48-HOUR TRIP TO ATHENS TO OPEN THE NEW EUROPEAN OFFICE


“We just signed a two-year lease in Athens, Greece and are very excited about the potential for our European Operations.”
— George Stroumboulis

ARTICLE SUMMARY

I arrived in Athens for a concentrated trip to move our European office forward. After reviewing potential spaces with Kosta Varnavopoulos, we signed a lease in Marousi and began interviewing candidates in an office with very little furniture, fitting client meetings around the effort to build our team.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • The trip combined office selection, hiring and client meetings.

  • Local leadership helped turn the expansion plan into an operating location.

LANDED IN ATHENS

Landing in Athens for a quick 48-hour trip has become standard for me. Easy entry with just a PCR test and off I go. The first thing I do when I get off the plane is to get a nice Freddo Espresso after a long trip from Los Angeles to Chicago, to Germany to Athens.

I have been preparing this month with my Managing Director, Kosta Varnavopoulos, to see four potential offices that we have been filtering online.

THE NEXT DAY

Leaving Syntagma, which is in the center of the city and heading to the new office we signed a lease on. Very exciting times to be opening up in Greece. The location of the office is in the suburb of Marousi, short drive to the downtown and to the airport.

With a new lease in hand, I held 20+ interviews with potential candidates over a period of 12 hours in the new office (with very little furniture in place). Client meetings in between and taking in this glorious city. I have been coming to Athens monthly to keep the European operations moving along.

48 HOURS LATER, 48 MEETINGS LATER

Dropping off the car rental at the Athens airport is super easy and convenient. I met a lot of new potential clients, interviewed several amazing candidates and the potential here is promising.

Arriving in Athens during the European office expansion trip.

Arriving in Athens for a 48-hour trip to open the Ideoli Europe office.

George Stroumboulis sitting with Kosta Varnavopoulos in the new Ideoli Europe office.

With Kosta Varnavopoulos in the new Ideoli Europe office before the furniture arrived.

The new Ideoli office on the first day of its lease, ready for candidate interviews.

The new Ideoli Europe office on the first day of its lease, when we began interviewing candidates.



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