A Boxless Way of Life…
Re-Imagining Our Business

People often ask me about the name of my company, Boxless. To some, it’s creative. When it comes to autocorrect, it’s a nightmare. And while others think it’s because we think “outside of the box,” it isn’t always clear until you hear the story. Today, I want to tell you about Boxless and why it’s a lifestyle, not just a company name.

I have been working in Marketing and similar fields since 1994 – a few short months after graduating from the high school seminary. Each time I accepted a new position, and then again at meeting after meeting, the directive was made to always think outside the box. It never really made sense to me. The notion was to be different and challenge what others were doing yet everyone else was thinking outside the box. So, if you wanted to be slightly profound, thinking outside the box was really “the box.”

So, what is Boxless? Boxless is a challenge to set goals and always keep your eyes on those goals. It’s a lifestyle that challenges you to forget about norms and always look for the most efficient path to reach your goals. It’s so much more than the name of digital marketing agency – it’s our way of life.

When starting my agency, I moved into a space that was given to me by a business associate. Then we grew with my friend’s business and moved with them. Now, as our agency is becoming more successful, we are re-imagining our office to embrace the Boxless lifestyle.

Here are five ways are office will be adopting the Boxless lifestyle this year…

iPhones for Everyone (Kinda)!

From almost day one, Boxless has had some of the most high-tech office phones available. Each employee had a dedicated set of lines with auto attendants, conferencing, special forwarders and a list of features way too long to list. But no one used them. This week, we dumped our phone system and replaced them with all new iPhones (and a few Android ones for our Google lovers). Each one has all the same features, an unlimited phone, text and data plan and is packed with many of the applications our social media team need to do their jobs more efficiently.

Do We Really Need Computers?

I cannot believe I am posing this question! But we are taking a new approach in the coming months. Most everything we do can be done most efficiently on a smart phone and/or tablet. Do we need PhotoShop when a piece of art can be created in a fraction of the time using the Canva app on an iPad? It seems like email was made more for mobile devices than desktops and we know just as much web traffic comes from mobile devices than desktop computers. In the coming months, we will be phasing out individual computers and replacing them with tablets for our social team. Developers will still have computers on their desks but that’s all. Computer workstations will be spread throughout the office for when employees need them.

Has Anyone Ever Liked Cubicles?

We never really had cubicles but we do have workstations that resemble them in so many ways. Desks are never really comfortable. Often, their chairs are bad for your back. So what if we created comfortable, communal workspaces? People could sit where they please – by themselves in a comfortable chair, in a private phone booth or at tables when teams seem more productive than individuals. The traditional desk is on its way out next!

The Boxless Arcade

There’s time to work and sometimes you just need a quick break and a game of Ms. Pac Man. People wonder why we have video games in our office. Some question why I would jeopardize “productivity” with these games. I think our team is more productive because of them. Writer’s block happens. Sometimes you get frustrated when that perfect tweet is 141 characters. I believe stepping away from work for a moment, creating a retreat, will make us more productive workers.

Audio and Video Studios

We all know the importance of creating compelling content. Sometimes that content is written word, but other times, it’s video, audio or other medias. We are creating specialized studios where staff can go to record audio or video.

The Boxless of 2017 looks much different than before. It has been rebuilt from the ground up to adopt the very lifestyle, or way of life, that we have infused into our work since day one. As you look for ways to make your company more efficient, I invite you to adopt the Boxless way of life.