Jeff Yenzer: StarSpace46 Partner Profile

Each of the partners here at StarSpace46 brings distinctive areas of expertise to the operation. As the founder and Principal Consultant for Yenzer Consulting Services, Jeff Yenzer has helped both new and established businesses increase their efficiency and revenue for more than 15 years. Today, he has the vision to see local coworking spaces across the country begin to create partnerships that strengthen the entrepreneurial landscape nationwide. “I have gone from a person that had never stepped foot into a coworking space,” Yenzer said, “and now I find myself visiting them in the places I travel to learn and find opportunities to collaborate across the region.” This ability to envision the future of coworking makes Jeff one of the driving forces here in OKC.

Now specializing in personnel operations advice and assistance, Jeff Yenzer has served as an executive-level Human Resource professional for multiple industries, with a skill for quickly integrating into any workplace environment. That was undoubtedly true at SS46. “If you looked closely in a lot of the first pictures when this building was only an emergency stairwell, you can see me standing there and listening. I remember being at a few of the original sponsorship events but not having the capital at the time to invest, instead opting to keep in contact with key players until one became a client of mine. After that, working out of SS46 became second nature while my personality and experience marked me as a solid addition to the board of directors.”

Since becoming a partner, Jeff’s primary goal has been creating an atmosphere where business professionals from all backgrounds can feel safe and supported. “Imagine a workplace that you want to get out of bed and go to work every day. Being able to enjoy conversations and relax while you become even more efficient is a dream come true for me,” he said. “The networking here is organic, and the idea of ‘micro-collisions’ means that you could bump into your next client or collaborator at the drop of a hat.”

While we typically use the word "community" to describe social settings, anywhere you find groups of people in close proximity, you have a community. The more than 20 businesses that have office space at SS46 are independent companies, but the coworking environment turns these separate entities into something more. When I asked Jeff what makes StarSpace46 thrive and grow, he said, “The community, hands down. It's the people, and their desire to create something different that powers the engine here. Collaboration is always the name of the game.”

Jeff believes that to create a nationwide network of coworking spaces, ethical business practices need to be a top priority. He explains that over time, his dedication to conscientiousness has shifted from “Neutral Good” “Lawful Neutral.” He elaborated by saying, “I’ve become a real stickler for my ethical code and want our members to adhere to a certain level of expectations. I’ve dug my heels in the sand when it comes to things like paying interns, driving diversity, and progressive hiring” a contribution that makes sure the ecosystem is held to the highest of standards. That isn’t always easy, but Jeff has become an expert at “juggling the idiosyncrasies that transcend every generation, quirk, and socioeconomic path.”

Being in a traditional office setting allows for management to instill a preprogrammed mindset, with expectations that are strictly enforced, but everything is entirely different when it comes to coworking communities. “I long ago coined the phrase ‘The days have changed, it’s no longer who you know, it’s who remembers you,’ and SS46 embodies my catchphrase better than I ever thought possible. Being an approachable and conversational person will make your membership result in a wealth of new business opportunities. Just trust the process.”