The Entrepreneurs

Go go gadgets

Technology is changing the way we work. The right gadgets can enhance focus in noisy situations, help you arrive punctually at your destination and ensure you have everything you need, wherever you are.

If you’ve spent any time working remotely you’ll know that staying connected is more important than ever and that your desk space, wherever it is, benefits from efficient, appealingly designed objects that improve the experience of work. If a gadget is ugly to look at or clunky to use, you’ll tire of it quickly. But if it’s convenient, helpful and easy on the eye, it can become indispensable. The best innovations save time and effort and streamline a process you previously found annoying.

Read on for our round-up of the best ways to improve your working days.

75.
WH-1000XM4 headphones
by Sony

Noise-cancelling headphones aid concentration while quelling the sound of your surroundings – even if you’re not listening to anything. The latest offering from Sony perfectly puts the world on mute, and sounds sublime when you are playing music. Plus, whenever you start a conversation, the microphone pauses the audio.

76.
iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard
by Apple

Attach the latest keyboard accessory to Apple’s top-flight tablet for a winning combination – and a lighter alternative to a MacBook. The keyboard is comfy to use, with a good range and keys with an adjustable backlight. The latest iPad software allows for multiple active windows and clever interfaces make the experience seamless.

77.
Stout electric bike
by Ampler

This is a pedal-assist bike, so you have to do some of the work but it’s enough of a help to mean you move off easily from a standing start. The battery is hidden in the frame so it looks like a regular cycle – ideal for zipping to meetings. And far from being a cheat, studies show that electric bikes (sometimes) make you cycle more.

78.
Move portable speaker
by Sonos

This is the first portable speaker from Sonos and it has the same intuitive set-up as its others. Leave the home office and you can take your music with you; if your wi-fi network doesn’t reach to the bottom of the garden, say, you can use the Bluetooth connection instead. Most importantly, it sounds fantastic, with clear vocals and beefy bass.

79.
Lumix DC-GH5 camera
by Panasonic

Smartphone cameras can’t beat the ergonomics of a dedicated camera that fits snugly in the hand and has an analogue zoom. There’s also no phone with a sensor this size that takes better pictures. This camera is more compact than a traditional slr as its electronic viewfinder removes the need for a mirror-reflex system.

80.
DP01 landline phone
by Punkt.

A neat desk phone not only looks good but is great to use, meaning that you’re happy to answer it when it rings. With its tactile finish, clear monochrome display, pleasing analogue buttons and excellent audio quality, picking up this handset is enjoyable. And when it’s not in use, it sits firmly in its cradle, whether that’s on the desk or the wall.

81.
Boost Up wireless charging pad
by Belkin

Instead of plugging your phone in to charge its power for that investor chat, go wireless. You’ll need a wireless-chargeable phone such as a recent iPhone, Samsung or Huawei. Wireless charging is slower than wired but the sense of freedom that comes from simply grabbing your phone more than makes up for it.

82.
AirPods Pro
by Apple

Still easily the best true-wireless, in- ear headphones, the Apple AirPods Pro have first-rate noise-cancelling and stay in your ear securely. There’s also a neat trick: take one bud out of your ear and the music pauses. The headphones have multiple microphones, which means they’re great for hands-free phone calls too.

83.
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G
by Samsung

Samsung’s latest phone has a screen that’s big enough to write on but small enough to handle. It comes with a slim stylus called the S Pen, which pops out of the bottom of the phone ready to take notes and draw up plans, and a 108-megapixel camera for sharp pictures, plus two other cameras (one with a 503 zoom) for good measure.

84.
Jump1 wireless powerbank
by Native Union

When you’re on the move, the last thing you want is for your gadgets’ power levels to dip – especially that of your phone. This well-crafted battery has two outputs, traditional usb and a faster modern usb-c. There’s also a wireless charging panel: put the phone on top to charge and the silicone-covered case means that it won’t slip.

The view from here

72 /100
Architecture
Alexandra Hagen

Role: CEO, White Arkitekter
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden

White Arkitekter has grown from its humble beginnings in Gothenburg in 1951 to become one of the largest practices in the Nordics, with a staff of about 800. It’s an employee-owned company, an ethos evident in CEO Alexandra Hagen’s choice of workspace. “We’re not a practice of corner offices,” she says. “The best space in the studio is always available for everyone. There are others who spend much more time in the studio and need space. I travel a lot, so I don’t have my own office.

The company’s chief, who took the role in 2018 after 17 years with the firm, works from a conference room revamped by the practice’s interior designers. “They gave me a wall for pin-ups and a wall for writing, and a desk in between, which they found in the building’s basement. They replaced the top, which was in bad shape, and refurbished the legs.”

The resulting space is popular with her colleagues too; it’s almost always full when she arrives. “It’s exceptionally clean at the moment but normally there would be sketches, papers and books, and designers sitting in here reviewing things.” This, Hagen says, is a good thing: it feeds creativity, encouraging chance encounters and discussions about the work. “It’s hard to be creative by yourself. You need someone who has a different view. Creativity emerges from that collision between different perspectives.”

