"Get out of your home office," Johnson's friend told him.
So he moved into an office business center operated by Atlanta-based EBC Office Centers. Johnson leased a 210-sq.-ft. office in a Class A building in Lake Mary for which he pays $1,235 per month in rent. And his business nearly doubled.
Office business centers -- also known as executive suites -- are shared office facilities that come furnished, staffed and equipped. There are 4,000 such facilities in North America that offer 150- to 250-sq.-ft. offices from $500 to $2,500 per month, depending on location.
Need an office quickly? No problem. An executive suite operator can get you up and running in a fully equipped office within 24 hours. You'll have a receptionist to greet your clients and answer your phone, access to conference rooms, and services such as printing, copying, scanning, mailing, faxing and typing available on an as-needed basis at an additional cost.
Advantages
Typical business center users range from home-based entrepreneurs and startups to multinational corporations that set up sales and branch offices without the obligation of a long-term lease. About 40% of EBC's business comes from small businesses, according to Tom Dye, the company's chief executive.
Executive suites have two big advantages. The first is flexibility. Although the typical lease term is 12 months, other terms can be arranged. Plus, most operators will allow you to add space as needed.
The second advantage is cost savings; entrepreneurs can establish an office without a large capital outlay for furnishings or staff. Most suites include furniture, although probably not new or top-of-the-line; if necessary, the operator will outfit the office with computers and phones as well, at an additional cost.
Still, despite their advantages, executive suites are not for everyone.
Mari B. Adam, a financial planner in Boca Raton, looked into executive suites before she rented conventional office space but found it didn't fit her needs. "The space I was looking at was 8-by-8, without a window, and it was running $800 a month," she says. "I thought that was a lot of money to spend just to get someone to answer my phone and give me an unattractive office."
Still, suites offer home-based workers a first step out the door. Says commercial broker Charles Barton: "The last thing you want is to build a nice home office and then find out it doesn't work because you need to add people or the neighbor has a dog that barks. I think the executive suite concept has a growing place in the work environment."
Executive Suite Facilities: What to Consider
Location: As with all types of real estate, location is the most important factor to consider. Do you want to be in the city or the suburbs? Do you need a new Class A building with lots of amenities or an older, more laid-back property? It all depends on the clients you see and the image you want to project.
Amenities: Every office business center has different amenities; make sure the one you're considering has what you need, whether it's secretarial services or video-conferencing capability. Check the cost of the amenities; costs vary widely.
Lease term: Leases are typically for one year, but the term is subject to negotiation. Make sure your lease allows for renewal at a pre-negotiated price.
Size: Can you adjust the size of your space in the middle of the lease if your firm grows?
Reciprocity: Some of the larger suite operators allow you the use of facilities in another area if you travel.
Stability of master tenant: Make sure the executive suite operator is financially sound so you don't take the risk of losing your space.
A Delicate Balance
Making little changes can help you achieve a more balanced life.
By Robyn A. Friedman
In a typical week, Cary Glickstein used to work from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and then put in a full day on Saturday. He rarely saw his three children, and when he did, he felt guilty that he wasn't spending more time with them.
Now, Glickstein, president of Delray Beach-based Ironwood Properties, feeds his kids breakfast and handles carpool duty, arriving at the office at about 8:30. He gets home for dinner. He says he's getting about the same amount of work done. How? By delegating and working smarter.
"It's just better all around -- for my marriage, for the kids and for me," says Glickstein. "I don't feel guilty about not fulfilling paternal and husband responsibilities."
Work/family balance is a huge issue in the corporate world today. Employees are pressing employers for more flexibility. Studies have shown that family-friendly programs in the workplace reduce employee absenteeism and turnover and increase productivity. But how do you achieve work/family balance when you're the boss?
Ernie Broennle has faced this challenge. Broennle, vice president of Mail Unlimited, a direct mail firm in Orlando, works 12-hour days. He's married and has two children under age 3.
"It's been rough on my wife," Broennle says. "The hard part for me is working 12 hours and then turning off the switch when I pull in the driveway. That's when I get in trouble."
Broennle has made a determined effort to focus only on family when he walks in the door. Still, he finds it difficult to transition from work to home. He's made little changes like listening to music rather than news on the drive home and finds that helps him unwind.
"Americans have this idea that there's some intrinsic value in work," says Bob Losyk, president of Davie-based Innovative Training Solutions and author of "Managing a Changing Workforce." "You have to learn to work smarter, not longer."
Losyk suggests that business executives first reprioritize their lives, making a commitment to balance work and family, then learn to delegate.
Tips for balancing your life
Leave work at the office
Stop at the gym on the way home or do some meditation. Clear your mind so you can focus on your family. And once you're home, don't make business phone calls or check office e-mail.
Schedule family time
"How many people make a to-do list that includes spending time with the family?" Davie author Bob Losyk asks. "Don't devalue the importance of time with your family. If you've got a good marriage, time with family can re-energize and recharge you."
Improve organizational skills
As you become more organized -- at work and at home -- you'll actually find that you have more time in the day.
Work wisely at home
Avis Russ, the Miami-based author of "Balance for Busy People: Managing Your Health, Money, Time, Space and Relationships," works in the morning before her daughter gets up and again at night when she's doing her homework. "She sees my work as being homework, so that helps," she says.
Improve communication
Let your family know when you're experiencing a lot of stress on the job. That way, they can take some of the burden off you at home when necessary.
Make the commitment
Without that commitment, you'll never succeed. The payoff? "Balance reduces stress and prevents burnout, divorce, disease and premature death," says Losyk. "I've worked my whole life to have a balanced life, and it's a lot healthier."