Analysts cite a jobless recovery and global economic concerns for the increase in vacancy rates as businesses are reluctant to commit to space they are not sure they will need in the future.  Bucking the downward trend is New York City — the nation’s largest and most expensive office market. Second quarter vacancy rates dropped in midtown and downtown locations, and were well below the national average — a possible sign economic green shoots are starting to take root in the Big Apple.

Uncertainty is probably the most obstructive hurdle businesses are facing today.  Signing a long-term lease when a business can’t adhere to a long-term plan doesn’t make sense.  Companies should be careful not to repeat the property decisions of the past that left them straddled with underutilized space today.

Technology and the rise of the mobile worker are the top factors impacting the real estate decisions in the 21st Century.  The ability to get work done anywhere at any time will allow business to quickly capitalize on business opportunities.  Long-term lease agreements do not complement this new way of working.

For over 25 years, Illinois native Dann Nardi’s work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally.  His work can be found in a number of public and private collections throughout the United States, including collections at Coca Cola Corporation in Atlanta, GA and Prudential Insurance Company in New York.   Dann received his BS and MS from Illinois State University and has also received recognition throughout his career, including awards from the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and the Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Grant.

So grab some colleagues, clients, friends and family, and take advantage of this tremendous opportunity to see a great local artist’s work right here at Willis Tower.

Click here for more information about Dann Nardi and his work.

Every day, new companies enter an incredibly competitive market while others have to make their exit.  What gives businesses the edge to not only stay afloat in a turbulent economy, but also thrive?  What are these successful companies doing right?

Diversity.

No, it’s not the end-all, be-all, silver bullet answer; however, it is a piece of the equation to which Luigi Guadagno, founder of Kenetica Consulting, credits the success of his company.

Kenetica Consulting is an OfficeLinks client based in Chicago that provides innovative and objective consulting solutions and services worldwide – from growth and technology strategic management to business development and market/product launching.  Their clients are new European companies looking to enter the North American market, and it is Kenetica Consulting’s job to steer them right by giving them the skills and know-how to be able to successfully run their companies.  Luigi says that this is all possible because of his dynamic, cross-functional team.  Kenetica Consulting brings various experiences and backgrounds (including technologists, marketers, users, sellers, packagers, etc.) to the table, providing its clients with the multifarious knowledge required for critically thinking about problems and exploring all possible solutions.

And the diversity doesn’t stop there: though Kenetica specializes in technology companies and
businesses highly dependent on technology, it has clients in other industries as well, such as fashion.  Through their diverse customer base they are able to reach, learn, and understand their “customer’s customer” in verticals like fashion, luxury, logistics, financials.  They leverage this knowledge to create more opportunity for their customers, as well as their customers’ customers. This endows Kenetica with versatility and broadens its market to include a wide variety of clients rather than being locked in to a small client base.

Companies with diversity – internally and externally – who wisely use their range to their advantage have an edge in today’s market.  Does your company have the diversity it needs to thrive?

To learn more about Kenetica Consulting, click here.

The OfficeLinks management team is proud and delighted to announce that our Chicago office, located on the 84^th Floor of the Willis Tower, formerly the Sears tower, at 233 S. Wacker Drive, is now LEED Certified, meeting U.S. Green Building Council standards in environmentally conscious office standards.

According to Harsh Mehta, chief operating officer and executive vice president of OfficeLinks, “Going green makes sense for the environment and it also makes sense for business.  Not only are we reducing our carbon footprint and encouraging other businesses to follow suit when they use our office space, but we’re also helping our clients save in operational costs and providing employees with a safer work environment.  Businesses with LEED Certification have public appeal because consumers have a desire to work with smart companies who are aware of their global impact and are looking for more evolved ways of doing business.  People trust companies who are environmentally conscious.”

