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Creating Space That Inspires

Share the goods.

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.

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Recent Musings

Something on Your Mind?

We’re officially two days out…

Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause is happening this Thursday, Sept 24, and we’re getting real about perimenopause with a panel of industry experts who have the answers (see our speaker spotlights for more details).

Come for the expert insight. Stay because you get to hang with us. 

Registration closes soon. Grab your spot at the link in bio.
Introducing our third speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday. 

Meet @bitnermd, co-founder of @true.womenshealth, a concierge practice in West Michigan, focused on helping women thrive through midlife while reducing chronic conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes. 

Dr. Bitner is a board-certified OB/GYN specializing in midlife, menopause, and sexual health. She’s the author of I Want to Age Like That! and has published peer-reviewed research on menopause care. She was named Menopause Practitioner of the Year by The Menopause Society in 2015. Dr. Bitner is committed to translating evidence into practical, scalable solutions that improve women’s health, confidence, and participation at work and in life. We’re beyond excited to have her join our panel discussion this Thursday. 

Register now to hear from Dr. Bitner and our industry experts at The Pause on September 24th. 

Secure your spot at the link in bio.
Every WOSB deserves support, access, guidance, and a network, because when they have it, they’re unstoppable.

Just because you be small, does not mean you are not mighty. The Women’s Owners Network will accept its first cohort this November. Applications are due October 1.

Thank you to @lakemichigan_cu for partnering with us to provide this program. Their support means we can offer this at a significantly lower cost to business owners.

Go apply at the link in bio.
Introducing our second speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday. 

Meet Cheryl Bergman, Executive Director of the @miwomenscomm.

Cheryl is a statewide policy leader driving economic opportunity and better health outcomes for women across Michigan. Appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2019, she brings together employers, healthcare experts, advocates, and policymakers to tackle the issues that actually move the needle - economic security, affordable childcare, and midlife women's health.

Before this role, Cheryl helped elect Michigan's first woman U.S. Senator and first woman Governor, and served as Senior Advisor on Governor Whitmer's 2018 campaign.

She's exactly the voice this conversation needs.

Join Cheryl and our powerhouse lineup of industry experts at The Pause on September 24th. 

Link in bio to register - spaces are going fast.
We love this trend, so we thought we’d jump on it and ask the team some “hard-hitting questions” to end the week. 

We’re a team made up of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Find out who knows the most about the classics. Any guesses?
We've received so many questions from new grads about breaking into a competitive market as a young professional. It starts with one thing according to @bodespeaks: being the salesperson of YOU. Emulate the leaders in your industry and show up where they show up.

It's not who you know, it's who knows you
Use the playbook of people you admire
Show up consistently and be seen
A handwritten note beats 100 LinkedIn messages, always.

See more Bode wisdom at her YouTube channel linked in our bio.
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