In the current climate, remote work is quickly becoming the avenue of choice for employers and employees alike. But working remotely doesn’t mean you have to abandon the office.

Enter the virtual office, the savior of the modern working man and woman.

Working from a virtual office means that you get to make your own rules. If you find that you do your best work in a non-traditional setup, a virtual office may be the perfect solution for you. 

What is a Virtual Office?

A virtual office is part of the ‘flexible workspace industry,’ a movement that is changing the landscape of office work as we know it. A virtual office can encompass a host of services, including:

1. Providing you with a respectable, professional business address and phone number
2. A live receptionist who answers your calls and takes messages
3. The ability to book rooms at their brick and mortar offices for when you have face-to-face meetings
4. A wide array of technical and business support services

Remote work isn’t a new concept, but these days, it’s experiencing a meteoric surge as companies adapt to changing circumstances. Outside of what’s happening in the world, it’s still a popular choice for small businesses, and it’s not hard to understand why.

With so many busy, on-the-go solopreneurs entering the market, old-fashioned office rentals just aren’t cutting it anymore.

What a Virtual Office Can Do For You

1. Convenience. Whether you’re at home, a coffee shop, a library, or visiting relatives, you’ll always have somebody taking care of your business.
2. No Commute. The great thing about a virtual office is that, unless you’re meeting in person, you never have to commute. By freeing up those periods of your day usually spent going to and from, you’ll have a lot more time to focus on the things that are actually important. 
3. Independence. Working remotely can seem a little daunting at first, but in reality, virtual work is an opportunity for you to become more self-sufficient. By setting your schedule and sticking by it, you’ll quickly learn to self-motivate, becoming a more effective and independent remote worker.
4. Save Money. A virtual office is super cost-efficient. You don’t have to pay for a costly office lease or the utilities to keep the internet on. You’re basically free from any of the expenses associated with a typical brick-and-mortar office. Depending on the level of service and features you need, virtual office fees are usually less than $100 per month.

No office? No problem!

In conclusion, a virtual office is excellent support for remote work. Lakeside Executive Suites offers all the convenience of a traditional office without the usual expenses. Plans start as low as $69 per month.

There’s never been a better or more socially responsible time to choose a virtual office. Reach out today to find out what we can do for you.

Making the move to entrepreneurship is a smart and sustainable career choice with a long list of benefits.

However, not everything about a home-based business is easy-breezy. The challenges you face revolve around privacy, productivity, professional image, and growth. These are all critical aspects of launching a company that you need to address early in the game to ensure you are ready for whatever comes next.

A virtual office is a great way to support these needs. It is affordable, flexible, and gives you some great benefits you may not have thought about.

The benefits of a virtual office for a home-based business

Running your business out of your home may seem like a smart thing to do—and it is. It saves you money on office space, you can enjoy a better work-life balance, and you can write off a portion of your mortgage or rent on your income tax return.

However, like many good things, there are issues to consider. For example:

1. Privacy. If you are using your home address as your business address, you risk compromising your privacy and that of your family.

The solution: A virtual office provides you with a professional business address so that salespeople and others who are looking for you will arrive there and not at your front door.

2. Professional image. If potential customers look up your address and find a residence, they may not see you as being well-established and professional. Plus, if you needed to have a meeting with an important client, doing so at your home may not be ideal; nor would it be if you arranged to meet them at a coffee shop.

The solution: A virtual office package not only gives you a professional business address, but you will also have access to meeting rooms when you need them.

3. Business growth. If your business grows and you need to bring on more employees, do you have the office space in your home to accommodate them?

The solution: A virtual office will give you some options in terms of administrative help, allowing you to hire support on an as-needed basis. You will also have access to a range of flexible office options in case your home office just isn’t cutting it anymore.

4. The latest technology. Keeping up with the advances in technology today isn’t easy—or cheap—but you need to stay on the cutting edge if you want to deliver what your customers demand.

