Community of Cultivators: Edition 62

Here at GCUC we are immensely fortunate to cross paths and work with so many amazing people. Through our work, we’ve cultivated a global community of people we think you should know about.

Community of Cultivators is a blog series we created to introduce you to coworking game changers and connectors. Each month, we’ll release new interviews that we hope inform and inspire you.

This week’s interview is with Adam Goldstein. Adam is a PropTech entrepreneur from New York and based in the Bay Area of California. He is the founder and CEO of WorkBistro, an on-demand neighborhood workspace cafe and is building a community of remote workers who believe the future of work is hybrid. Adam also is an operations consultant to Branch, a Direct to Consumer office furniture brand, where he was originally the first hire in 2019. Adam helped build operations there from $250k ARR to $70m and now focuses on building technology tools to support the Branch enterprise operations. Prior to Branch, Adam worked as a office renovations project manager Managed by Q and WeWork, via an acquisition, and Ernst & Young as a real estate finance advisor.

Adam enjoys hiking and playing golf in his spare time and is an avid live music fan. To get to know Adam, keep reading.

What in your life are you most proud of cultivating or creating? Why?

So far, creating WorkBistro is one of the things I’m most proud of in my life. I’ve always thought of myself as an entrepreneur and this is finally a manifestation of that. It’s taken years of practice and determination to get a business of my own off the ground and, while we have a long way to go, I’m incredibly proud of what we’re creating. The community that we’re cultivating is lively and passionate as well and I’m excited to see how we continue to grow!

What podcast would you recommend to others and why?

Armchair Expert, hands down. The laid-back fun style of Dax and Monica’s conversations, the breadth of topics they cover, the quality of the guests they get on the show, and the vulnerability they all express in their production is by far the most engaged I’ve ever been with a podcast. I highly recommend listening to the episode with Ray Dalio, Bill Gates, and Barack Obama.

What is one piece of advice you give everyone that works with and/or for you?

Things WILL go wrong and you WILL make mistakes. The important part is that you communicate clearly and transparently about what is going on and have a clear idea of what a potential fix might be. Making mistakes and “failing” is part of the journey and the more comfortable you can get with the fact that there will always be roadblocks, the more time you can spend on solutions.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of becoming an entrepreneur?

Don’t. KIDDING! If you are passionate about solving problems on your own terms and building something that both fits your passions and skills- this is the right path for you! It’s a challenging path for sure, but it will give you a fulfillment that most people never dream about experiencing. I would HIGHLY recommend learning on someone else’s dime. Don’t start a business just because you think it will work. Go work for a startup that’s in a similar field/industry and get your feet wet in someone else’s entrepreneurial environment. The lessons you learn, network you build, and time to mature are all helpful in a successful launch. Remember, entrepreneurship isn’t about taking risks, it’s about mitigating them. Reduce your exposure and find ways to start building today!

What is the best habit you ever started? What habit do you want to start but haven’t yet?

Meditation. It’s allowed me to think clearly, slow myself down and not get carried away by thoughts or emotions. I want to start focusing more on Transcendental Meditation (more so than breathwork meditation or mindfulness meditation) as I’ve heard (from the podcast episode listed above with Ray Dalio), that it has exponential effects on your ability to conceive ideas of yourself and the world around you, giving power to your subconscious.

If you had to put a quote on your gravestone what would it be?

“Right here, right now, everything is already alright”

What is the most expensive mistake you have ever made?

I once sent $10,000 worth of the wrong product to a client in Louisiana. Shipping the product back and forth cost $4,000 alone. I’m sure I’ll make more expensive mistakes (unfortunately)