73 /100
Hotels
Sharan Pasricha

Role: CEO and founder, Ennismore
Location: London, UK

Sharan Pasricha doesn’t have a permanent office. The hotelier and developer works from Ennismore’s restaurants, co-working spaces and hotels, including The Hoxton. You’ll often find Pasricha, and his designers, working in the lobbies. “By spending time with our guests and getting a sense of how they interact with our brand, our people and our physical spaces, we can better understand what we can provide,” he says

Mostly, though, Ennismore’s team of 120 are based at Working From, one of his co-working spaces in London’s Southwark. The residence-inspired space has a pantry kitchen, a generous living room, a mix of offices and open-plan seating at desks and high tables. It’s homely, for good reason. “I’ve always wanted every person who works for us, and with us, to be the best version of themselves. Creating an office environment where people feel at home accelerates that.”

So where does Pasricha pitch? “I love to sit next to our graphic design team, or sometimes the investment team,” he says. “I’m one of those entrepreneurs that needs to be in the middle of the action.”

74 /100
Education
Rama Kayyali

Role: CEO and co-founder, Little Thinking Minds
Location: Amman, Jordan

Over the past three years, Little Thinking Minds has grown rapidly to become a leader in Arabic-language education. Its online courses and assessments are used by 200 schools and 80,000 students across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Rama Kayyali’s team has also grown rapidly. So when fitting out a new headquarters earlier this year, she ensured that her office was centrally located, with glass walls. “I wanted to feel part of the team and for the team to feel that they could approach me.” The desk is a relic from a previous office fit-out but it suits the CEO’s personality. “It’s really big, so we can easily have meetings or lunch at it, which helps me to stay involved,” says Kayyali. “I’m a bit of a scattered person too, so I need a wide area to spread my notes and papers.”

Space exploration

For small-business owners and heads of growing start-ups, a well-designed office to call one’s own has long been an essential part of building the brand. Although recent events have led to noisy calls for a remote-working revolution, we believe that a physical base is key for companies of all sizes. This is particularly true in the creative sector, which requires multiple good minds to be working together, under the same roof. Yet emerging brands in these industries are often prone to slim profit-margins and can be constrained by budgets. Thankfully, in the design industry, no challenge is without a solution. With this in mind we’ve sought out three new studio set-ups that didn’t break the bank. Theirs is a lesson in how your firm could stand to benefit from innovative architecture and thrifty business thinking.

69 /100
Interior design specialist that put a quick twist on a dance hall
Esrawe Studio, Mexico City

A multi-disciplinary architecture, product and interior design firm, Esrawe Studio recently moved into a new headquarters on a leafy street in Mexico City’s Roma Norte neighbourhood. Here, practice founder Hector Esrawe has overseen the transformation of a rundown 1950s dance hall into a breezy open-plan studio. According to the designer, its delivery on a small budget and its success as a workplace is all down to its efficiency. “Every project is contextual for us,” says Esrawe. “This project – our studio – revealed that we needed to express the most out of the least.”

In terms of build, this meant retaining the structure’s timber frame while removing a false ceiling to reveal an existing wooden one above. Additions have been minimal too: new concrete floors and a handful of concrete beams were introduced for essential support. The walls were freshly painted white and skylights were also added to allow natural light to pour into the space, improving the building’s overall energy efficiency (the team need only turn on the lights as the sun sets).

Perhaps the most significant initiative has been the creation of a plant-filled outdoor area on the ground floor, as well as the establishment of a lush rooftop terrace. Both have enhanced the team’s output. “We don’t believe in staying in a single spot for the whole day,” says Esrawe. “The garden allows our teams to have informal meetings and to expand their areas of work.” This is crucial for a company such as Esrawe Studio, whose designers thrive on the cross-pollination of ideas. For a small investment, these outdoor spaces now play an important part in the employees’ daily workflow.

“Sometimes the perception is that adding nature will involve a bigger expense but that’s not always the case,” says Esrawe. “Through smart planning you can integrate open areas and nature, and really create a more efficient workplace.”

70 /100
Design agency that can switch in an instant with modular furniture
Bureau Borsche, Munich

For Munich-based Mirko Borsche, owner of branding and design firm Bureau Borsche, the key feature of its workplace is a simple modular-furniture system. But the D2 – which he developed with German furniture company Wagner, Berlin architects aas Gonzalez Haase and industrial designer Stefan Diez – is nothing ordinary. “We asked what the office of tomorrow will look like,” says Borsche, showing us the space that his 12 staff members occupy. “The answer? Sustainable but also futuristic.”

The D2 system was used to build the central island desk and the huge shelving units that rise to the ceiling, which also divide the space. Formed from aluminium components and grey fibreglass plates, D2 fits together “like Lego” to create a flexible interior design solution. “It helps us to maximise the space because every square metre in Munich is expensive,” says Borsche. The office is a reflection of the modern, minimalistic aesthetic that the firm deploys on projects for fashion brands such as Balenciaga, Nike and Etudes, and Borsche’s fastidious attention to detail is stamped across the space even when things have been done on a budget. aas Gonzalez Haase helped him to transform a series of rundown rooms. The results include an airy retail space and a sleek metal-caged outdoor area, where vines will shade alfresco lunches.

