Feature

Rosslyn Startup Helps Entrepreneurs Through New Business Pitfalls

By Vernon Miles

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow.com, Startup Monday is a weekly column that profiles Arlington-based startups and their founders, plus other local technology happenings. Monday Properties is proudly featuring a rare leasing opportunity at 1101 Wilson Blvd: 5 contiguous floors with exceptional views, building signage opportunity and brand new amenities. Enjoy all the perks of easy access and ample parking; a variety of food trucks at your front door; and enviable walkable amenities. Join YEXT and other leading tech companies at this vibrant location.

There are a lot of ways not to launch a startup. Unstuck Labs, a small company in Rosslyn, aims to help entrepreneurs avoid the early pitfalls of a new company with a course aimed to walk small companies through the process.

“We’re sort of Yoda for startups,” CEO Wa’il Ashshowwaf said. “Most days, the team here is helping people with modules and helping guide people.”

The company guides startups in a 12-week program. Ten startups have gone through the program and Ashshowwaf said 100% have raised some kind of seed funding and 60% have generated revenue.

The company is based out of Spaces (1101 Wilson Blvd) in what was once the Artisphere. Ashshowwaf said the Rosslyn location means they have good access to bigger companies like defense contractors, small entrepreneurs, and a variety of academic resources.

The course works in 18 building blocks that take entrepreneurs through the methodology of building a company. For the more technically-inclined, the focus might be on marketing, for those with a marketing background the focus might be on how to build a business model.

Ashshowwaf said the entrepreneurs that come to them are generally people who are just getting started or people who have launched a company but have struggled with growth. The startups are typically smaller in scale — Ashshowwaf said there’s a lot of “Uber for something” type companies and startups that bring chefs to people’s houses — while others are people like engineers and doctors who have big solutions for a problem but don’t know how to take that to market.

The number one mistake most new startups make, Ashshowwaf said, is starting with a solution in search of a problem.

“They build an app for tech that they like, but they don’t talk to customers,” Ashshowwaf said. “It’s Thor’s hammer. It’s a product just for you and no one else can use it.”

Unstuck Labs walks entrepreneurs through the technical side of starting up an app or a website, but Ashshowwaf said they also guide them through the business side, like reaching out to potential customers to get feedback and looking at how to scale a project.

Ashshowwaf said Unstuck Labs is different because instead of just giving out tools and reviewing work, the company is very hands-on with helping guide each person through the process.

The course is $9,470 with Unstuck Labs having the rights to invest early, after graduation.

Unstuck Labs is taking applicants for their startup studio. Ashshowwaf said the ideal applicant is someone who is about to lift up the phone and call an app developer.

“They should call us instead,” Ashshowwaf said. “Somebody called us today after they went straight to building a $40,000 website. They should have called us.”

Small Business Shoutout: Arrowine

By ARLnow.com

This morning we’re kicking off a series of articles to highlight the local businesses that advertise with ARLnow.com.

The coronavirus outbreak will bring significant hardship to many local businesses in Arlington, so we wanted to take an opportunity to recognize the advertisers who support us, in hopes that our readers support them.

Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway) is one of ARLnow’s longest-running advertisers. It recently renovated, expanding its cheese selection and adding a deli counter and a growler fill station.

It is considered by some to be the best wine shop in Virginia. It is certainly one of those community-serving businesses that make Arlington a better place.

Social distancing is important to help slow the spread of disease, and we hope that those who want to stock up on wine and beer ahead of an extended stay at home might a) do so now, rather than later, and b) choose to do so at Arrowine rather than a more crowded, chain grocery store.

Arrowine said in a social media post over the weekend that it is “exploring how to best implement [delivery] service.” In the meantime, if you’d like to place a wine order or pickup, or to buy a gift card, you can do so online. Arrowine is open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.

Thank you, Arrowine, for your support of our news coverage.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rcy9FhjlO/

Neighborhood Spotlight: Crystal City’s Choicest Condos

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This content was written and sponsored by The Keri Shull Team, Arlington’s top producing residential real estate team.

