Keep calm and carry on…

For us Brits, we’re renowned worldwide for having a “stiff upper lip” approach to life. Though, this might not always be the case… It’s natural to feel overwhelmed and experience stress, trust us, we work in the events industry! On a brighter note, stress isn’t malicious, it’s our bodily and mental reaction to a given situation and for prehistoric man, it would’ve saved their cotton socks. Without stress induced flight or fight mode… we may not be here…

Let your hair down…

Life is such a rush, especially with our constant use of computers, laptops, tablets and smart phones. With everything being so stimulating, it can be quite hard to switch off and unwind. Thankfully there is a cure! So, step away from your smart phone and give those eyes a well-deserved rest. Changing your view and giving yourself some much-needed head space really helps. Think back to what you really love to do and indulge in it!

We can help…

Feeling the pressure? Give our punch bag a few swings! Feeling frustrated? Take it out on our foosball table! We’ve got a few things dotted around our venues to help offer you a new perspective that are a bit of fun! It is said you can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation… don’t pass up on our building on our Lego wall. Psst, if you love colouring in, turn over our studio headed paper for a nice surprise!

Did you know Grace Marshall runs Think Productive’ Stress Less Achieve More workshops at thestudiobirmingham? If the source of your stress is an overwhelm of too much to do in too little time and a constant feeling of information overload and distraction, Grace will show you how to reduce stress by eliminating those nagging feelings of doubt, guilt and overload panic, and replace them with a focused, playful, purposeful and productive momentum.

Book onto the next one at thestudiobirmingham here: stresslessoct2018.eventbrite.co.uk

Balance…
If we’ve had the pleasure of hosting your meeting or special event, you’ll have noticed aside for our vibrant décor, we love the colour grey. So much so we incorporated it into our logo. But why grey you ask? Other than reminding you of the typical British sky’s colour, it promotes balance and complete harmony, the comfortable medium between light and dark. We’re firm believers in work hard, play harder. A work life balance is essential and thestudio team are encouraged to switch off after their days commitment. Once the team even had a masseuse visit and take a 15-minute massage within their work day!

Proof is in the pudding…

Check out the NHS online, they have some great advice on managing those dreaded stress levels. Making small changes can offer a whole new world!

We’ve got two things on our agenda today… singing along to Pharrell Williams’ Happy and reminiscing about some of the best moments in studio history as it’s International Day of Happiness!

Do you celebrate?

They say it’s important to celebrate the little victories and of course the big ones. But do you find time to congratulate yourself when you achieve your goals or do you straight away delve into a new set of goals to achieve? We understand wins can get overlooked and often forgotten… Feel inspired today and reminisce!

thestudio’s top 10 happiest moments so far…

1. 2nd first… It’s normal to sound off starting with one, thestudio with all its quirks started with two! Way back when, we were only able to offer events space on our 2nd floor. Creating some ruckus, bull dosing into the first floor, we were able to increase our meeting room spaces and offer you a brand-new floor to experience!

2. Cowley Manor will always have firm place in studio’s history, aside from being the location of the first group away day, it’s here thestudio ethos was born! Through team building activities, we defined the kind of company we were and how we would make decisions… Customer first it is 😀

3. Baby steps… wise Confucius once said – “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Experience teaches us one thing, that we only ever truly fail when we give up trying. It was a momentous time when thestudio blew out its 3rd birthday candles… apparently this is the bench mark that an astounding 75% of new companies fail to make!

4. The Directors’ trip jet setting off to the beautiful Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Keen advocates of “if you want a new idea change the view”. And a follow up trip to Iceland sharing an elongated hot pool under a starlit sky, a perfect setting for the Northern lights and for sharing and planning big dreams.

5. Winning the pinnacle of awards “Best Independent UK venue in 2017” what an accolade, ticking every box in our company vision, where we strive for our customers to say “why would be go anywhere else!”

6. thestudio first ever profitable year independently in 2009, it felt like a massive feat!

7. There’s no feeling that quite compared to opening our 2nd venue in Manchester’s glorious Northern Quarter.

8. “Come with me, And you’ll be, In a world of, Pure imagination” Did you get the Golden Ticket? That’s right, one of our happiest memories was when we held the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed party. With a cluster of family, friends and special guests, it was the first time Nigel (thestudio’s co-founder) showed them what we did. To say the least, they were blown away and to top it off, it was a brilliant party night with new, past and current studio team members.

9. In 2016 the team ticked one off the bucket list… expanding into another country! Opening thestudioglasgow was an amazing achievement and added another member to our family. We’re feeling more like a seasoned business with 4 venues now.

