All posts by : Nicole Horton

Signs2U is a locally owned and family-run small business that has been operating since 2007. They handle everything to do with branding for businesses, including vehicle wraps, large electrical signs, outdoor signs, and more. About five years ago, Signs2U expanded into 3M Di-NOC architectural film, a thick vinyl product that can conform around objects. While Di-NOC has many LEED-certified indoor and outdoor applications, it is especially good at refreshing interior spaces like elevators, walls, cabinetry, and more.

Refreshing the Morrison Center

Signs2U recently completed two Di-NOC projects worth highlighting. First is the Morrison Center project. After many years of hosting events, the Morrison Center staff decided some parts of the building needed a refresh. They contacted local contractors to find out how much it would cost to replace some of the concession counters. After receiving some quotes, someone had the brilliant idea of wrapping the existing furniture.

“The Morrison center reached out to us for help, and we suggested using Di-NOC,” says Signs2U President and Co-Owner Karen Warner. “With over one-thousand product options, the hardest part was settling on the right style.”

The Morrison Center chose a quartz-style countertop and dark gray wood grain wrap for the full alcove. Wrapping all three floors took only three days. In the end, the Morrison Center received a beautiful refresh at a fraction of the replacement cost.

Hosting A Local Showcase

The second project was unique. Due to its transformational abilities, Di-NOC is an excellent addition to the commercial interiors world and, by extension, OEC’s product lineup. To showcase this product’s capabilities, OEC partnered with Signs2U to show local architects, designers, and facilities managers what the vinyl film can do by refreshing OEC’s showroom elevator. In one day, Signs2U took a dark, dated space and made it bright and inviting.

What Makes Di-NOC Unique

However, not everyone can do this installation. “Di-NOC is a unique product. People like to think it is like buying a roll of contact paper, but they are very different. Di-NOC is very durable, you can patch and repaired it quickly, and the manufacturer recommends installation by a 3M endorsed installer,” says Karen. Signs2U is an endorsed local installer, making them an essential part of the showcase.

Di-NOC is very durable, can be patched and repaired quickly, and the manufacturer recommends installation by a 3M endorsed installer.

Karen Warner

Whether you are an interior designer interested in an outdoor covered installation, or a facilities manager wrapping cabinetry, Di-NOC is an excellent product. Even better, OEC can help you find the perfect finish before partnering with Signs2U on the installation. Are you ready to get wrapping?

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4 Design concepts to consider when it comes to creating amazing modern collaboration spaces.

With the proliferation of hybrid and work-from-home strategies, it’s likely a high percentage of meetings today involve one or more remote participants. Conference, huddle, and focus rooms should be designed to accommodate both remote and in-person collaboration

1. Simplicity

One Cord Or One Touch
Your user should be able to start a meeting either by plugging in one cord to their own device or by touching one button.

Reservable
Collaboration rooms should be easy to schedule from a phone, computer, or right at the room scheduling console device.

Supplies Are Easy To Find
Supplies such as dry erase markers, hdmi dongles, and room sanitization materials should always be accessible in the room.

2. Aesthetics

Branding + Design

• Does the furniture match?
• Does the design look intentional?
• How does the room reinforce company branding and values?
• Beyond furniture, consider the walls, flooring, and lighting as opportunities to give your space personality and interest.

Clean + Neat
All equipment/supplies not currently in use should be hidden away nicely. Avoid using furniture that scratches easily or shows fingerprints.

3. Cameras + Acoustics

Room + Camera
Position your furniture so each participant’s face can be clearly seen on camera. Choose cameras that show individuals and groups.

Acoustics
Wall treatments will reduce echo in the room and prevent voices from carrying into unwanted spaces. Sound masking can
control sound outside of rooms.

Microphones + Speakers
Make sure your microphones and speakers are distributed evenly throughout the room.

4. Functionality

Collaboration spaces should be functional, meaning they should perform just as good as they look. Here are some general and furniture-specific functionalities:

• How many people in the room?
• Length of meeting for this room?
• Do you want a formal or casual setting?
• Does this room need storage?
• How will the technology integrate into the furniture?
• Will you need specific cut outs in the
• furniture or walls for power or data?
• Is the furniture easy to clean?

