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Launch Pad is a coworking community of first believers founded by Anne Driscoll and Chris Schultz.

Anne and Chris know firsthand the struggles of starting a business.  As serial start-up entrepreneurs, they often heard “no” or “that will never work.” Thus, in establishing Launch Pad’s first believer premise, Anne and Chris set up their coworking brand and members for success.

First believers help each other overcome the stresses and strains of scaling start-up businesses.

Often, they provide one another critical sales, marketing, technological, and operational support. What is more, they help once struggling local communities become great places to live and work.

With locations in five U.S. cities and growing, Launch Pad provides workspace, essential resources, and a supportive community structure that empowers entrepreneurs.

In this episode, Anne and Chris:

• Introduce Launch Pad and its mission. Starts at 3:06
• Describe the brand’s unique value proposition. Starts at 3:44
• Define the term “first believers” and demonstrate why it is important. Starts at 5:13
• Illustrate Launch Pad’s member experience. Starts at 8:22
• Support the notion of a smaller scale path to success. Starts at 11:28
• Explore the benefits of the guild economy, maker movement, and localism. Starts at 18:48
• Provide their take on the future of work trends that are pointing people to gigs and side hustles. Starts at 24:30

According to Chris, Launch Pad ascribes to noble purpose:

“[Our goal] is to help entrepreneurs succeed, because we want to focus on the economic impacts of the communities that we service.”

In support of a coworking community of first believers, Anne adds:

“We spend a lot of time with city governments across the country, talking about the importance of entrepreneurship, the importance of creating a hub.”

About our guests:

Anne Driscoll and Chris Schultz are co-founders of Launch Pad. In prior roles, Anne was an executive at Google and several tech start-ups. She earned a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Queens University. Chris founded numerous start-ups and provided angel investment capital to others. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business. Anne and Chris are married; they and their young daughter live in the Bay Area of California.

EPISODE DATE: March 12, 2021

Social media:

– Instagram – Launch Pad

– LinkedIn – Launch Pad

– LinkedIn – Anne Driscoll

– LinkedIn – Chris Schultz

– Twitter – Launch Pad

– Twitter – Anne Driscoll

– Twitter – Chris Schultz

– Website – Launch Pad

– YouTube Channel – Launch Pad

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:16 — 40.3MB)

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As hiring managers navigate the future of work, they must also help to create opportunities for a neurodiverse workforce.

Larysa Kautz is the President and CEO of Melwood, a nonprofit organization that helps people with disabilities find and do meaningful work.

In the broad future of work discussion, neurodiversity gets scant attention. And yet the number of neurodiverse people in the workforce is considerable.

The neurodiverse workforce often includes people with physical or intellectual disability. Furthermore, its ranks include people on the autism spectrum, and, those diagnosed with ADHD.

However, one year since the pandemic started, the neurodiverse workforce expanded to include so-called Covid long-haulers. These are people who now suffer long-term and permanent disability. What is more, they may present with difficult conditions, such as brain fog and balance issues, that require special workplace accommodations.

In this episode, Larysa:

• Describes Melwood and its mission. Starts at 2:57
• Defines neurdiversity. Starts at 3:38
• Illustrates the challenges neurodiverse candidates encounter when applying for work. Starts at 4:52
• Explains the benefits neurodiverse workers gain when working from home is an option. Starts at 10:07
• Looks back at the 30-year history of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Starts at 13:27
• Discusses the positive future of work benefits of hiring and supporting neurodiverse workers. Starts at 23:48

Hiring managers must create opportunities for a neurodiverse workforce. And yet, Larysa points out a glaring injustice that has long plagued the disabled:

“It’s still legal in this country to pay people with disabilities less than the minimum wage.”

About our guest:

Larysa Kautz earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from Connecticut College and a Juris Doctorate from Yale Law School. Larysa lives and works in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

EPISODE DATE: March 5, 2021

Social media:

– Facebook

– Instagram

– Twitter

– Website

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:23 — 28.0MB)

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Future of work thought-leader Nellie Hayat describes a brilliant future at transformed workplaces.

Nellie is the Head of Workplace Transformation for VergeSense.

Her mission is to empower companies to reimagine their workplaces so that their talent thrive in them, wherever they may be located.

