WORKTECH20 North America is taking place next week on the 13th and 14th of October 2020, bringing together some of the world’s largest brands and most influential thought-leaders to explore the future of the post-pandemic workplace. Register HERE to join WORKTECH 2020: North America, come join and lead the conversation on the future of work. This exciting virtual event will offer senior workplace professionals first-hand insights and expert advice on what is next for the future of work, from a people, place, culture, design, innovation, and technology perspective. International thought-leaders will share practical knowledge and actionable insights around re-thinking, re-opening, and re-investing in businesses during this challenging time. Download the FULL CONFERENCE AGENDA HERE Expert Speakers include: Dr. Douglas Terrier, Chief Technologist, NASA Steve Todd, AVP, Global Head of Workplace, Nasdaq Terry Raby, Global Workplace Design Director, Facebook Brett Hautop, Global Head of Design and Build, LinkedIn Tracie Kelly, Head of Workplace & Real Estate - HQ Bay Area, Uber Sara Escobar, Director, Workplace Experience, Netflix Bruce Daisley, Former VP, EMEA, and Author Twitter Lynda Gratton, Author, Professor of Management Practice, London Business School Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from industry thought leaders and network with senior decision-makers at the forefront of workplace innovation. Leading companies attending WORKETCH Events include: PepsiCo, Google, Citibank, Facebook, Wells Fargo, Aramark, WSP, LinkedIn, Nike, BofA, HP, Spotify, Scotiabank, Uber, Genentech, Lifeworks, Ericsson, Netflix, McKinsey, SoftBank, Sun Life, Twitter, Regeneron. Sign up now to join and lead the conversation: Inspiring the future of work, together. The WORKTECH Academy is proudly supported by Global Partners: ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

This famous wedding recipe derives from the Old English rhyme: "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and A Sixpence in your Shoe” which names the four apparently good-luck objects (plus a sixpence) a bride should include somewhere in her wedding outfit or carry with her on her wedding day. Apparently from the Victorian era, and from the Red Rose of Lancashire, England, the phrase was designed to ward off the ‘evil eye’ and moreover celebrate the opportunities and hope presented by marriage and what the future together may hold. “So, what’s this got to do with the world of work?” Just like marriage, business is about the long-term and the more you are committed and vested now will guide the levels of success for tomorrow. The points of this age old saying has many meanings and implications for our world of work of today, and tomorrow. Here are my meanderings of why: Something Old History is immensely important. It gives a sense of depth, of experience, and of long-term commitment and sustainability. Grounding the proposition on this is crucial to establishing credibility and the connection with the past to the opportunities of the future. "I have often been impressed with Kristine Woolsey of BCG Platinion and how she makes the important connection between people, culture, place and purpose, and how emotional connections to the work experience are so very important." Something New What has passed cannot be the only thread of the proposition, most are as interested, if not more in what the future may hold and how your ‘thing’ is really going to drive benefit and value into the future. Whether new ways to address the challenges of a dispersed real estate portfolio, clean and safe air in a building, touchless, computer vision check-out, or robotics that drive efficiency and experience, operational, and financial betterment, 4xi’s mission is to deliver impact to the world of work. Something Borrowed And don’t worry if its not just about you but about the multiple layered value and relationships you bring by offering ‘things’ from friends, and family members to ultimately drive real and tangible business value. At 4xi we are growing our eco-system of combined value through the consulting and on-demand services we provide, the programs we develop, and the strategic partnerships we have formed – all designed to create a better work experience and advance the world of work. Something Blue In such uncertain times, what is the right blueprint for the future? How can you shape the future to what you want it to be? Challenge the status quo of the past and help redefine the possibilities and the new future of tomorrow? How can you access insight, innovation, and impact that will set your trajectory for the future? Let 4xi help and support you through your journey of discovering the unknown and exploring new horizons. Our team is made up of some of the most talented people within the world of work with combined decades of experience across almost every aspect and function of creating the blueprint for your future work experience proposition. And a Sixpence in your Shoe And, notwithstanding, ultimately cash is king. Whether that be funding for your ‘thing’ or driving tangible financial impact for your clients and prospects, the ‘sixpence in your shoe’ is ultimately, and probably the most powerful ingredient of all because without it, the possibilities of progress are undoubtedly more limited. Whether crafting a proposition that drives more customers, an experience that retains more clients or employees, or methods or technologies that deliver efficiency and financial improvement, 4xi can help you navigate the labyrinth to the future. Summary You cannot take these piece-meal, this tradition has stood the test of time for a reason, and in the most sensitive of lifetime relationships. If you are truly focused on Clients for Life and all that means, then let 4xi help you on that journey. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is committed to supporting the entire eco-system of the world of work and helping you discover new horizons. Just like a successful marriage, business is the connection of two parties, who are aligned, of the same beliefs and long-term objectives, and are committed to a partnership of cooperation, collaboration, and mutual success. Let us help you today to thrive for your tomorrow. ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Gary Mackay 4xi Regional Consultant, LATAM The Coronavirus pandemic is having a huge global impact on the daily lives of the people of all nations. The economic impact has led to a new categorizations of essential workers and a large scale move towards staff working remotely and a colossal number of people now unemployed. In the United States alone unemployment has risen to more than 30 million people over the past 6 months. The full force of the hammer on the global economy is something that has not been experienced since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Never in my lifetime! As a child growing up in the North of Scotland beside the North Atlantic coastline. A beautiful but brutal part of Scotland where there are few jobs and even less entertainment for young people. I never thought for a second that space rockets would leave earth 2 miles from my family home. However the world has changed and so has my mind set. In that same place I was raised, within spitting distance of my childhood home and the bedroom I nicknamed “The Freezer” we now have the first UK Space Hub under development by UK Space Agency. "What the world will look like in 2021, never mind for my children. I can only imagine?" As many countries make their way towards relaxing COVID-19 lockdowns, many of us are looking forward to getting back to some resemblance of life as it used to be before the global pandemic. However with a second wave of the virus on the horizon, this could be a very long road for us all. Working from home is not always practical and very few of us have homes ideally equipped for working remotely. Working from a kitchen table does not always make for a productive environment especially with the family pets and children seeking attention. Yet in the absence of a vaccine, many aspects of the modern work environment will need to change, putting employee safety first and foremost if they are going to return safely to their desks. Experts suggest this could involve a number of short term fixes aimed at boosting employee confidence. Reducing the number of staff in the workplace at any one time, and longer term design upgrades, building modifications that put hygiene and safety at the very heart of office building planning. With the list of global pandemics over the centuries we can only expect the trend to continue. We must be prepared. Seek out and utilize all the solutions and innovations currently at our