Americanos, lattes, mochas, and cappuccinos are great… but sometimes you need more than just a drink. So at the Grind Café, we have been expanding our line of sweet and savory snacks to make sure that you can satisfy your hunger cravings throughout the day.

Bakery Items

There is almost no better match for that coffee than a bagel with cream cheese. Maybe a slice of lemon loaf. Or a blueberry muffin. Regardless of your tastes, you can find a fresh, fantastic bakery item at the Grind Café every day. But come early – because once the day’s selection of muffins and bagels are gone, we can’t restock until the next delivery.

Snack Bars and Quick Refreshers

Come try one of our Larabars, Kettle Chips, or CLIF Bars to get you through the day. For some of us, we need a mid-morning snack. For others, it’s the two o’clock slump. The Grind Café has a range of quick bites that will help you get through the day without feeling weighed down by a big lunch. And for a protein boost, grab a Chobani yogurt.

Lunch

Yes, we’ve got some great sandwiches. Freshly made every morning, you can select from ham, turkey, roast beef, and veggie sandwiches. Try our Bumble Bee tuna salad snack box or Quaker oatmeal for an alternative.

The Sweet Stuff

Sometimes, there’s nothing like a Toblerone bar to help you survive the stress of a long day at the office. And if you’re concerned about your coffee breath, pick up a box of Altoids. (Your colleagues might appreciate it!) If you really need a cookie, come try our newest addition, Lenny and Larry’s Complete Cookie. These cookies, with 16 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber, have no soy, no dairy, and are non-GMO. (But you wouldn’t know it by the taste.)

The Grind Café has a solution for any hunger pangs or cravings while you work. Bring a friend – or better yet – bring that friend a surprise treat from our selection of snacks.

COWORK SPACES AVAILABLE

Looking for that perfect CoWork tech space?

We’re pleased to offer “ONE DAY FREE” at NEST CoWork @ CyberTECH, in San Diego’s Bankers Hill, a few blocks from downtown. Offered in partnership with LiquidSpace.

1855 First Avenue, Suite 103

San Diego, CA 92103

Sample space:

1 unreserved desk w/ private kitchenette, modern feel, part of 16,000 sf NEST CoWork space. Included: broadband, utilities, security, conference room, workout gym, coffee service. No hidden fees!

Contact Darin Andersen:

 

Etiquette in the CoWorking Space

With some predicting a freelance workforce at 50% by 2020, co-working etiquette is quickly becoming a defining component for any co-working space. And etiquette isn’t just about how the members behave, but also about how the co-working management sets expectations and upholds those standards. From loud phone calls to garlic shrimp at lunch, workplace behavior is about to get a whole lot trickier.

Let’s start with phone calls. With cell phone reception still far behind land line clarity, scream-talking is fairly commonplace. Plus, 95% of co-working members will be cell phone based. Phone booths are now standard for most co-working spaces, but they don’t solve all problems. For example, a quick phone call to a client can easily turn into an hour-long discussion. And if you need to be in front of a computer while talking, a phone booth or patio might not be a viable solution. Moreover, even those who occupy an office can be a bother if scream-talking with their door open.

This is why strong, gentle management is critical. Co-working contracts need to specify some basic expectations. “All calls longer than 3 minutes need to take place behind closed doors.” Then, when someone is scream-talking in the open or in an open office, the on-site manager can quickly step in and relieve the frustrations that the other workers are feeling.

Food is another major issue. As is slurping coffee. And chewing gum. Even someone clicking a pen or playing with their long hair can be enough of a distraction to drive hard-working members to find another location. The current generation of millennials isn’t known for their selfless lifestyle, and they will be the ones working freelance jobs at co-working offices.

Establishing a Code of Conduct is key in keeping co-working members happy. Enforcing the code means having an on-site Emily Post who can keep a reign on behavior. Ideally, your on-site manager would come with the inflexible gentility of a Savanah librarian. “Keep quiet or get out, sweetie-pie.”

Managing people has always been the most difficult part of any business. So, managing a collection of people who have no employment ties to each other or the office space means having a well-worded contract and a strict manager to enforce the rules.

(And everyone over the age of 25 will quietly say, “Thank you.”)

