Hi Friends, Clients & Colleagues,

If you know me at all you know that — for better or worse — I’m not afraid to do a few things: one, tell it like it is and, two, ask for help when needed. So… here it is. Given my agency’s focus on the hospitality and lifestyle brands that have been devastated by COVID, and with no idea as to when this collective nightmare may finally come to an end, it’s looking like we will have no choice but to move out of our beloved 9300 sq ft office in the heart of Downtown Crossing. That is, unless we can find someone at the 11th hour who may have a need (now or upcoming) for shared office space, which is the reason behind this post.

I don’t think any of us, when we left our offices back in March, thought we’d still be in this alternate universe seven months later. I know I didn’t. First, it was two weeks. Then… tack on a couple more months. We’ll be back by September, definitely by September… Throughout this period, I recognized how much extra space we had, both due to the COVID-based layoffs we unfortunately had to do for the first time in the company’s 16 year history, as well as the recognition that at least some form of remote work would understandably be with us long after the pandemic as a result of this global “work from home” experiment. On top of all that, last year our company had already begun to work from home on Fridays, so even pre-COVID we had envisioned eventually sharing our Chauncy Street home with other groups who would keep the energy high and maximize our space with all of its amenities.

This uncertainty and glass half-full approach is what led me to take advantage of the Governor’s eviction moratorium on residential and small business tenants since it was enacted in the hopes that, with each passing month, we might return to a point of normalcy; that our restaurant, hotel and lifestyle clients would be able to stay in business, let alone be profitable enough to afford marketing and PR services again, and that life might return to something that allowed us to once again carry our rent. But as that moratorium is about to end next month, reality is setting in and I realize that a tough decision must soon be made about staying or going — recognizing that the decision may unfortunately be made for us.

Our office is a spacious, bright and beautifully decorated open concept space of which I personally designed and built out every last inch with love. Amenities include kombucha on tap, coffee & snacks in the kitchen, in-building gym/showers, bike storage, multiple conference/phone rooms, and a less than 5 minute walk from the Green, Orange and Red lines, South Station and parking garages. For the right roommate, I’d even be willing to restart our in-office monthly massages! More importantly, it’s been a space where our team has collaborated on more projects than I can remember; where we’ve held creative brainstorms, shared meals, celebrated wins, and comforted each other in times of loss. It’s been a space where our team has grown, and where we’ve become a family. It holds memories for all of us, and I know it could be a special place for other companies to collaborate and grow as well. We are open to groups of any size/need; whether looking for a shared workspace or the ability to completely reconfigure part of the space — nothing is off the table.

If interested in learning more, please reach out to me directly at mfogelman@marlomarketing.com. And PLEASE share this opportunity with any friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, drunk uncles, pre-K teachers, sourdough bread bakers, etc. who may know someone who knows someone who needs some space, temporary or long-term. I am a firm believer that, while remote working has its place, the value conferred by in-person collaboration and connection WILL return, and will be more important than ever… which is why I’m fighting so hard to figure out how to stay.

If the past few months have taught me anything it’s that being honest about the challenges at hand can make all the difference in this time of collective need. And also that gratitude for all we do have should always take priority. So thank you in advance for helping me to spread the word, far and wide, as quickly as possible. At this point, time is of the essence, as my decision to stay or go will need to be made within the next couple of weeks.

Here’s an easy link with all of the information to share: https://marlomarketing.com/shareourspace/

With gratitude,