Commercial Interior Design: Annie Potter of VersaDesk On How To Design Office Spaces That People Love To Work In

Focus on Ergonomics: Ensure that all furniture, especially desks and chairs, support the physical wellbeing of your employees. Physical health and comfort is key to mental health and happiness.

As part of our series called “How To Design Office Spaces That People Love To Work In”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Annie Potter.

Annie Potter is the Chief Marketing Officer at VersaDesk, the premier manufacturer of ergonomic office solutions. With over 15 years of experience in marketing and ecommerce, Annie is a seasoned leader known for her expertise in brand-building, program development, operations, and strategic management across a wide range of industries. Outside of work, Annie is a dedicated wife and mother of three who loves spending her free time exploring the outdoors with her family.

Thank you so much for joining us in this series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

My journey to becoming CMO at VersaDesk stems from a deep interest in how environments influence behavior. My background is in marketing and ecommerce, where I focused on creating experiences that resonate with customers online. I have expertise marketing big and bulky goods for the home and when I was faced with the opportunity to be a part of VersaDesk it felt like a natural next step. Moving from the digital space to the physical. I have been a user of standing desks for a long time (even pre-pandemic believe it or not), and have always been hyper aware of how physical environments can shape how people feel and perform at work, and in life. The chance to combine my marketing expertise with a product that directly enhances people’s daily work experience was an irresistible draw.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?

One of the most fascinating experiences I’ve had has been watching our USA-based manufacturing team in action. We had a request for a custom desk design from a customer, and the timeline was incredibly tight. I saw the concept go from an idea to a rendered design, and then to a fully manufactured product in less than two days. It was incredible to witness the seamless coordination between our design & engineering teams straight to the manufacturing floor. The speed and precision with which they turned that idea into a reality showcased the true power of having an agile, in-house manufacturing process. It was a moment that made me proud to be part of a company that values both innovation and craftsmanship.

It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting and a lesson you learned from that?

I am a big subscriber to this philosophy and you will often hear me saying to Versa team members that a mistake is one of our most valuable tools as long as we learn from it. I have consistently been in fast-paced organizations that are scaling quickly, mistakes are bound to happen. VersaDesk is no exception. In starting out at VersaDesk, I had to adjust to a small organization coming from a very large corporation. I moved too quickly early on and that caused strains on our production and logistics team in handling higher volumes than we were prepared for. I learned a lot early on about ensuring our foundations were set to handle growth before charging forward, and making sure all teams were along for the ride and equipped to handle what was coming. I also had to lean into areas I hadn’t had the opportunity to lean into and am thankful for the skill sets and knowledge that provided me.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Form follows function.” This principle has guided both my marketing strategies and our product development. It’s a reminder that while aesthetics are important, the core purpose of any product — how it serves the user — must always come first. This has been particularly relevant in my work to market VersaDesk products, where we aim to design office solutions that are not just beautiful but also highly functional and beneficial to the end-user. I also think about this day to day in the sense of establishing the why before the what. Why are we creating something? Why are we prioritizing this feature? Etc. before we start building.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I’m particularly grateful to a former mentor and leader of mine from early in my career who taught me the importance of aligning marketing with customer experience. She always stressed that the best marketing comes from understanding the customer’s pain points and showing how your product can solve them. Her guidance has stayed with me in every role and project I have taken on since. The customer journey and experience is the most critical element for any brand to get right. At VersaDesk that plays out in many ways. By focusing on the health (both physical and mental) and productivity benefits rather than just the product features, we are able to connect with customers on a deeper level and in more meaningful ways.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?

We have so many exciting projects we are working on right now. Currently, we’re working on a project that integrates app technology into our standing desks and desk risers. These products will not only be adjustable through the app but will also have features like integrated health tracking and personalized height settings based on user preferences and ergonomic settings, and even smart home enablement for custom routines. This project is exciting because it takes the concept of an ergonomic workspace to the next level, helping people not just to work more comfortably, but also to be more aware of their health throughout the day.

I am also so excited about the continued innovation and evolution of our worknest glass cubicle system. There is really nothing like them on the market, and our ability to bring ready to assemble, customizable cubicle options to the office place is going to be a game changer with return to office trends. I see this product as the perfect bridge between open and collaborative office environments while still giving employees a private and comfortable workspace. Whether it is lighting choices or side paneling, or even custom laser cut logos, the worknest is going to disrupt a legacy market with its personalized and customized approach. This line of product is truly the way VersaDesk is continuing to showcase ourselves as an innovator and leader in this space.

What are your “Five Things You Should Do To Design Office Spaces That People Love To Work In” and why?

1. Focus on Ergonomics: Ensure that all furniture, especially desks and chairs, support the physical wellbeing of your employees. Physical health and comfort is key to mental health and happiness.
2. Prioritize Natural Light: Use glass cubicles or open layouts to maximize the flow of natural light. This not only brightens the space but also improves mood and productivity. If natural lighting isn’t an option make sure to think about creating lighting solutions that will feel warm and inviting unlike a lot of the standard office lighting.
3. Encourage Movement: Design spaces that promote movement throughout the day. Standing desks and areas for walking meetings can help keep energy levels high.
4. Create Zones for Different Work Styles or needs: Incorporate quiet areas for focused work and open spaces for collaboration. Glass cubicles are a great solution for balancing privacy with connectivity.
5. Incorporate Branding into the Design: Reflect the company’s brand and culture in the office design. This can be through colors, logos, or even the choice of materials. It creates a cohesive identity and boosts employee pride.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

This might not be what is expected, and is not necessarily related, but as a mother to three young children, I am very passionate about the balance of career and motherhood. I have seen so much progress in this space since becoming a mother myself, but there is so much more that can be done. I would start a movement to create more supportive and flexible workplaces for mothers. The transition back to work after having a child can be incredibly challenging, and too often, workplaces aren’t equipped to provide the flexibility and understanding needed to balance career and family life– it demands much more than just a mothers room. Also, as children grow, this challenge doesn’t change, support needs to extend well beyond the newborn phase. By creating environments where mothers feel supported and empowered, we can help ensure that they can continue to thrive in their careers while also being present for their families. Supporting mothers in the workplace ultimately benefits everyone, as it leads to happier, more engaged employees who can contribute their full potential. Motherhood makes me a better employee and my career makes me a better mom– one doesn’t have to come at the expense of the other.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this, especially if we tag them :-)

I would love to have lunch with Arianna Huffington. Her focus on well-being and productivity aligns closely with our mission to create healthier work environments. I’d love to discuss how we can further integrate wellness into workplace design and explore potential collaborations to promote healthier office spaces. She is also the perfect example of a mother who has been able to be present and excel in both career and motherhood.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Readers can follow our company’s updates on LinkedIn and Instagram, where we regularly share insights into our latest product developments, manufacturing processes, office design tips, and success stories from our customers.

Thank you so much for joining us!