Lessons Learned, Legacy Built: The Executive Centre Celebrates 30 Years of Excellence | Exclusive Interview with Founder & CEO Paul Salnikow

The year 2024 marks a huge milestone for The Executive Centre. In the 30 years since Paul Salnikow opened the doors of his first flexible office space in Hong Kong, we have grown to 36 cities, now providing 4.5 million sq.ft. of collaborative workspaces for over 48,000 Members. To mark the occasion, we invited Paul for an interview to get his insights on leading TEC, building client relationships, and shaping the future of the modern workplace.

Who inspired you to become an entrepreneur?

It’s cliche, but true - my dad; he has an interesting background. His family was Russian nobility and after the Revolution in the last century they became refugees. They moved to Yugoslavia at that time and then during the Second World War they emigrated to Argentina where he met my mother. They got married and moved to New York where he got a job with IBM and built up a successful career.

As a kid, growing up with a lot of change and challenges instilled a drive for grasping opportunities and making things work. Travelling and being raised surrounded by global perspectives, I developed the need for stimulus. I feel that there’s always been restlessness in me. I feed off the stimulus that occurs by seeking out opportunities and trying to react to them.

What has surprised you about TEC’s journey?

The length. I never envisaged 30 years! I don’t feel that it’s been 30 years because we’ve not been static; we have a constant drive to evolve and we're never content with "good enough"; each new centre is a stepping stone, not a finish line. There was a time when TEC's long-term success surprised me, and it took time for me to accept that we weren’t just an entrepreneurial pop-up but a sustainable business. Now, the undeniable value we offer is clear.

How has TEC’s mission evolved over the past 30 years?

Early on, demand was incredible, leading to rapid expansion across seven cities. Our mission then was just to provide flexible workspaces. We almost failed because the concept was still new in these markets; we learned then that we are a service business, not real estate. Great management and a client-centric approach saved us. Clients are the art; the building is secondary. We understood this early on and it's one of our key differentiators. This led to evolving our mission to be more client-focused by providing flexible premium spaces to help achieve clients’ success.

What are the most valuable lessons you’ve learned from your clients and partnerships?

Listening to clients; when we get it wrong is when we stop listening. The Executive Centre had automatic renewals in leases to retain clients during a weak market, but clients felt trapped and angry, so we stopped. Fairness goes both ways: you pay on time and respect the community, and we offer market rates, quality, and support. There are no shortcuts to success - when we’ve taken shortcuts, that’s when our client satisfaction dipped.

After building 200+ centres, what is your ideal workspace?

My ideal workspace is in the middle of a vibrant community. Sure, a private office is nice, but it's the people who surround you that matter. Strong connections, shared lunches, and dog visits on Fridays fuel the community interactions and keep work enjoyable. Of course, reliable Wi-Fi is a must, but beyond that, it's the people who make the workspace worthwhile.

What have been your biggest hurdles, and how have these shaped your growth?

Businesses, like relationships, face setbacks. How you handle them defines you. I would like to think that most of our setbacks have come from areas we didn’t know were under-evolved. We've had setbacks due to a lack of internal controls. We learned structure is crucial, with compliance, processes, and internal audits; it’s not mistrust but building maintenance. Learn from negatives, fix them, and move on. This approach makes us comfortable with future challenges.

What values will continue to guide TEC in the next 30 years?

The Executive Centre's future hinges on empowering our team; we invest heavily in nurturing young talent to become future leaders. We also prioritise a premium client experience, centring mutual respect, responsiveness, and a human touch. As a company built on fairness and capability, we attract diverse talent who share our values, allowing us to thrive in any market.