OpenSpace

$100 The Benjamins Program $100

Would you like $100 in OpenSpace credit? We’d love to give it to you!

If you are or become an Unlimited or Team Plan member of OpenSpace and you refer a colleague or friend to sign up as an Unlimited or Team Plan member—you both will receive $100 in OpenSpace credit!

Every time you get someone new to sign up in the qualifying plans, you receive a $100 reward! You can receive up to 5 Benjamin rewards per year. That is equal to someone handing you $500 in thanks for referring 5 people to OpenSpace.

As we see it, Benjamin Franklin would be proud. Not only because we’ve sort of named the program after him, but also because Ben was a person of vision, with interest in technology, who worked outside of the box. A polymath—not unlike the amazing folk you find at OpenSpace.

How to Receive Your Benjamins: Referrer
(You are the current member referring a new member)

• Register for the Benjamins Program by sending an email to Benjamins@getopenspace.com to obtain your promo code, unique to you
• Give your promo code to the person you are referring

How to Receive Your Benjamins: Referee
(You have been referred by a current member)

• Obtain a promo code from the person who told you about OpenSpace
• Go to our website www.getopenspace.com and sign up for a new Unlimited or Team Plan using this promo code
• Register for the Benjamins Program within 30 days of signing up for service by sending an email to Benjamins@getopenspace.com

As Benjamin Franklin said “A penny saved is a penny earned.” If you would like to save 50,000 pennies on your next monthly bill at OpenSpace, start talking to your friends, family, and colleagues who are looking for a new place to work.

For more information visit www.getopenspace.com/benjamins/

(Note: Please see Terms and Conditions for the complete program rules)

Mustard Seed Software, LLC
Growing Great Ideas

Mustard Seed Software is a small, award-winning software development company that collaborates with clients in engineering, research, and academic fields. They partner to guide and mature innovative technology into the marketplace, creating meaningful solutions, achieving maximum impact. Their prowess, perception, and practical knowledge pilot laboratory-grade computational capabilities into commercial-grade applications.

Mustard Seed Software is one of these rare gems—a small company with long-time partnerships with notable clients—determining that client relationships, quality assurance, and challenging projects are absolute priorities.

Mustard Seed Software, the trio, is made up of guys who are wicked smart engineers, with multiple degrees in multiple disciplines. They can create complex solutions in diverse domains such as Engineering Design Reliability, Probabilistic Analysis, and Non-Destructive Evaluation. And yet, they are accessible and balanced as professionals and as individuals.

This well-roundedness can be found on their website. It is highly attractive and thoroughly informative. It ranges from intensely technical to the interestingly personable. And when meeting and talking with the trio it is easy to see they are as dedicated to making a difference with their work as they are in their personal lives.

The Trio: Sim & The Bens

Simeon Fitch, Principal & Senior Software Engineer
“I am passionate about the sliver of the market we engage in and helping them realize the full potential of their technology. My pitch is this—‘the impact of their technology is directly proportional to the number of people who can use it.’ I am a very curious person and am good at asking the right questions to understand the client’s perspective. I really care about our clients’ goals and am honored to be standing on the shoulders of giants—being a part of larger projects and systems I would normally not be able to. This is my approach to making sure we are doing work that matters.”

Ben Guseman, Software Engineer
“The best part of what I do personally is to try to find elegant and robust ways to solve interesting problems. It is very satisfying to know that what we do contributes to society in some way. That’s the big picture. For me day to day, I enjoy working with our team at Mustard Seed Software and our team of clients. I like that we are small, without that big corporate feel. Sim and I are in similar life situations—family, kids. It is comforting to know I have a boss who is understanding and flexible and places a value on life outside of work.”

Ben Hocking, Associate Software Engineer
“It is great having challenging work. I get to use all of my skill set—physics, math, as well as computer science. My colleagues at Mustard Seed Software, as well as the engineers we have as clients—we understand and speak the same language. We get each other. Our work makes a difference. One of my favorite software solutions involved writing software so that airplanes can be built in a way that inspectors can do their job more effectively, preventing accidents and saving lives.

Why OpenSpace

Most of Mustard Seed Software’s clients are not local—some based as far away as Texas and Ontario. The Internet and technology allows this business to work remotely, with very little travel. The trio has been working in OpenSpace on a regular basis. In Simeon’s words:

“OpenSpace enables more high-achieving business owners to stay in Charlottesville, to do great work. And being surrounded by these forward-thinking professionals helps keep the motivation high. I am much more focused on my work because everyone here is more focused.”

“What I like most about working at OpenSpace is the sense of being taken care of, especially after years of having to run the business and take care of everyone else. It really means a lot to me that I am always greeted with a smile, the kitchen is so clean, snacks and coffee are always available. All of these things add up to a feeling of being appreciated. The day goes by faster and when I am done with work I can head back to home life with my worries left behind.”