The solution: A virtual office gives you access to state-of-the-art office equipment without having to invest a fortune. You can use it when you need it and not have to worry about keeping it current.

These are just a few of the reasons why every home-based business should have a virtual office. Lakeside Executive Suites offers a range of customizable virtual office packages that will answer all your business needs and support sustainable growth. Drop by today for a tour or reach out to us directly to learn more.

Podcasts are gaining ground in popular culture with topics that range from serial murder to sex to the mysteries of the universe and beyond. But with more than 750,000 podcasts and 30 million episodes to choose from, where do you start?

To help you save time in your day in the quest for discovery, here’s our hotlist of the five best podcasts you should be listening to right now:

1.    The Dropout (news, crime, politics)

The Dropout is about Elizabeth Holmes, America’s youngest self-made female billionaire, her rise and the plunging fall that ensued after it was learned that Theranos, her disruptive healthcare tech firm, was all based on a lie. Hosted by Rebecca Jarvis, a journalist who is known for her interviews with some of the biggest names in business and technology, this podcast takes the listener on a journey through the three-year investigation and includes interviews with investors, former patients, employees, and the deposition of Elizabeth Holmes. Available on ABC Podcasts.

2.    Monster: Season 1: Atlanta Monster; Season 2: The Zodiac Killer (crime, culture)

Season one of Monster takes a deep dive into the Atlanta child murders that happened in the late 1970s and early 1980s, looking back at the crimes, the killer, and the questions that remain. In the more recently released season two, the producers tackle the Zodiac killer, who terrorized the state of California in the 1960s and 1970s, a case that was never officially solved. If you love true crime, this is a knockout. Listen on iHeartRadio.

3.    Winnetka: A Memoir (culture, literature)

Back in the 1970s, Jessica Harper was a familiar face in feature films like Dario Argento’s cult classic Suspiria, as well as Pennies from Heaven, and Stardust Memories. Rather than writing a book, she has opted to reveal her story as an episodic podcast, named for the Chicago suburb where she grew up. Discover family secrets, social unrest in the Eisenhower era, and a genuinely fascinating chronicle of her life are set against Harper’s original musical compositions. Listen free on www.winnetkapodcast.com or Apple Podcasts.

4.    Rule of Three (comedy, culture)

Hosted by UK comedic writers Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris, Rule of Three talks to comedians and people who create comedy about things that are funny to them. The breadth and diversity of guests and the stuff they get into is brilliant, and it gives us a window into how some of the most talented comics and comedic writers of our time get inspired. Listen on Apple Podcasts.

5.    The Habitat (non-fiction, science)

Somewhere between Big Brother and Lost in Space, The Habitat is the true tale of six volunteers chosen to participate in a NASA experiment who are sent to a remote Hawaiian island to live out a year-long simulation of what it would be like to be astronauts, living in a habitat on Mars. Addictive, to say the least. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and just about every other podcast service.

Lakeside Executive Suites: flexible office space in Weston, FL

Whether you listen on your commute, at the gym, or while doing repetitive tasks at work, podcasts can help you get through the day and learn a little along the way. Need more inspiration on productivity, business, or recreation in Weston, FL? Drop by for a tour today and let us show you how we can help.

The rise of social media has changed the way we view the world. More than 70 percent of Americans are actively engaged on at least one social platform, but if we’re talking about millennials, that number climbs to about 98 percent.

In business, these numbers are too significant to ignore. If every customer you want to reach is on social, it stands to reason you want to reach them in that way. It’s part of your marketing strategy, it helps you generate new leads, and it’s a way to stay on top of the competition.

And what about your personal social profiles? Everybody’s got a few. The average person in the United States maintains seven social profiles. At the end of the day, that’s a lot of time spent on social. At some point, if you don’t get a handle on it, it’s going to start to affect your real-world, terrestrial life.

But how do you turn away when there’s so much going on all the time?

The truth is, turning away will do you, your relationships, your productivity, and your psyche a lot of good. The problem is, that’s easier said than done.