Yet it’s the studio that’s at the business’s heart. Because the D2 sits in a neutral base, the interior design can evolve alongside the firm. “So much interior architecture is material-based – and materials date,” says Borsche. Here, due to the system’s exchangeable elements, the aesthetics and the form will move with the times.

71 /100
Architecture practice that makes its staff feel at home in the office
Hojo Sanci, Kamakura

Although it has its advantages, working from home is not always an option, particularly in Japan where living spaces can be on the small side. One project in the city of Kamakura, only about 50km from Tokyo, offers an ingenious compromise: a fully functioning office that feels more akin to a stylish home. Hojo Sanci (pronounced San-chee) is in a leafy residential district of the easy-going city, which was once the capital of Japan. The old wood-framed building, situated on the quietest of back streets, was previously a home. Jo Nagasaka and his studio, Schemata Architects, transformed it into a shared working space for creatives.

Nagasaka’s work is often characterised by a raw, industrial quality but here he has performed a light renovation, keeping the existing structure intact and exposing the traditional building materials of wood, plaster and earth. By simply removing the sliding doors that once divided the interior, Nagasaka immediately opened up the space. The wooden roof is now on show and all the original features are largely just as they were.

“The existing wall and ceiling finishes of the 90-year-old house had a distinct beauty that evolved over a long period of time,” says Nagasaka. “I decided to keep the finishes as they were while partially exposing the structure underneath in places.”

Different spaces are gently defined by varying floor heights. The garden, planted with maples and hydrangeas, is beautifully tended. A table is set up on a terrace, where the only sounds are those made by cicadas and birds. Electric bikes are available for tenants who wants to make the trip into town. Lockers and a photocopier are discreetly hidden behind a wall of storage boxes and there is a neat open kitchen.

There are also two meeting rooms. One of these is a tatami-floored garden room with a low table and a flat-screen television in the tokonoma (alcove), where a painted scroll would usually hang.

The tenants are a select group, drawn by word of mouth. Tomohiro Kaji, a former creative director at Uniqlo, runs his brand agency Tomodachi from Hojo Sanci. “I moved here from Tokyo last year,” he says. “I’m interested in helping Japanese brands go global by telling their stories. A friend said, ‘If you like surfing, history and local culture, Kamakura is perfect.’ I enjoy the trip to Tokyo too: it only takes an hour and it’s easy to work on the train.”

Akiko Yamamoto, another former Tokyo resident, runs a business distributing aroma diffusers to hotels, shops and offices. “I have a young daughter and I wanted to change my working environment,” she says. “Now I live only a two-minute walk from the beach and I can cycle to work in about 10 minutes.”

Events are held in the office from time to time and the garden is a great spot for an evening drink. Hojo Sanci is an inspiring example of what the office of the future could look like – and it’s been formed with the gentlest of renovations.

Three getaways

98
The place to splash out
Danube Bend, Hungary

When busy folk in Budapest need to recharge or rethink their business, there’s a good chance you’ll find them relaxing in the vicinity of the curving swathe of real estate known as the Danube Bend – the Dunakanyar to Hungarians. Just 25km north of the country’s capital – within reach of eastern Austria and southern Slovakia – the area is anchored by the river and bookended by forests and a breathtaking valley on either side. Close to the banks of the Danube, there are quaint towns with scenic promenades for a productive stroll to get the mind working. In Szentendre, which has long been a refuge for artists, cobblestone streets lead to spaces such as the Mank Gallery, with its sculpture garden, and the ArtMill, where contemporary work can stimulate one’s own creative process. The region offers opportunities for a head-clearing swim or canoe ride down the Danube where one can admire sights such as the medieval Visegrad Citadel.

To unplug further, there are trails to the Borzsony mountains, the westernmost section of the North Hungarian mountains. Its tallest peak, Csovanyos, provides a spectacular view of the Bend. Begin the journey at riverside town Nagymaros, with its Catholic church and its varied collection of stained-glass windows. From there, head into the Templom Valley and a shady beech forest along a path to an old lookout tower on the mountain of Hegyes-teto, where one can admire vistas of the sinuous river and the Visegrad Citadel. This section of forest is part of the 1,000km plus network of walking routes that make up Hungary’s National Blue Trail, extending west to east across the country’s northern reaches. Pushing on, you’ll encounter streams, an ancient spring, the pristine Halasto fishing lake and Castle Nograd ruins.

For a more leisurely outing, opt for a ride on the narrow-gauge Kiralyret Forest Railway, arriving at the old hunting grounds of the Hungarian aristocracy. For more sights, the Bend is home to a collection of rustic and contemporary cottages and cabins, where patrons can bed down for the night before continuing their journey.

99
The place to prospect
Menorca, Spain

Of all the major Mediterranean islands, Menorca has been relegated beneath the swagger of Sicily, the sparkle of Sardinia and the frisson of danger that Corsica holds. As its Balearic brethren battled for mass attention, Menorca quietly developed lasting relationships with discerning visitors. That’s the beauty of the place, beyond its protected architecture and terrain, deserted coves and abundant wildlife. Traditionally favoured by wealthy Catalan families, it later played host to the British sailing set, with their wind tans and jaunty neckerchiefs. The island still feels like a secret, an implausible time capsule that provides refuge from the overactivity that besets many a modern holiday. A place to take a vacation from the vacation.

