We provide coworking spaces across Canada with locations in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.
Tell us about yourself?
I started in accounting at a large firm, where I learned that an office is not just an office. I learned that my physical surroundings had a large impact on my ability to perform at my highest levels. A dark basement doing public audits was the opposite of an inspiring environment.
I moved from accounting to real estate brokerage in 1998, focusing on office leasing. In 2011, my business partner and I recognized that office space could be done better, and access could be provided much more quickly and more flexibly. We didn’t develop the coworking concept, but we set out to improve it by providing inspiring spaces complemented by a culture of care and service excellence.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Covid-19 won’t last forever. Spend less time worrying and more time being present with family.
What problem does your business solve?
We remove the friction from the process of procuring office space. We do not ask our customers to improve our spaces, and we have no long-term leases or long transaction timelines like a traditional office landlord.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
For the workspace decision-maker, we provide them with spaces and an experience that allows them to attract and retain the best talent. For our Members, we are providing inspired expertise to create their best work every day.
What is your magic sauce?
A great culture of individuals with a common goal to make iQ Offices a special place to work and get work done.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
More growth. We look to grow our footprint in our existing and other new markets in Canada. We are focused on being the Canadian alternative to international competitors. By having locations across the country, we can service most large organizations looking to secure workspace in Canada and attract the best talent that this country has to offer.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
Covid-19 was by far the most difficult business situation we have faced so far. When we grew from four locations to seven locations, we built an HQ infrastructure to support our onsite staff. This has helped our onsite teams to focus on our members and provide a unique and connected experience.
How can people get involved?
For any company looking to secure office space, attract talent, and inspire exceptional work, visit www.iqoffices.com to get started. We would love to hear from you.