Rumfelt and Truitt Offer Park Avenue Executive Suites, Trendy Coworking Downtown Venue

With a combined 60 years experience 1st Quality/Ramsgate Insurance mogul Tom Rumfelt and INC Inc. entrepreneur Drew Truitt have teamed up to open Park Avenue Executive Suites to help businesses, organizations and startups grow and thrive in a relatively new concept: office share or coworking facilities.

Rumfelt and Truitt are not without their share of adversity. Tom Rumfelt once employed hundreds of insurance agents in the same two buildings that will be

home to new, fledgling and established businesses and visionaries in a leasing-without-leasing model springing up in many cities. Rumfelt is back in full swing, now hiring agents from around the U.S. from his office at 244 E. Park Ave.

In joining Rumfelt as not only a manager but also a practicing coworking model participant Truitt benefits immediately in having a business location since a major roadblock to his success for his firm, INC Inc., a custom apparel printer and promotional products distributorship, has been due to limitations of working from home.

"In just a few short months of functioning in an office share environment," Truitt explains, "my sales have doubled." Truitt adds, "I now have a platform to grow the business not only because I have a place to go to, but also because of the elevated consciousness formed by connecting people of like minds."

Office sharing, or coworking, is as the names imply. A prospective member, if approved, will be allowed a set number of hours per week for use of one of the offices by scheduling a time in advance. They pay dues and pen a Membership Agreement rather than signing a lease. Except for those who opt for

an available annual plan, everyone is contracted month-to-month so that there is no long-term commitment and provides an easy way out for anyone who for whatever reason, wants to leave with a 30-day notice. Memberships start at $150/month.

In return the member receives a shared office time slot in the former 1915 Lake Wales State Bank with internet and copier services, a professionally furnished space with views of beautiful Scenic Highway, common rooms for taking a coffee break, access to two conference rooms, weekly networking events with wine and appetizers, kitchen access, a physical address and intangible benefits that increase as the cooperative grows.

Attorneys, doctors, therapists, financial planners and title services are just a few of the professions that can instantly plug in to the greater Lake Wales market and increase their exposure come to mind as often benefiting from having a satellite meeting place.

But Rumfelt and Truitt want small business owners who have outgrown their business incumbency and who are ready to take their passion to the next level. Office sharing is affordable, convenient, offers legitimacy, instant networking opportunities and a place to conduct business. When coworking is going according to plan fellow members provide an exchange of products and services, but just as important, someone to bounce off ideas and test new products and practices before offering them to the public.

Park Avenue Executive Suites was adapted from a former Rumfelt business, Polk County Executive Suites, that was struggling like so many others with finding tenants with the means to singlehandedly take on the costs associated with signing a long-term lease.

The concept of changing traditional single tenant leasing to a coworking, office sharing group arose from a referral from a former Rumfelt associate. Her advice, to consider switching to a coworking arrangement, made perfect sense.

The site of the former 1915 Lake Wales State Bank building at 250 E. Park Ave. has six separate offices which are well-appointed and in close proximity to common areas at both ends of the second floor suites for informal meetings or an occasional break. There is a huge conference room with a long table, overstuffed chairs, oil paintings on the wall and a bronze in a scene that looks like something akin to The White House, replete with American flag.

There's safety in numbers and if what Tom Rumfelt preaches is true, whether it be an insurance policy or a T-shirt sale, business often is reduced to a numbers game. While Rumfelt and Truitt are constantly on the phone or their computers they always have time to stop and listen to a question or concern.

"It doesn't cost anything to come check us out," says Rumfelt. "We're here for you."

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Drew Truitt may be contacted in his office at 244 E. Park Avenue, Suite 100, or by calling 863-679-1000, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.