Recently, though, the French scent of hospitality development has mixed with the island’s herbal fragrance, wafting through the towns and wilderness. Mercifully, Menorca is militant in upholding its award as a Unesco Biosphere Reserve and the French are rather good at sympathetic renovation.

In the past two years, the island has received serious investment. French gallerist Guillaume Foucher and former retail executive Frédéric Biousse recently opened the hotels Torre Vella and Santa Ponsa, Menorcan outposts of their Domaine de Fontenille Provençal country inn. A stone’s throw from Torre Vella, the French investors behind the Hôtel des Grands Boulevards in Paris and the Henrietta in London opened Menorca Experimental last year. And to the north in Fornells Bay, a Swiss investor has acquired the Ses Salines salt flats and is restoring the farm and its artisanal production.

Good places to eat have opened and old favourites have upped their game. The Binifadet winery restaurant has grown from tables with tapas into quality haute cuisine paired with exceptional wine. And the Torralbenc agriturismo hotel opened a pop-up sushi bar called Kabuki from Michelin-starred chef Ricardo Sanz, a sure sign that a destination has come of age.

Menorca remains a humble place to unwind and recharge. It’s not cheap, it’s not overrun and it’s not fashionable. Yet.

100
The place to unwind
Tomo, Japan

Tomo, in Japan’s Hiroshima prefecture, is full of ways to slow down and reflect on running a small, meaningful business. Tomo (or Tomo no Ura) is a centuries-old port town on the Seto Inland Sea. Its 3,800 residents have preserved its historic sites and traditional wooden buildings while resisting transport proposals that would have increased footfall but eroded the community.

En route to Tomo Port from Fukuyama on a distinctive green bus, you pass old beauty salons, tiny electronics shops and a photo studio, which show how untouched the area is by bigger brands. Instead, smaller, family-run firms can thrive here.

“Tomo is a tidal port,” says Yoshiyuki Okiura, who has run a beach house here for 40 years. “The tides from the east and west meet here at Tomo. For hundreds of years, the sea used to bring merchants and commercial goods from across the country.” Here, there are reasons to admire continuity.

The alleyways of central Tomo have barely changed in 300 years, with their temples, shrines, small eateries and old machiya townhouses. On a hilltop is Sowakarou: a one-guest-per-night inn in a century-old Japanese house that shows businesses don’t need to be big to be bold. “Tomo fell behind [the nation’s] economic growth,” says Kaneko Kikkawa, who tends the garden. She refers to the waterfront development and road-expansion plans that met strong opposition. “People said ‘no’ to protect the historic landscape.”

A stroll is all you need to appreciate Tomo; it’s filled with friendly conversations with locals, rich architecture and the option of a dip in the sea. We recall what Okiura said earlier on the beach: “Being a local, it’s hard to tell what’s good about Tomo – but I like the old-fashioned vibe.”

The homely office

54 /100
Fritz Hansen
Little Friend
(Denmark)

This dainty adjustable side-table has enjoyed a surge in sales this year thanks to its flexibility. It’s equally useful as a spot on which to plop your laptop as you work from the sofa as it is a place to keep your coffee close while you pore over the papers.
fritzhansen.com

55/100
Kann Design
Strat Long Storage
(France)

With its workshop in a Lebanese mountain village, Kann Design is an increasingly global player in the contract-furniture market. Its elegant steel-and-timber pieces fit equally well in a commercial or a domestic setting. This storage unit adds a touch of refined taste to the books, objects and documents arranged atop and inside it.
kanndesign.com

56 /100
V-Zug
RefreshButler
(Switzerland)

A blazer hung for a few hours in this closet-like device is gently cleaned and steamed to remove all germs and bacteria. The result: a more hygienic office, ever-fresh employees and a true treat for sharp-looking staff members.
vzug.com

Ideal for impressing visiting clients

57 /100
Magis
Plato
(italy)

Your collection of wipeable, stackable and portable Plato chairs from UK designer Jasper Morrison can grow alongside your staff headcount. The powder-coated aluminium indoor-outdoor seats come in many colours too.
magisdesign.com

Ideal for spaces with a small footprint

58 /100
Vitra
Compas Direction
(Switzerland)

The simple construction and cleverly angled metal legs of French mid-century designer Jean Prouvé’s 1953 Compas Direction desk have remained popular for almost 70 years. It’s produced by Vitra in a variety of finishes.
vitra.com

59 /100
Takt
Plint
(Denmark)

Designed by Copenhagen’s Cecilie Manz, this piece packs practicality and portability into one of 2020’s best furniture releases. It can serve as either a bench or a coffee table and, if space needs to be saved, it folds down quickly and easily.
taktcph.com

60 /100
Lintex
Area
(Sweden)

Who says a whiteboard needs to be white? This Swedish take, with its light beige screen, is more canvas than notice board and is made from tempered low-iron glass with a solid-oak frame. We hope that the ideas you post on it are equally smart.
lintex.se

61 /100
Loehr
DL1 Tangram
(Germany)