disposal to protect our populations including those in the workplace. "Working from my kitchen table with my pet parrot, Martin, hungry for conversation, and my cross terrier, Milou just hungry for treats, does not make for the most productive working environment" The way forward to a safe work environment. It can be done! COVID-19 has been an accelerator of issues that existed before. The transportation infrastructure of our major centers of population were already overstretched, over-crowded and under-invested. This a major pinch point in exposure to the virus for our work force traveling to and from the work place, never mind the focus of continuous employee dissatisfaction levels and a major factor of why employees accept a job, or not, stay in a job, or leave. This will have to be addressed and technological solutions found. Some 74% of businesses in the US want some of their employees to remain working at home. Business leaders are actively reducing their physical footprint by scaling down their number of office locations and reducing the size of their teams as a reactionary measure to get them through the coronavirus pandemic. This strategy will change with time as businesses gain more confidence in how to deal with the virus. If a working vaccine is found, this will restore much confidence, but the risk factor is already here, and businesses will be more focused on a preventative strategy to deal with future pandemics. "As businesses and governments implement back to work strategies, we can expect the biggest remote work experiment in history." There is a way forward to a safe work environment. It can be done if we all work together to make it happen. Science can get us part of the way but technology can also be an important contributor too. Technology leaps forward in times of crisis, the technological developments as a result of 2 World Wars and a Cold War are testament to this. "Maybe now is the time for mankind to join forces to combat our mutual enemy as opposed to each other." Our World in the Near Future Apart from preliminary measures to minimize congestion and maintain social distancing such as for example staggering shift times and lunch breaks so that everybody can get to work and have lunch without being exposed to a high traffic environment, we can expect to see more technological solutions impacting our offices and work places. Office cleaning by conventional means will become a thing of the past with companies such as SoftBank Robotics investing millions of dollars to bring us their autonomous robotic vacuum cleaning technology, Whiz. This could allow our cleaning staff to focus on maintaining a clean disinfected building. Facial recognition technology will also play a part in signing us into the premises, eliminating the morning biometric check in to work procedure currently used by many companies. Nobody wants to touch the same fingerprint scanner as the other potentially thousands of people that work in your building. The office restaurant services will also change with faster touch-less checkout systems such as the Mashgin computer vision driven checkout solution that can identify any product through facial recognition technology. This swipe and go system can actually see what’s on a plate of food. It is 30% more efficient than the standard bar code reader resulting in no queuing at the checkout and a much safer experience for the consumer. "Softbank Robotics receptionist robot, Pepper, “Morning Mr. Mackay, how may I help you today?” Eliminating the “Never in my lifetime” mindset many of us used to have, including me. And a few still do!" One thing is certain, that the only constant is change, and I would suggest that we have not been through such an accelerated period of rapid change for at least in the last 80 years. Let 4xi help you discover the unknown and explore new horizons. ------------ Gary Mackay, 4xi Regional Consultant for LATAM has lived in Santiago for the past decade and can help your organization navigate your journey not just in Chile but across South America. Gary has a wealth of experience globally in business and industry, mining, and remote sites, and helping organizations navigate the labyrinth of opportunity in LATAM, including: Gathering insights and exploring opportunities Regional and local support with existing operations Making connections on the local level Helping organizations enter new markets Local leadership and presence “4xi Global Consulting through its strength and power of collective experience can help you navigate the unknown and explore new horizons.” To learn more about how we can help you, visit our website at www.4xiconsulting.com, email us at Hello@4xiconsulting.com or you can contact Gary directly at GaryMackay@4xiconsulting.com ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Barbara Boden Managing Partner & Co-Founder 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions In our current environment many organizations have been forced to make tough choices about their workforce and many have downsized and do not have the ability, or appetite, to quickly refill those positions. This has created a value void for organizations that no longer have key functional support roles and much-needed brainpower and experience on their teams. Equally, for those companies that have never benefited from these resources in the past, on-demand-expertise has never been so sought after and needed in these times. Typically, organizations have filled senior and specialized roles in workplace and hospitality with full time employees. 2020 has significantly impacted this, providing an opportunity to reimagine how these services are provided. The 'gig economy', or 'independent contractor', offers up a variety of solutions to fill these holes. "Workloads and projects will increase; however, they may be sporadic and having seasoned professionals available on a freelance basis can help companies retain and maintain their edge." In addition to specific project or operational support, other areas that can have tremendous impact for companies in this time is to outsource functions such as Diversity & Inclusion, Wellbeing, Customer Experience, and Sustainability. "Companies need to tackle these essential platforms and can utilize the experience through the consultant network to address these important issues." The impacts of COVID-19 have caused re-evaluation of work and life and many experienced leaders want balance going into the future. Large numbers are turning to consulting to provide this opportunity and a new chapter. This work allows them to use their knowledge and experience while working on several projects at once while enjoying the flexibility of choice and time. The benefits to companies include lower costs, compared to a full-time employee; access to experience that brings innovation and fresh ideas; and the ability to flex resources based on actual needs and projects. Why not focus on your core business and let specialists fill the value void? "4xi offers the resources to develop the strategy and execute globally, linking the world of work through a hospitality lens. Our power is in our Collective Experience." To learn more about how we can help you, visit our website at www.4xiconsulting.com, email us at Hello@4xiconsulting.com or you can contact Barbara directly at BarbaraBoden@4xiconsulting.com "4xi can help you discover the unknown and explore new horizons." ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