OfficeLinks’ Chicago location is a first-of-its-kind 21^st century business center, touting a sprawling reception area with floor-to-ceiling glass walls on either end, breathtaking views of the entire city and Lake Michigan, state-of-the-art Liquid Crystal Glass enclosed conference rooms, and individually climate-controlled window offices.   OfficeLinks’ Chicago Office LEED Certified Credits include: CFC Reduction in HVAC & Equipment; use of Green Power, Recycled Content and Regional Materials; Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Control, use of Low-Emitting Materials (adhesives, sealants, paints, coatings, carpet systems, composite wood and laminate adhesives, and systems furniture and seating), and Indoor Chemical and Pollutant Source Control.

OfficeLinks is delighted to be moving forward and taking positive, smart steps forward for the environment and for our clients.  To find out more about LEED, click here.

The news is great for both the City of Chicago and for Willis Tower, which will welcome the first United Airlines employees to the tower this fall.  It is anticipated that by April 2011, Wills Tower will have nearly 3,000 United employees in the building.

Willis Tower is proud to have another global company choose Willis Tower as a center of operations and OfficeLinks is delighted to welcome them, too!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of the Building at 312.875.0066.

It’s all part of a trend that has seen smaller companies and entrepreneurs successfully slugging it out with bigger, less nimble competitors. With the right kind of infrastructure, a start-up company can compete with a large multinational in terms of speed and availability. A distributed workforce can collaborate across continents and oceans by sharing a virtual network and even holding instant global meetings through Videoconferencing.

In short, being wired-in is a great equalizer: it can put even a one-person operation in the same technology league with any larger competitor.

Once place to find that kind of technology is at OfficeLinks’ 21^st Century shared offices facility, in the Willis Tower. Few workers at huge corporations or even at vaunted high-tech firms enjoy access to this level of technology and business support.

How do you leverage high-tech solutions to get to that level of competitiveness?  In upcoming blogs we’ll explore how some of today’s smartest business people are making it happen.

If you’d like to read more about our take on the 21^st Century office – continue to check out our blog, stop by a location or visit www.OfficeLinks.com.

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Yours with the help from a friend   …. (that’s us, OfficeLinks!)

 All kinds of people are a part of the social media craze: 350 million of them are on Facebook, 75 million of them are on Twitter, 60 million of them are on LinkedIn and 57 million are on Myspace.  Wouldn’t it be great if you could use this social media to build your company’s brand, foster relationships and grow revenue?  You can and OfficeLinks is going to show you how!

OfficeLinks is delighted to offer a free webinar series that is designed to help our clients and partners maximize opportunities as we navigate through today’s hypercompetitive marketplace, giving you the tools you need to keep your business THRIVING!

On April 8, 2010, from 3 to 4 pm EST, we’ll show you how you can truly harness the power of social media.  In this hour, you’ll create a Social Media Roadmap to grow your top line now and build brand awareness and equity as you fuel your pipeline for the future.  You’ll also receive a list of “must do” activities that you’ll want to get started on as soon as you hang up the phone, so have a pen and paper handy and get ready to take your business to the next level using social media marketing tactics!

Register today by speaking with your Center Manager or signing up at www.officelinks.com/thrive.

Why host your next corporate meeting or extravagant celebration at the same ho-hum venue when you can give your guests the experience of a lifetime?  The Sky Deck on the Wills Tower, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere and home to the OfficeLinks Chicago office space location, offers a flexible 10,000 square foot space on the 99^th floor that can accommodate 250 seated guests or 400 guests, reception style.  Voted one of the 7 Wonders of Chicago by Chicago Tribune Readers, The Sky Deck offers the best view of Chicago and beyond.  Prove it to the VIPs at your gathering: take them on a VIP visit to the Ledge and give them an experience that will not be soon forgotten. 

Conveniently located just upstairs from the OfficeLinks Chicago location, this venue is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone and everyone at your event.   For more information, including availability and pricing, contact Faith Mulvihill at 312-875-9803 or fmulvihill@theskydeck.com.