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Message from the President

True confessions

I’ll let you in on a little secret. I have some confessions to make, I’m a recovering technology nerd. There I said it. Before joining (and now leading) the OEC furniture team, I owned several technology-centric companies. I love all things tech. Moving to furniture was kind of a big change for me. And ever since day one I have been patiently waiting for us to add a technology division.

Dream team assembled.

The wait is finally over. During the past year I’ve been assembling my dream team of talent to lead our Audio-Visual technology division at OEC.

Space + Technology.

How can you make your work and collaboration spaces more appealing and useful to your employees? What are employees looking for at the office to make them want to leave the comforts of working from home? In this, and upcoming issues, we will explore Space + Technology together to see if we can help employers figure out what they need to do to earn the commute.

Sincerely,

Scott Galloway

President

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Travis Palmer is an estimator at OEC. He didn’t intend to become the roller shade specialist, but when there was a need, Travis stepped up. Read below to learn his tips about choosing the right commercial window coverings for your business.

What kind of shades can I choose from?

Manual Shades

Let’s start with the basics. There is a wide range of shades and blinds with unique functions and price ranges. Your most cost-effective choice will be manual roller shades. These are a go-to choice for general contractors because they are cost effective. They require manual operation typically using a chain and if they are large shades, the weight of the shade can make the turning gear hard to operate.

Motorized Shades

The next step up in price and convenience is motorized shades. This shade is operated by a motor rather than a chain loop and is activated using a switch from somewhere in the room. Motorized shades are much easier for the user to operate, especially if the large window shades are fifteen to twenty feet high.

Automated Shades

A step up from motorized shades is automated shades. Different manufacturers will set up these shades differently, but the easiest way is to use a solar sensor that adheres to the glass on the interior face of the window. When that sensor detects sunlight, it will roll down the shades to account for the light shining in. Then when the sunlight is gone the shades will roll back up. These shades are often used in large high rise buildings where the shades are run by the building management team. The shades save these large buildings a significant sum on heating and cooling costs.

Solar Link

A top tier solar shade that OEC’s partner Mecho Shades carries, is their Solar Link option. This is the most energy efficient operating system that takes a 3d map of the building so it can tell if a building is blocked by the sun in any direction. It understands where shades need to be rolled down and where they done. It will even look at the weather forecast and other data to proactively move shades to control the heat inside the building.

Do you have shades that look residential?

If you are interested in a more residential looking shade, OEC’s partner, Graber specializes in faux wood blinds. They also carry roman shades, sliding panels, commercial blinds, and other roller shades including honeycomb shades. OEC can procure and install any of these products in your commercial space if that is the look you want.

How transparent should my commercial window coverings be?

The transparency of your blinds should be determined by your space. If your office has an open floor plan, you will want shades with more transparency because it brightens the space. In contrast, if you have mainly heads-down office spaces where people work for a sustained period of time, you want to block more of that solar value to keep the heat off your employees.

How do I clean my shades?

Once your commercial shades are installed you have a few cleaning options. They can be vacuumed periodically by the building’s cleaning team to remove dust and dander that gathers in them. Alternatively, the OEC Team can also expertly clean the shades on a regular basis.

What do I do if my shades break?

When commercial shades are in high-use areas it is common for them to get jammed. Mecho shades have a great warranty on both their mechanisms and their shade cloth. If your shades get jammed or torn, give the OEC team a call. They are knowledgeable, have a lot of experience, and are great at on the job problem solving. They can get your shades fixed and working smoothly again in no time.

Why should I choose to get my commercial window coverings from OEC?

OEC can do just about everything with window coverings. That includes quoting, ordering, installing, and servicing shades. As partners with Mecho, it is easy to get specialty shades for options like pitch windows, trapezoids, and skylights. OEC also had a great relationship with WT Shades for all standard sizes with hard-to-beat prices.

