Square Employees Are Called ‘Squares’

Adrianne Jeffries — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:49:15 -0400

Everything is square at Square's San Francisco headquarters, reports Nick Bilton at Bits, including the bowls and the tables and the rooms and the people. "If Willy Wonka built a financial institution, instead of a chocolate factory, it would look something like Square," Mr. Bilton writes. The company's office is open-air and glass, with nowhere to hide; a design that is meant to encourage trust and transparency among employees at a company eager to establish its brand as a trustworthy financial institution. "Employees are even referred to as Squares," Mr. Bilton writes. Guess it's better than being called a twit?

Transparent, square, and white. Yep, sounds like bankers.

Rumors & Acquisitions: An Address to the General Assembly

Adrianne Jeffries — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:32:12 -0400

INSIDE VOICES. Someone has complained about General Assembly members making noise in the elevator! An email went out to coworking residents this afternoon, subject: "Courtesy to our neighbors in 902," from cofounder Matthew Brimer, which a resident forwarded to Betabeat:

Hey Folks,
We've been getting a number of complaints from other tenants in the building regarding inappropriate language and behavior of some members of our community. We were sad to hear it.

Keep in mind that we share 902 Broadway with hundreds of other working professionals, so please be mindful of this and make an extra effort to be polite and courteous when in the elevators and lobby.

On a related note -- we have access to the building's freight elevator (accessible on 21st between Broadway and Park), which is oftentimes a faster and less crowded means of getting to and from the 4th floor. Feel free to use it during daytime hours.

Thanks,
The GA Team

Bummerzone! But Betabeat reached out to three GA residents, none of whom had any idea what the email was in reference to. "I'm surprised by it," said one resident. "I've never noticed untoward behavior in common building areas or even in GA really." He added, referring to the Canadian record label that has an office in the building: "I bet it was actually Nickelback and they're just trying to pin it on GA." Another resident was just as stumped. "I was confused too," he said. "Have no idea." And three makes a trend: "I'm sure just some old lady complained," said a former resident.

GET 'EM, BITS. The newly-expanded Bits blog kicks AOL's TechCrunch when it's down! Via Ben Kessler:

(Screencap via Ben Kessler)

DAY ONE: KARP IS BORN. Wired UK working on a massive profile and potential cover story on Tumblr wunderkind David Karp for an upcoming issue, Betabeat has heard. Whether it comes out before or after Vanessa Grigordiadis's profile of Michael Arrington remains to be seen.

VIRAL MARKETING. The boys at Fitocracy are using their 500 Startups time well. Cofounder Brian Wang sent Betabeat this clip, shot from a mobile phone, of cofounder Dick Talens eating a bowl of pho with 2 lbs. of beef. Enjoy the long intro of Mr. Talens walking to the pho shop.

Betabeat » bits

Square Employees Are Called ‘Squares’

Rumors & Acquisitions: An Address to the General Assembly