German furniture-maker Loehr is known for bringing both class and colour to the office through designs that don’t tend to date (or break) over the years. This practical tangerine-coloured side table will turn heads no matter your style of working environment.
loehr.co

62 /100
Modernica
Case Study Canine
(USA)

An office dog can increase staff wellbeing while melting the heart of the steeliest visiting client. Such a prized pooch deserves the perfect spot to rest. This daybed, with its plush, beautifully upholstered cushion upon a modernist-style teak-hardwood base, is the best in show.
modernica.com

63 /100
Wagner
D1
(Germany)

The minimalist D1 from German designer Stefan Diez stripped away all that was superfluous about the traditional desk chair and earned Wagner a raft of awards in the process.
wagner-living.com

64 /100
Mox
Kant
(Switzerland)

With its zigzagging holding compartment and sturdy steel exterior, Kant is an ingenious stand for soggy brollies by Nigerian-born, Zürich-based Charles O Job.
mox.ch

65 /100
Kata Coat Stand
Ariake
(Japan)

The balanced proportions of this Japanese coatstand reference the Asian nation’s traditional kimono stands and make for a fine talking point as guests are welcomed to your workplace. For those home offices that are shooing away footwear, Kata has a platform that’s fit for shoe-storing purposes.
ariakecollection.com

66 /100
Kokiri
Railshelf
(South Korea)

A well-stocked office library can inspire and entertain. This South Korean shelving system provides the perfect platform to build one with. Its oak and birch timber elements are cleverly joined, allowing space for go-to titles to be creatively displayed with their covers facing out, while multiple shelf sizes mean that books of all dimensions will look good here.
theelephanttrade.com

67 /100
Gubi
Bestlite
(Denmark)

Many a good idea has been penned under the soft glow of the stylish Gubi Bestlite – an office favourite in the UK – which celebrated its 90th birthday this year.
gubi.com

68 /100
Vipp
Table
(Denmark)

Vipp, known for its uber-functional pedal bin, is establishing itself as an original player among Denmark’s furniture-makers. This table exemplifies the simple tone of its sturdy designs and is a fine platform for a cosy (but serious) home office.
vipp.com

Notable purchases

53 /100
Cupboard essentials
Design

A covetable stationery line-up that staff will want to plunder.

Band of rubbers: Rubber bands, Kyowa Ltd: This Osaka-based brand has been producing rubber products since 1923.
kyowa-ltd.co.jp

Fluoro fun: Highlighter, Muji: These fluorescent pens are retractable, so they don’t dry out too quickly.
muji.com

Design staple: Stapler, Ellepi: An Italian design classic, still made in Lombardy.
presentandcorrect.com

Erase and repeat: Rubber, Milan: Spanish rubber-maker Milan has been family owned since 1918.
milan.es

Highly strung: Washer envelopes, Present & Correct: These reusable envelopes have traditional string fastenings.
presentandcorrect.com

Par avion: Airmail envelopes, Present & Correct: Make sure your jet-set post arrives in style.
presentandcorrect.com

Pack a punch: Hole punch, El Casco: Once a firearms manufacturer, this Basque business turned its hand to holepunches.
el-casco.es; conranshop.co.UK

Inky pioneers: Fountain pen, Kaweco: Kaweco first began making stationery in Nuremberg in 1883.
kaweco-pen.com; trunkclothiers.com

Pencil pushing: Pencils, Mitsubishi Pencil Company Ltd: Mitsubishi was among the first in Japan to make European-style pencils.
uniball.com

Two-tone: Pencils, Tombow: These twin-tipped pencils write in blue or red.
tomboweurope.com

Look sharp: Pencils, Fratelli Bonvini: Milanese stationer Fratelli Bonvini specialises in vintage designs.
bonvini1909.com

Steel rule: Ruler, Trusco: Pocket-sized steel ruler made in Japan.
trusco.co.jp; labourandwait.co.UK

Red tape: Tape dispenser, Present & Correct: Make light work of taping with this hand-held design.
presentandcorrect.com

Finger on the button: Calculator, Braun: Keep adding to your collection with this Dieter Rams-designed doohickey.
braun.com; presentandcorrect.com

All in hand: Clipboard, Penco: A sturdy aluminium clipboard.
hightide-online.jp

Furniture: USM

Words of wisdom

44.
Julien Durant
Co-founder of Picture Organic Clothing

Recommends — The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

“This book is about how to push yourself, about partnership, how to dream big, how to never give up, how friends are the key, how the team wins when you would lose alone, and how you can always adapt.”

45.
Horace Luke
Founder of mobility company Gogoro

Recommends — Designing Design by Kenya Hara

“Think patiently, and deeper, to reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary. Hara’s approach is to move beyond reduction to achieve simplicity by investing more meaning in the essential.”

46.
Pip Jamieson
Founder of professional network The Dots

Recommends — Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher, William Ury and Bruce Patton

“I devoured this book before heading into one of the most important meetings of my life and it has transformed the way I negotiate. It’s full of useful tips.”

47.
Kathrin Hamm
CEO of blanket brand Bearaby

Recommends — Radical Compassion by Tara Brach

“I recommend it for anyone who wants to stop living life on autopilot, combat anxiety and take the leap into doing what they’ve always wanted to do. I’ve learnt to follow my intuition and it helped me start a new venture.”