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Moving is a complicated process. Whether you are moving from your home or planning an office relocation, there are so many things to keep track of along the way. When you want to have a successful business move, it is vital to hire experts. Speaking of experts, OEC’s project manager, Riley Weber shares the questions you should be asking your office moving company to ensure you have the best moving experience possible.

When should I use a commercial moving company?

When moving an office from one location to a new one, it is best to enlist office moving services from a professional. Not only does a commercial mover know how to guarantee safe handling and transportation of your office, but they can also do it quickly and keep things organized. Keeping things organized is essential when working with a moving company. That is why OEC pays close attention to detail during any office relocation.

How does OEC organize an office move?

The first step in any move is finding out how much product a client needs to move and where. If the old office furniture does not fit in the new space, it is best to know ahead of time so the furniture can be replaced or reconfigured to fit.

For this reason, OEC involves a designer in the moving process early on. The designer can help space plan the new layout and keep track of all the furniture to be moved. Once the designer makes the plan, the OEC moving team will start packing up the old office for the move.

What should I use to move my office items?

One of the best things OEC offers their moving clients is large blue totes and proper labeling. Each employee gets one blue tote to pack all their personal belongings. Along with these totes are specific moving labels with building and room number blanks for the employees to write precisely where their tote needs to go. For the employee’s computers and other technology, OEC provides computer racks to transport all the technology, again using labels.

Will there be a point person on my business relocation?

OEC’s moving team works together to ensure everyone is on the same page. There will always be a lead installer on the project coordinating with the client’s onsite contact and working off the designer’s installation plans. The lead will share the game plan with the rest of his team before any items are moved. Before moving day, the team will review the furniture that needs to be disassembled, packed, and relocated before being rebuilt, unpacked, and reconfigured in its new space.

What if I am moving from multiple locations?

OEC has helped multiple organizations move from multiple buildings into one. For example, when Idaho Fish & Game built its new headquarters in downtown Boise, OEC moved employees from Boise, Nampa, and Caldwell into the new space. While multiple locations and long-distance moves make the relocation more complicated, OEC has the knowledge and expertise to handle the move professionally and timely.

What can go wrong if you don’t use a professional?

The move can go south quickly if you hire an inexperienced commercial relocation company. First off, they may damage the existing furniture or not know how to disassemble it. Because OEC’s moving team has extensive knowledge of commercial furniture, they know how to protect, handle, and build the furniture correctly.

Secondly, a mover may not know how to organize these large projects. Unlike moving houses, where one family does all the unpacking, an office sometimes has hundreds of employees who need their items moved. If any detail is off, you could disrupt that employee’s productivity for days to weeks.

Finally, movers without a team behind them will struggle to succeed. At OEC, the furniture team members have worked together for years and strictly follows the designer’s installation plans. They provide a full service, stress free, and organized move by communicate with clients well. When you hire OEC for office relocation services, you can breathe easy knowing they will make your complex move simple.

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A Life Changing Invitation    

Mark Wilkins was applying for grad school in international business at Thunderbird in Arizona when an invitation from his cousin changed his life. Having recently graduated from Boise State, Mark was planning for a career on the road to see the world but was stopped short by a better offer. “My cousin asked me, ‘Ever thought of doing blinds?’ I just laughed and said no. But then I visited him in Colorado Springs and thought, I can do this and stay in Boise.” Mark started blindsource shortly after his stay and has been in business since 2004.

Working With Family

As a young man just out of college, Mark didn’t have much money to work with. So, he asked to use a bay in his parent’s garage and some space in their basement. As he got busier, his mom helped him with installs. “It was kind of embarrassing. I would introduce her as Margaret, and the client would ask, ‘Is that your mom? Yes, that’s my mom.’ She saw how busy I was and offered to help.” After about a year in business, Mark coaxed his brother Dave away from his landscaping business in Utah to join him in Boise and today serves as the General Manager. Mark then built a house and ran the company out of the first floor while he lived above. He moved once more before ending up in the current location that they built.

