SCOTT HOWARD, Revenue Engineer - EPISODE 2-HOME OFFICE FOR SUCCESS SERIES VIDEO RECAP
GUEST:
Scott Howard, Revenue Engineer - Toronto, Canada
Episode Title:
ENTREPRENEUR NEEDS A PROPER HOME OFFICE SET-UP TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS
Dolores and Najeeb, the HOSS Success Team to the rescue.
What you’ll learn from this episode:
Office layouts for productivity and effectiveness
Rembrandt lighting set-up to look powerful on your Zoom calls
Art and other fun stuff for your Zoom background
Scott's story:
Scott's firm, Revenue Engine, focuses on B2B business development with emerging technology companies. He’s newly divorced and has a lower-level rental apartment (aka the basement). His kids visit on weekends and have their own room.
Since he cannot work from his corporate office, he works in the dining area. He also has space in his bedroom that could work well for an office.
During his core work-day, from 8am to 5pm, he is on Zoom calls with Clients.
What bothers Scott about his space?
The basement is cold with very little natural light. It's a small open-plan space with no room to move around and stretch his legs. There's no room to work or to have a proper video set-up for his Zoom calls.
Budget?
Scott is in the process of buying what he needs for his office. He’ll buy what’s required for a simple set-up with the necessary tech and the gear for an efficient office.
How would this improve Scott’s life?
Scott would be a lot more productive and less stressed with a workspace that suits his workflow. He really wants to start his day off right.
How can Dolores and Najeeb help Scott?
Scott believes that Dolores and Najeeb’s expertise would help direct him on the right path with concrete action steps. Otherwise, he knows he’ll ignore his current stressful situation, work around it and take half measures. Furthermore, he will keep on experiencing the day-to-day minor aggravations which drains him from being productive.
What did Dolores and Najeeb do?
Before meeting up with Scott, Dolores and Najeeb reviewed his floor plans and carefully studied his needs and space requirements.
Later they connected with Scott through Zoom, with all three of them involved in the design process. Dolores and Najeeb discussed and planned, in real-time, two different layouts to fulfill Scott’s ideal home office requirements.
Room / Space Description
Basement
Very little natural light
Living . Dining . Kitchen Open Plan
Master Bedroom and Kid’s Room
HOME OFFICE INTERIOR DESIGN PROCESS:
It is common to have a home office in the lower level of a house (aka the basement). This type of space is flexible. Basements capture the overflow activities performed on the upper levels of the house. They usually have tiny windows and lack natural sunlight, so supplemental lighting is crucial.
Move Workspace From Dining Area To Large Bedroom
First, Dolores and Najeeb recommended that Scott’s new office be located in the Master Bedroom. Here he can work when he wants to and close off the room when the kids are running around. Scott can save lots of time and stress because doesn't need to set up his workspace at the beginning of each day. Which is what occurs when he’s working in the dining area.
Layout #1
A little nook is located opposite the bed where Scott can set up a series of low cabinets against the wall, with his desk facing the small window. Dolores doesn’t recommended to have the desk abutted against the wall because Scott is bound to feel cramped and claustrophobic.
Two monitors and a laptop will be displayed on the desk. The printer and modem will be located on the low-level cabinets behind him.
Dolores and Najeeb suggested that Scott raise his laptop and place the monitor on an arm so that he can raise and lower the monitor to suit his eye height. He’ll also need an ergonomic keyboard to complete the arrangement. The side of the desk can be pushed against the wall. Scott can then easily access outlets avoiding cords getting in the way. At the front, he can set up a camera, tripod and lighting permanently.
A large LED ring light to his left allows for ideal Rembrandt lighting to add depth, contour and a little drama to his face. Regular LED ring lights at 4,000K have harsh blue tones. Najeeb recommends LED output of 2,700K to 3,000K and a diffuser will warm up skin tones and soften the light. The natural light will act as a bit of a filler, balancing out the lighting on the face. Also, adding a light behind Scott that points up, creates a hallo that lights up the wall.
There are different ways to layout the back wall. Scott can use a series of low cabinets, or two tall bookcases at either end. Above the lower cabinets, there will be wall space to pin up the kids' drawings. Scott needs to stylize the back wall providing a pleasing vignette for the viewer. He then can reveal as much or as little as he wants to about himself and his business. Dolores and Najeeb reminded Scott that he needs to maintain his privacy.
Scott agrees with this. It makes sense to him.
In this layout, Najeeb stated that the camera on the monitor will see the door. Scott can add a decorative screen as an extension of the wall to hide the door. Later in the day, the screen can be moved to hide his work. Then it won't be the first thing seen when waking up in the morning.
Since Scott makes daily Zoom calls, he needs to look his best and most powerful self.
Layout #2
In this layout, the desk will face the bed that can be closed off with a decorative room divider.
The long side of the wall can have low cabinets or bookcases at desk height with a bulletin board above. The printer and modem can be located on top of the cabinets.
Scott wants to feature his kids’ artwork. He wants to think of them throughout the day. Dolores advises him that he needs to think about what information and image he wants to present on a Zoom call. He needs to stylize his backspace to inform the viewer and inspire himself.
