$2672
That’s less than the cost of 3 Aeron Chairs ($2697). What did we get for $2672? This is what makes it really awesome:
- 10 desks with ample workspace
- 20 boardroom chairs (stackable)
- 4 movable boardroom tables (small, can come together or pull apart)
- One Coat rack
- 4 File boxes
- 3 perfectly awesome adjustable ergonomic chairs
- 2 bookshelves
- 5 waste baskets
- One beautiful black leather sofa (new)
- One coffee table (to go with the leather sofa)
…and some other stuff, too. Of course, we have to put it all together ourselves now, but isn’t that half of the test of whether a team can work together?
We looked at all sorts of options, even buying used furniture from former startups gone under…loads of Aeron chairs and fancy modular units. All still very expensive (fyi…Aeron chairs second hand don’t lose much value…which I suppose is important).
We even talked about making it all ourselves from scratch, but a trip to home depot to work out the costs proved that Ikea (we don’t know how they do it) is only marginally more expensive - and it all sort of comes together, so no major labor.
We started out four and a half months ago, no savings (not even personal savings), no funding and no clients. Today, we have 10 clients, an office (we are sharing Citizen Space btw), ability to eat and now furniture! We are still fumbling through much of this business stuff and definitely behind in our own promotional materials (like the website, etc. - but we have so many requests for work that we haven’t had time to promote…wait…um…).
We are learning, too. Things haven’t been all sunshine. There are rough moments. Months we couldn’t pay ourselves. Scary moments when you question everything you are doing. Sad moments when a relationship doesn’t work out. Unfortunate moments when someone wishes you ill-will. Most of these moments are when we have to get a little real, put down our ‘embrace the chaos’ banners and think of real ways to move forward (which are still about embracing the chaos, but add a little ‘protective’ layer so that we don’t end up being taken advantage of by the self-centered interests that exist).
But, we are proud of ourselves for working hard and pushing through…and especially that office full of furniture that is being delivered this Friday for under $3k.
7 Comments
Ikiea is the friend of offices whether they know it or not. My colleagues at Z2 Marketing + Design did pretty much the same thing for their office, and it looks great.
First, congratulations! I can hardly wait to see your new space. And, yes, Ikea is somewhat of a miracle supplier of office furniture, I have outfit four offices with Ikea in my entrepreneurial career. And now they have dark brown. Dark brown!
you guys are my heros. I’ve been reading ::hpc:: for the longest time, and I’m so excited for you!
I graduate college (in advertising and web design) in four five months. I know the right thing to do is to put my time in and work for corporate america for a while, but this start up business is what I really want to do! And you’ve done it!
You’re an inspiration to us all.
How I love Ikea, let me count the ways… not long ago when I was frustrated by their lego with the missing instruction, I saught inspiration on … where else, the interweb, and read the very funny, very interweb famous (new to me) letter to Ikea.
I am very proud of what Team Citizen has already accomplished, and very excited for your future.
The highs are not as high without the lows.
Hey Tara, Chinwag just moved into new offices too, and partook of ye olde Ikea office furniture experience. Indeed we even had change for some smoothies and a posh espresso machine.
Is this yet another symptom of how the grassroots start-up experience is being homogenised, or is it just desks, drawers, chairs (and wires) + people etc?
Hey Tara,
- kinda the web-based sw version of your affordable office experiment? thought you might find it useful
saw this over on Coudal - love Coudal
http://www.thinkvitamin.com/features/webapps/our-office-2-0-experiment
http://www.coudal.com/
Oh, and I hereby invent the currency called “Aerons” — or the effective equivalent of the cost of one Aeron chair. So now we can say things like “We furnished the office for four Aerons” or “I bought a car for 10 Aerons” or “We put on a BarCamp for a third of an Aeron”.
Post a Comment