COVID-19 has served as an asteroid to our restaurant industry, with one of its largest impacts resulting the rapid acceleration of consumer preference for online ordering and delivery. While we all hold hope for a resurgence in the popularity of on-premise dining, the restaurant business in the early part of this decade will look much more like this “new normal” than the pre-COVID restaurant world. If you find yourself on the fence or reluctantly 'sticking your toes in the water' with delivery, here are a couple of eye-popping numbers from earlier this summer: - 60% of U.S. consumers order delivery or takeout at least once a week. - 31% now use third-party delivery services at least twice a week. As many in our industry struggle for survival, some concepts - big and small – have acted nimbly to thrive in this unsettled environment. As someone who has helped facilitate healthy sales and profits during this time, here are my top three considerations toward delivery success. 1. Be the Concept You Want To Be Online ordering and delivery provide an opportunity to expand or contract your concept and menu to a version that attracts the most customers and attains the highest profitability. As evidenced by the ghost kitchen movement, we can even be a totally different concept. Delivery and ghost kitchens extend freedoms to us to address additional customer need states and operate in additional dayparts than our brick-and-mortar locations may have previously served. If you want to stretch your concept to add revenue, look first for what you can do within your existing labor model, equipment package and ingredient portfolio. This is a great opportunity to test items and ideas. Make sure you’re measuring results promptly and ready to make adjustments. While stretching is possible, conversely, don’t feel that you must offer your full menu online. If you have items or categories that are unpopular, difficult to execute, lack portability or present an unhealthy profit compared to others, consider not offering them on the menu. When it comes to cooked items, ensure they hold, travel and/or reheat to put your best foot forward. For many consumers, the experience they have with their delivery order may be their only impression of your brand. 2. Be Popular, Unique AND Profitable There are a massive number of potential online delivery customers every day and a seemingly infinite number of alternatives for them to choose from. Brands that are not widespread or extremely well-known, must achieve three things in order to compete online: Your listing must inspire customers to visit your menu Your menu should compel purchase on first sight, and The ordering and dining experience needs to inspire repeat business and a spot in customer ordering rotation. Balance items of high consumer demand with your unique take and quality proposition. Many will choose to participate in crowded categories that offer a huge volume of potential customers but bring a large number of competitors as well. In crowded categories, you must find a way to stand out. Highlight your signature items and bring them front and center. Make your burrito, burger or chicken parmesan unique and memorable and ensure your photos are more enticing than those of your competitors. Alternatively, choosing to stand out in a focused, under-served category can have big upside potential, but comes with the risk of not attracting enough business and revenue. If going this road: 1. Ensure there is enough customer demand to meet your revenue and profit needs, and 2. Make sure you can confidently say your product is fantastic. If you can appeal to enough of the customer base, you are more likely to drive trial and gain repeat business. Customers are less sensitive to item pricing in online meal purchasing. Price your offerings at a competitive level that also reflects the increased costs of delivery. Make sure to include options for customers to personalize their items by adding extras, sides and beverages. You’ll be surprised at how many double burgers with bacon and avocado you’ll sell. Much the same labor goes into preparing each order, so explore elevating check average through things like bundles or combos. 3. Treat Delivery Companies as Partners Meal delivery companies are often portrayed as parasitic predators taking advantage of the restaurant industry. This is fundamentally false. These companies are focused on the same purpose as most restaurants: offering customers the best options at competitive pricing, while differentiating themselves from competitors to maximize their revenues and profits. Allowing others to handle the logistics of delivery management enables your team to focus on accurate, fast order fulfillment for delivery orders and providing great experiences to our precious dine-in, takeout and outdoor diners. The market share and strengths of each of the big four delivery companies (DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats, and Postmates ) vary widely by geography. Choosing the right partner requires understanding your market(s) and doing some alternative modeling. For some brands with strong awareness or heavy regional presence, it may make sense for your brand to focus on one “exclusive” delivery partnership and negotiate better rates or other benefits. For many others, you will want to open the gates for customers to enter your menu from multiple platforms. When determining the preferred partner(s), there are a lot of variables beyond commissions to be considered. Marketing tiers, enhanced search, prep times and delivery radii and service times are just some factors that can heavily impact your customer exposure and purchase rates. Now is The Future While these are certainly turbulent and less than predictable times, we can be sure that the restaurant business model has been forever changed. Succeeding in the online ordering and delivery world requires bringing together the right concept, menu, pricing and presentation, as well as maximizing delivery partner relationships. Taking a strategic and nimble approach enables companies to not only recover lost revenue, but to also ensure your business is optimized for whatever the future may hold. ------------ Contact Sean at 4xi to learn more on how we can help you navigate this labyrinth and optimize your approach and presence to online ordering and delivery. Sean Reiter Consultant, Online Delivery & Revenue 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions Sean is a 30+ year restaurant professional hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area. Having held senior positions in well-known restaurant companies, he has spent the last decade helping restaurants solve the conundrum of establishing new areas of profitable revenue through online ordering and delivery platforms, delivering real value and impact to clients. To learn more about how we can help you, visit our website at www.4xiconsulting.com, email us at Hello@4xiconsulting.com or you can contact Sean directly at SeanReiter@4xiconsulting.com ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Gary Mackay Regional Consultant LATAM, 4xi Global Consulting Founded in 1541 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia as Santiago del Nuevo Extremo (‘Santiago of the New Frontier’), the city is nestled under the serenity of the towering Andes Mountains and is today a bustling and vibrant city full of opportunity and home to a multitude of Chilean and global companies. With a population of nearly 19 million and a GDP of $294 Billion, Chile is ranked by the World Bank as a high-income economy and is considered one of Latin America’s most prosperous nations leading the way in terms of competitiveness, income per capita, globalization, economic freedom and low perception of corruption. That said, Santiago is a tale of two cities with high economic inequality as evidenced by recent social unrest and followed by the impact of the global pandemic hitting Chiles poor harder than those in more privileged areas. With an average net salary of just over $16,600 per annum, still, one percent of the Chilean population lives on less than US$1.90 a day. Nevertheless, that is still 180,000 people but comparative with neighboring countries including Uruguay, Argentine, and Brazil. Chile ranks high in terms of global competitiveness and number one in Latin America well above the likes of Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina. It is also recognized as a country that is relatively easy to do business when compared with other countries in the region. Dominated by the mining of mainly copper, and lithium, Chiles predominant industries include agriculture, fish processing, iron and steel, wood and wood products, transportation equipment, cement, textiles, and business services. Mining represents nearly 60% of all exports with the manufacturing sector accounting for 34% mainly in food products, chemicals, and paper products. Nearly 14% of the workforce work in agriculture, Chile is the world's second-largest producer of salmon, forestry at over 13% is one of the major exports, wine continues to grow as consumers widen their appeal for quality at reasonable and competitive prices. The service industry continues to grow with many international companies located in Santiago. Technology firms from Microsoft, SAP, IBM, and Nokia. Professional services from EY, Deloitte, and PwC. To the ubiquitous Amazon, and mining conglomerate BHP to name but a few. Chiles own Banco de Credito, LATAM Airlines, and Santiago’s Universities are also major employers in the city. Over recent years, Chile has focused on developing homegrown tech talent and attracting global tech companies to what some have termed as Chilecon Valley. Here are some of the moves designed to stimulate and potentially simulate the foundation of global innovation in California. Seed accelerator Start-Up Chile has been a huge success and has benefited more than 1,960 businesses to date. This publically funded program launched in 2010 to help promising young