48.
Alex Bennett-Grant
Founder and CEO of brand consultancy We Are Pi

Recommends — Abundance: The Future is Better Than You Think by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler

“This book helped me rediscover the possibility in every problem, which is, after all, my job as a brand consultant.”

49.
Sarah Paiji Yoo
CEO of sustainable cleaning and personal care brand Blueland

Recommends — Essentialism by Greg McKeown

“It’s about the disciplined pursuit of less, which is relevant since start-ups are always strapped for time, money and resources. Organisations must decide what’s essential in order to make an impact.”

50.
Julietta Dexter
Founder of brand-building company The Communications Store

Recommends — The Great Work of Your Life by Stephen Cope

“This book is a real gamechanger. For 25 years I’ve been banging a drum for the business world being about more than a making profit. It is for anyone who wants to find fulfilment.”

51.
Seth Godin
Author of 19 business books

Recommends — Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

“If you want to understand culture, it’s important to see how it evolves. Wilkerson spent a decade chronicling institutional racism in the US. This book will help you see things you cannot unsee.”

52.
Minkyu Kim
CEO of rice wine company Boksoondoga

Recommends — The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

“I’m not trying to show my political persuasion; I am not a communist. But this book offers a good indication of capitalism, from which I learn what to be mindful of.”

Perks of the job

39 /100
Support cyclists
Set the wheels in motion

The benefits of a cycle commute are obvious. It’s a practical way for employees to keep fit, save money and clear their heads with a healthy dose of fresh air and exercise. With cities investing in cycle infrastructure, and some commuters more wary of public transport, its appeal is already on the up.

Ahead of the curve is Belgium’s biggest supermarket chain, Colruyt, which has been handing out free bikes (and repairs) to its employees since 2007. Those who live further away are provided with an electric bike (or folding bike to take on the train) and the scheme has encouraged some 5,000 staff members to get to work using pedal power.

40 /100
Staff retreats
Rest and recharge

To holiday alongside colleagues at a company retreat might sound like a thing of the past but in Japan the tradition is alive and well. Tokyo-based restaurant chain Soup Stock, for instance, has an old wooden house in the foothills of Mount Fuji where new employees come for training and which they can book for use with friends and family.

Not only is it a good way for the entire company to recharge at a relaxing countryside escape, it’s also an excellent way to build camaraderie. Guests, including CEO Masamichi Toyama, all muck in with the cooking and cleaning and sleep on futon mattresses rolled out on the tatami floor.

41 /100
Allow dogs in the office
Workers’ best friends

Dogs are a certified morale booster and the staff at Monocle are full of anecdotal evidence to prove it. Midori House regulars Twinka, Macy and Otto can often be spotted napping under desks, sniffing out snacks and getting belly rubs. The presence of these furry therapists contributes to a calming and friendly environment. But don’t just take our word for it: a study by the International Journal of Workplace Health Management testifies to a significant drop in stress levels of employees allowed to bring their dogs to work.

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Paid volunteering leave
Give something back

Offering staff days off to volunteer for charities and local groups is a popular practice. Not only does it offer a chance for employees to engage with a cause they care about but it is an opportunity for team building and the development of new skills outside the office. Leading the way is outdoor clothing brand Patagonia. Those who have been at the company for more than a year are allowed to take up to two months of paid leave to volunteer with an environmental organisation. Every year staff donate thousands of hours to everything from planting trees to marine-conservation projects.

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Eat together
Breaking bread

Lunch is too often a depressing “al desko” affair. Mealtimes should be a chance for employees to catch a break from the blue light of their computer screens and catch up with colleagues. Bringing staff together over lunch not only allows companies to foster a sense of community between different departments but can be an opportunity to get fresh ideas flowing.

Take a leaf from French weekly newspaper Le 1, whose employees gather around a table to share lunch every Monday. Together with retired journalists, correspondents who have returned from the frontline, poets and illustrators, they discuss the themes of upcoming issues over dishes picked up from Pigalle bistros.

Remote working

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Cool moves in Arctic outpost
Lofoten, Norway

Oslo-born ceramicist Cecilie Haaland runs a spacious studio on the ground floor of the two-storey red wooden house she bought when she moved to Henningsvaer 25 years ago. What started off as a year-long break from urban life soon turned into her permanent base in the 500-strong village in the Lofoten archipelago of Arctic Norway.

Hers may have been the village’s first creative endeavour, alongside the fishing businesses that are the backbone of industry on the islands. “When I moved here, we had one hotel, a climbing school and a café,” she says with a hint of pride. Recently, though, she’s been renting her building’s ground-floor atelier to creative entrepreneurs who have been flocking to the area. Despite its remoteness, there are more than 50 companies registered here, many led by young founders.

The area’s biggest success story is cultural-centre-cum-hotel Trevarefabrikken. Twenty-something Bergen-born brothers Andreas and Martin Hjelle, and two friends, discovered the abandoned space on a hiking trip. They promptly put down nok2m (€190,000) to secure the huge 1940s former factory overlooking the cliffs. “We found this place so fascinating we could barely believe nobody had bought it yet,” says Martin. “We wanted to live a different life in Henningsvaer, where many young entrepreneurs like us are moving.”

