How Office Assets Can Support Companies Throughout Their Entire Life Cycle

Dec 7, 2021

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Canada's Leading VC Talks Space-as-a-Service -

John Ruffolo, Founder & Managing Partner of Maverix Private Equity, joins Bold Founder Caleb Parker for the second episode of Season 6 to discuss what fast-growing companies need from office real estate, and how office assets can support companies throughout their entire life cycle.

They talk through the important of asking the users what they want, how changes in real estate have accelerated since the start of the pandemic, and what the most important things are for spaces to consider when building brand and community.

John shares his insights on hybrid working and back to the office and how there is space for more disruptive and bold companies to change the future of work conversation.

Connect with John Ruffolo on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joruffolo/

Connect with Caleb Parker on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebparker/

If you have any questions or feedback on this episode, email podcast@workbold.co

Value Bombs:

And throughout history, if you look back at the major innovations that's moved the world forward, it's been during times of crisis. This pandemic is no different. - Caleb Parker

Traditional real estate, particularly during the pandemic, probably has the most visibility of an industry that's in need of massive change. - John Ruffolo
[Real estate owners are] really trying to shoe horn a client opportunity to fit their buildings. - John Ruffolo
The real estate industry didn't look at their customer as a customer. They looked at it as a tenant in that particular building, based on a geographic location. - John Ruffolo
[Real estate] was one of the last industries, or maybe the last industry that was supply side focused as opposed to demand side. - John Ruffolo
You are a deep expert in real estate at what was the last time that somebody was looking for space asked who the building owner was? - John Ruffolo
In order to build loyalty and trust with that person you have to deliver a consistent experience. And that consistent experience is what becomes known as the brand. - Caleb Parker
You use the term space as a service. I actually don't use that term. I actually use community as a service. - John Ruffolo
Disruption always comes from the bottom, never from the top down. - John Ruffolo
I think if you're a landlord right now, you have to be looking at as a service and figuring out how to get into your building in some capacity. - Caleb Parker
I know these CEOs were led to believe that a transformation for them to work out of the home would have taken three years. It [only] took them three weeks. - John Ruffolo
We haven't learned how to be as efficient using technology as we would have with those small conversations in the office. And that's really just because of our adoption. And I still think I love physically seeing people, that's who I am. - John Ruffolo
Blackberry was the first time that I was personally untethered from my desk. So the hybrid work arrangement is a shrug in our office and it's a shrug for a lot of folks. - John Ruffolo

Resources:

OMERS Ventures

Eat, Sleep, Work, Repeat Podcast

10 x Podcast

The David Suzuki Podcast

Shout Outs:

About Our Guests:

John Ruffolo

Follow John on Twitter

John is the Founder and Managing Partner of Maverix Private Equity.

John’s focus is on guiding the strategy of the firm, Chair of the Investment Committee and is deeply involved with sourcing and leading opportunities particularly within the technology industry. John is also the Founder of OMERS Ventures. Through John’s leadership as Chief Executive Officer, OMERS Ventures had invested over $500 million of capital in over 40 disruptive technology companies across North America, including growth investments in Shopify, Wattpad, Wave, Hootsuite, Rover, Desire 2 Learn, Hopper, DuckDuckGo, TouchBistro and League. During his tenure at OMERS, John also formed OMERS Platform Investments as its Executive Managing Director. He has led investments in Purpose Financial, PointNorth Capital, District Ventures, Xanadu, OneEleven and ArcTern Ventures. John is also the Co-founder and Vice-Chair of the Council of Canadian Innovators, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping high-growth Canadian technology firms scale up globally. Further, John sits on a number of boards of leading innovative organizations in both the profit and non-for-profit sector.

Fun fact: John and his wife named each of their children after their favorite bottle of wine.

About Our Host:

Caleb Parker

https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebparker/

Caleb Parker is an American entrepreneur in London, and Founder of Bold (acquired by Newable/NewFlex in 2019).

He believes in "challenging the status quo" and is a champion for entrepreneurial and innovative thinking.

Caleb has served as founder, Board member, advisor, investor and consultant to numerous startups and small businesses, and has a keen focus on innovation and technology, with interests in the MICE market, Space-as-a-Service, and the future of work.

Caleb has been a guest lecturer, speaker, and moderator for topics such as entrepreneurship, the sharing economy, the future of work and commercial real estate at academic institutions and large corporations. He regularly takes the stage at numerous trade conferences as keynote speaker, MC, host or facilitator.

Earlier in his career, Caleb was named one of Savannah, Georgia's “40 under 40” business leaders" in 2006 after launching two successful small businesses in the city's booming hospitality industry. A year later he moved to Washington, DC to join the The Regus Group DC management team. In 2009, Caleb co-founded a flexible workspace consulting firm where he brokered flexible workspace and advised businesses on agile working strategies.

Caleb is one of the first licensed commercial real estate agents to speak on the flexible working trends and the rise of flexible workspace, and has been quoted in numerous publications.

Sponsors

Headline Sponsor: TSK

TSK creates inspiring workplaces for some of the world’s biggest brands across the UK and Ireland, They’ve been working for 25 years to deliver the best employee experiences and the vision of their clients. Not only do they create great places to work, TSK share workplace content every week from the latest data to inspiring spaces they’ve designed and built. You can read their latest insights at www.tskgroup.co.uk or check out their LinkedIn and Instagram pages to become a follower, fan and friend.

Fortune Favours the Bold

Bold merges property management & Space-as-a-Service to drive asset value and help office customers grow faster. Now part of NewFlex (www.workbold.co)

Future Proof Your Portfolio with NewFlex

NewFlex delivers and manages a range of branded solutions for every type of building, in every type of location, for every type of occupier. Including the flexibility to develop your own brand. All enabled by flexible management contracts where we are invested in making money for you. (www.newflex.com)

Launch Your Own Podcast

A Podcast Company is the leading podcast production company for brands, organizations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right equipment, training, and guidance to ensure you sound amazing. (https://www.apodcastcompany.com)

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https://workbold.co.uk/podcast/

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