Ann Long started Burbity Workspaces in 2019 after discovering coworking while looking for an office of her own, and now serves Spokane-area entrepreneurs, remote workers, and small-business owners through office space, meeting rooms, event space, and virtual offices. She talks with Jethro about growing to four locations with a six-person team, why she is working to stop being the bottleneck, and how Burbity is using automation while trying to keep the human touch. She also explains Burbity's goal of reducing loneliness, invites people working from home to try the space, and names Crosswalk Clinic as a local business that deserves a shout-out.

Key takeaways

• Burbity's services in the conversation include office space, meeting rooms, event space at the Sullivan flagship, and virtual offices for people working from home who need a business address.
• Ann says the team totals six, and her operations hire has streamlined member documentation for the U.S. Postal Service portal and printer billing.
• Burbity's stated vision is a great member experience and reducing loneliness; its events and newsletter are ways for people to meet others and try something different.
• Ann warns business owners not to chase every bright and shiny automation; after two years of automation, Burbity is evaluating how to add the human touch back.
• Her best business decision was outsourcing her books, followed by building a small group of trusted partners.
• Ann's next 12-to-18-month goal is a north-side Spokane location; she describes current locations in the Valley, Liberty Lake, East Sprague, and South Hill/Undercliff.
• Ann gives a local shout-out to Crosswalk Clinic, naming Lindsay Silver and describing its specialty in lipedema and vein procedures.

Verified guest links

• Burbity Workspaces
• Schedule a tour/contact
• Coworking
• Office space
• Meeting rooms
• Virtual offices
• Event space

Spokane Daily: https://spokanedaily.net

Hosted by Jethro Jones of Optimization Doc. Discover more Spokane business conversations at Spokane Daily.

Matt Cortez is president of DeVries Moving Packing Storage, the Spokane moving company Mike DeVries and his dad, Bill, started in 1981. When larger out-of-state movers began making offers to turn DeVries into one of their branches, Matt, who joined as general manager a little over eight years ago, walked Mike through what that kind of sale usually means for a local brand and its office staff. He explains the owner-financed succession plan they built instead, why an employee-owned ESOP did not make sense for a company their size, and how employee partners can keep ownership moving to the next generation.

Key takeaways

• When a bigger company buys a local business, Matt says the local name may stay for six months to a year or more before it goes, and office roles the buyer's corporate office already covers usually go after the transition.
• Drivers, crews and salespeople are usually still needed after a sale; office staff are most at risk. Protecting long-time employees, some with 10, 15 and 20-plus years at DeVries, was a huge part of the decision.
• DeVries handles local and in-state household moves, interstate moves as an Atlas Van Lines agent of 45 years, commercial moves and office furniture and cubicle installation, military moves including local work for Fairchild Air Force Base families, and warehousing for hotel and hospital furniture and equipment, including MRI machines that weigh about 5,000 pounds.
• The sale was valued on the company's assets plus a little goodwill toward current customers. Matt says outside offers came out very similar because it was an asset purchase; one big difference in selling to him and his employee partners is that the sellers are paid over time instead of in one check.
• An ESOP did not fit a company DeVries' size: by the time the selling owners, the trust, the bank and the lawyers were paid, Matt says there would not be anything left over for the employees.
• Instead, Matt bought the company with employee partners, including the operations manager who is now vice president of operations, a salesperson who started there in high school as a field helper, and the office manager, so shares can pass to the next generation.
• Matt's best business decision was coming up with the succession plan with the DeVries family. His local shout-outs go to three nonprofits: Christ Kitchen, the YWCA and Family Promise.
• Over the next 12 months, Matt wants to grow the business and hopes the real estate market turns around. DeVries is celebrating its 45th year; call (509) 924-6000 or visit the website. As Matt puts it, "We're a little bit old school. We like chatting on the phone."

Verified guest links

• DeVries Moving Packing Storage
• Contact DeVries
• Household moving
• Commercial services
• Storage services

Spokane Daily: https://spokanedaily.net

Hosted by Jethro Jones of Optimization Doc. Discover more Spokane business conversations at Spokane Daily.

Loren Baker of Profectus Business Consulting calls himself a trusted strategic advisor, walking alongside entrepreneurs from the trades to white-collar businesses and light manufacturing on three big ideas: team, money and time. He explains why hanging up a for-sale sign is a horrible idea, and why getting the owner out of the business so there is actually something to sell generally takes 18 to 24 months. Loren and Jethro also dig into why trust is so hard to build at a distance, and why the long-term relationship matters more than any single transaction.

Key takeaways

• Plan your exit early. Even with good systems and a good team, there's still a ton in the owner's head, so that year and a half to two years goes to getting it out on paper and getting the business organized. If you're further along, it may take about a year.
• Running a business off your gut works for a while, but by around employee number seven, hiring and firing on your gut doesn't work anymore. If revenue is going up while profit goes down, the guts of the business, like knowing your numbers, need work.
• Everyone should have mentors and coaches, paid or not, and different coaches at different times, just like professional athletes. Jethro adds that paying someone makes you value it a little more.
• Good ideas over coffee aren't enough. Coaching works when you have skin in the game, accountability and tactics to take out of every conversation.
• To build trust, keep the transactional piece away: be a good listener, ask good questions and get to know the person in front of you. People can sniff out when you're just trying to make a nickel off them.
• Jethro's trust phrase: once we work together on anything, we're going to be connected for the next 10 years. He also recommends The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey.
• Loren's best business decision: starting his own LLC about 20 months ago, a step of faith.
• Loren's local shout-outs: Side by Side, a nonprofit where everybody is a participant, with a new space in West Central; and Dynamic Print Solutions, for business cards, signage, pens and printing.

Links

• Profectus Business Consulting
• Spokane Daily

Hosted by Jethro Jones of Optimization Doc. Discover more Spokane business conversations at Spokane Daily.