Revealing his personal life on a Zoom call doesn't bother him. He feels that this is everyone’s reality right now. However, Dolores feels that people are Zoomed-out and are becoming very fussy about what they want to see on Zoom call. They want to see people lit properly and not washed out. You may be working from home 'but' it's getting tiresome to look at ugly backgrounds and washed-out faces. In an office, people don’t need to think too hard about a set-up because it’s done for you. When at home, you need to think things through. You want to make sure that you provide your viewer with a positive visual experience. We may not wear suits, but we do wear our background.
Dolores and Najeeb discussed a variety of ways to feature playful artwork. Pieces can be framed, pinned or fixed to a bulletin with stylish tacks. Scott likes the idea of a fancy bulletin board so that he can change-up his kids' drawings regularly. Najeeb likes to add an LED light strip around the bulletin board with rotating coloured lighting. It looks professional and sophisticated.
Scott also wants to add a whiteboard to the side so that he can plant seeds in a Prospect's mind when on a call. He just needs to make sure that the information is not proprietary or confidential.
The lighting tips and tricks in Layout #1 still apply to Layout #2.
Dolores and Najeeb decided to cover all options and offered more variety to Scott.
Option #3
Placing the desk on the back wall with a small meeting table to the side. He can then have two separate work surfaces.
Option #4
In this layout, the desk is placed against the wall and located under the window with a small table to the side.
So Many Options – Which One Is Best?
All of the furniture layouts presented have their pros and cons. They can suit any type of furniture available in different price ranges. It depends on what Scott is comfortable with, his timeline and budget.
The furniture layout and the set-up of key pieces of furniture and tech is the formula for a productive workflow.
Many suppliers now offer a ‘desk in a box’. Of course, you can do the high/low combination and splurge on some items and have a lower price on other pieces.Which office layout did Scott choose?
Scott was happy to have different options. With Dolores and Najeeb’s expert planning and advice, he can finally have a furniture layout where he can find things easily. He can now start fresh at the beginning of each day.
He doesn't want to troop around town. So, he’ll choose whatever comes mostly assembled. He’s willing to invest a couple of thousand dollars to see him through his current situation.
WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM THE ENTREPRENEUR NEEDS A PROPER HOME SET-UP TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS EPISODE?
Proper Planning and Furniture Follows Function
Think through the functions that your space will perform. Workspaces can be very versatile and multi-functional once you have a proper setup.
Storage On Casters For Maximum Flexibility
Low storage on casters allows you to move things for the best setup to accommodate any situation and future growth.
Save Your Precious Eyes
It's good practice to look away from the monitor from time to time to exercise your eyes. This helps you from getting headaches.
Lighting - The Rembrandt Technique
Rembrandt lighting is one of Najeeb's favourite studio lighting patterns. It creates a nice dramatic, moody feel and it's fairly uncomplicated to set up. Very popular in-studio portrait photography and cinematography. It can be achieved with a single light source and a reflector. Here’s what Najeeb recommends:
Place LED ring lights to the side to help outline the features of your face.
Place a diffuser on an LED ring light to soften the output.
Buy warm white LED at 2,500K to 3,000K ring light to add extra warmth and flatter your face. Regular LED lights at 4,000K have a blue tone which is very harsh.
Add a diffuser will warm up skin tones and soften the light. Any natural light available will act as a bit of a filler, balancing out the lighting on the face.
Add a light behind you and have it points up, creating a hallo that lights up the wall.
Art And Other Fun Stuff For Your Zoom Background
There are a variety of ways to feature playful artwork.
Pieces can be framed, pinned or fixed to a bulletin with stylish tacks.
Add an LED light strip around the bulletin board with rotating coloured lighting. This makes it look professional and sophisticated.
Equipment
A monitor with a swivel arm is your best friend. It allows you to pivot and move it up and down to accommodate your eye height and movements. Any articulating piece of equipment at your desk gives you freedom of movement.
Zoom Background
Provide your viewer with a positive visual experience and make an effort to stylize your background.
Reveal your personality but done reveal any private or proprietary information. Protect your privacy.
Your Office Reflects Your Style
Ultimately, your home office is for you. You spend a lot of time there. Make it work for you.
Would you like to have your very own home office reviewed by Dolores and Najeeb?
Check Out The Home Office for Success Series (HOSS) Web Page:
https://www.teamland.com/resources/home-office-for-success-series
Watch: Episode #2 - Scott
Dolores Pian, Principal & Registered Interior Designer, BAA ARIDO – Design Reclaiming Time
Najeeb Khan, Head of People & Remote of Teamland / Teamland – Team Culture Platform
Dolores Pian is a Master Interior Designer who crafts luxury residences, penthouses and purse parking. Successful people seek her expertise to Design Reclaiming Time ©
Because time is their truest luxury.
Drop her an e-mail to say hello and let her know what you thought of this blog post.
Dolores Pian’s blog posts are meant to inform and entertain. Please consult Dolores Pian directly if you need any specific information for your specific spaces.