Location, Location, Location

Things have changed a lot since the days of Mark and his mom. He is now married, running the business with his wife Nicole who decided to leave the corporate world. They have thirteen employees. Their new building has a beautiful showroom, office space on two levels and plenty of warehousing. Mark and Nicole chose the location because it is only about five minutes from their home. It also has excellent exposure to commuters. “I was spoiled by my commute from my parent’s house to the house I built. So, I wanted a quick commute.” With less time driving, Mark and Nicole have more time to be with their family. Not to mention the location gets quite a few walk-ins every day.

“We had a really good experience going down to the showroom and seeing the different products and colors to select. There is a lot more to it than you realize, which is the exact experience people have with window coverings.”

Mark Wilkins

Working With OEC

Getting into the building has been a process. Since buying the lot, designing the building, and finishing construction, the project has taken about two years. During that time, Mark and Nicole decided to enlist the help of OEC for their office furniture. “We had a really good experience going down to the showroom and seeing the different options to select from. There is a lot more to it than you realize, which is the exact experience people have with window coverings.” 

Customer Service Makes All The Difference

While blindsource carries a lot of brands to choose from it’s their customer service that makes them stand out. Blindsource will take one of their mobile showrooms to the home or commercial space of their customer. Then they start the free design consultation. They will listen to the customers’ needs and recommend products based on that as well as their budget. With an estimate in hand, customers can take as long as they need to decide. Blindsource takes a very low-pressure approach to sales. “We are more educators than salespeople because are not pushy and try to help people make decisions based on the budget they are working with.” Since blindsource does not carry anything in stock, everything is custom-made and installed with a lifetime service warranty.

“We are more educators than salespeople because we are not pushy and try to help people make decisions based on the budget they are working with.”

Mark Wilkins

Relationships & Referrals

Blindsource is different than most companies because they do not advertise. “We have built relationships and make sure our customers are happy. That way they feel inclined to refer us to their friends and family. They trust that we will take care of them.” With a mission to provide great value and customer service, blindsource is looking forward to helping its customers create spaces they will enjoy for years to come.

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Headwaters Construction Co in Rexburg, Idaho, has been tearing up the southeastern Idaho commercial construction scene. To learn more about the company, we sat down with Headwaters’ marketing and business development director Hyrum Pitt. As he puts it, Hyrum’s job is to “keep our guys busy by putting new projects in front of them.” However, the Headwaters of today looks very different from how it started. Let’s dive into the company’s humble beginnings to fully appreciate how this powerhouse has grown.

Teton Springs Becomes Headwaters

In the early 2000s, a master-planned community was going up in the Teton Valley area, and the Teton Springs development group saw a massive opportunity to develop the land and build custom homes. They brought on Stanton (Stan) Marshall to manage the company’s construction arm, Teton Springs Construction, and over several years, Stan and new partners bought out the original owners. In 2005, he changed the company name to Headwaters Construction to reach beyond the Teton Springs community.

As the company grew, it focused more and more on commercial construction, with Stan serving as the CEO today. While commercial construction is Headwaters’ bread and butter, it still dabbles in residential custom homes. Why? Because Headwaters is incredibly client driven in the best way possible. The company boasts numerous repeat clients. “We had a past client come to us and say, ‘We had a great experience and want you to build these spec homes,’ and our answer every time is yes.” That client focused mentality led them to do projects in Oregon, Washington, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Missouri, and Arkansas.

“We had a past client come to us and say, ‘We had a great experience and want you to build these spec homes,’ and our answer every time is yes.”

Hyrum Pitt

Priorities In The Right Place

While Headwaters was initially based in Victor, Idaho, the 60-employee company moved its headquarters to Rexburg in 2008 to be closer to most of its projects. However, they have chosen to keep the small Victor office open for those employees living in and invested in that community. Headwaters takes great pleasure in taking care of their employees. “We’ve got a great team here. We often have people walk into our office and leave saying, ‘there’s something different about you guys. There is a lot of energy, and people are just happy.’ We put a big emphasis internally on people and their quality of life with their families. It’s all but required for you to attend your kids’ events. So, if they have a play during work hours, you had better go, then come back and work hard.”

“Stan has a lot of faith in the people around him. We joke with him that he likes to cannonball into new opportunities. It has served us well because if you look through our history, we have continued to grow.”