Here are our five top tips for maintaining a healthy relationship with social media:

1.    Schedule your daily social media time

Determine a set amount of time to update your pages, post content, and respond to messages on social. Set the timer on your smartphone and don’t ignore it when it goes off.

2.    If you really want to talk to your friend, call them

Along with being a super-computer, a CMS, and a fabulous camera, your smartphone is actually an excellent tool for making phone calls. Miss that person? Give them a call! Don’t have their phone number? They’re probably not your friend.

3.    Disable social notifications

Notifications are a great way to kick your social media anxiety into high gear. In your settings, you’ll find that you can disable them. This way, you can check in during your allotted time (see #1) and otherwise just get on with life.

4.    Embrace the moment

Authenticity is cool. Authenticity is all about being who you are. However, you can’t be authentic if you’re always focused on what other people are doing. Take the time to revel in your own life. Make your own moments. Because there is nothing more authentic than just being yourself.

5.    Choose your social platforms wisely

In business, as in life, there’s no point in investing time into something that you’re not going to get any value from. Having too many social profiles dilutes your efforts, and if you aren’t active on them, it could actually do more harm than good. Choose the platforms that are most beneficial to you and delete the rest.

Do you have any great tips for maintaining a healthy relationship with social media? We’d love to hear about them! Drop by Lakeside Executive Suites for a tour and get some honest-to-goodness face time.

Since their first appearance in the 1990s, coworking spaces and shared workspaces in general, have been disrupting the way we all get things done.

The fact is, many of the world’s top corporations, GM, IBM, and Microsoft among them, are renting coworking space. In 2018, big companies like these accounted for 30 percent of coworking’s monthly business.

Here are some of the reasons why larger companies are choosing coworking spaces today:

Coworking is more cost-effective for larger companies

Per square foot, a coworking membership is far less expensive than traditional office space

With more and more of the workforce opting to work outside of the office, coworking spaces are seen as a more viable choice, financially.

Coworking memberships give companies a way to offer their employees the tools and support they need without having to allocate permanent office space, workstations, parking spaces, and so on. It is also an easy way to scale up or down as the need dictates – and you’ll never have to worry about not having enough office space – or having a bunch of empty offices.

Coworking offers a better workplace experience

Trends aside, studies show that more than half of all employees of enterprise companies are looking for new jobs. Gallup’s State of the American Workplace found that 85 percent of enterprise employees are disengaged at work.

These alarming statistics are, in part, urging large companies to find ways to offer their employees a better workplace experience. Coworking spaces contribute to company culture in a positive way and chances are, if an employee is happy in their workspace, they may stay in their jobs longer.

Coworking offers proximity to innovation

With a booming gig economy, top talent is getting harder and harder to nail down. Coworking spaces, especially those that cater to the tech sector, are a hotbed of talent, giving larger companies easy access to the innovation they so dearly seek.

The collaborative element is so prevalent in coworking spaces that it’s relatively easy to connect with talent this way. Along with the cost savings and vibrant atmosphere, it’s a way to add value without taking on the expense of recruitment and full-time payroll.

Coworking helps large companies expand into new markets

For companies looking to expand into new territory, a coworking space provides a way to establish a base of operations and test the waters quickly. Companies save time by not having to secure office space in advance, and they save money by not having to invest in technology or other office amenities. It’s a turnkey situation from which just about every corporation can find benefit.

Are you interested in touring our coworking space? We’d love to show you the finer points of what we do. Drop by for a tour of Lakeside Executive Suites in Weston, FL, and let us show you how we can help.

While we’ve got pretty much the best of everything here in Florida, one of the things we miss out on is the riot of color that the fall foliage brings to the northern climes. However, there are a few places within easy driving distance where you can drink it all in while it lasts – and some of them are right here in our state!

If you are hoping to experience the beauty of autumn foliage, we’ve got you covered. Head for the hills! Higher elevations bring cooler temperatures and that’s what nature needs to get those reds and oranges going.