businesses grow, provides them with equity-free grants of not less than 10 million pesos and also provides working visas for foreign nationals. To date entrepreneurs for more than 79 countries have been involved with the Start-up initiative. First initiated by Nicolas Shea, a Chilean businessman with the aim of speeding up the economic and social development of the country the program has been a huge success and has been replicated in more than 50 countries around the world. It is currently valued at $2.1 billion USD in Chile and has a retention rate of 47%. Education As with Silicon Valley, Santiago has a robust connection with and availability of higher education and uptake. Nearly 90% of high school students successfully enroll in a university in Chile, in 2017, this ranked the 5th highest in the world. With some 32 universities, students have plenty of choices to meet their demands for higher education. Chile has some of the best universities in South America, ranked in the top 4 on the continent, with the likes of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Universidad of Chile, and Universidad de Santiago Chile in the lead. Entrepreneurship Chile’s more traditional conservatism has in recent years given way to a surge in budding entrepreneurs choosing a career as an entrepreneur above more traditionally risk-averse channels. The high level of education, travel, and work experience with global organizations both in-country and elsewhere has fueled the ambition of the latest generation of business leaders. The start-up portfolio in Chile is now valued at over $1.5 Billion. “About half of the total early-stage entrepreneurship activity in Latin America takes place in Chile. The country’s entrepreneurial ecosystem promotes risk acceptance and product innovation.” Government Support Chile is making it easier for foreign entrepreneurs and investors to take part in Chile’s startup ecosystem. The government has introduced a tech visa that allows tech talent to acquire a visa in just 15 days. This visa is attracting foreign talent and helping to further position Chile as a leading global technology capital. The government-backed Start-Up Chile program offers equity-free grants up to $40,000 has attracted technology entrepreneurs from all over the world. The government also gives one-year visas to those who want to continue developing their startups in Chile. The Start-Up Chile program offers mentoring workshops, co-working spaces, and access to investors. The government’s public investment laid the foundation for a growing culture of entrepreneurship. Startups that have completed the program have also generated more than 8,500 jobs, with more than 50% of those staying in Chile. Innovation Eco-system According to the Global Innovation Index, Chile ranks first in LATAM for innovation investing more in research and development than its contemporaries in the region. This spending by the government is spurring innovation through investments in startups and loosening restrictions for larger companies looking to penetrate the Latin American market. Chile is also ranked 14th for the number of firms created each year. FinTech Driving Change The implementation of mandatory electronic invoicing in Chile has made doing business and dealing with taxes in the country much more efficient. There are many benefits of electronic invoicing, including the ability to optimize cash management, minimize risks, improve real-time traceability, improve data quality, access and accuracy, as well as reduce complexities with trading partners in other countries. This policy change has spurred Chile into a leader in electronic invoicing and in the FinTech space. S-Factory for Women The S-Factory is one of the only acceleration programs in Latin America that promotes technology startups led by female founders. S-Factory is a pre-acceleration program for startups led by female founders. There are two batches a year with 20-30 companies in each batch. Female founders receive training, mentoring, and approximately US$15,000 in equity-free funding to help get their projects off the ground and build their MVPs. Affordability Then, unlike Silicon Valley, the cost of living is a fraction of its forefather in California making it much easier to live, survive, recruit, and retain talent, and thrive. There are many lessons to be learned from how Santiago and Chile is leading the way in LATAM and building a culture of success. “For global organizations, LATAM represents a great opportunity to access a highly educated workforce but often need help navigating the nuances of politics and culture.” Gary Mackay, 4xi Regional Consultant for LATAM has lived in Santiago for the past decade and can help your organization navigate your journey not just in Chile but across South America. Gary has a wealth of experience globally in business and industry, mining, and remote sites, and helping organizations navigate the labyrinth of opportunity in LATAM, including: Gathering insights and exploring opportunities Regional and local support with existing operations Making connections on the local level Helping organizations enter new markets Local leadership and presence “4xi Global Consulting through its strength and power of collective experience can help you navigate the unknown and explore new horizons.” To learn more about how we can help you, visit our website at www.4xiconsulting.com, email us at Hello@4xiconsulting.com or you can contact Gary directly at GaryMackay@4xiconsulting.com ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Creating an inclusive and connected company culture. Rungway is a platform for your people to have their voices heard, with the safety of anonymity. A place for everyone to feel connected, wherever they work. Amazing things happen when advice and mentorship can flow freely. All too often, barriers in our organizations block this advice, whether geographical borders, not having easy access to people beyond our team, not feeling comfortable speaking up about sensitive topics, or lacking the courage to ask for help. COVID has disrupted how we support and connect with our people making company-wide advice flows even more difficult than ever before. 4xi Global Consulting is excited to announce that we are partnering with Rungway. Rungway has created a platform that creates a psychologically safe space, allowing leaders to understand what their people are really feeling and give them the opportunity to react and adapt core business initiatives and policies. Accessed via the app or web, individuals on every rung of the ladder can post questions on their company Rungway platform with controlled anonymity, enabling them to access the experience and support of the whole organization - no matter who or where they are. Management can easily share advice and role model company values, surfacing unique insights around culture, gender, inclusion, and collaboration. By transforming how employees share advice and engage with the management, staff perform at their best because they feel heard, understood, and valued. Changing the work experience for good and inspiring the future of work lies at the heart of Rungway's and 4xi's shared vision and ethos. “During lockdown, our platform has surfaced powerful themes and given management teams the opportunity to spark new conversations. Organisations who adapt and communicate in new ways will gain a significant competitive advantage, and we're delighted to be partnering with the 4xi team to grow our reach and to innovate new products and services together." - Julie Chakraverty, Founder & CEO of Rungway The new work experience will be defined by how we connect with and inspire our colleagues remotely, having the opportunity to speak up and ask for advice, and successfully transferring company values from the office to people’s kitchens, living rooms, and home offices. Join us and Rungway’s CEO, Julie Chakraverty, on September 30th for a webinar event on “Why bad is stronger than good”, and learn the psychological strategies to keep your workforce feeling safe and motivated during these uncertain times. Register for the webinar for free here. Look forward to joining the conversation! ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

