Don't Mess with Texas by Melissa Woodring

The idea of a “coworking space” has become very popular in recent years. Although mostly utilized for self-employed individuals, freelancers, and entrepreneurs, shared workspaces can also be a great starting point for new office location launches – as was the case for the Shift Digital Plano office.

Between November 2016 and March 2017, two of our Shift Digital employees made the transition to Plano, Texas. At first, they primarily worked from home or from the client’s main office. However, as business grew, it became clear that a professional setup for more employees would be needed for enhanced collaboration while the vision for Shift Digital Plano came to life.

When a third employee was added to the team, the crew moved to their first WeWork shared space in August 2018. Although tiny, it was doable for the moment. After more client programs launched in 2019, a bigger team was formed and the crew transitioned to a larger WeWork office.

Having this dedicated co-working space near the client office allowed for flexibility in many ways, inclusive of allowing Shift Digital to explore permanent office locations in Plano without having to rush.

As Shift Digital Plano began to grow and the need for more office space became apparent, everyone was able to come together with ideas for what we wanted the Plano office to embody (company culture, aesthetics, productivity vibes, etc.). The Plano office wanted to mimic portions of Shift HQ and other offices around the world, but also add our special Texas touch.

Fast forward to September 2019 and the ever-expanding Plano team had started moving into their brand-new office. While ensuring client responsibilities stayed on track, the team was also very focused on getting our space acclimated and comfortable. It was time for stand-up desks, plants, logos, and even a mural!

The office was almost 100% complete and we were all settling in. Our company culture was being embodied in the form of holiday celebrations, team happy hours, field team member visits, and more.

However, in March 2020, the office temporarily closed due to COVID-19. Fortunately, we were able to continue to adapt through change by individually working from home. With multiple client touch base calls, the transition to an enhanced internal and external communication platform, and a weekly “Cocktails and Quarantinis” virtual happy hour video meeting, we were prepared for the new remote style of work.

The fact that the Shift Digital Plano team has grown and transitioned through so many work styles and locations together shows that we can adapt to anything, while staying connected with each other and continuing to put the client first.

We’re excited to see what the future will bring!