Hyrum Pitt

Prominent Projects

And work hard they do! Some of Headwaters’ most prominent projects include multiple K-12 educational facilities, high-end hospitality buildings, and hundreds of multi-family units in Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Utah. In the Boise area, Headwaters built the 87,000 s.f. Hilton Garden Inn and restaurant and its sister building in Lehi, Utah. Most recently, the company has been constructing the Hyatt Place for the same development group. Its most notable current project is a 65,000 s.f. industrial meat processing facility in Idaho Falls. It is a state-of-the-art facility that can process 500 head of cattle a day. In Salt Lake, Headwaters is building one of the largest multi-family projects in the area, at 720,439 SF and 759 units. With over $100 million invested by the developer in this property, Headwaters is working in tandem with their subcontractors to keep everything on schedule successfully.

Keys to Headwaters’ Success

The key to Headwaters’ success is threefold. They are dedicated to putting their priorities in the right place by supporting their employees at work and in their families. They happily work with repeat clients no matter the project. And they are willing to jump into the unknown headfirst. “Stan has a lot of faith in the people around him. We joke with him that he likes to cannonball into new opportunities. It has served us well because if you look through our history, we have continued to grow.” Next year Headwaters will be celebrating its 20th anniversary and recently hit an exciting benchmark. Since its founding,

Headwaters has done over one billion dollars in revenue. That is an incredible accomplishment for the relatively young company, and they are excited to see what the future has in store for them.

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Opening A Permanent Office

     B.O.S.S. (Build the Optimal System of Security) Retirement Solutions is a Utah-based company that expanded into Idaho in October 2021. While waiting for their permanent office in Meridian to be built, they rented offices at Regus at The Village in Meridian.  Office Administrator Shay Calhoun was new to B.O.S.S. at the time and had this to say, “Starting in a rented space felt like we weren’t 100% settled. This new space is so beautiful, and it’s been so great to have something permanent.”

Building & Protecting Wealth

     Ryan and Tyson Thacker founded B.O.S.S. Retirement Solutions in 2008. They focus on optimizing social security, minimizing risk, minimizing taxes in retirement, legacy planning, and maintaining one’s lifestyle in retirement. With a focus on helping families get to a point where they can retire and protect what they have earned, B.O.S.S. is passionate about helping families be able to have peace of mind no matter what life throws at them.

Valuing Employees

     Shay believes the business’s success is due to the founders being great businessmen and employers.

“They really take care of their

people and make you feel valued.”

“Tyson and Ryan make sure every employee knows how much they value every individual’s contribution to the team. I think that’s a huge reason they have been so successful.”

Keeping Teams Connected Virtually

     With a growing number of locations, B.O.S.S. Retirement Solutions has intentionally kept its employees connected. The advisors and office administrators each have weekly meetings via zoom for anyone not in Utah, with another large meeting monthly. In addition, the offices also look similar. Every office building has a similar layout with multiple private conference rooms used to meet with clients, a bullpen where all the advisors and team members work closely, and a striking blue wall in the space.

The First Out-Of-State Office

     So why expand? The Thackers envision B.O.S.S. becoming a household name across the country, necessitating expansion. Moving to Meridian has been an excellent trial for out-of-state growth. The geography and culture are very similar to Utah. Helping in the expansion was senior advisor Ryan Landvatter. When the owners began discussing expansion, Landvatter volunteered to lead the efforts. In doing so, he acted as an extension of the culture and values of B.O.S.S. Retirement Solutions, making the October 2021 expansion a huge success.

     Now that B.O.S.S.is in its permanent home in Meridian, the staff is looking forward to growing the business and meeting its goals. With such a great business model, employees, and financial services, B.O.S.S. Retirement Solutions looks forward to becoming the household name its owners envisioned.

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About a year ago my dad went to the pet store and picked up three female
bunnies. He has a bunny pen in the backyard (he calls it Bunnytopia) where he enjoys feeding and playing with the bunnies. This summer he had a surprise, well, make that seven surprises. At some point baby bunnies started emerging from the covered area of Bunnytopia. Apparently one of the bunnies purchased at the pet store was indeed a male and that bunny has been living his best life for some time now.