WORKTECH ACADEMY Simon Elliot Imagine taking a crystal ball and describing what a typical day in the life might look like 20 years from now. Simon Elliot of 4xi Global Consulting sets out some optimistic possibilities… Paulo and his wife Adanna have moved into Waterford Oaks Community, a former shopping mall in the suburbs of Los Angeles. The big box stores are long gone, replaced with apartments. Both Paulo and his wife are in marketing. They chose Waterford Oaks as it was building a like-minded community with all the attractions and amenities that apparently marketing folks were attracted to. Paulo was a little cynical at first but now, after two years living there, they are really enjoying it. Both of them used to work for corporations, Adanna at a film studio and Paulo in a bank headquarters located downtown. Monday to Friday, every week, in opposite directions, two cars, and two-hour commutes each, every day. Now, they work for several organizations, remotely, focusing on what they do best and, thank goodness, no need for that mindless commuting anymore. Life had gotten so much better since moving. Breakfast overlooking the orchard Paulo grew up in Brazil, he was in his early teens during Covid-19 and the country lost too many lives to the virus. His parents managed to get out, to San Francisco and to relative safety. Adanna was born in Kenya, East Africa; they met at college. They finish off breakfast overlooking the orchard and gardens below that used to be the Macy’s car park. They both check the Community App that helps them manage their life in the community, appointments, calendar, connections, and all the Internet of Things dotted around Waterford Oaks. They head downstairs, hop onto their mountain bikes and out on the trail that weaves around the property, past the lake where the cinema complex used to be, Paulo heading to a meeting at the newly built Kimpton Hospitality Suites, and Adanna off to the community leisure centre for a swim and a massage treatment. Most of their business is done over video conferencing nowadays. After Zoom’s rise during Covid-19, the company developed hologram meeting technology that was almost as good as face to face without the time and cost of travel. Boutique community centre This boutique hotel and conference centre is a great place to hang out and meet with visitors if they are in town. It is part of their community now, a refreshing alternative to working from home or in one of the many coffee shops and work zones in the community. This is where friends and relatives stay when visiting; they hold parties there; Paulo and Adanna actually had their wedding reception there. After his meeting, Paulo has a couple of appointments – one via WebEx with his physician, then online with his optician – before meeting Adanna for lunch. The brains of the community have matched their group’s needs with appropriate amenities. Today, they are having lunch at the Farm Shop, a cool, scratch kitchen with a local ingredients kind of vibe. They are meeting with a couple of friends they’ve met in the community, both marketeers, who moved down from Denver to Waterford Oaks for the same reasons. There is one community for Professional Services with its own theatre and opera house. One for Gamers that includes a skateboard park and amusement park look and feel. A Social Media community outside San Francisco with an eclectic mix of global cuisine and funky looking boutiques. Paulo was skeptical at first, but he now realises that they are spot on. Apparently, there are also company communities too. General Motors and Ford have one in Detroit, Apple built one wrapped around its flying saucer HQ, and Nike has built a huge community and playground around its HQ in Beaverton, Oregon. ‘Waterford Oaks is a completely curated community focused on the needs, wants and aspirations of its residents…’ A lot has changed though since the 2020 pandemic. Meat is now a treat, maybe once a month, the rest of their menu is plant-based and far healthier. The average weight of individuals has reduced by 20 percent over the past 20 years, and the positive impact on the environment is reversing the negative trend built up over several decades. Flying days are over Paulo doesn’t miss the commute or business flying. In his first year at the bank, he flew over 100,000 miles with American Airlines to get the dubious reward of Executive Platinum and accumulate over a million Hilton Points staying in places he had no desire to be. He recalls a trip to Europe at the breakout of COVID-264, returning and surrounded by passengers through immigration, all with masks, coughing and spluttering. The very thought makes him shiver. They have got rid of their two cars, they don’t need them anymore. As part of their community dues, there is a small fleet of Teslas to use anytime they want such as an occasional road trip treat to the countryside or up the coast. That is more for nostalgia, if they had to be anywhere they would get the Air-Taxi, an autonomous flight vehicle from the community’s Sky-Port that could get them anywhere in the LA area in around half an hour or less. That said, they tend to stay in the community – after all, there is everything that they need here. Self-sufficient in a crisis Paulo works with a company that struggled during the last pandemic. They were over-leveraged with debt and revenues halved. They got swallowed up and are now trying to reimagine their business model – Paulo is helping them with that. That’s what he’s good at and enjoys doing. He likes that about his new life – doing the things he enjoys the most and avoiding the things that he doesn’t like. His other main project is for a real estate owner with a 50-floor building in Manhattan, a former bank headquarters. They are doing the same thing and turning that into a Financial Services Community based on the same model as Waterford Oaks. He likes that too. Created out of the pandemic crisis, these communities are insulated, self-sufficient, and in the case of any future breakout, manageable from a disease control perspective. Residents have regular check-ups, computer vision sensors for body temperature, and constant monitoring of waste and water, acting as an early warning signal of potential disease. In case of an outbreak, the community just locks down to support itself in isolation with all the amenities required. ‘There are some stores, less out of necessity but more for the experience…’ There are some stores, less out of necessity but more for the experience – boutique, local, and a few pop-ups. Adanna has clubbed together with some friends and they are making Kenyan jewelry, selling it online but also leasing one of the pop-ups for a couple of months at a time to get real customer feedback. Drone deliveries arrive near the Sky-Port throughout the day and are delivered to the door by an army of Soft Bank robots who also act as concierge, way finders, meal delivery and security, even cleaners, all in one. Adanna is cramming in a Master's degree at the University of California, which has a micro campus on the community site with state-of-the-art technology and learning opportunities. Although they didn’t start a family yet, Bright Horizons runs a pre-school, and there is both a middle and high school learning hub. Bricks and mortar schools are a thing of the past. Just like in business, universities have focused heavily on creating an immersive virtual campus experience through the new Facebook platform. They are also producing movies, documentaries, and TV shows as ways to engage the students through content. There is plenty of choice at Waterford Oaks and all they could ever need – an 18-hole golf course, a swimming pool, leisure club, tennis courts. The Community Committee puts on events throughout the year. Dining and social options abound with rotation restaurant options coming and going to maintain variety and the old staples being voted in to stay. There are options for breakfast, for lunch, dinner, cocktails, a pub, and to replace the now long-gone movie theatres, an old fashioned monthly outdoor movie show, and concerts in the square. There is also a minimum wage for everyone in the community, including those service staff who are an important and fundamental part of the community. The US $75.00 an hour is sufficient for everyone to not only live at Waterford Oaks but also to thrive. Networking with the neighbours Yes, it’s more expensive than Paulo and Adanna’s old house, the community dues are a lot, but there are plenty of savings too as well as the ability to focus on work and gain more gigs by networking in the community. At their old home, they never even saw their neighbours, never mind socialising with them. And there were certainly never any business opportunities. This is just one scenario of what the future might look like. Could it really be like this? What is for sure, the future will change as a result of Covid-19. We are unlikely to return to how it was. The smarter organisations will use this crisis as a catalyst for change for the better – a  new way of thinking, working, and attracting and retaining top talent. For the full article visit the WORKTECH Academy website. ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy.

