REGISTER NOW: Uncomfortable Conversations: The Skills Crisis
REGISTER: 8THIRTYFOUR Skills Survival School Founding Cohort

Creating Space That Inspires

Written by

Share This Post:

A steaming cartoon mug sits on the 8THIRTYFOUR conference table. The mug reads, "Hustle."

As an integrated communications agency, we put a ton of value on visual communication: this especially comes to life in our office. When we designed our space, we worked to bring our brand to life. Our office, located in Grand Rapids’ awesome northeast side, has been described as warm, fun, welcoming, beautiful, the perfect blend of modern meets rustic, energetic, and – not surprisingly – colorful! Our paint colors match our brand guidelines, our core values are posted everywhere, and every work station is personalized.
Every piece of furniture, rug, framed work sample, and even coffee mug, was carefully selected to embody our brand. We want everyone who visits us to leave feeling energized and inspired.
With this is mind, we asked our team to share something in our space that they draw daily inspiration from as they work – check out their favorite things in our office:

Kim


The Original Four
On my office wall, I have pictures of my first furkids – Bentley, Murphy, Jimmy and Apollo. While Murphy and Apollo are no longer with me, the photos remind me to embrace the present and see the gifts that are right in front of you. So often we get caught up in the ‘what ifs’ that we forget to be grateful for the present.

Sarah


All the Cards
Anyone who knows me well is aware of my penchant for sending handwritten notes (people love real mail!). I purposefully hung a corkboard that I look at constantly that is covered in notes that I have received in my time here; some are from back when I first joined the team, while some are notes of thanks or mark other occasions that are significant. All of them are from awesome people. I love looking over and being reminded of the amazing people who fill my life: friends, family, clients, and my team.

Alex


Stay Humble
Prominently displayed above my workstation in large bold letters are the words “Stay Humble.” Gifted to me from 8THIRTYFOUR’s own president, it gives me a constant reminder that no matter how amazing the work we’re doing is we should always stay grateful of those who help us. Whenever I see that I know to take time to appreciate our amazing clients and my rockstar teammates.

Chelsea


Carpe!
I have a small wooden sign sitting on my desk (handcrafted on the streets of Venice Beach, CA) that has “Carpe That F***ing Diem” etched into it. This phrase in Latin translates to Seize That F***ing Day”, and it inspires me every day at my desk to take advantage of the present moment, and continue to work hard at 8THIRTYFOUR.

Emily


Photo Corkboard
To the left of my desk I have a corkboard that has our company core values, a few funny dog stickers and photos of my friends and family. My favorite thing on the board is a picture of my parents sitting together in a dorm room at Aquinas College in the 1970’s. My mom is making a silly face and they look like happy kids. It inspires me because when my parents took that picture they didn’t know what their lives would hold, or what they would do with their careers, but they found their direction and went on to build an amazing life together. It reminds me to stay true to myself, and the people I love, and work hard for the future I want.

Kayden


Vinyl
One of my office walls holds framed vinyl albums of my favorite music including Radiohead and The Beatles. My life has been a journey full of change and evolution, but the one constant has been my passion for certain music. When I need some right-side-of-the-brain-inspiration, these artists help me feel grounded, comfortable, and safe to explore new ideas.
If you haven’t seen our office in person, what are you waiting for?! Stop by for a cup of coffee or glass of wine (depending on the time of day), or better yet, RSVP to our upcoming party to see our space for yourself…we hope you find it just as inspiring as we do.

Want to receive more bomb-ass content? Sign up below to receive email updates!
[contact-form-7 id=”6727″ title=”Email – Blog”]

Responses

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Recent Posts

Something on Your Mind?

This is your Monday reminder that nobody has it all figured out at first.

Owning what makes you weird and unique takes time... and work. 

You can start that work at a Big Deal Energy workshop. First one is on June 23. Link in bio.
The brands winning in AI search aren't doing anything new; they just never stopped doing what worked.

Kim was quoted in @incmagazine alongside business leaders talking about generative engine optimization, and her message is one worth hearing right now. The terminology is different, the tools are different, but the foundation is exactly the same.

Full article at the link in bio.
Big Deal Energy starts with questioning the status quo and the rules you've been told to follow. They were built for blending in, not standing out.

Thank you to @fox17morningmix for the spotlight on our upcoming workshops. 

Watch the full segment at the link in bio.
Being open and being honest aren't the same thing, and according to Grace Gavin, most leaders haven't figured that out yet.

Grace is the co-founder of Know Honesty, and she joined Maddie on the Happy Hour Hustle podcast to talk about the communication gaps costing teams more than they realize.

If you lead people, this episode is for you. Link in bio.
Nobody will remember your job title, and frankly, it's not what's interesting about you, anyway. 

The reason you're in those rooms is to be memorable, so find what that is and embrace it.

Thank you to @sheleadssocietymi for having us at your monthly meeting to talk Big Deal Energy

Come to an upcoming workshop, it'll be fun. Link in bio.
Fixing the skills gap means changing how we do things... not more AI 'solutions.' 

In her latest blog, Kim talks about the need for mentorship, a framework, better job descriptions, and (this one's really important) managers who aren't afraid to give honest, timely feedback.

Read the full blog at the link in bio.