Since the start of Covid lockdowns one year ago, the American workplace has permanently changed.

No longer do the majority of workforce professionals commute to co-located offices. Now, many prefer to work from home, or remotely.

In this wide ranging discussion, Nellie:

• Discusses the scope of her work as VergeSense’s Head of Workplace Transformation. Starts at 2:06
• Describes the reimagined workplace. Starts at 5:17
• Explains what big hiring firms can learn and adopt from workplace transformation achieved by Microsoft and other Silicon Valley companies. Starts at 7:10
• Informs the intentional changes happening to headquarters design. Starts at 9:28
• Imagines the ways commercial real estate will pivot as a result of pandemic-caused workforce shifts. Starts at 13:37

Of the brilliant future at transformed workplaces, Nellie says:

“[We were] all living on a dream that the [co-located] workplace is the only place where you can deliver your best work. And Covid proved us wrong. Actually, people, if they are supported by their leadership, can work anywhere.”

About our guest:

Nellie Hayat earned an MBA in Industrial Engineering and Management from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. She lives and works in the Bay Area of California.

EPISODE DATE: February 26, 2021

Social media:

– LinkedIn

– Twitter

– Website

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:34 — 43.4MB)

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Dan Rosenzweig appears on the podcast, to describe how novel venues reimagine the workplace.

There are many players in co-working. But among them, KettleSpace turned a glaring problem, underutilized spaces such as hotel lobbies and restaurants, into dazzling places to work.

As co-founder of KettleSpace, Dan wants to give people who work:

“[the opportunity] to choose their WHERE, so that they can achieve and focus on their WHYs.”

Currently in the United States, over one billion square feet of commercial space lies vacant, because the pandemic has pivoted millions of workforce professionals from co-located offices to remote workplaces. Some of them now prefer to work from home, but others find that they need to achieve a sense of place and community. And that’s where KettleSpace comes to their aid.

In a wide ranging discussion, Dan:

• Describes the origin story and business model for Kettle Space. Starts at 2:31
• Illustrates how the KettleSpace experience enhances the workday. Starts at 5:34
• Explains the draw for a sense of place and community. Starts at 7:04
• Speaks to the pandemic’s impact on restaurants and other service businesses, and, tackles the question: “are big cities dead?” Starts at 12:23
• Reimagines applications for the billions in square feet of vacant commercial space. Starts at 17:49
• Tees up KettleSpace metros beyond New York City. Starts at 28:09

Tackling the sad effect of so much vacant retail space, Dan says:

“[As people], we can read a vibe. And the vibe of vacant retail space is [we’re not] open for business.”

Clearly, in the future of work, novel venues reimagine the workplace to support people and needy businesses.

About our guest:

Dan Rosenzweig earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from Vanderbilt University. Prior to co-founding KettleSpace, he worked for other co-working providers. Dan lives and works in New York City.

EPISODE DATE: February 19, 2021

Social media:

– Website

– Facebook

– Instagram

– LinkedIn

– Twitter

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:13 — 45.6MB)

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As we leave 2020 behind, we ask: can grief influence career choices?

Meet New York Times best-selling author Hope Edelman. Through a series of books starting with Motherless Daughters, Hope helps people turn grief into a healing and meaningful experience.

Now, her latest book, The AfterGrief, gets grieving people to a place a positivity and purpose:

“There really are only two stages of grief that people care about: there’s the stage where you feel really bad and then there’s the stage where you feel better … [That’s what] the aftergrief is.”

In a wide ranging podcast episode, Hope:

• Describes being a 17-year-old who lost her mom to cancer and the grief journey that led her to write Motherless Daughters. Starts at 2:23
• Defines The AfterGrief. Starts at 7:09
• Explains how the Covid pandemic changed bereavement. Starts at 14:32
• Takes us through the “gendered” way we discuss grief at work. Starts at 20:08
• Provides insight on how grief can influence career choices that lead to meaningful work. Starts at 27:41

On the recognition of grief at work, Hope says:

“It’s really important for hiring managers to be grief-literate, to know what to expect and to support their employees who are going through a period of grief.”

Above all else, grieving is tough. But it can influence career choices that lead people to meaningful work opportunities.

