Episode 162: Brian Chen - Co-Founder & CEO, ROOM

Lots and lots of startups and corporations have moved to an open office environment, which was supposed to foster collaboration amongst employees. As it turns out, according to research published by CNBC, “90% of employees working in offices with an open floor plan experience increased stress levels, conflict, blood pressure and turnover rates.” Wow… shocking! So, how do you solve this issue without completely renovating your office, which would be very costly and disruptive? That’s where ROOM comes into play. They are rethinking the modern workplace with their innovative phone booth design. They are on to something, as the company has over 3,000 customers. Growing up Brian always dreamed of being an entrepreneur and being a part of a startup. This is his second company, as he was previously a co-founder of a smart suitcase startup called Bluesmart, which was a Y Combinator company. In this episode of our podcast, we cover: * Brian's early experience teaching English in Ecuador and what that taught him about leadership. * How he got into startups and his involvement with Bluesmart. * The origin story of ROOM and how they discovered an underserved market that is helping to improve mental health and wellness in the workplace. * The current stage of the company and growth plans ahead. * Advice on setting up and finding the right manufacturer, plus why they choose to work with partners in Indiana and Portugal. * And so much more. If you like the show, please remember to subscribe and review us on iTunes, Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play.