10. A happy team is a productive team! Undoubtedly some of our happiest times are when we’re whisked away to a team weekend. Usually full of fun activities and packed full of friendly competition, they’re a great chance to catch up with each other.

Remember, remember…

Remember all your achievements and good times today, after all, it’s International Day of Happiness! Wishing you a lot more memorable days and achievements to come.

It’s no doubt we like to feel good. Afloat with warm fuzzy feelings, our moral compass points us to do what we feel is right and encourages us to go above and beyond. Kindness is a definite strength, having the courage to dish out positive reinforcement or offer a helping hand are admirable traits! That’s why we just had to shout about Random Acts of Kindness Day.

Conferencing and kindness…
Forget the add ons, don’t you just love it when a venue or hotel just puts that little extra effort in to make you feel welcome and appreciated? Whether it’s a complimentary map of the city, on the house welcome drinks or a treat on your pillow, it’s totally brilliant to feel thought about. Here at thestudio we have TNT’s. Tiny noticeable things which make a positive explosive impact! We’re always thinking of ingenious ways to make our guests feel more at home. Just remember, if it’s raining and you need some cover, help yourself to a studio brolly!

Check out the teams most memorable random acts of kindness experiences:

Prabjot: Philpotts! Even if it’s been months they always remember my breakfast order!

Jyoti: I’m a fiend for Fuel drinks, the team there know my order so as so as they see me coming they get a making! I don’t have to wait long for my drink and always have a friendly catch up while I’m there.

Katie: Our team member Karolina! She always surprises us with gifts from cute personalised Christmas cards to chocolate treats, she’s bursting full of random acts of kindness. Lovely lady!

Brighten someone’s day today with a random act of kindness and if you can think of anything that would make your stay at thestudio even better, we’re always open for suggestions…

Guest blog: Kirsty Rafe: Year 10 at King Edwards VI Lichfield.

When I entered thestudio on the first day of my work experience, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I’d arrived early, half nervous, half excited to see what goes on behind the scenes. I’d always thought that a job wasn’t something you could fully enjoy, that it was just something everyone just had to do. Not at thestudio. Although when you take first glance at the doors in, it appears small, instantly you are grabbed by the bright colours and glass doors that allow you to see into the world of thestudio.

Tour
When inside the doors, I was shown around the unique building. Although I’d been inside thestudio doors before, my eyes kept being caught by little quirky details I hadn’t seen before. It instantly put a smile on my face as I struggled to find my favourite part. Everything catches your eye; from the rooms that are labelled with motivational words, to the engaging colours scattered about, and the table football on the second floor. Even the early birds that were waiting to go in couldn’t have been bored for a second.

Reception
After experiencing it myself, I’m convinced that anyone who walks through those front doors, no matter how nervous or unsure they may be, could be put at ease by the welcoming smile on Pedro’s face at the front desk. Admittedly I didn’t answer any calls on the first day, because I was so interested in seeing how the staff react to different situations on the phone. I was in awe at how naturally they could deal with any situation that was given to them, and could answer anything the customer was enquiring about. Now I was determined to be part of this brilliant team.

On the second day, I was on reception again, up on the second floor with Sharon. With this new determination had to be involved with the calls, I finally built up the confidence to do it. I’d been welcomed so well into thestudio that I began to feel like part of the team. All day I dealt with lost guests trying to find their rooms, and answered any questions asked. I learnt a lot of skills, behind the desk, and customer skills.

Mission control/Sales
This is by-far the busiest job area I’d experienced. I admire the sales team because they handle all the enquiries for the Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, and Glasgow venues. Constant calls and emails came into the office, and were dealt with asap.

I was taken through financial processes in thestudio, and learnt how, instead of pressuring payments from clients, they are flexible with customer payments. I was also taken through all the little clever parts on their website, by Mandy, that the everyday customer might overlook. thestudio website is very useful as it even shows you the route from nearby train stations to the venues. One of the team went out with a camera and filmed the whole route-such a good idea!

Other bits I got involved with
On one of the days I got a little bit involved with the operations team. I’d seen them throughout the week rushing around, and organising things. They cleared away used items from the customers, and provided them with anything they needed. I was impressed how quiet and quick they were at moving things around while people were in their rooms; you wouldn’t even notice they were there. I learnt how to multi task as they were all being asked to do 101 things at once- catering for different rooms and different amounts of clients.

Throughout my week at thestudio I’ve learnt that people can really enjoy their job. Also, that to have the kind of success they have, there is a lot of teamwork, and determination involved. I have really admired the team at thestudio, and hope I can one day be in a successful job like theirs.
I would like to say thank you to everyone at thestudio for welcoming me into their own unique world of business, and giving me a fun week too!