Here are some of our top picks for the closest places in and around Florida for fall foliage:

Torreya State Park

Just west of Tallahassee you’ll find Torreya State Park. Its high bluffs overlook the Apalachicola River whose slopes are replete with Acer maples, sweetgum, and sourwood trees. Late October is the time to go if you want to experience fall color here in all its splendor. Note that currently the park itself is closed due to storm damage from Hurricane Michael, but surrounding areas of Bristol are still accessible to traffic.

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park

Traveling south from Tallahassee, you’ll find plenty of maple trees in full regalia at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park. Boat tours are available too, where you’ll be able to see the sights while touring some of the state’s deepest freshwater springs and discover places where dinosaurs used to roam free.

Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail

Here, you’ll get the best of the fall season in a uniquely Floridian way: imagine seeing colorful trees, dolphins, manatees, and whales all in the same excursion! The 30-mile loop takes you through some of the state’s oldest forests as well as pre-civil war plantations, lagoons, and more. Storm advisories recommend checking road closures before setting out.

Out-of-state fall foliage destinations

If you’re up for a slightly more ambitious excursion, you can always venture out-of-state. North Carolina, Georgia, and parts of Alabama are gorgeous in the fall – and what better excuse is there to get out of town and explore the majesty of the season?

Asheville, NC, in the western part of the state, is well-known for its fall foliage. The Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains feature 6,000-foot elevations, supporting one of the longest fall color seasons in the country. With a window that lasts up to five weeks or more, you’ve still got plenty of time to plan a long weekend trip.

If you’re looking for a little urban adventure to go with your nature-tripping, try Atlanta, GA, on for size. The landscape surrounding the city is blazing with color right now and you can spend your evenings discovering Atlanta’s nightlife or culinary scene.

Lakeside Executive Suites is dedicated to supporting local businesses in Weston, FL, with flexible office solutions that answer every need. Drop by for a tour today and find out how we can help you get things done.

Office work, these days, bears little resemblance to that of our predecessors. Millennials, reportedly, tend to stay in jobs an average of five years, and according to research, most would prefer to work at home or in coworking spaces rather than commuting to an office.

Office and workspace trends

Shared office space aside, remote working and virtual offices are a growing trend. As communications and cloud technology continues to improve, we should expect to see continued movement in this direction.

Coworking spaces allow companies to grow without investing in new office space and equipment. This delivers value straight back to the bottom line and supports teamwork, networking, and employee comfort. They provide an affordable way for freelancers and entrepreneurs to have access to professional office amenities without eating up their entire operating budget.

In general, coworking has revolutionized the way we work; this is something we can all generally agree on. But if we know what the advantages are – budget-friendly, space-saving, collaborative – what does the future hold?

What the experts say about the future of coworking

According to several experts, more of the same – but, with an increased focus on interdisciplinary interaction and increased flexibility.

Christa Freeland, one of the founders of Switch Cowork, offers that coworking is popping up in areas you wouldn’t expect, such as at the gym, in a restaurant or within office supply stores. This provides options for customers to work when they need to work. It also provides an opportunity for these businesses to make use of space they wouldn’t normally be using during slow times of the day.

Bjorn Rosinus, CEO and founder of Endeavour Innovative Workspaces, cites the ongoing need for collaboration and economy, spurring a shift away from long-term leases and the embrace of more flexible, shared solutions.

Najeeb Khan, innovation strategist and founder of 1For, cites the growing adoption of AI and automation as an arbiter of coworking need. When it is not required that an employee be present for repetitive daily tasks, employees will spend more time networking and collaborating – which is what a coworking space delivers. Khan also offers that coworking will be a preferred option to commuting and a viable alternative to telecommuting that puts teams in touch with each other in a way they simply can’t when working from home.