What You Might Not Know

Mustard Seed Software has a mascot: Bindy the dog. She is known to bring ease and spiritual insights to the staff of Mustard Seed Software and a photo of her energetic dog-self can be found on her own webpage on their site.

(Photograph by Billy Hunt)

The Who

Nick Sabin is the New Business Development Director for Charlottesville Media, a business focusing on web design, video and print. Liza Bishop is Charlottesville Media’s Project Manager.

One of the elements that makes this client-facing duo stand apart is their genuine love of their work and the creative world around them. Another is their complete emphasis on customer service.

“Some people tend to be passive, we are active. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality of service. We take that extra step.” Internally, those extra steps are developing a fresh appearance for their own website. The unveiling will take place in early autumn.

The Why OpenSpace

A few months ago, Nick and Liza began working in OpenSpace.

“In order to grow our business and build an exceptional brand and loyal clientele we needed a place to focus, meet, and connect. OpenSpace removes the distractions and provides a professional environment. It complements our skills and our level of customer service. It fits with the way we do business. We are proud to bring our clients to OpenSpace—our reach is greater, we are closing more deals.”

The Work

Charlottesville Media has clients as far away as North Carolina and Massachusetts, but most are local. Recent website design clients include Bittersweet, Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, Broad Axe Technology Partners, and Julia’s Needleworks. Charlottesville Media won the 2009 Silver Savvy Award for the website design for Shop Charlottesville. Please take a moment to visit these links and see examples of their visionary style.

Another recent project involves producing a fundraising video for the American Red Cross. “Our business is really thriving and video projects are on the rise. More clients are requesting videos for their websites, small businesses are distinguishing themselves with video.”

The What You Might Not Know

Besides her dedication to Charlottesville Media, Liza also has her own photography and graphic design business Sweet Life Studio. She poetically captures life’s moments—whether it be a wedding, a child’s special day, or a professional portrait. The name can be traced to the phrase ‘la dolce vita’, a tattoo, and an inspirational moment in the mesmerizing city of Amsterdam.

And as for Nick and his mysterious photo above—he would rather be watching a film than be on the film.

(Photograph by Billy Hunt)

The Who

Cathy is a leader in leadership. She is the president of Powerful Purpose Leadership—a leadership coaching and consulting practice that partners with individuals and organizations to develop better quality working relationships in order to expand leadership capacity.

“At the core of leadership is relationship. Quality results begin with quality relationships. I partner with others to develop better connections with whom they work in order to produce the most effective leadership and achieve maximum results.”

PPL offers individual leadership coaching, education sessions and team transformation services, which includes team building, team in conflict facilitation and a team of excellence process.

Cathy has over 18 years experience in leadership development. She has designed programs for college and university students and created professional development opportunities for higher education administrators and business professionals. She has delivered presentations for the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Center for Non Profit Excellence (Charlottesville), and the Virginia Network of Non Profit Organizations. Just to name a few.

“My passion is working with the education and nonprofit communities as well as small businesses. And because I feel so strongly about collaborating with these groups, who may have smaller budgets, I have created a fee structure that is very accessible. These are areas where coaching is just starting to get noticed. There is a lot of need to learn how to be more satisfied, more effective.”

Cathy is successful in her work because she creates a trustworthy environment for her clients to uncover and examine their personal and professional assessments in order to discover new possibilities.

“I’m the person who makes it safe to have the conversation. Leaders seek me out to help them understand themselves and their role as a leader better. I provide them the opportunity to realize that they have strengths and successes to build upon; to assist them in finding a path to achieve their personal and professional visions.”

So, if you or your organization want to build on your strengths, develop new skills, become more effective leaders, add more creativity and innovation—look no further. Dr. Cathy Pales will energetically and professionally dedicate herself to being of service to you and your organization.

The Why OpenSpace

“Working at OpenSpace completely reenergized me to successfully build my practice. I tell everybody…and, if I needed to, I’d stand on the side of the road with a sign that said Join OpenSpace.”

“As a new startup, I spent the first year working out of my house. But I found myself hungering to network, to meet people. I am such a strong extrovert. I love the flexibility, the meeting space, and the cost is fantastic. I couldn’t find an office space for this price. And I travel for work sometimes and so not having to sign a lease is great. I find the communal workspace very energizing and motivating. In the few months I have worked at OpenSpace, I have formed several significant personal and professional relationships.”

The What You Might Not Know

Cathy is related, through her great grandmother, to ambassador Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first ambassador to Mexico, appointed by President Madison. Ambassador Poinsett introduced the flowering plant called the poinsettia (named after him) into the United States.

(Photograph by Billy Hunt)