Luxurious Magazine’s Sabi Phagura caught up with Dan Zakai, CEO and Co-founder at Mindspace, to find out how the workplace has changed in recent years.
Mindspace is a rapidly-growing global provider of stylish and inspiring co-working spaces for teams of all sizes, with locations in London, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Tel Aviv, Herzliya, and Warsaw.
It offers an upscale co-working environment with inspiring unique designs, an exceptional level of service for members, and a vibrant real-world cosmopolitan community of over 10,000 entrepreneurs, freelancers, start-ups and investment firms.
Innovation teams from leading enterprises, such as Microsoft, Booking.com, Barclays Bank, Samsung, Siemens, and Spotify, are all part of the community.
LM: How did you get involved in starting Mindspace?
DZ: Fresh ideas and new endeavours excite and motivate me. I have always been passionate about initiating and building a meaningful business with a sense of creativity, design and innovation. Mindspace was the perfect platform to achieve all of those components.
It operates within a growing market with great potential and the ability to create something that is unique. Through a combination of creation, high art and tech, we are changing the way people work – and that is a truly special thing.
LM: You recently opened your first co-working space in the UK in London. What was the reason for this?
DZ: London is one of the most advanced markets for co-working in Europe. We wanted to solve an unmet need of many London-based businesses for a co-working offering that is exquisitely designed—one that is all-inclusive with no hidden fees – as well as globally accessible.
Our London space is located at the contemporary Relay Building in Aldgate, just a few minutes away from the heart of the City. It can accommodate 700 members across two sprawling floors – meaning individuals and businesses of all sizes are welcome to join! Our second London location, in the heart of Tech City, in Shoreditch, is set to open mid-May.
LM: Are there any plans to expand elsewhere in London or the UK?
DZ: With Mindspace already open in London and setting the tone for the new standard of high-end co-working in the UK, we will be opening our second space in London’s vibrant and creative Shoreditch district – something that we’re extremely excited about!
We’re expanding rapidly, and this summer, we will open Mindspace San Francisco and Washington DC, as well as further expansion throughout Europe – so those in the UK should keep their eyes peeled for exciting news in the future.
LM: Co-working spaces have grown in popularity over the years. Do you expect this trend to continue to grow in the next few years, particularly in the UK?
DZ: Co-working is no longer a trend – it is reshaping the office landscape. What was once the solution for freelancers and entrepreneurs is now competing in the market for start-ups as well as corporations and large companies who choose to place their innovative, project, and R&D teams away from company headquarters.
This combination creates the Mindspace magic – enterprises are exposed to the startup way of working and develop new products and business models at a faster pace. Start-ups, on the other hand, get valuable exposure to large enterprises that can help validate their offering, take it to market, and allow them to scale up.
UK-based companies are toying with the notion of working nine to five, Monday to Friday – choosing to structure their working days around other commitments in their lives – whether that includes raising a young family or dedicating more time to personal hobbies.
A co-working arrangement like Mindspace means individuals can work whenever or wherever they choose. Teams at Mindspace are places in the heart of the innovation ecosystem, with access to benefits, perks, epic culture, and a wealth of events.
LM: Mindspace recently signed one of the biggest co-working deals in history with Microsoft. What’s the appeal of a co-working space over a traditional corporate office for big enterprises?
DZ: There are a number of benefits for large enterprises when moving into a co-working space. Naturally, large corporations want to ensure they can retain their best talent and are always looking at ways they can offer their staff the same flexibility and benefits many from the creative industries and start-ups enjoy.
By providing an exciting and vibrant co-working space for their employees, staff can decide exactly how, where and when they choose to work, ultimately helping to increase productivity and morale.
In addition to this, leading co-working spaces also provide a stimulating environment for employees to innovate and harness their creativity.
On many occasions, there are also overhead cost savings, and also significant time savings – from not having to deal with non-core activities like planning events for employees.
LM: There are hundreds of co-working spaces found in the UK now. What differentiates Mindspace from other co-working spaces? Do you have any interesting features that make you stand out?
DZ: Mindspace is led by design. Our spaces are simply exquisite. Our design team scoured local London flea markets to fill our Aldgate space with the artistic delight that inspires our members to think outside the box and dream big. We are very excited to reveal our Shoreditch space in May – it’s a thing of beauty.
At Mindspace, we also ensure that our spaces are open 24/7 to allow members to work when it suits them best, even in the late hours – and, unlike the majority of coworking spaces, our community is global, and we grant open access to all our locations around the world at no additional cost.
Mindspacers are able to travel between locations, attend in-house events, network with other influential businesses and get the support of dedicated community managers who are there for their every need.
LM: Do you think co-working spaces are a good fit for those living the ‘digital nomad’ lifestyle?
DZ: Co-working spaces appeal to a new generation where travel and accessibility are more important than limiting oneself to the ownership of property and business space in one location.
For those who lead a more portable and lightweight life, the flexibility of co-working environments can allow individuals to choose when and where they work, breeding greater satisfaction levels, which can have a positive effect on their output levels.
At Mindspace, we celebrate remote working and really encourage our members to hop between our global spaces as part of their monthly membership. They will get a warm welcome worldwide.
LM: How important do you think the design of an office is in keeping healthy morale levels amongst employees?
DZ: Office design is probably one of the most important features for employees – especially Millennials. A recent survey that we commissioned through OnePoll of UK office workers revealed that nearly a third of Brits found their current office design to be uninspiring – with one in five reporting that it makes them feel stressed.
Over a fifth of millennials in the U.K. actually admitted to rejecting a potential employer because of the poor look of their office. At Mindspace, we offer a high-end, professional coworking environment with beautiful private offices and meeting rooms, open-plan kitchens, cutting-edge technology and a vibrant atmosphere and community. It is so important that team members feel uplifted by their place of work.
Mindspace – Where and How?
For more information on Mindspace, visit www.mindspace.me.
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