Discovering the unknown and exploring new horizons I first met Georgina Miranda ten years ago now, we were both on the Board of the British American Business Council, we were in San Francisco, it was our monthly Board meeting. Given my own not insignificant experiences of travel, of adventure, and business I don’t normally get overly impressed, but I was immediately taken in awe of the achievements of this young lady before me. As her first attendance in person at the meeting, Georgina gave the room a rundown of her latest adventures and her experiences in her failed attempt to climb Mount Everest. She went through a brief slide show, talked about her hopes, her fears, the pain, and the disappointment. Never mind her brave attempt and that she didn’t make it to the peak due to hypoxia, we were all left undeniably impressed and in awe. The next time I saw Georgina, a couple of years later, she had returned to the Himalayas and conquered the tallest mountain on the planet. She thanks her practice of mindfulness for her accomplishment. “Georgina is one of those rare people in life that you meet and simply put just inspires your socks off.” Today, Georgina is on her way to becoming one of only 15 women in the world to complete the Explorer’s Grand Slam—scaling the highest peak on each continent and skiing to the last degree of the North and South Pole. Just 3 expeditions remain. She’s done so to raise awareness around gender-based violence that plagues 1 in 3 women around the world. It is a combination of these personal achievements, Georgina’s spark, intellect and presence, and her business experience that she is able to bring value and drive impact with client organizations seeking to create a culture of equality, consciousness, and success with people and the planet front and center, and above all first. Georgina translates her personal journey, her passions, adventures, her trials, tribulations, and achievements into a business context that leaves an impactful and indelible impression. “The opportunity is ours to create and grow businesses that thrive in profit, impact, and wellbeing.” Georgina is a thought leader in the areas of mindfulness, organizational and leadership development, company culture, transformational change, JEDI (Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion), gender equality, investing in women to drive economic growth, employee engagement, wellbeing, and burnout prevention. She excels as a trusted advisor and coach across all management and executive levels. She is dedicated to the transformation of people, companies, and societies for their highest and best good. Georgina is a social entrepreneur, adventure athlete, international speaker, writer, transformation coach, consultant, mindfulness and energy practitioner, and founder and CEO of She Ventures - a social enterprise focused on the global advancement and well being of womankind. “Women are the largest untapped resource in the world. Given equal opportunities, women hold the key to being the largest contributors of positive economic, social, and environmental change globally.” Mind over Matter Georgina brings a wide range of experience and expertise to the world of the workplace and how to guide, build and thrive in a way that prioritizes the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of its people and positively impacts the planet - She regularly hosts mindfulness at work workshops to help make mental wellness and awareness a way of working at organizations around the world. People First At the core of any successful business are its people. Regardless of the problem at hand, people need to be at the center of the solution. Georgina combines her Corporate, Start-up, and Adventure experience when working with clients, providing a unique approach to business solutions. She has vast experience in management consulting for Fortune 500 companies globally. Strategy & Branding Georgina’s approach to branding and strategy aligns with her knowing that our excellence aligns with our Wild Truth. “Creating strategies and brands that just ‘sound and look good’ won’t get you very far.” Customers connect with authenticity and a “Why” for existence. She works with clients to answer the tough internal questions and threads the beautiful brand story from there. She partners with clients to ensure an implementation plan for any strategy or branding developed. Far too often beautiful plans sit on a shelf when not accompanied by an implementation and execution plan. Her forte is in Mission and Vision creation, alignment, and most importantly execution, helping companies and brands transform and come to life with an unapologetic truth and conviction. Transformational Change Georgina spent much of her management consulting career focusing on Transformational Change Initiatives within Fortune 500 Companies globally (technology, process, culture, and people). She partners with clients to make their intended transformation a success, while also guiding their people through the adoption process. Initiatives that do not have a strategy for overall adoption and engagement are the ones that struggle the most. The key to any major transformation is a shift in mindset. Much of Georgina’s work focuses on how we must shift our mind and energy to create lasting change from the inside out. “Our world is in a state of change, and keeping our people feeling secure and well during these times is critical.” Impact: Wellbeing It’s our time to arrive with full awareness in order to create a new world that is just, equal, protects our planet, and prioritizes our overall well being mentally, physically, and spiritually. To change the world, we must first change within. The opportunity is ours to create and grow businesses that thrive in profit, impact, and wellbeing. Georgina partners with clients on this journey of growing a conscious business and way of working that benefits the greater collective. Developing mindful and present teams is critical in this process. Learn more about her mindfulness at work sessions at Hello@4xiconsulting.com Executive and Team Coaching Georgina has helped clients develop and deliver customized coaching, workshop, and development programs. She is known for developing proficient, conscious leaders, entrepreneurs, and companies alike. Georgina’s compassionate, yet direct approach helps her excel as a trusted advisor and coach across all management and executive levels. “Georgina is unique in her principles, her experiences, approach, and delivery, her prerequisite: She works with clients globally and across all sectors but only those that do not harm people or the planet.” Georgina is a true Global Citizen, currently splitting her time between Denver and Porto, Portugal with regular stopovers across Europe and the United States, her original home base. Wherever your need globally, Georgina can help your business grow and thrive and transform. We are very proud and privileged to have Georgina join the 4xi team as our very own Explorer in Residence! For more information on Georgina and the 4xi team, visit our website at www.4xiconsulting.com If you would like to work with her or participate in an upcoming mindfulness at work session, you can email Hello@4xiconsulting.com ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy.