The commercial interiors industry has seen quite a few surprises emerge from “Construction Bunnytopia” during the past year. We have all been busy with our projects and then out of the rabbit hole has popped supply chain disruption, inflation, the great resignation, employees wanting to work from home instead of the office, and most recently recession.

What do we do about it? Well, I suppose we can follow my dad’s plan of action. Step 1. Smile and enjoy the baby bunnies. Step 2. Jump in the pen and catch the male bunny and move him somewhere else. Step 3. Pick the favorite baby bunnies and keep them. Sell the rest back to the pet store for a good return on investment.

In business terms I suppose we could say 1. Observe and understand business challenges. 2. Solve problems, which might involve strategic talent and personnel changes. 3. Be agile and be ready to implement plan B in order to help our bottom line.

Happy problem solving,

Scott Galloway

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Going Beyond Commercial Furniture

While OEC in Boise, ID, is known for helping clients create amazing spaces that attract and retain talent, we do much more than that. In addition to our excellent furniture installation and design services, we excel in Division 10 specialties and Commercial Doors. To give a better overview of what we can do for your building or furniture project, we have broken it down.

Commercial Furniture Services:

OEC is the largest commercial furniture dealership in Idaho, with a sizeable in-house installation team of professional tradesmen. Combined with our outstanding workplace consultants and designers, we help our clients create an amazing space where employees want to work.

Our experienced workplace consultants work with clients to understand the needs of their organization. Then, they collaborate with OEC designers to address those needs with furniture solutions. Finally, our operations team coordinates to deliver and install the furniture on time and on budget.

Moves

In addition to installing new office, government, or educational spaces, our install team can make office moves. If your company is moving offices, our experienced team can move all your existing furniture to your new location. We are experts in commercial furniture, so we know how to properly handle and transport everything with extreme care.

Reconfigures

If your organization’s needs have changed, the OEC team can help you reconfigure your furniture to meet those needs. For example, we can move furniture to new locations, change workstation layouts, move walls, and more. A reconfiguration is a great way to rethink your space using your existing furniture.

Cleaning

Cleaning furniture is an integral part of keeping your equipment in top shape. OEC’s installation team is trained and ready to help clean your workstation panels and chair furniture whenever you need it. Our state-of-the-art cleaning machines break down stains and clean fabrics to help make our workspaces more sanitary. We can clean your task chairs, side chairs, club/lounge seating, sofas\couches, and panels, and wipe down your worksurfaces and leather furniture.

Acoustics

Making an open office a quiet place to work can be a challenge. That is where acoustic solutions come into play. At OEC, we have access to various excellent office acoustic solutions. Whether you are looking for hanging panels, ceiling or wall panels, or even a sound masking product, we can help.

Acoustic panels can become interesting art pieces while also absorbing sound. Sound masking systems are easy-to-install speaker systems that create white noise in targeted zones throughout your office. Whichever solution works best for you, we can help procure and install it for you.

Commercial Window Coverings

Every building needs window coverings to manage solar heat, glare, and employee comfort. Luckily, OEC is your Idaho leader for commercial window covering installation, service, and repair. We work with top brands to provide you with motorized and atomized shades, horizontal and vertical blinds, roller shades, honeycomb shades, and drapes. Not only do we procure and install these products, we can also help service and repair them.  

Storage Racking

Transitioning to the construction side of OEC’s offerings, storage racking is the first item on the list. Storage racking can make all the difference for companies with large amounts of inventory. Whether you have a large warehouse or a large room, storage racking will help keep your products safe and organized.

Racking can also be used in more residential settings. For example, many multifamily complexes will provide storage solutions for their tenants. Whatever you need to store, OEC can help install your racking and shelving.

Prefab Construction

OEC’s Construction team specifies, procures, and installs a variety of products, including lockers, operable walls, and visual display boards to name a few. So whether you are a general contractor, facilities manager, or building owner in Boise or out of state, we can help.

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