Matt Poepsel of The Predictive Index cites sociopsychological factors as a driving force in the future of coworking. Some of the indicators that contribute to this thought include the need for a flexible lifestyle, the proliferation of freelancers, and the isolation that is often felt by people who work at home. Poepsel points to the need that most people have to seek interaction as well as the rejuvenating aspects of connection. The role of technology also plays into his summation as advances in this direction, he says, will always run counter to our socially-driven human nature.

So, is coworking here to stay? We say yes! Through its many incarnations and missteps, its original intent remains the strongest: that of providing a place to work for those who would otherwise be stuck in solitary. Its other advantages are truly their own reward.

Lakeside Office Suites in Weston, FL, provides virtual office packages, on-demand meeting rooms, flexible office space, and—yes—coworking spaces that fit your needs and your budget. If you are still not sure about coworking but want to give it a try, contact us to book a free coworking day.

Interviews are important on many levels. No matter the reason and no matter which side of the desk you are sitting on, it’s crucial to keep in mind that an interview can make or break a relationship. It can begin one, or, it can end one before it even begins.

The success of the exchange lies as much with the interviewer as it does the interviewee, but let’s talk about you. You’ve got a full plate as it is, but you have several candidates to meet with. You don’t have the luxury of an HR department and you need the process to go as smoothly as possible so you can get the results you need and get back to what you do.

Here are our top 10 tips on how to get the most out of your interview:

Before the interview:

1.Know the job that you are offering

Familiarize yourself with every detail of the job and its requirements. That way, you will be in a better position to assess whether the candidate has the basic goods to do the job.

2.Get to know your candidate

Review your candidate’s CV and work history. Take a close look at everything he or she submitted during the application process – cover letter, references, and so on. Make careful note of any employment gaps, ambiguous job titles or personal information that may have a bearing on their future performance.

3.Create an interview agenda

There may be several areas you want to cover. Determine how much time you have for the interview and set time limits on certain aspects so you can get everything you need covered. Be sure you start on time as much as you can. This will demonstrate that you respect your interviewee’s time as well as your own.

4.Prepare interview questions in advance

As you go through the candidate’s CV and portfolio, make note of any specific questions you want to ask about their work. Think along the lines of what you need and prepare questions that help you determine whether or not they will meet those expectations.

On the day of the meeting:

5.Meet in a professional environment

First impressions are everything! Even if you are an entrepreneur or startup who doesn’t have a physical office space, it’s important to project a professional appearance. On-demand meeting rooms are an affordable way to host interviews – and it’s a great way to lay the groundwork for a working relationship.

6.Give your interviewee 100 percent of your attention

Make sure you have a quiet environment for the interview. Choose a location that is comfortable and has a minimum of distractions. Mute your phone, send calls to voicemail, ask to not be disturbed.

7.Ask behavioral questions

Ask for specific examples of how the candidate handled certain stressful situations and ask for both good and not-so-good scenarios. Asking behavioral questions will give you a good idea of how they will handle similar situations for you.

And finally, never forget the golden rule of interviewing: Listen first. Because you’ll never learn anything if you are the one doing all the talking.

Lakeside Executive Suites is a premier supplier of flexible office space and services as well as meeting rooms on-demand. Book your meeting room today or call to learn more.

These days, Fort Lauderdale is booming as a surge of new developments underscores the city’s current status as a “city of choice” for commercial and residential real estate investors. As a city that has long been seen as playing second fiddle to Miami in terms of market growth, developers are flocking to this South Florida jewel to take advantage of lower prices and a strengthening business community.

Ft. Lauderdale: A city on the move

A new focus on luxury amenities and services serves the needs of the growing residential base, and the tourist economy is getting an upgrade too as the Four Seasons completes a $200 million renovation at their West Ft. Lauderdale property. The $500 million Auberge Beach Residences and Spa is another such project, offering luxury beachfront living at its finest. To support and service the new influx of high-end pleasure seekers, more than 1000 new restaurant seats are soon to be seen as well, many focused on Las Olas, the city’s premier dining, shopping, and entertainment district.

