Unit 2 A Marketplace of Ideas Business

Unit 2 A Marketplace of Ideas
BUSINESS
LISTENING SKILL: Abbreviations and Symbols
Watch 1 (Video)
ILS_L2_U2_Watch1
Reporter: I’m here with entrepreneur Susan Shahi to talk about her company,
Central Square. It’s a new, popular shared workspace. Susan, thanks for joining us.
Susan Shahi: My pleasure, thanks for having me.
Reporter: So, could you tell our listeners what a shared workspace is?
Susan Shahi: Sure. A shared workspace brings small, new businesses together in
one office. At Central Square, our office is one big open space with several different
companies in it, so it’s easy to meet and converse with people in different fields.
They can share business ideas and information. It’s really amazing because you have And
everyone saves time
and money by helping each other.
Reporter: Sounds really interesting.
talented people around you who you can network with. So, how did you get the idea to
open a shared
workspace?
Susan Shahi: Well, I was working on another business last year. I had a home office,
and I felt really isolated there. I wanted to discuss my ideas with other people who
had experience in different areas of business than me. So one day, I was talking with
a friend who told me about a shared office space in San Francisco. I thought it would
be great to open one here. And, that’s how I got the idea to open Central Square.
Reporter: Got it. And what kinds of companies are renting space from you?
Susan Shahi: A wide range. We have technology, fashion design, freelance
writers…and that mix is so important. Just last month, a design company worked on
the styling for a software developer’s logo. In return, the developer helped the
designer with her website. So, two of our new, small businesses helped each other,
and it was in their mutual interest to do so. And that’s what we do here.
Reporter: That sounds great. So, how can I rent office space at Central Square?
Susan Shahi: Well, we have monthly, weekly, and daily rental spaces, so small
businesses don’t have to commit to a longer lease than they need. You know, new
businesses often cease to exist because of the high rent for office space. So ourcheaper
shared rental space gives new businesses a chance to succeed during the
preliminary stages of their development.
Reporter: Clearly, your business is doing very well. Do you do anything to find new
customers?
Susan Shahi: We don’t really have to do much. People hear about us from their
friends, their coworkers, other people they know. We do coordinate social events
and ‘Networking Nights,’ though, which have helped us to find new customers.
Reporter: And what are your plans for the future?
Susan Shahi: I think the next evolution in our business is to rent temporary space to
companies that expand seasonally. Like accounting firms, which always hire more
staff and need more space during tax season. We could also rent to large retail
stores that take on extra customer service representatives for temporary call
centers during big shopping seasons, like right before children return to school.
Reporter: Sounds like you’re positioned to grow. What advice would you give to
other entrepreneurs?
Susan Shahi: Hmm. My advice is to be willing to take risks and be willing to fail.
Very few people succeed on their first try. You have to have the courage to pursue
new ideas even if other ideas have failed. That’s how you learn. That’s how you
create a company that makes you a millionaire.
SPEAKING SKILL: Supporting Opinions
Watch 2 (Video)
ILS_L2_U2_Watch2
M1: Hello everyone. Today we’ll be starting our discussion of international business
in the Middle East. So we’ll be learning about major centers for business in the
region—cities like Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai that are large and are growing even
larger.
Dubai is one of the best examples in the region of a modern, global city. But that
wasn’t always true. In the 1970s, most of Dubai was desert, and there were actually
only around 180,000 people living in the whole city. The economy was mainly
focused on oil. At the time, Dubai’s leaders made a strategic decision to expand the
economic focus. Their strategy was to invest in infrastructure, to make
transportation into and out of Dubai easier.
So, governing authorities built a shipping port. Today, Dubai has the largest mancheaper
shared rental space gives new businesses a chance to succeed during the
preliminary stages of their development.
Reporter: Clearly, your business is doing very well. Do you do anything to find new
customers?
Susan Shahi: We don’t really have to do much. People hear about us from their
friends, their coworkers, other people they know. We do coordinate social events
and ‘Networking Nights,’ though, which have helped us to find new customers.
Reporter: And what are your plans for the future?
Susan Shahi: I think the next evolution in our business is to rent temporary space to
companies that expand seasonally. Like accounting firms, which always hire more
staff and need more space during tax season. We could also rent to large retail
stores that take on extra customer service representatives for temporary call
centers during big shopping seasons, like right before children return to school.
Reporter: Sounds like you’re positioned to grow. What advice would you give to
other entrepreneurs?
Susan Shahi: Hmm. My advice is to be willing to take risks and be willing to fail.
Very few people succeed on their first try. You have to have the courage to pursue
new ideas even if other ideas have failed. That’s how you learn. That’s how you
create a company that makes you a millionaire.
SPEAKING SKILL: Supporting Opinions
Watch 2 (Video)
ILS_L2_U2_Watch2
M1: Hello everyone. Today we’ll be starting our discussion of international business
in the Middle East. So we’ll be learning about major centers for business in the
region—cities like Doha, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai that are large and are growing even
larger.
Dubai is one of the best examples in the region of a modern, global city. But that
wasn’t always true. In the 1970s, most of Dubai was desert, and there were actually
only around 180,000 people living in the whole city. The economy was mainly
focused on oil. At the time, Dubai’s leaders made a strategic decision to expand the
economic focus. Their strategy was to invest in infrastructure, to make
transportation into and out of Dubai easier.
So, governing authorities built a shipping port. Today, Dubai has the largest man

Unit 2 A Marketplace of Ideas Business

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Unit 2 A Marketplace of Ideas Business

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Unit 2 A Marketplace of Ideas Business

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Unit 2 A Marketplace of Ideas

You might also like