Selling out in 2016, thestudiomanchester are excited to once again welcome Jamchester through its doors!

It’s Jamazing…

Not quite sure what Jamchester is about? One thing’s for sure, it’s not a festival dedicated to jam! Presented by Gameopolis and HAC100, we introduce the UK’s biggest professional game jam, a weekend long event offering industry professionals the perfect opportunity to let their imaginations run wild. Get your creative juices flowing as you compete either in a team or as a lone wolf to create the best game. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so you’ve been given two to craft your masterpiece!

We’re Jammin’…

Not for the faint hearted, this game building extravaganza is a 24hr event! Guests will be working round the clock on their precious projects. Last year Jamchester welcomed a whopping 200 attendees and received a staggering 39 video games! Whether you love gaming or are a curious kitten, check out last year’s marvels by clicking here… thestudio

To All Gamers…

Here at thestudio, we really value being customer focused. Whether you’re new to our meetings and events spaces or have stuck by us since our Orange days, we’re always super excited to see the return of clients’ year in year out. To everyone competing this weekend, a massive good luck from thestudio team.

What’s smoking hot @thestudio?

Blazing sun, clear skies, hot weather, shades… Yes the long awaited British summer is here! And what a better way to celebrate than a classy BBQ. We humans are a social bunch, loving any old excuse for a get together and with the sun high in the sky, what a better opportunity?

Individually we’re brilliantly unique but together, together we’re unstoppable. That’s why we love rounding up our team for a quarterly get-together. Being on the same page doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom with monotonous meetings. Spicing things up with a fun, relaxed event does wonders when it comes to team bonding. Plus, you know that age old saying to get to someone’s hear you have to go through their stomach!

No case without a showcase…

We’re really looking forward to the season of BBQ’s and great weather. So much so we’d like to add a bit of pizazz to your reunions by offering a smoking hot team building session in Birmingham and Manchester. Running from July to August, catch up with your crew over some delicious food!

Under the watchful eye of BBQ extraordinaire Richard Holden, your crew can enjoy a tailor made bespoke grilling master class. That’s not all, whilst looking forward to this creative lunch, we include the use of a main meeting room, unlimited tea, coffee and snacks throughout the day.

Ideal for 10-20 guests wanting to live it up in the sun, in just a few hours you’ll experience a 2 course menu of a starter and a main course, BBQ skills on show, tips on grilling and roasting, how to make pioneering pesto, saucy marinades, homemade pizza dough plus choosing and cooking the perfect steak! With a variety of activity packages starting from £50+vat pp for 3-6 hour sessions, looks like the only thing you’ll need is some shades and sun cream!

*Minimum numbers for any course are 10, increasing to a maximum of 20 per session. The above is subject to availability, to make an enquiry contact thestudio team on 0800 028 6694

Guest blog from Bea Peck …

Day 1
It’s 8.50 on Monday morning, the first day of my work experience @thestudio, ¼ of my body weight is currently nerves, another ¼ coffee and the other ½ undeniable excitement. I suppose I should introduce myself – Hi, my name is Bea. I’m 17 and currently studying my first year of A levels but more importantly, I just spent a week @thestudio to learn how such a successful events company is run day to day.

Rumour has it, business people are scary. They’re crazy caffeine fuelled robots who type numbers into a computer nine hours a day – but not @thestudio. I was met with nothing other than a smile.

As I toured the building, I couldn’t help but grin at all thestudios’ little quirks; the bright and engaging décor, the goldfish on the second floor, even the toilet signs could lighten your Monday morning blues.

By 11am I had conquered my fear of the phone lines, it was until this week I had never transferred a call… embarrassing but true! Jyoti navigated me through thestudio’s social media pages, blogs and website, teaching me how keeping clients informed with thestudio’s recent activities or even gaining a twitter follower are all important aspects of establishing solid relationships with clients in this increasingly digital age.

Day 2
Today I sat with Pedro on the second floor reception, greeting puzzled looking guests and showing them to their rooms. Once again I manned the phone lines, discovering the talent of job juggling that the not-so-scary business people @thestudio perform so admirably. Here, I gained experience both behind the desk but also good customer service skills that I can transfer to any workplace in the future. (more…)

No longer the new kid on the block, this year thestudio is celebrating turning 10. Since opening in Birmingham in 2006, thestudio has grown significantly over the last decade, now laying claim to four venues nationwide and a team of 68 staff members.

Known for its fresh and colourful take on the typically monochrome corporate world, thestudio has firmly secured its place as one of the leading independent venues to meet, train, and entertain. Since opening its doors to Glasgow earlier this month, the group has a total of 42 meeting rooms across its city centre sites. This expansion means that thestudio will have welcomed 137,000 customers in 2016 alone, a huge increase from its 2007 total of 30,600 visitors, and the reason behind its impressive £4.5million turnover.