A clear indicator of the evolution is the ever-changing skyline as developers are tapped to add thousands of new residential units over the next two years. An additional injection of cash is directed towards improvements for existing hotel properties in the city, courtesy of investors who were quick to recognize the growing popularity of the area.

Accessible oceanfront living in South Florida

But before you think Ft. Lauderdale is only for the rich and privileged, the cost of living here, in general, is very reasonable. Unemployment is very low, with reports showing that 95.4 percent of the population is employed full-time. With a median annual income of about $51,000, there is a very good standard of living to be had without breaking the proverbial bank.

Ft. Lauderdale offers a distinct business advantage

Many new companies choose to set up shop in Ft. Lauderdale for many reasons. Besides the obvious perks – the fabulous South Florida lifestyle, great weather, stunning scenery, and a vibrant culture – Ft. Lauderdale boasts the most diverse labor force in the state (90 languages are spoken here!), some of the most respected public schools and more than 35 post-secondary colleges, universities, and business schools.

As a business center, it is home to more than 150 major corporations while new companies find it attractive because of Florida’s favorable business tax climate. There is also no state income tax, which is a big draw for people seeking employment in tandem with a great quality of life.

Companies that do business globally find Ft. Lauderdale to be very convenient as it has three major commercial airports that lend easy proximity to Latin America as well as domestic and international destinations. Seven more airports in the region are dedicated to business and executive travel and Ft. Lauderdale’s port is the number one container port in the state as well as the top seaport for exports in Florida.

Are you doing business in Florida or thinking about launching a branch of your business here? Lakeside Executive Suites is South Florida’s destination for professional, flexible office services including meeting rooms on-demand, coworking facilities, virtual offices, and short-term office rental. Drop by for a tour today and discover how we can help you do more.

You’re a successful entrepreneur. You love working for yourself and things are going well. However, even if you love your work like you love breathing air, everyone has to take some downtime in order to feel fulfilled and happy in the long-term. Work-life balance is an essential part of wellness and cultivating some good habits to achieve it will actually help you improve your productivity, not the opposite.

Here are some great habits to get into in the effort to achieve better work-life balance:

1.    Set boundaries

In our 24/7 uber-connected world, there is an expectation of being able to reach somebody at any hour of the day, any day of the week. In reality, this is not sustainable. You need to set clear boundaries for yourself in order to maintain your sanity. Whether it’s not responding to work email or calls after a certain hour or vowing to not look at your phone on date night, you need to create a separation between you and your work. The work, after all, will still be there when you’re ready to dive back in. Your significant other, maybe not so much.

2.    Unplug, disconnect

Whether you realize it or not, technology causes a great deal of anxiety. If you are constantly connected, you aren’t giving yourself the chance to unwind and be yourself. Even if you identify yourself with your work, you need to take time to focus on other things too. By sticking to this rule you will be freeing up time for others who care about you and giving yourself a much-needed respite. Once you power up again, you will be fully recharged and ready for what comes next. To help disconnect, there are answering services for entrepreneurs that will even answer all your business calls for you.

3.    Take real vacations

It happens all the time in this day and age: we take time off and jet away, only to become embroiled in work activities the moment we hit the tarmac at our destination. Removing yourself from work takes some effort, though. You need to let your clients and colleagues know that you will not be available between certain dates. Let them know who they can speak to while you’re gone and then absolve yourself of responsibility. You might just rediscover a lost part of yourself in the process.

4.    Plan social activities

If you’re a self-described “workaholic”, your friends probably know they can’t count on you for much. But think about how lonely it will be when the work is all done and you don’t have any friends anymore. Make time for your friends, family, and loved ones by scheduling time for them. This will let them know that you truly care about them and it will help you build stronger relationships outside of work. Studies show that an active social life can help boost productivity because you are able to clear your head and come back to your responsibilities with renewed focus.

Looking for work/life balance in Weston, FL? Lakeside Executive Suites can help. Our monthly networking events are great for meeting new people while allowing you to loosen the tie and step away from the desk. Drop by for a tour today and find out how we do it!