If you’ve never heard of Mashgin before, I’m not surprised. They’ve been in the corporate dining industry for a few years but have only recently exited the famed silicon valley 'stealth mode' - intentionally maintaining a low profile to keep competitors off their trail. Mashgin uses AI, specifically 'computer vision' (the same stuff that’s in many self-driving cars) to quickly identify food and packaged goods for self-checkout. They’re able to ring up multiple items at once in about half a second, without needing to scan a barcode or any manual input - check out the video below: "I first encountered Mashgin when I was looking for innovation that would improve the customer experience. I went to see Mashgin in California and was sold immediately!" The success of adaptability, increase in throughput and the 'wow' factor for our customers enabled me to expand the product and work with Mashgin on continuous improvements. They were incredibly responsive and the outcome was increased sales, labor efficiency, and happy customers! Since then, Mashgin has expanded beyond business dining and into sports stadiums, healthcare, education, and even a few convenience store chains. "When people ask me why I like Mashgin, it is because it significantly improves the consumer experience while positively impacting the top and bottom-line." Customer experience is tied to customer perception and most people tend to focus on the worst part of their experiences. In a cafe setting, if there is a line and someone is in a hurry, they just turn around and find another option. Mashgin really helps to save that customer. And in the wake of COVID-19, the negative experience of lines is greatly amplified. A line is a crowd and masked or not, crowds feel dangerous. Now that customers need to keep their 6-foot social distance, this makes lines feel even longer. This is where Mashgin comes in - dramatically cutting down lines and improving the consumer experience. "Mashgin claims up to a 400% faster checkout process. In the world of instant gratification, speed is convenience." Mashgin is also a touchless self-checkout experience, allaying COVID-19 related anxieties that may accompany in-person checkout. Diners are able to quickly checkout without touching anything but their own food - opting to use a mobile wallet or employee card to pay without ever contacting the Kiosk. Making checkout touchless, effortless, and instant is a huge benefit to the customer experience. Now when customers think about their experience they remember the food and not the wait. And the bottom-line impact of that improved experience is substantial. Cafes that convert to Mashgin have seen overall sales increase by as much as 20%, and stay there consistently. So lines go down, sales go up, and it all happens while freeing up your cashiers and allocating labor to more valuable tasks. Each business's needs are different and you will no doubt assign cashiers to different tasks to what is most important for you. Regardless of what that may be, it’s going to add up to an even better experience for consumers. As an extension, Mashgin enables operations to become 24/7 driving top-line, profitability, and with little or no labor. And extended hours leads to better customer experience. "Put it all together and you have higher sales, better margins, shorter lines and wait times, and most importantly safe and happy customers." If you would like to learn more about Mashgin and how it can help transform your business, feel free to reach out and we can set up a call and a demo with the Mashgin team. Barbara Boden Managing Partner 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators enabling them to navigate the world of work. 4xi is also Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. Inspiring the future of work, together. w: www.4xiconsulting.com San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | Santiago | London

The post-pandemic world of work is set to look very different, but the need to recruit and retain top talent remains the same. How can companies come out on top after the crisis? As we navigate our way through Covid-19 and begin re-entry into the workplace, we need to ask ourselves how organizations can still deliver attractive and productive work experience to ensure they attract and retain their top talent. Many of the issues bubbling to the top during the pandemic are issues that may have already existed and just accelerated in this crisis. Being prepared to survive this crisis and come out operating better than before can be a reality if you plan it right. Here are three main pillars for surviving Covid-19: Liquidity: Cash is king and those that have it will survive and even thrive; those that don’t will fail or find themselves swallowed up by those that do. Nimbleness: Nimble enough to adapt quickly to either shutter up and weather the storm, change the business format, or chase new revenue streams. Agility: Reimagining the future and how businesses will operate going forward. Understanding this ahead of the curve is critical in building momentum and exit velocity. The first two of these pillars will be fundamental to survival; without them, sadly, many will have either folded or come under serious pressure. The third, agility, will be the secret sauce to coming out of coronavirus with an eye on the horizon. What we do know is that attracting and retaining the best talent to an organization is the lifeblood in order to continue to grow, innovate, and stay ahead of the competition. Those that are successful in this regard will outpace those that are not, but the game has changed in the ‘new normal’, raising many fundamental questions: Commuting: Once employees have experienced an extended period at home, then the likelihood of people opting to go back to their commuter routines is unlikely. The prospect of a two-hour commute five days a week is the equivalent of 2.3 years of your life during a career. Real Estate: With a pre-pandemic occupancy rate of less than 50 percent, real estate was already under pressure.  What do organizations do with their shrinking portfolio beyond Covid-19? Bricks & Mortar Retail: This was already under significant pressure from online retailers such as Amazon. Some retailers have been sufficiently nimble to strike a balance between online and offline, but many have not. Now they stare into the abyss. What becomes of this space? Home Working: With an inevitable shift to a higher percentage of employees working remotely, how do organizations manage not only the productivity and effectiveness of their workforce but also their security, their health, and wellbeing? Restaurants: Already the most fragile sector with high costs and wafer-thin margins, has the coronavirus reminded us of the values of cooking and eating at home? Not just what we eat, where we eat but also the cost difference between the two? Travel: Has shelter-in-place changed our perspective on travel? How will the affordability of travel be affected in the future with potentially fewer people traveling, lower capacity, and higher costs to the consumer? Without a doubt, there will be winners and losers coming out of Covid-19. Online retailers will continue to thrive, grow, and dominate. The supermarkets will gain a greater share of disposable income while restaurant revenues decline. Airlines, hotels, and property-share businesses may never be the same. Collaborative technologies and home delivery will grow, while rideshare businesses will struggle to regain revenues and public transportation will be transformed. "Without