Commenting on the decade of success, thestudio’s Director Emma Jennings said:
“This milestone is a huge one for the entire team at thestudio and we are so excited to be turning 10! When we started off with just 10 rooms in Birmingham, the dream was always to expand to the other major UK city centres while firmly keeping our ‘Customer First’ mission at the centre of what we do. Now that we’ve managed to do this, I am over the moon and I am so proud of all the success that we have had.”

thestudio can be found in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and Glasgow, with each site having its own quirky accents: if you’re looking for a roof-top terrace, a 1950s police box, and a secret library, look no further than Birmingham; for a classroom and a train generated by tweets, it’s Manchester. However, if you want to get closer to the outdoors, with a moss-wall, silver birches, and 3 sheep, head to Leeds; and for an homage to all things Scottish, thestudioglasgow’s icon wall depicting favourites like Tunnocks Tea cakes, the Wallace Monument and even The Krankies is what you need.

“Each venue has been a labour of love for the team at thestudio and these little features are what make them all unique. We call them our TNTs: Tiny Noticeable Things. Every one of these details has been meticulously thought out and there is no feeling quite like walking into a newly completed venue and seeing it all come together. It’s what drives us and keeps us on the search for our next location,” added Jennings.

Whether you are looking for a space for 2 or 250, the team at thestudio can help you out. Each room is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, providing a comfortable and stylish environment for maximum productivity: guests can expect every room to have wireless internet connection, HDMI data projectors, Apple TV and integrated sound systems. Its breakout zones also take centre stage, as well as its open spaces for exhibitions, networking or simply a place for clients to recharge batteries. Customers are able to fuel their creativity with award-winning meals cooked on-site with locally sourced ingredients by thestudio’s chefs, not to mention free-flowing hot drinks and snacks throughout the day.

If you are interested in hosting an event at one of thestudio venues, the booking team is ready and waiting to hear from you. Bookings can be made by calling thestudio team on 0800 028 6694. For further details about thestudio, head to the website: https://thestudio.co.uk/.

We all can relate to the importance of a get together, be it family or friends. But for a lot of organisations, including ourselves, we see the value in getting our studio team together. So last Wednesday, we did just that! With a handful of new studio family members and a new venue on the ever brightening horizon, our quarterly round up couldn’t have been timed better! Check out what we got up to…

“More than” or “Less than” birth place to Glasgow

In this modern age where information is fast and easily gained, we as a populous have a habit of losing interest and attention fairly quickly. So instead of a long winded, super descriptive take on our away day, here’s a countdown of what we got up to!

1. Venturing into the unknown and uncharted territory (logistics wise), we transported our whole team to where you ask? Scotland of course! As it’s no wee rumour, Glasgow will be the home of our 4th venue, so the perfect location for a good ol’ studio bonding session.
2. Much needed hearty breakfast boost at the impressive Citizen M (unique hotel/events space born in Amsterdam) followed by a tour of the facilities… Everyone loved the mood lighting and of course the breakfast spread!
3. Moving onto Grand Central Hotel where we held our traditional team rally, new recruits warmly welcomed it was time to get into the nitty gritty of the business, past present and future. With the threat of an early start and a breakfast food coma dipping our concentration levels, a much welcomed game of “Run Around” dominated the session.
4. Happy Birthday Evie! We sang, we cut and we ate.
5. Lo and behold thestudioglasgow! The team were lucky enough to have a “pre-fit out” viewing of our newest space … Just a viewing? We think not! For our challenge we were split into groups, locking horns over crowning the rooms with a meaningful studio-esq brand name and quote. See if you can guess from our 3d plans on the website which ones were the winners…
6. We know the saying about all work and being a dull boy… So as the evening drew closer, it was time to let our hair down, celebrate our achievements and enjoy an exclusive open top bus tour of beautiful Glasgow. Definitely living the Glaswegian high life.
7. If you’ve been to one of our venues before, you’d know how much all of us love food. And for the love of food, we dined and went to meat eater’s heaven: Viva Brazil. With 14 cuts of meat which are brought to the table then specifically and individually carved, there wasn’t need for much movement unless you fancied something from the unlimited salad bar.
8. Bellies filled, drinks drank, it was time to call it a night but not before a cheeky night cap at the stunning Hotel Indigo. A great hotel that is graced with both modernity and grandeur.
9. Return home!

Our team had a smashing time and if you’re in search for some solid advice or inspiration from turning a dreaded away day to a day looked forward to, feel free to contact us! After all, we love a good mind map 🙂