The three-storey space – once home to a carpentry studio, a shrimp-peeling station and a cod liver oil producer – welcomes about 20,000 yearly guests from all over the world with an annual revenue of nok9m (€855,000). Downstairs, the vast ground floor comprises a restaurant, bar and café, and an outdoor area that leads to a timber-and-glass panoramic sauna built by Oslo-based firm Oslotre. The owners recently secured a nok5m (€475,000) government grant and raised an overall nok30m (€2.8m) to expand. The upgrade added six double rooms and a suite, with interiors designed by London studio Jonathan Tuckey. There are also plans to introduce a fine-dining restaurant.

With 40 people on its books in peak season, Trevarefabrikken is the town’s biggest employer but self-starters are also flourishing around it. Chef Svein Trandem – who heads up restaurant Einer in Oslo – opened his pop-up Einvær next door to Haaland’s pottery studio this summer. “We chose Henningsvaer because of the creative community here, which we fell in love with,” he says. Having spent a few months sourcing ingredients from the area, he now sees the potential to open a permanent outpost in Lofoten. A few hundred yards away, Venke Hoff and her husband Rolf run contemporary art space Kaviar Factory in a restored 1950s building. In 2018 she collaborated with Yoko Ono in setting up a light installation, which attracted visitors from afar.

Further away from Henningsvaer, businesses have found even wilder spots to put down roots. In the coastal town of Unstad, Lofoten Surfsenter is a surfing school that counts among its enthusiastic employees South African surfer Shannon Ainslie, who coaches Norway’s national team. A few kilometres west, in the small fishing village of Napp, Tamara Singer and Angelita Eriksen produce umami and truffle-scented sprinkles out of seaweed. Singer, who was born in New Zealand to a Japanese mother, moved to Lofoten four years ago to start the business with Eriksen, the daughter of a Lofoten fisherman. “We combined our knowledge,” she says. Their recently opened shop also serves drinks, which is a welcome addition for the residents who already drop in to taste their products.

As summer draws to an end, many businesses here are brainstorming ideas on how to weather the low season. But entrepreneurs like the team at Trevarefabrikken will take advantage of the quieter months to develop their business further. “Starting a company isn’t easy but it’s a personal development,” says Andreas. “We always have so many ideas and dreams. Is that ever a problem?”

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Making waves in fishing village
Guéthary, France

When travelling down the Basque coast from Biarritz to San Sebastián, you could easily miss Guéthary. This former fishing village perched atop a rocky cliff is not like neighbouring seaside resorts. “There are no discos, no champagne bars and no soap shops here,” says Antoine Piechaud, sipping a citronnade outside Providence, the café and event space he runs with his wife Caroline. “Guéthary is a bit of a bubble of its own.”

With roaring waves a five-minute walk down the road, life in Guéthary beats to a laidback rhythm that’s typical of surfing spots. “Years ago, people working in fields such as design, music or fashion realised that they could live, work and surf from here year-round,” says Piechaud. As a music industry professional, he was one of them: Piechaud relocated from Paris, drawn by the promise of a slower pace of life amid a tight-knit community.

Among the town’s 1,300 or so residents, many are veterans of the creative industries who have forged new opportunities for entrepreneurship. Brice Montessuit combines a background in music with his current profession: running the surf-focused brand Parlementia (named after the town’s famed wave), which also encompasses a record label, an online radio station and a bar. While digital orders from beyond France’s borders are increasingly trickling in, Montessuit’s next project is to take the brand abroad by opening standalone shops in major cities and boosting collaborations with foreign brands, such as Hungarian backpack-maker Ykra. Still, he believes customers should make a point of coming to his Guéthary boutique to experience its culture first hand.

For a small coastal village, Guéthary is surprisingly international: a short stroll up from Parlementia’s boutique, Yaoya is a Basque-Japanese épicerie selling food and home goods from both locales. Indigo-dyed noren curtains hang in the doorway; inside, bottles of ponzu sauce rub shoulders with espelette chilli mustard and baskets of fresh fruit. Aï Bihr, a Japanese fashion designer, and her husband Cédric, a French photographer, took over the premises in 2018. “We’re doing this for the community,” says Bihr. Seeing residents meet one another while picking up some yoghurt or a baguette at Yaoya, it seems as though the couple’s mission is already a success.

Swedish-born ceramicist Lena Baltazard moved to the Basque coast 20 years ago, when she bought her light-filled atelier-boutique and home for a fraction of today’s property prices (the average is now €6,000 per square metre). From here, she throws cups and other tableware for private clients and restaurateurs, such as Providence. “I’m lucky to be living above my workplace,” says Baltazard, sitting at her pottery wheel. “In many other places, I’d be stuck in traffic jams on a daily basis. Here, I can use that time to go swimming in the sea instead.”

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Bright lights in Upstate New York
Ulster County, USA

Moving Upstate for cheaper property and more space is not uncommon for New Yorkers; Hudson in Columbia County, accessible by train from Penn Station, has been evolving into a mini Brooklyn for years. But on the other side of the river in Ulster County, a small city is bubbling with activity. In Kingston, which has no train link with New York, a wave of scrappy entrepreneurs are creating a vibrant community.

