October 16, 2013
Business Center International Celebrates 25th Anniversary, it all began in Innsbrook
“It is for this sector of our population that BCI will soon be opening our New BCI Training Center and Workspace. Our new place lives up to our 24/7 Innsbrook ‘Live, Work, Play’ motto with 24/7 access to desk space, training facility and team rooms. These flexible, ‘on demand’ services will help start-ups, small companies, home-based businesses, out-of-town ‘Road Warriors’ with the ‘workspace’ they need, on their time and terms and with the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals.
Business Center International recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary, and it all began in Innsbrook, said Angie Abbasi, vice president of the company who, with her husband Ali Abbasi, the company’s president, own Business Center International located at 4860 Cox Road in Innsbrook.
“At one time or another, we all have our ‘Ah Ha’ moment,” Angie said. “Ours came on the way to Kings Dominion, which led to a meeting with Paul Kreckman, who saw in our vision. We all believed that Innsbrook could benefit from a business that could provide smallsized companies with office space, conference rooms and secretarial services.
“Business Center International was born and opened for business in 1988, with only seven offices, one conference room and basic secretarial services,” Angie recalled. “We had three things going for us: location, location, location! Being here in Innsbrook was a tremendous help because ‘everybody’ wants to be in Innsbrook! (Even those who are not in Innsbrook want to claim ownership,” Angie added. “And that says a lot about the importance of having your business in Innsbrook and the benefits of the name recognition.)
“We also had commitment — to both help our clients and to hire the best, friendly, qualified staff to help their business grow. If we could do this right,” Angie said, “and were true to this vision, we knew we were going to succeed.”
Succeed they did.
Today, Business Center International has 72 offices, ranging from 100 sq. ft. to multi-offices and mini-suites, three conference rooms, Day Offices, professional business support with many services and amenities to mention and Virtual Plans to assist clients that range from the small, start-up company, to Fortune 1000’s. “The best part about owning a business is that we don’t have to ask permission from anyone,” Angie said. “We re-invent our business and follow our dreams, when things are going well and during the tough times… Well, in tough times we pray a lot and reinvent ourselves,” Angie said. “But, we are always keenly aware that we are here because of our clients and their success is our success!
“At BCI, we have been progressive and kept an open mind to new trends in the market and have sought new solutions. Our industry has evolved and so has the way we do business. Words like SOHO no longer refers to a place in Lower Manhattan. Solopreneurs, mobile worker, workspaces, co-working, co-officing, hotdesking, teleworker, telecommuter, “touch-down”workplace, shared office are all now a part of our vocabulary.
“BCI would like to thank Innsbrook for providing the right business environment in which we could flourish; to Paul Kreckman, vice president of Highwoods Properties, for listening and sharing in our vision. We now reciprocate by sharing in his! To our great staff and to the many clients that have played the major role in our success. We just can’t wait to see what the next 25 years will bring!”
Angie Abbasi, Vice-President and Co-Founder, Business Center International
Also,” Angie added, “we have created a new, on-the-go technology because our savvy clients require technologysavvy solutions.
This has not eliminated the need for offices at a traditional business center, however. In fact, “that area of the business continues to grow as well,” she said. In fact, “we will soon be addressing the need for specifically-designed services to help cater to the 65 million Americans who will soon comprise 40% of the workforce* This growing sector will be using Internetbased technology to conduct business globally from a home-based, non-traditional office space. (*U.S. Dept. of Labor)
“It is for this sector of our population that BCI will soon be opening our New BCI Training Center and Workspace. Our new place lives up to our 24/7 Innsbrook ‘Live, Work, Play’ motto,” Angie said, “with 24/7 access to desk space, training facility and team rooms. These flexible, ‘on demand’ services will help start-ups, small companies, home-based businesses, out-of-town ‘Road Warriors’ with the ‘workspace’ they need, on their time and terms and with the opportunity to network with likeminded individuals.
“BCI would like to thank Innsbrook for providing the right business environment in which we could flourish; to Paul Kreckman, vice president of Highwoods Properties, for listening and sharing in our vision. We now reciprocate by sharing in his! To our great staff and to the many clients who have played the major role in our success. We just can’t wait to see what the next 25 years will bring!”