I have had eight different meetings, with five different partners/clients, over the past two weeks at three different Panera Bread locations.
It was convenient. Nobody had an office to meet in. There was always a table available and fresh coffee or iced tea waiting for us.
But what is going on here?
Nobody has an office to meet in. But there are plenty of meetings looking for a place to happen. Where are the paneled conference rooms with long conference tables, more leather padded chairs than necessary, and an advanced A/V system that no one seem to know how to operate? Are we seeing a significant shift in the ways of business?
I think so.
I had an interesting e-conversation (it was through email, like so many are these days) a short while ago with a very smart local marketing friend. (Okay, Matt Tilliotson, you deserve a shout-out.) We were talking about the effects of the great recession and how so many companies who slashed their fixed costs have learned to depend upon out-sourced marketing, human resources and IT services. Matt made no bones about it. He thinks things have changed for good.
And I think he's right.
So I am meeting with highly experienced, senior-level executives who have left behind the traditional, the safe positions. I'm meeting with smart people who saw their best option as being to start something new, something of their own, something that benefits from the lessons of the past and embraces the promise of the future. And they are busy!
They work out of their kitchens or dens. So we meet at Panera's.
I'm told there is another group that likes to meet at Starbucks. I haven't cracked into that group yet.
I have read several articles that discuss the business landscape of the future. There is a lot of pessimism about the large corporation. There are too many freelancers available in too many business disciplines that eliminate the commitment and expense of full-time employees. I think the future will see smaller companies which depend upon the services of an ever-increasing number of small businesses, entrepreneurs and freelance talent to get everything done.
The question is whether or not there will be greater value and opportunity in this new business world. That's hard to say right now. Let's meet at Panera's and discuss it....
It was convenient. Nobody had an office to meet in. There was always a table available and fresh coffee or iced tea waiting for us.
But what is going on here?
Nobody has an office to meet in. But there are plenty of meetings looking for a place to happen. Where are the paneled conference rooms with long conference tables, more leather padded chairs than necessary, and an advanced A/V system that no one seem to know how to operate? Are we seeing a significant shift in the ways of business?
I think so.
I had an interesting e-conversation (it was through email, like so many are these days) a short while ago with a very smart local marketing friend. (Okay, Matt Tilliotson, you deserve a shout-out.) We were talking about the effects of the great recession and how so many companies who slashed their fixed costs have learned to depend upon out-sourced marketing, human resources and IT services. Matt made no bones about it. He thinks things have changed for good.
And I think he's right.
So I am meeting with highly experienced, senior-level executives who have left behind the traditional, the safe positions. I'm meeting with smart people who saw their best option as being to start something new, something of their own, something that benefits from the lessons of the past and embraces the promise of the future. And they are busy!
They work out of their kitchens or dens. So we meet at Panera's.
I'm told there is another group that likes to meet at Starbucks. I haven't cracked into that group yet.
I have read several articles that discuss the business landscape of the future. There is a lot of pessimism about the large corporation. There are too many freelancers available in too many business disciplines that eliminate the commitment and expense of full-time employees. I think the future will see smaller companies which depend upon the services of an ever-increasing number of small businesses, entrepreneurs and freelance talent to get everything done.
The question is whether or not there will be greater value and opportunity in this new business world. That's hard to say right now. Let's meet at Panera's and discuss it....
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