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    At Work: Fundable’s campus has many benefits

    Born out of the need for crowd-funding solutions for all kinds of startups, Fundable was launched in May of 2012 by Wil Schroter, CEO and Eric Corl, President. Elliot Schneier came on board as COO and Ryan Rutan as VP Consulting. The company looks to help businesses of all sizes; recently, a company looking to get funded was able to raise $1.2M on the website.

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    “Our focus is on entrepreneurs who are looking to build sustainable businesses and need to reach out to a larger base of backers that will include equity investors,” says co-founder and COO Wil Schroter. “Our goal is to help launch one million companies.”

    Fundable founders take a break to play NBA Jam.
    Fundable founders take a break to play NBA Jam. Photo courtesy Fundable.

    Once they realized they would need to move their office out of TechColumbus, they began to look for new office space. Schroter noticed the 45,000-square-foot campus in Powell -once home to product branding and design firm Fitch Inc.- was available and went to take a look.

    “It’s a pretty cool campus,” says Schroter. “It affords us a lot of benefits.”

    Fundable became the first tenant in the space and occupies about 7,000-square-feet with 22 full-time employees. Other startups fill the rest of the campus.

    Schroter designed the space and the renovations took about a year.

    “I wanted it to feel more like a home and less than an office,” he says. “It doesn’t take a ton of money to create a great space, it just takes a little bit of time to find the right stuff. We spent every bit of eight months between sourcing the right items. For a very modest sum, we built the best office I’ve ever worked at.”

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    Railings forged from steel by area metal smith Aaron Schroeder.
    Railings forged from steel by area metal smith Aaron Schroeder.

    Desktops were designed by Eric Corl and custom-cut by National Office Furniture and mounted to 4"x4" square legs of steel by Aaron Schroeder.
    Desktops were designed by Eric Corl and custom-cut by National Office Furniture and mounted to 4″x4″ square legs of steel by Aaron Schroeder.

    “We wanted to make sure everyone could hear everyone,” says Corl. “Make it the kind of environment that inspires productivity and doesn’t have a lot of burn-out.”

    A kitchen equipped with a stocked beverage refrigerator, a built-in stainless steel coffee maker, and a Viking microwave provides a great place to make snacks and stay hydrated.
    A kitchen equipped with a stocked beverage refrigerator, a built-in stainless steel coffee maker, and a Viking microwave provides a great place to make snacks and stay hydrated.

    To get a high-impact sign with low cost, the company turned to The Sign Chef.

    “I take a ton of pride every time I see our company logo on something,” says Schroter. “I always feel energized seeing it, like we’ve just staked our claim in some foreign land. The problem is that signs are kind of expensive, and it’s usually a luxury you can absolutely avoid since most people will never see it.”

    Fundable sign by The Sign Chef. Photo courtesy Fundable.
    Fundable sign by The Sign Chef. Photo courtesy Fundable.

    Using The Sign Chef, they were able to upload their logo online and choose from a variety of options.

    “Our Fundable logo looks like a stamp, so for $160 we were able to create a large 3 foot wide logo in one color and paste it on a wall that gave good contrast,” he says. “It looks amazing and we had it in a couple weeks.”

    The campus includes recreational activities such as a volleyball court and wooded paths, as well as waterfalls to enjoy. In the winter months, the snowfalls create a very serene environment. The large windows throughout the space bring the outdoors in. There is also space to work outside. A daily recess offers everyone the chance to relax and recharge, while a basement outfitted with a gym offers another benefit.

    Mature trees are found throughout the campus grounds.
    Mature trees are found throughout the campus grounds.

    A volleyball court was recently uncovered and all of the companies on the campus helped get it ready to go.
    A volleyball court was recently uncovered and all of the companies on the campus helped get it ready.

    A full gym provides another employee benefit.
    A full gym provides another employee benefit.

    Energizing orange colors can be found throughout the space.
    Energizing orange colors can be found throughout the space.

    “We spend a lot of time finding people who work really well together and will enjoy the culture here,” says Schroter. “I absolutely love my job.”

    “The freedom of being able to do what you love is great,” adds Corl.

    “It’s a huge privilege that we work really hard for,” continues Schroter.

    In addition to access to funding, the company often offers advice to entrepreneurs.

    “Wil’s been instrumental with hundreds of entrepreneurs,” says Corl. “He responds to every email and gives real and practical advice through experience.”

    “I enjoy the hell out of it though,” Schroter says.

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    To learn more about Fundable, visit Fundable.com.

    Do you know of, have, or work in, a creative workspace and would like to be featured in this series? If so, please contact Anne Evans.

     

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    Anne Evans
    Anne Evanshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-evans/
    Anne Evans is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations for The Metropreneur and Columbus Underground. She regularly contributes feature stories on both sites, as well as Mega Weekend each week. She has started and grown businesses, created experiences, forged community partnerships, and worked to create opportunities for others. She loves meeting new neighbors and those making an impact in our community. Want to connect?
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