly encompassing anything from Financial Advisors and Wealth Managers to people from industries such as IT, Recruitment, Airlines, Attorneys as well as Media and Marketing companies.
What is TBE’s long-term office space goal?
Retainment of our clients is our main priority and we aim at building genuine, professional business relationships with each of them to attain this goal.
In your opinion, who is the most influential South African business leader and why?
(Laughing) Only one? If it were not that this would be seen as biased, I would have said David Seinker, our CEO and I mean this honestly. He has been a great inspiration to me and helped me to grow from strength to strength.
However, for the purposes of this interview, I would say Patrick Motsepe. He is extremely influential and worked so hard for his wealth – yet in 2013, gave half of it away to charitable causes. I am big on charity and I love lending a hand whenever anything speaks of giving. It really touches me personally because of my own past experiences.
August 2017 – If you or your employees are frequently travelling between Cape Town and Johannesburg or between Durban and Johannesburg, it may be time to review other options – such as setting up a satellite office in Johannesburg.
Renting a satellite office in Johannesburg will not only help your business grow by expanding its reach, but will also prove to be incredibly effective at keeping costs low and productivity high. One of your company’s first cost reductions will be in flight and other travel expenses, usually incurred in the journey from Cape Town or Durban to Johannesburg.
In addition, Johannesburg is a great location for growing sales and penetrating new markets with a stronger and more permanent market presence.
The Business Exchange has fully-serviced and fully-furnished office space to rent on affordable and flexible lease contracts in Gauteng. Their offices are conveniently situated close to all major transport hubs in the upmarket areas of Sandton, Morningside and Rosebank, with plans to expand to many other areas across South Africa.
Benefits of Setting Up a Satellite Office in Johannesburg
There are numerous benefits to setting up a satellite office in a business centre such as The Business Exchange in Gauteng, and these include;
Other benefits offered by The Business Exchange, when renting one of their offices in Sandton, Morningside or Rosebank, are;
Flexible Office Space
One of the major benefits offered by The Business Exchange to companies wanting to establish a satellite office near Johannesburg, are the easily scalable office spaces. Office spaces at any one of The Business Exchange business centres accommodate a variety of business needs, whether your company requires private or shared offices for one or multiple employees. In addition, should your organisation need to quickly up or downscale its satellite office space at The Business Exchange, the process is quick and simple as your company is not tied into lengthy, inflexible office leases.
Free Access to Business Networking Events
The Business Exchange regards themselves more than just a landlord and firmly believes in assisting its tenants to build their businesses, wherever possible. This includes hosting regular business networking functions and events to which tenants of The Business Exchange are invited, free of charge.
The professional Business Managers, at each of the business centres in Sandton, Morningside and Rosebank, are always ready to assist with ad-hoc business requests and their friendly receptionists welcome guests to their beautiful workspaces, which have been professionally designed and furnished with internationally-curated works of art.
The Business Exchange is also more than just a business centre. It is a place where companies and employees flourish in an innovative and stimulating business environment.
For more information about any of our business centres, please email us at: officespace@thebusinessexchange.co.za
Contact us to setup a meeting with one of our office managers, view our offices and to secure your office space at The Business Exchange.
August 2017 – If you are currently looking for office space, you may have come across the term “fully-serviced office space” and be wondering exactly what this entails. As tenants of our fully-serviced offices in Sandton, Morningside and Rosebank are aware, our serviced office space offers them a flexible all-inclusive rent, where they simply need to bring along their own laptop and stationery. This cost-effective approach means that our tenants are immediately operational from the moment they first step into their rented office space.
The Business Exchange fully understands which business services are most important to our and these include;
Full access to office space 24/7
We understand that your business hours may differ from the usual 8am to 5pm. We therefore offer all our tenants secure access to their rented offices 24 hours a day.
Office space furniture and fittings
At The Business Exchange, our beautifully designed workspaces are already fitted with desks and chairs. Each TBE building is home to internationally curated artwork, which provides an imaginative backdrop for new ideas and innovation to flourish.