While many transplants bring their professions with them, others find new ones. Mark Palmer and Anthea White, originally from Sydney, moved Upstate in 2017. The couple had worked as musicians in the West Village and Brooklyn before opening Village Coffee and Goods in Kingston, a beloved spot that stocks locally made products. “We felt like there was something special happening here. It was early enough that we could get in on it,” says White. They still play gigs, but most of their time is devoted to running the bustling shop.

Twenty miles southwest of Kingston, Italian photographer Fabio Chizzola and stylist Laura Ferrara bought the abandoned Westwind Orchard as a weekend escape and ended up running a farm. After losing a crop in 2009 Chizzola learned the importance of diversifying, but as a photographer he also knew design was vital. “We worked in fashion for 30 years, so we knew branding was important,” says Chizzola. The 20-year project now includes a thriving orchard, restaurant, cidery and shop. Visit on a warm evening – as locals laze on blankets on a sweeping green lawn, chatting over bottles of cider and crispy pizzas – and you’ll quickly grasp the appeal of moving to Ulster County.

Community is what brings most people to this area. Artist Dana McClure and chef Chris Lanier wanted a space where they could merge their disciplines, so they renovated an 1850s dairy barn and turned it into event space Ravenwood, where they host the pop-up dinners they had started in their apartment in Williamsburg. While the meals are not cheap, the accompanying shop is intended to be inclusive. “You can come in for a coffee or a $3 (€2.50) bunch of kale but there’s also a $4,000 (€3,500) tapestry on the wall,” says McClure. “This side of the river is considered more of the Wild West, where things are remote,” she adds. “People like that it’s not defined yet, so they can contribute to what it becomes.”

Put your own stamp on it

So you want to deliver with impact? And no, we’re not talking about making a speech. You want to get your goods from A to B in a way that’s eye-catching, easy on the planet and cost-effective.

There are any number of places to start: if you’re running a restaurant, you might want to make sure that your new takeaway cartons are ticking all the boxes; perhaps you’re a grocer that needs an eco-efficient means for covering that dreaded last mile; or else, you’re a perfume seller who’s short of retail space but you’ve been wondering what to do with that old ice-cream van that’s been lying around. OK, perhaps not. But you get the picture.

Fear not: you are not alone. We’ve pulled together three of the smartest ways to package, pick up and punt your wares on the go. But if none of the above are on your agenda, one thing that these clever delivery solutions tell us is that now is the time to get creative. So, about that ice-cream van…

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Foodlogica
Amsterdam

When working as director of the Cities Foundation, Francesca Miazzo realised that while many organisations focused on solving global food-supply-chain problems, local systems remained poor. “People needed a sustainable, efficient means of last-mile delivery,” she says. That gap spurred Miazzo and her partner Jessica Spadacini to found Foodlogica in 2014.

The Amsterdam-based last-mile logistics company offers supermarket and grocery clients its fleet of electric bicycles, fitted with hefty refrigerated boxes that help them cover the final leg of food deliveries in city centres. And, thanks to their renewable-energy charging points, the vehicles are emission-free.

The model attracted seed investment in 2018 and Foodlogica has since expanded its fleet from three vehicles to 26 across the Netherlands, Paris and Milan. In May the company made a profit for the first time since launch and is heading towards €1m turnover by the end of 2020. How’s that for a business cycle?

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Avani
Bali

Indonesia’s Avani has been finding smart alternatives to single-use plastics since Balinese entrepreneur Kevin Kamala launched the company with its biodegradable carrier bags in 2014. The clever bags made a name for the brand, combatting the problem of plastic waste in more than 50 countries, and were picked up by established names ranging from Barneys New York to Accor Hotels.

Now Avani’s biodegradable takeaway boxes – in production since 2016 – have been causing a stir on the food-delivery scene. As opposed to the garden-variety Styrofoam model, these boxes are made using bagasse, a fibrous pulp that is left over from sugar cane once it has been squeezed dry. The material would go to waste otherwise, takes little energy to produce and can even be used as biofuel once it’s finished with.

The sugar-cane boxes have gone from being used by a handful of eco-conscious food-delivery outlets to 150 companies around the world, thanks to their affordable price point, environmental credentials and practical construction. Simply put, they’re a pretty sweet deal.

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DS & Durga
New York

New York-based perfumer DS & Durga has a flagship shop on Mulberry Street and a soon-to-open outpost in Williamsburg but it has taken its wares on the road this summer in what appears to be an all-black ice-cream van. The brand’s Fume Truck will be travelling across Manhattan and Brooklyn throughout September, setting up shop near parks and beaches, to sell chilled perfumes, candles and car air-fresheners in scents such as Big Sur After Rain, Holy Ficus and Portable Fireplace.

While vans have long been the stuff of food vendors, ice-cream sellers and knife sharpeners, unusual times call for creative measures from retailers. DS & Durga’s mobile venture is a clever move at a moment when not all New Yorkers may be ready to re-enter shops, although it’ll surely disappoint plenty of children who are hungry for ice cream.