HOST
Johnathan — Host, Boomerang Office Furniture / Common Sense Office Furniture GUEST
Iris Schmidt — Vice President of Operations & Finance, Boomerang Office Furniture
WHAT WE COVER
• 150 MPH New York pace vs. Philadelphia speed — how regional energy and work culture influence operational drive and efficiency
• Pianos to computer keyboards — Iris’s journey from a New York performing arts major to over 40 years of office furniture operations
• The evolution of the workstation — tracking the physical shift from 64-inch high panel cubicles to low-profile collaborative systems and sit-stand desks
• Post-COVID workplace balance — navigating hybrid expectations, the limitations of Zoom ideation, and why physical presence drives cross-departmental collaboration
• Culture starts at the top — eliminating executive hierarchy, fostering an open-door environment, and why no task is "beneath" leadership
• Work ethic across generations — exploring how personal upbringing and accountability impact team-centric attitudes more than generational labels
• Designing with intent — utilizing privacy phone booths, sit-stand solutions, and involving employees early when moving or redecorating workspaces
KEY QUOTES
"New York never rests... Philadelphia may be a big city, we are not New York. The speed down here may not be Des Moines, Iowa, but it is definitely not New York City. But I feel like I've brought my energy and 'let's get things done' to the neighborhood." — Iris Schmidt
"Culture here starts from the top... doors always open, and none of us are any better than anyone else." — Iris Schmidt
"Every employee, regardless of what level they're at, needs to do what they're hired to do plus. You can't just show up... you must go above and beyond." — Iris Schmidt
SPONSORED BY
Boomerang Office Furniture — boomerangofficefurniture.com
Common Sense Office Furniture — commonsenseof.com