Personalised reception services
Our professional receptionists and on-site Business Managers ensure that your clients are greeted on arrival, your calls are answered in your business name and redirected. They also ensure that your daily business administration requirements in the office are met.
High-speed fibre optic internet connection in all our office spaces
Our dedicated, high-speed, fibre optic network in each building, allows you to stay connected when working from your rented office space.
Centralised business hub
The Business Exchange helps you to reduce your start-up costs by providing a full business hub with printing, copying, scanning and faxing facilities. In addition, our on-site Business Manager will assist you to arrange couriers, caterers and any other business services which you may require during your tenancy with us.
Scalable office spaces
Whether you require a private office for yourself or your team, The Business Exchange has workspaces to meet your needs. Besides our private offices, we also offer shared office spaces or co-working spaces. Our vibrant community of tenants can quickly up or down scale their office requirements as and when needed, since they are not locked into lengthy, inflexible office rental contracts.
Fully-equipped meeting and training rooms for rent
Should you need to rent meeting room space for an hour, half a day or a full day, our meeting rooms are equipped with the latest audio-visual equipment to ensure that your meeting or training session is a success.
Events space
In addition to our modern meeting rooms, The Business Exchange offers all our office space tenants a dedicated events space for their exhibitions, seminars, launches, etc.
Free access to networking events
As an office space provider of choice, The Business Exchange understands the importance of building and maintaining business networks. We therefore arrange regular, free networking events for all our office space tenants to attend.
Office cleaning and maintenance
Leave the mundane cleaning and building maintenance to us, while you get on with the important business of the day. All cleaning and building maintenance is included in our fully-serviced office space rental agreements.
Barista-served coffee
The Business Exchange prides itself in offering some of the best barista-served coffee in Johannesburg. Our office spaces are regularly filled with the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee – just the way you like it.
On-site restaurants
Take a break from your busy day or meet clients for a casual lunch at our on-site restaurant, where fresh daily specials will tempt your taste buds.
Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the most professional-looking, fully-serviced offices situated in several prestigious central business districts around Johannesburg.
For more offerings and advice, please contact one of our Business Managers today.
Contact us to setup a meeting with one of our office managers, view our offices and to secure your office space at The Business Exchange.
11 July 2017
On your next business trip to Gauteng, consider renting professional office space in Sandton for the duration of your visit, to host important supplier negotiations, client conversations, training, events or seminars in an elegant office space setting.
The Business Exchange has three business centres, conveniently located in prime locations in and around the prestigious Sandton area, which cater for the specific needs of travelling business people by providing them with shared or private office space, fully-equipped meeting rooms and professional on-site business services – all administered by an efficient and dedicated Business Manager.
If you are a business executive who appreciates the finer things in life, you will equally appreciate our spacious business centres with tastefully furnished and beautifully designed office spaces, filled with inspiring works of art to impress your clients, suppliers and other strategic partners.
Uninterrupted Office Space Functionality
The Business Exchange ensures that, even though you may be travelling far from your own office, you will always be provided with the office space and functionality needed to enable you to maximise your productivity and efficiency.
Office Space to Rent on a Short Term
Our rentable office spaces are cost-effective and available by the day, week or more if required. In addition to our office space rentals, we also have very popular onsite coffee shops and restaurants for more informal meetings as well as our own private whisky bar for those special conversations or confidential business meetings.
Rent a Conference Room for Your Next Workshop
We rent meeting rooms, boardrooms, training rooms and event spaces for seminars, workshops, conferences, product launches and any other business event that you may wish to host while you are on your business trip. Our dedicated, on-site Business Managers add their personal touch by always ensuring that everything runs smoothly on your big day and that you can concentrate on your primary task at hand.
Spontaneous Collaboration Leads to New Business Opportunities
An interesting consequence of renting short-term office space in a co-working environment is that it is ideal for networking and uncovering new business opportunities. If you are constantly travelling for business to Gauteng, consider renting professional, short-term meeting or office space from The Business Exchange.
Contact officespace@thebusinessexchange.co.za and let’s develop some great ideas for your next business trip to Gauteng.
