New & Improved: 9 Cool Things Found at the New Blue Compass Office

Des Moines Startup, Blue Compass, Moves Locations, Offers Improved Access for Clients, Coworkers & Culture

When you climb the stairs and walk into the new Blue Compass office, you’re greeted by an airy entrance filled with walls of windows, clear glass doors and cozy decor.

After nearly four years at 6701 Westown Parkway, and five expansions to date, Blue Compass was ready to find a new home with long-term potential. The young and growing startup redesigned and expanded its office to provide more collaborative meeting spaces, assist in facilitating varied working environments and act as a community resource hub as it relates to the digital marketing world.

“The design inspiration stemmed from our old office, but I would also look to Pinterest and other interior design blogs to form new ideas,” said Megan Kehoe, Blue Compass Office Manager, who partnered with Cary Coppola, CEO, to lead all moving efforts. “We tried to keep everything simple and clean and aimed to choose timeless items. I’d also think “what would I want in my own home” because ultimately we want Blue Compass to feel like home and serve as a wonderful environment to work.”

A handful of locations were considered - from Downtown Des Moines to Clive to the heart of West Des Moines. The ease of access for clients and employees, additional meeting and work spaces, the opportunity to continue company growth and the long-term property plans for the new space were ultimately what drove the selection process.

In the new space, Blue Compass will be the second of two technology providers in the building. The property management company of the building, Knapp Properties, has long-term plans to revitalize the area into a tech hub. Future tenants and properties will join Blue Compass and Advanced Technology Group (ATG) in what has been outlined for development in the area. Four months after closing on the property, Blue Compass purged the old office, packed up all belongings and prepared to start a new chapter.

9 Cool Things You’ll Find at the New Blue Compass Office

An Impressive Entrance

One of Blue Compass’ main goals with the new office was to add additional meeting and work space for its clients and employees. Nearly triple the size in square footage from its previous office, the office layout and design themes help accomplish just that.

Coffee Bar

A quaint and cozy coffee lounge greets people as they walk through the entrance. One of the main downfalls of the old office was too few spaces maximized for independent and collaborative work areas. With the coffee bar, employees and clients are welcomed to a great multi-purpose hideaway.

Treadmill Desks

Another Blue Compass common area, neighboring the leadership offices, features two treadmill desks. Overlooking the outdoor landscaping, this space gives employees a place to work on their feet. Some team members work from a treadmill desk almost 50% of the time, citing studies about work/life balance and the negative health effects of sitting for extended periods of time.

Meeting Space Improvements for Community and Employee Education

With increased and improved meeting space, comes more opportunities to host community events, trainings and larger-sized client meetings. Blue Compass President, Drew Harden, shared plans to host events on a monthly to quarterly basis. If you are interested in hosting an event at Blue Compass fill out this brief form! 

A New Logo

In conjunction with moving to the new office and starting a new chapter for the company, Blue Compass revealed an updated logo. Similar to the previous logo, it includes the Blue Compass name in lowercase typography and removal of “Interactive” for aesthetic-related reasons.

Cozy Couches

When developing the floor plans and workflow designs for the new office, Coppola and Kehoe stated they looked to create warm and inviting work spaces to optimize employee performance and well-being. Clean, timeless and comfortable decor themes were carried throughout to maximize the space and experience for both Blue Compass employees and clients.

Stand Up Desks

If you’ve been paying attention to recent health news, you’ve probably heard the phrase “sitting is the new smoking.” Studies have shown the numerous health and work performance benefits that come with standing while working, and many local businesses are catching on to the trend, Blue Compass included.

More Light and Employee Work Space

The newly renovated office features an array of walls, windows and glass doors, leading the way for more desks and increased natural light.

Improved Kitchen Functionality

If you’re familiar with Blue Compass and its culture, you’re well aware of the fact they like to work hard and play hard. The new and improved kitchen features more tables for employee meals and a bigger space for the highly anticipated employee cook-offs, potlucks and Fun Friday’s.

Home is Where the Heart Is

The recent move for Blue Compass signifies a season of change and anticipation of what’s to come. "We could not be more thrilled about the opportunities this office brings to our clients and team,” explained Harden. “As a young company that started as two people working out of a basement, it's a huge blessing to be able to be in a new 10,000 sq ft. office."

While locations may have changed, Harden states the heart and vision for the company will remain the same.

Grand Opening

To help celebrate the recent move, Blue Compass invites you to join them for a grand opening of their new office in West Des Moines. Kick back and relax as you enjoy appetizers and drinks, mingle with Des Moines’ digital marketing, web design and development experts and tour the newly-renovated 10,000 square foot office.

All guests will have the chance to win one of three full website audits highlighting recommendations on design and user experience, search engine optimization (SEO), site errors, an action plan for improving the site and a Q & A session with one of Blue Compass’ strategists!

Stay Cool Des Moines,

- The Blue Compass Team

Blue Compass

Blue Compass is a leading team of digital experts helping brands succeed online through web design, development and digital marketing.