About our guest:

Hope Edelman is the world renowned thought-leader on grief and bereavement: the author of several books; a noted speaker, and; a certified life coach. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and a Masters of Arts in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Iowa. Hope lives and works in Southern California.

EPISODE DATE: February 12, 2021

Social media:

– Facebook

– Instagram

– Twitter

– HopeEdeman.com Website

– Motherless Daughters

– The AfterGrief

– Coaching

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:57 — 35.7MB)

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Designing work from home space is mission critical in the age of the pandemic and the future or work.

Leah Margolis Nathan is responding to her clients’ needs for intentional space to work and conduct Zoom meetings.

Based in Saratoga, New York, Leah helps her clients to brilliantly reimagine their square footage to live and work. What is more, she carves out beautiful and functional areas for kids in the household to participate in virtual classroom instruction.

In this wide ranging episode, Leah digs into designing work from home space. She:

• Introduces Leah Margolis Design and the range of services that it provides clients. Starts at 2:18
• Discusses the challenges of creating space for both living and working. Starts at 3:00
• Relates the concerns of her clients who use Zoom to conduct meetings from home. Starts at 10:04
• Describes decór and other parameters for staging a Zoom backdrop. Starts at 11:36
• Considers how work from home will influence new residential design. Starts at 13:44
• Provides guidance on color choices. Starts at 18:04
• Ponders the future of traditional home spaces like dining rooms. Starts at 22:02

Leah describes how her clients first responded in early 2020 to Covid stay at home orders:

“People [at home] were going to grab folding tables to create their own desk or office arrangement.”

We believe that millions of workforce professionals who’ve pivoted to work from anywhere will be designing work from home space.

About our guest:

Leah Margolis Nathan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Skidmore College. In 2009, after working with several leading design firms, Leah founded Leah Margolis Design LLC. She lives and works in Saratoga, New York.

EPISODE DATE: February 5, 2021

Social media:

– Facebook

– Instagram

– LinkedIn

– Website

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:16 — 41.6MB)

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In 2021, the rise of independent work will benefit people who compete for business with large firms and agencies.

Laura Marella co-founded Overflow to help solo-entrepreneur marketing and strategy professionals succeed.

As a business accelerator and professional community, Overflow provides independent professionals with specialized tools and resources that they need to compete effectively with big enterprises. What is more, Overflow connects “indies” to a large and growing ecosystem of likeminded people.

Truly, Overflow is ready to empower this growing part of the American workforce to succeed in a future of work doing meaningful work.

“Instead of being a marketplace of consultants, [we wanted] to create a marketplace for consultants.”

In this episode, Laura:

• Introduces Overflow. Starts at 2:25
• Explains how Overflow members may overcome their skill gaps or cavities. Starts at 11:48
• Describes how a growing sector of independent workers will benefit from the Gig Economy. Starts at 14:21
• Supports her belief in Stakeholder Capitalism. Starts at 18:43
• Recalls how experience as a “corporate escapee” informs her current work as an independent strategist. Starts at 23:25

Laura also explains the reason why Overflow founded as a public benefit corporation:

“[We formed] Overflow as a public benefit corporation [b corp]. We joined a growing global network of companies that places social and environmental issues at the core of what we do. What’s more, we adhere to very strict standards of accountability and transparency as we do that.”

About our guest:

Laura Marella received a Bachelor of Science in Communications Management from Ithaca College’s Park School of Communications. During her years in the agency space, Laura gained a national reputation for excellence in multi-cultural marketing. She lives and works in Southern California.

EPISODE DATE: January 29, 2021

Social media:

– Overflow Website

– LinkedIn Page

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:10 — 31.9MB)

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Volunteer programs benefit careers and extend corporate social responsibility.

As the CEO of Realized Worth, Angela Parker leads an organization that inspires professionals at AT&T, Deloitte, Microsoft, Walmart and other companies with meaningful volunteer program engagements.

“Volunteering can be a safe and non-threatening space where we encounter our own humanity.”

Nearly one year separated from workplace colleagues, people who work are seeking involvement in meaningful leadership opportunities. Oftentimes, volunteerism gets them there.