Contact us to setup a meeting with one of our office managers, view our offices and to secure your office space at The Business Exchange.
June 2017 – Independent business consultants, freelancers and entrepreneurs all require office space or more formal meeting areas than a simple coffee shop, at some stage during the month.
The new office space membership scheme offered by The Business Exchange business centres now makes it easier than ever for entrepreneurs to secure affordable, trendy office space and meeting rooms in prestigious locations around Gauteng.
In addition, corporates can take advantage of this new TBE membership scheme to facilitate arrangements for meeting areas and office space for their employees who travel around the country.
Each of the business centres offer high-speed fibre optic internet connectivity, secure biometric access, on-site Business Managers, regular networking events, restaurants and delicious barista-served coffee to make your day at the office just that much more enjoyable. Global reports are filled with articles about how working in an entrepreneurial eco-system is leading to happier and more productive staff!
The Business Exchange’s open plan and private office spaces offer professionals a stylish place to collaborate with other like-minded entrepreneurs. The fully-serviced, plug-and-go business centres, with their professionally-designed interiors are complemented by a serious art collection curated by Kim Lieberman – to provide both inspiration and energy to tenants who take up office space within its walls.
Entrepreneurs who are considering this successful business centre from which to operate, have two packages to choose from, depending on their needs. Both packages include;
The two memberships on offer are the Platinum and Black Membership.
Platinum Office Space Membership
This membership is available at R500 per person per month and includes; access to co-working office space areas at any of TBE business centres for 2 days per month as well as 2 hours of video conferencing / boardroom usage per month.
Black Office Space Membership
This membership is available at R800 per person per month and includes; access to co-working office space areas at any of TBE business centres for 4 days per month as well as 4 hours of video conferencing / boardroom usage per month.
These two packages offered by the business centre allow you access to professional office space as well as to an energetic business community at a fraction of the cost of a long-term lease.
By signing up for an office space membership with any of our TBE business centres, all business professionals and entrepreneurs will have access to the exact infrastructure needed to create the right connections and momentum to take your business to the next level, whether you need permanent office space on a long-term basis or for just a few hours a month.
Contact us today at officespace@thebusinessexchange.co.za for further details.
Contact us to setup a meeting with one of our office managers, view our offices and to secure your office space at The Business Exchange.
Using the services of a prominently located business centre is becoming a popular way of reducing company’s overheads in today’s competitive business environment and gaining prestigious office space.
As many entrepreneurs know, it is not always possible for start-ups and small businesses to initially set up a permanent office, especially in a prominent CBD. Investing in real estate or being tied into long-term office lease agreements has been the downfall of many a young company.
What is a Business Centre?
A business centre is a professionally-managed suite of fully-serviced offices, which include some facilities offering the required business infrastructure to tenants, usually on a short to medium-term, flexible lease.
This flexibility extends to the office and workstation layouts as well as the availability of various types of meeting, training or events areas.
What Type Of Office Layout Does A Business Centre Offer?
A state-of-the-art business centre should offer a variety of office space layouts which include both private and co-working space.
While private office space is important, co-working space allows tenants to build networks and become more creative. Virtual office space, another office space solution, offers entrepreneurs a professional business address, including all the relevant office services, but without a physical office space and the associated costs.
A business centre with foresight will also supply the following;
• Professional reception staff with a PABX and call-directing function.
• Uncapped fibre optic internet and full communications infrastructure, including video conferencing.
• Technical support
• Full documentation centre for copying, faxing, scanning, etc.
• On-site break-away lounges, restaurants and coffee bars.
• Complete facilities management.
Important Considerations When Selecting a Business Centre
In summary, there are four primary factors that you may need to take into account when choosing the right business centre to meet your company’s needs
Business Centre Location – it is important that the business centre is located in an easily accessible and preferably prime location, close to all business and entertainment hubs.
Office Space Layout – the offices that you choose to lease in the business centre should be modern, well-kept and fully-equipped so that your employees are comfortable and your guests are impressed. Always ask for a site inspection before you sign a lease so that you can see exactly what business infrastructure and services are on offer for you to use.
