Messy, old office? Daily Herald giving away $10,000 makeover

OK, so Albert Einstein, Mark Twain and even Steve Jobs were known to have messy workspaces and they did all right.

Still, that doesn't mean your business couldn't use a bit of an office makeover. After all, there's a big difference between messy desks and a company that looks like it was furnished with garage sale rejects. After all, the minute a client walks in the door, they are making snap decisions about what kind of company you are.

You don't need us to tell you, first impressions count.

That's where the Office Makeover Contest, sponsored by the Daily Herald, Rieke Office Interiors and LED Rite come in. Rieke, based in Elgin, offers full service solutions to remake a company's interior — everything from designing to manufacturing to installing. LED Rite is a company that provides custom LED lighting and energy solutions.

With the expertise of Rieke and Led Rite, we are looking for an office to remake.

Simply send us a photo of your office and tell us why you need a makeover. Photos can include your office entryway, conference room, common space or workstation groupings. Make sure to send a high resolution photo (or multiple photos) that give a good visual of your office and the issues you are having.

Entries will be accepted through Feb. 5. Our Office Makeover sponsors will be reviewing all the applicants and will narrow these down to five finalists. These five entries will be featured in the Daily Herald business section, as well as the Business Ledger, starting Monday Feb. 15.

The finalists will be contacted to schedule a site inspection in February to determine a grand prize winner. The grand prize, valued at more than $10,000 for a space up to 500 square feet, includes:

• Design consultation

• Paint/painting

• Conference table

• Ten conference room chairs

• LED lights — up to 8 2'x4' ceiling LED troffers, including installation

• Carpeting — up to 500 square feet, with removal and installation not to exceed $500

To enter, go to dailyherald.com/contest/workplace-makeover.