a doubt, there will be winners and losers coming out of Covid-19…" There will be less commuting as people have the choice to stay at home, and less business travel as video conferencing becomes an accepted norm. There will be smaller real estate footprints but heightened experiences as companies and landlords fight to attract occupants. Workplace services and amenities will be provided on lower revenues for fewer people but with increased investment. Also, an increase in workforce mobility and the rise of the gig economy will change the way that organizations get things done and how managers manage. So, lots to navigate in the new post-pandemic era, but the three essential pillars of liquidity, nimbleness, and agility are critical to who rides the wave and who goes under. Simon Elliot is Managing Partner of 4xi Global Consulting, which provides support to employers, operators, innovators, and accelerators in the world of work. He is also Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators enabling them to navigate the world of work. 4xi is also Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. Inspiring the future of work, together. w: www.4xiconsulting.com San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | Santiago | London

I have always been fascinated as much by the why as the what and especially when it comes to the stories or in some cases legends behind brands. The spectrum of colors, styles, words, images, and icons is infinite but how have some organizations connected their history, purpose, or intent through their logos, and in some cases hidden secrets within? Here are just some of the more interesting, or in some cases quirky stories behind some of the brands of today. Ronseal: This was originally an advertising slogan from in the UK which then became a common phrase and still one I use today. It means that the name of something is an accurate description of its qualities. It is akin to the previously existing phrases 'by name and by nature' and 'it lives up to its name'. It originated in a series of TV advertisements by the wood-stain and wood-dye manufacturer Ronseal first appearing in 1994. Their dilemma was that shoppers in DIY stores at the time were inundated with a myriad of choices which made the purchasing decision confusing. By simplifying the name of each product like, 'Quick Drying Wood Stain' they made that decision much easier for consumers, then they coined the phrase, "It does exactly what it says on the tin!" The FedEx logo in its current form has been visible to the world since its creation in 1994 when the company made the decision to move away from the long version of the name, Federal Express. Having won numerous awards for a logo design with its use of negative space. I have been looking at this logo for many years and it wasn't until recently, my twelve-year-old daughter pointed out to me the arrow hidden between the 'E' and the 'x' even existed. Very clever! Have you ever seen that before? Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins, two brothers-in-law, started their separate ventures of selling ice-cream in 1948. In 1953 the now joint venture was named Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream. A local advertising agency recommended the '31®' logo, representing a flavor for every day of the month. The advertising agency, Ogilvy and Mather, is behind the present logo design, which cleverly inscribed 31 in the name. Do you see it? Audi, ‘to listen' in Latin, was founded after August Horch was forced out of his former auto company, Horch. In 1932, an auto union was formed by the merger of Audi with Horch, DKW, and Wanderer. This merger represented by the four interlinked rings and the logo of today. Another carmaker associated with luxury is Lexus but what are the origins of the brand name? It was the late 1980s and Toyota was keen to break into the lucrative luxury export to the U.S. market and thereby set about their task. There are a couple of legends to the creation of the name. The creative team had narrowed hundreds of names down to one favorite, Alexis but there was concern that it sounded like a human and not a car, and that one of the most popular TV shows of the day had a main character by the same name. After much deliberation, they dropped the 'A' and replaced the 'i' with a 'u'. The second version of the legend is much more straightforward and perhaps out of the branding book of Ronseal: "Luxury Exports to the U.S.: LEXUS" Adidas is one of the world’s best-known sports brands. Many believe ‘ADIDAS’ stands for ‘All Day I Dream About Sports’. But this isn't true. It's actually taken from the name of the founder, Adolf Dassler. The logo has a three-striped mountain on top to inspire athletes to achieve ever great heights. Staying with iconic sporting brands, Nike is one of the world's most valuable brands but what are its origins? Formerly Blue Ribbon Sports, founded in 1964 by Bill Bowerman, a track-and-field coach at the University of Oregon, and his former student Phil Knight. They opened their first retail outlet in 1966 and launched the Nike brand in 1972. The company was renamed Nike, Inc., in 1978 and went public two years later. Twenty years later, Nike had retail outlets and distributors in more than 170 countries, and its logo, a curved check, the 'swoosh' is recognized throughout the world. In addition to the iconic logo and phrases such as 'Just Do It', the company adopted the name of Nike, from the Greek goddess of victory. With a Starbucks on almost every corner, the vision of making quality coffee accessible to all has become today's reality. Back in the early 1970s, the founders brainstormed a list of words beginning with 'St' and eventually landed on 'Starbo' a mining town in the Cascade Range. From there, the group remembered 'Starbuck', the name of the chief mate in the book Moby Dick and hence the launch of another legend. Ford, the pioneers of the mass-produced motor vehicle have endured as has its logo lasted the test of time but have you ever noticed the 'e' disguised in the swirl of the 'F'? Fe on the Periodic Table represents the element Iron, and in another term, Fe stands for Trust. Apple's first logo depicted Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo was immediately replaced by a rainbow apple. The motive behind a bitten apple was so that people don't confuse it with a cherry. And the colored stripes were there to make the logo more accessible, and to make it known that Apple II could generate graphics in color. Later the company adopted the monochromatic style logo. Amazon is the most prominent online retailers in the world. The name denotes the vastness of the store directory. Also, there is an arrow that moves in the direction from ‘A’ to ‘Z’, hinting that the store has everything from ‘A’ to ‘Z’! Whilst the need to express what a company does through its logo or brand may be important for some, the background story may be more obtuse. Often hidden within are the very roots of the organization as it stands today. The logo story contains the DNA, the founding intent, the evolution of the business, and an important connection with the past, the history of the company. It is these emotional connections that are important to not just telling the story to customers but the creation of your culture and the connection to your workforce too. Does your company do what it says on the tin? ------------ 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. w: www.4xiconsulting.com San Francisco | New York | Los Angeles | Santiago | London