Business Insider Proclaims WeWork is Tremendously Overvalued. Is it?

http://www.businessinsider.com/scott-galloway-wework-overvalued-company-world-2017-5

In a video about overvalued companies, WeWork made the top of the list. The current valuation equation puts the value of each WeWork customer at more than $550,000. In other words, WeWork is operating as if each client will generate over half-a-million bucks for the company. That’s like every client paying $5,000 per month in rent for nine years.

Realistically, that’s not going to happen. So why is WeWork riding so high? In short, trend.

Right now, WeWork spaces are generally expensive, and the company has very low vacancy rates. With this kind of money coming into the company, someone will have adamantly pointed out that WeWork is likely operating in a bubble. And all bubbles pop. (See: Housing, 2007)

However, WeWork is leading a trend. For example, right now several large companies are utilizing WeWork instead of managing their own office spaces. (That’s gunna shift.) Plus, WeWork is capitalizing on venture capitalists who want to see their money at work in super-trendy workplaces with free lemon water. (Is lemon water really worth $5,000 per month?)

Coworking is growing – very quickly. So it’s highly probably that WeWork has created several contingency plans to adapt when there’s a shift in coworking demand. At these rates, big companies will eventually see coworking as wasted money. And venture capitalists might stop investing in companies with less than five employees and shift to more established operations. (See: Tech Industry, 2001)

When the winds shift, WeWork will adapt. They likely have five and ten-year commercial leases, so if IBM moves its operations out of WeWork New York, WeWork will have to fill that vacancy with someone.

And it all comes down to the little guy. At $250 or $300 per month, coworking spaces can quickly fill its vacancies with general and “hot desk” members. The real trend is not in coworking, it’s in the entrepreneurialism of the gig economy. It’s the American dream to be your own boss.

The coworking companies are here to stay. They are becoming our second home – our oasis in a life of soccer practices, mean bosses, and in-law visits. All of those employees showing up for work at a WeWork coworking space are the future tenants for the company. And that is worth $5,000 per month.

Think about the American worker in the 1950s… or the Japanese worker in the 1980s… the workplace was a reliable haven of productivity. Sure, there must have been long hours, office politics, and noisy coworkers slurping soup at lunch, but the office was always there. Today, the vast majority of that reliability is gone. Layoffs, cutbacks, and outsourcing has become commonplace. And even in a big city, finding a cushy replacement when you’ve been laid off from your Fortune 100 job isn’t easy. Plus, there was a time when you and your employer made a pact: you show up to work hard and the company wouldn’t fire you. Today, a bad supervisor can put you out on the street with a few well-crafted emails to HR.

With today’s expensive lifestyle (where hors-oeuvres and a drink can cost $50), most of us need a side hustle. There are likely some mid-level executives flipping on their Uber app while they drive home from work to pick up some extra money for Christmas. And blogger-moms staying up late to get sponsored dinners for a date night with hubby.

So coworking spaces are not just for the full-time entrepreneur. In fact, anyone looking to work a few hours on a blog, ebook, or part-time coding gig needs a desk and a cup of coffee away from the house. Even if you’re a full-time employee, maybe you have a desk for the days when you want to avoid the commute and “work from home.”

Thus, the coworking space becomes the new workplace anchor. It doesn’t matter if you get fired, laid-off, or quit. You keep going to the familiar coworking space, shifting your time and energy to the project at hand.

Coworking spaces have become key for personal productivity. When your employer no longer sees you as a necessary asset, you simply flip the switch and do more work as an independent contractor. In fact, coworking spaces, along with the gig economy, are a tremendous threat to corporate productivity. Coworking offices have leveled the playing field, offering workers the chance to remain productive and happy regardless of where the work is coming from. And the more you are in a coworking space, the more you learn how to source and duplicate work as a contractor.

Take that, corporate America!

Most presidential elections come with rhetoric about jobs and the economy. And while the majority of jobs that come with an improved economy may still look like a traditional 40-hour employment agreement, freelance work is on the rise. And it’s not going anywhere. Whether you are a self-employed programmer, part-time graphic designer, or a member of an app development team, you will need a community of like-minded professionals seeking the same professional satisfaction.

