42 BCBusiness october 2014 illustration: graham roumieu
1. Don't be shy with the perfume or
cologne—a heavy fragrance helps to
mark your territory in shared spaces.
2. skip the headphones and play music
from your computer speakers. it's all about
creating ambience for you and your colleagues.
3. avoid the busy communal kitchen by
eating at your desk. the music will drown
out the constant sounds of smacking,
slurping and crunching.
4. in this P.c. world of ours, nobody will call
you out on your food choices, so bring lunches of
fragrant fish, nosh on hard-boiled eggs and dine
on garlic-laden leftovers whenever it pleases you.
5. take frequent personal calls so that
your officemates know you're cool, laid-back
and not a stickler for rules.
6. Personal hygiene is crucial when you're
in close quarters, so feel free to clip your nails,
apply deodorant, blow your nose and touch
up makeup at your desk.
v i s u a l l e a r n i n g
How to Share
Office Space
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
6
3
1
4
7
255
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2
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30
Philippines
Hong Kong
number of locations
in each country
Lululemon
White Spot (Triple O's)
Blo Blow Dry Bar
China
Singapore
Australia
Russia
Germany
U.K.
U.S.
B.C. Companies
THaT Have
gone gloBal
companies can usually reach 400
million consumers in the U.S., Canada,
Australia and the U.K. who speak the
same language," says Wertz. If your
competition has gone global and is
already successful, says Lubik, "that is
probably an indication of international
need that you might be able to meet."
Understand your supply chain
If your local supply chain is expensive or
lacks expertise, it might be a sign that it's
time to consider a global supply chain
where your business can find cheaper
products, manufacturing processes
or delivery. But it's also important to
take into account your proximity to
suppliers. The more technical your
product, the better it is for you to be
closer to the production, says Lubik.
Listen to your customers
Are you hearing people say they wished
there was a similar product or service
where they're from? "People tell you all
the time, 'Oh, I wish this was available
where I live,'" says Brooks. But proceed
with caution. Do they want to franchise
your business? Or are they bringing
you a built-in client base already?
Franchising your business involves a lot
of hand-holding in the beginning.
Plan right from the start
If your business is a website or has an
e-commerce component, build your
site as if you are going to expand down
the road, advises Wertz. "Think about
it early. But do it late."
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