Meeting Rooms – business centres should offer various configurations of meeting room space for meetings, training sessions, workshops, seminars and promotional events which your company may need to hold from time to time.
Flexible Lease Agreements – your Landlord should understand that business needs change and that your company needs to adjust its growth accordingly, sometimes at short notice. Your business centre lease needs to be versatile enough to accommodate these changing needs – without incurring penalties!
The Business Exchange Business Centre with Offices in Sandton, Morningside and Rosebank
The Business Exchange offers upmarket business centres in all three of these prestigious CBD’s.
They offer extremely flexible leases from one month and upwards which include;
Our stylish, fully furnished, air-conditioned offices at our business centres with full Wi-Fi and refreshments stations are ready for your next move to success.
Visit us at The Business Exchange or email us for a viewing.
Contact us to setup a meeting with one of our office managers, view our offices and to secure your office space at The Business Exchange.
February 2017 – When searching for office space to rent, have you ever considered using your rented workspace as a strategic tool? Rather than it being just an attractive building for your clients to visit or a place where your employees drag themselves to work every day, your rented office space can help you to improve your bottom line.
How Can Rented Office Space Improve My Company’s Bottom Line?
The basic concept of improving your bottom line by renting your office space is very simple. You need to ensure that your staff are happy! Happy staff are more productive and creative, which impacts positively on their total work output. They are also generally healthier and look forward to coming to work, reducing staff absenteeism and employee turnover in the long term.
How Can I Improve My Employees’ Happiness In The Office?
Employees should be encouraged to communicate, brainstorm and network with each other in a comfortable and flexible workspace environment. This can be done in various ways if you choose the right office space to rent.
Flexible Employee Seating Options
By allowing employees to choose where they would like to work in the workplace, you can ensure an increase in daily face-to-face interactions between staff. This will ultimately have a positive impact on team-work, as well as improving interaction and communication between different departments. These type of encounters, where employees are allowed to sit and work together in an open workspace, will inevitably prove fruitful by creating a stimulating social environment.
Combination of Office Space Layouts
Employees may enjoy working in open workspaces, but if they need to concentrate, a private office is probably more suitable. Well thought-out office space for rent should provide a combination of open-plan offices and meeting space as well as private offices and meeting rooms.
Break Away In the Office
Lounges, canteens, coffee-bars and on-site restaurants are all valuable tools that can be used to encourage employees to take well-deserved breaks and informally network with colleagues. Many client issues have been highlighted and resolved over a quick cup of coffee or an unplanned lunch break, as barriers to effective communication are removed. Consider buildings such as these when you are looking for office space to rent.
Office Lighting & Temperature
Adequate amounts of light and an ambient temperature are highly conducive to efficiencies and outputs at work. Employees should be able to adjust both to feel comfortable, yet alert, with an adequate air supply and great lighting from both day and artificial light sources.
Office Décor
It goes without saying that the entrance to your offices and the reception area should always make a good first impression. Ensure that the d écor is attractive and in good repair when considering office space to rent. If office furniture is included in your contract, check that it not only looks good but is also ergonomic enough for your employees to comfortably use.
Flexible Workspace
An experienced landlord should allow you the flexibility to adjust your office size, without penalising you, as your company needs change. This will also ensure that your employees aren’t squashed into a tiny corner of cramped office space – or left wondering if they are the only person left in the building!
Rent Office Space in a Prime Business Location
Location is everything when considering the best type of office space to rent. Although upmarket CBD’s may seem an expensive option, there are landlords, such as The Business Exchange, who offer attractive, cost-effective office space in prestigious areas.
The Business Exchange, being more than just a provider of rented office space, has had the foresight to plan their rented office space for the comfort of office workers, and offers many other benefits for increasing both business networking and social interactions.
Contact The Business Exchange or visit www.thebusinessexchange.co.za to find out about the many innovative ways in which The Business Exchange assists their tenants to increase their business footprint and ensure their employees’ happiness.
Contact us to setup a meeting with one of our office managers, view our offices and to secure your office space at The Business Exchange.