The Workers
The up-and-coming workforce is against the idea of a traditional job. Millennials, as a group, are far more interested in life experiences like camping, travel, and leisure than they about having a house, a car, and a high credit line. Corporations are finding that freelancers, while expensive on the hourly end, are more motivated and efficient that full-time employees.

The Benefits
Health insurance was one of the driving forces for finding and keeping a traditional job. And while it’s likely that health insurance will change over the next four years, universal healthcare is likely here to stay. And if you are in a liberal state like California or Massachusetts, changes in federal healthcare laws could be offset by changes in state laws. So if you can get health insurance on your own, a traditional job comes with more restrictions than benefits.

The Workplace
As the US moves towards a knowledge-based economy (as compared to a manufacturing economy), the average worker won’t need more than a cell phone and a laptop to be highly effective. Corporations are seeing the cost-cutting benefits that come with workers who pay for their own workplace (and health insurance).

If you’ve ever worked from home for long stretches of time, then you know that the isolation and quiet can be unsettling. And if you’ve ever worked from a coffee shop, you know the sound of blenders and screaming children is less than professional. Coworking spaces are a key component in the gig economy. Collective workplaces offer the human interaction we need to feel connected day-in and day-out. Plus they offer a brand of professional flexibility found nowhere else.

Gig economy… Side hustle… Digital nomad… The face of the workplace is changing. In an effort to attract talent and reduce costs, employers are utilizing coworking spaces to allow distance workers to work in a professional environment. And individuals are no longer looking towards traditional employment for part-time and full-time work. These workers now crash together in coworking spaces around the world, grateful that they aren’t relegated to a kitchen table or crowded Starbucks to get work done.

For nearly two decades, traditional employers have struggled to manage good employees who opt to work from home. With good employees difficult to find and expensive to replace, most employers have bent strict rules to allow some to work from home. Supervision, productivity, and insurance conflicts arise as (unlikely) problems. Thanks to coworking spaces, however, more corporate employers are allowing employees to work at desk outside of the house, but away from the corporate hub.

Even for those with a full-time corporate job, a coworking space can be a great way to build up a freelance portfolio, work a digital side job, or just get out of the house. The days of working one, full-time job are practically done. Regardless of how full-time employment meets (or fails) modern financial demands, more workers are seeing entrepreneurialism in their future. Coworking spaces are incubators; emerging tech, service, and business ideas come to light thanks to the inherent interactivity of coworking spots. Between the casual coffee pot conversations and the official networking dinners, coworking spaces are the new “garage office.” In other words, the next Apple (Facebook, Google) is probably under development in a coworking space as we speak.

And finally, the digital nomad. Why bother paying rent or a mortgage if you can roam around the world, working digitally every day? For the true tech worker, a network of coworking spaces, coffee shops, and AirBnB apartments can serve as the basis for a nomadic life. See the world and earn a living… what could be better?

Even the face of the coworking office is changing. At one time, shared offices and executive suites were open Monday through Friday, nine to five. But today, the urban coworking space is a 24-hour operation as part-timers, freelancers, and all-nighters come together to feed off each other’s ideas and build momentum towards a more satisfying work-life balance.

CyberTECH is pleased to announce the opening of its in-house coffee shop, Grind. By introducing a fully functioning cafe, CyberTECH is addressing one of the challenges for workers in the Banker’s Hill area – good coffee. With very few cafes and restaurants within walking distance of the CoWorking offices at First and Fir, CyberTECH Members have struggled to fulfill their coffee break needs.

On November 10, the Grind will start providing hot drinks like mochas, lattes, and Americanos. With a focus on high quality beans and well-crafted beverages, Grind will be offering European-inspired products. CyberTECH facility manager, Mo Rahseparian, brings his years of restaurant ownership experience to ensure customers enjoy the highest quality products and services.

Starting with a wide selection of hot beverages, Grind will be expanding its line of products over the coming weeks and months. Cold drinks, bottled drinks, snacks, and sandwiches are all vital components to ensuring every visitor can find something to eat or drink.