In this episode, Angela describes:

• Realized Worth’s unique value proposition and mission. Starts at 2:22
• How the pandemic changed volunteerism. Starts at 4:14
• The role of skill in driving volunteer programs. Starts at 7:14
• Ways that volunteerism helps to retain workforce members. Starts at 11:03
• Stakeholder value and how it drives corporate social responsibility. Starts at 17:07

When envisioned and executed well, volunteer programs benefit careers and make work and lives meaningful.

“We have to do volunteering better. We have to assume that companies that have corporate volunteering programs [must be] driving social movements with these programs. Anything less is not good enough.”

About our guest:

Angela Parker is a nationally recognized thought-leader in corporate volunteerism. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media Studies from Taylor University and an MBA in Entrepreneurial Studies from IE University. Angela lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland.

EPISODE DATE: January 22, 2021

Social media:

– Website

– Facebook

– LinkedIn

– Twitter

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 42:09 — 57.9MB)

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Following a year of workforce disruption, career coaching empowers professionals to succeed in life and work.

Rich Gee is arguably one of the-most successful career coaches in the United States.

As principal the of Rich Gee High Performance Coaching, he empowers professionals to improve their on-the-job results and career outcomes.

Incidentally, when he encounters clients for the first time, Rich asks a bold question:

“[There are] people who make things happen. And there are people who watch things happen. And there are people who wonder what happened. Who are you going to be in 2021?”

In this episode, Rich:

• Tees up his company and the value provided to clients. Starts at 2:18
• Describes the high-performers he coaches. Starts at 3:47
• Speaks to the mental and emotional constrains of the pandemic on people who work. Starts at 8:31
• Discusses the pivot to remote or hybrid workplaces and how he gets “old school” hiring managers to support them. Starts at 14:24
• Embraces the four-day work week. Starts at 23:22
• Touts the benefits of gig work and sole-proprietorship. Starts at 28:56

Why does career coaching empower workforce professionals? According to Rich, it is because “they are one bad decision away from losing [their] job.”

Emerging from the pandemic, people who work need sound strategy to succeed. In 2021, more of them will recognize that career coaching empowers professionals.

About our guest:

Rich Gee was a successful executive in the market research space before finding his bliss as a nationally recognized career coach and principal of Rich Gee High Performance Coaching. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Ripon College and certification from Coach University. Rich lives and works in Stamford, Connecticut.

EPISODE DATE: January 15, 2021

Social media:

– Website

– LinkedIn

– Twitter

– Rich Gee Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 37:19 — 51.3MB)

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Darren Murph works to unleash the remote workforce.

As GitLab’s Director of Remote Work, Darren is “the voice in the room” that evangelizes the trailblazing company’s remote work operating model.

What is more, he authored The GitLab Remote Work Playbook, which over 80,000 people around the globe have downloaded.

As 2021 unfolds, positive forces of change will unleash the remote workforce.

Those forces will enable millions of people to live and work wherever they please. And in doing so, they will support happier professionals who enjoy doing work that is part of the day and not the day.

To unleash the remote workforce is central to GitLab’s mission.

In this episode, Darren describes:

• GitLab and his role as Director of Remote Work. Starts at 2:26
• Why GitLab is a 100 percent distributed (remote) workforce. Starts at 4:27
• How he and the company found each other and his role materialized. Starts at 6:07
• Opportunities and challenges inherent in framing a remote work value proposition for recruited talent. Starts at 7:28
• The revolutionary aspects of living and working anywhere. Starts at 14:02
• Reengineering relocation to places where people want to live and work. Starts at 26:44
• The localistic benefits of livable communities unleashed when remote work is encouraged. Starts at 30:34

Amazing outcomes happen when you unleash the remote workforce. Darren says:

“For hundreds of years, we have fit life around the rigid confines of work. But, when you achieve remote work at scale, you can live your life and then fit work into it.”

About our guest:

Quite possibly, Darren Murph is the world’s first Director of Remote Work. He received a Bachelor of Science in Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management from NC State and an MBA from Campbell University. He lives and works remotely in North Carolina.

EPISODE DATE: January 8, 2021

Social media:

– Darren Murph on LinkedIn

– Darren Murph on Twitter

– Living the Remote Dream (Amazon.com book page)

– GitLab Website

– The GitLab Remote Playbook