And Grind will be open to everyone. Of course, the primary customers will be those Members inside the CyberTECH community. But the building at First and Fir houses office employees and healthcare workers that will be able to easily take advantage of the food services. In addition, Banker’s Hill residents and workers will have access to the Grind coffee and food. CyberTECH Members will get a hefty discount on any purchases.

Initially, operating hours will skew towards the morning with service starting before 8am. And because the shortage of lunch options in the area, the cafe will operate through the lunch hour. Extended and weekend hours will be determined based on demand and need.

In 2012, The Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics (vol. 9(6) 2012) published an article about the working habits of Millennials. Three points stand out:

  1. “Many of this generation’s parents are affluent middle-agers who are now confronted with progenies who are drawn to the “softer” side of life: art, poetry, music, and the surreal world of games.”
  2. “While many of them excelled in high school and college, they don’t seem attracted to the current structured world of work out there.”
  3. “Many of them seem to explore their options, waiting for the right moment or opportunity to come along, and not in a hurry to proactively chase it.”

So, if you are building a company and hiring the younger generation of workers, how do you appeal to their sensibilities?

First, don’t focus on the traditional benefits that come with employment. Health insurance, stable income, and a promise of advancement mean very little to these 20-somethings. They’ve grown up in a world where Fortune 500 companies lay off thousands of people and Federal employees are sent home during systematic shut-downs. To them, no job is secure. Health insurance is available outside of the workplace. And there are endless freelance jobs to earn money from a living room couch or local coffee shop.

Second, don’t mention the 9-5 hours. In fact, you might completely rethink those hours anyway. Why? These Millennials, heavy with tech skills, will happily walk away from your company if you press them to work a traditional workday. They will work hard; but on their time. And if you don’t like it, find someone else. (And good luck with that.)

Finally, don’t expect them to work forever. You might spend endless hours seeking the right candidate, vetting all applicants, and providing company training only to find your Millennial opts to spend winter in Switzerland skiing. You spent three months hiring and only got two months of work out of your new tech employee.

It’s time to rethink some of the traditional constraints of employment. In fact, something as inconvenient as a long commute could dissuade your Millennial from staying at the job. Remote working (from home or an approved coworking space) could go a long way in keeping a good employee from disappearing at the first hint of snow. Or sun.

Millennials have been raised well, by overly protective parents. They don’t approach the world of work with much apprehension or fear. They are a confident bunch without much to lose. And the companies that learn how to adapt to their standards might find a competitive edge for future growth in all markets.

In every business, from tax preparation to coffee, you have to make a choice between a national brand and a locally owned business. With the dramatically increasing demand for coworking spaces, remote workers and entrepreneurs have to make the same choice – nationally branded coworking or a locally grown company. (Obviously, we at NEST are biased.)

But let’s talk about the benefits of a national brand. In many ways, nationally branded coworking spaces come with a few benefits over what you can get with a local space. The primary benefit of a national coworking company is the access to office space in all major metropolitan areas. So if you are constantly on the go – from Seattle to Orlando – then a large, corporate coworking company might be a better choice. But for anyone who plans on heading into a local office, a locally owned coworking space is always a better choice. Here’s why:

Locally owned and managed coworking spaces have a flexibility in contracting you won’t find in with larger companies. Temporary holds, upgrades, downgrades, and additional desks are easy changes to your current lease. In other words, you won’t be nickel-and-dimed by a local coworking company. You will also find that the smaller, local company will provide more freebies like conference room use, beverage services, and printing.

Local coworking spaces also tend to have a broader range of working spaces. The big coworking companies are going to be focused on squeezing every dime out of every square inch of space. And that means lots of closed doors and tiny cubicles. Local coworking spaces will have plenty of open areas furnished with couches and café tables. The smaller, local companies will offer more outdoor spaces for events and social gatherings.

Finally, you won’t find the kind of symbiotic environment in a large, corporate coworking space. The local coworking space is likely to have a tenant niche (like tech-oriented NEST) and will attract collaborative people. Casual conversations and official networking comes easier in a locally owned coworking space.

In short, a locally owned coworking space is more likely to meet your needs as a new and growing company. At a space like NEST, you will find the right kind of driven and collaborative folks that make coworking a great place to be.