With the upcoming arrival of Amazon’s new HQ2, we wanted to showcase some of our favorite condominium communities in the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia!

Crystal City might be known for the extensive underground city that runs beneath its streets, but the skyline is equally impressive, featuring plenty of luxurious condominium highrises that could be your new dream home!

Join the local experts of the Keri Shull Team as we show you some of the hottest condo buildings in all of Crystal City — and these home values are only going up as Amazon makes progress on their new headquarters!

If you like this video, make sure to check out the rest of our Neighborhood Spotlights and subscribe to the Keri Shull Team on YouTube — and turn on post notifications so you don’t miss any new videos!

Do you have a suggestion for where we should Spotlight next? Let us know in the comments below!

Are you interested in learning more about living in Arlington VA — or anywhere else in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia? If so, contact the Keri Shull Team today to learn about how we can help you find and win the home of your dreams!

Open Houses in Arlington This Weekend

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Looking for a home? There are plenty of houses and condos open for viewing this weekend.

Check out the Arlington Realty website for a full list of homes for sale and open houses in Arlington. Here are a few highlights:

3169 Key Boulevard
5 BD/4 BA single-family home
Agent: Ttr Sotheby’s International Realty
Listed: $2,650,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

1201 N. Nash Street #302
2 BD/2 BA, 1 half bath condo
Agent: Re/Max Distinctive Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $1,550,000
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

4408 Henderson Road
4 BD/4 BA, 1 half bath villa/townhouse
Agent: Redfin Corporation
Listed: $1,115,000
Open: Sunday 1-4 p.m.

 

6053 22nd Street N.
4 BD/3 BA, 1 half bath single-family home
Agent: Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc
Listed: $949,000
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m.

 

2040 N. Woodstock Street
3 BD/2 BA single-family home
Agent: Weichert Realtors
Listed: $769,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

 

2400 Clarendon Boulevard #904
2 BD/2 BA condo
Agent: Compass
Listed: $650,000
Open: Saturday 1-3 p.m.

 

2921 S. Buchanan Street
2 BD/2 BA condo
Agent: Kw Metro Center
Listed: $524,900
Open: Sunday 2-4 p.m.

Your Beermonger: St. Paddy’s Day Alternatives

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

This sponsored column is written by Nick Anderson, beermonger at Arrowine (4508 Lee Highway). Sign up for Nick’s email newsletter and also receive exclusive discounts and offers.

I’m a good percentage of Irish descent — Cork, to be specific — so I enjoy St. Patrick’s Day but since the more wayward days of my youth I avoid going out for St. Paddy’s as religiously as I avoid being out for New Year’s.

Now, I like Guinness Draught enough that I’ve always listed it as my desert island beer, but as it appears most of us will be celebrating St. Patrick’s inside this year I figured I should offer up some interesting alternatives to stock up on for your celebration, wherever that may be.

Evil Twin Even More 8 lb 6oz Newborn Infant Jesus (Queens, NY; contract brewed at Two Roads Brewing Co., Stratford, CT):

A heads up for those sensitive, this Milk Stout does contain lactose so your mileage may vary. While it’s worth it for the name alone, this newly arrived Stout from Evil Twin makes for a fine change of pace from Guinness Draught. Slightly sweet from the lactose, more complex in malt than you might think, and at 5% ABV only a touch stronger than Draught, this is one to try while it’s available.

Three Notch’d Brewing Hydraulion Irish Red Ale (Charlottesville, VA; 5.3% ABV):

Part of the year-round Three Notch’d line since the beginning. Its name pays homage to a 19th century UVA fire company and its sole engine, a pump wagon called the Hydraulion. Its recipe pays homage to classic Irish Reds with Cara/Crystal malts and Goldings hops, set off with the modern touch of a Warrior hop bittering addition.

Commonwealth Brewing Scrumdiddilyumptious (Imperial Cream Ale, Virginia Beach, VA; 9.5% ABV):

I swear I’m not trying to pick out lactose-added beers, but it’s kinda working out that way. This fun experiment from Commonwealth is basically a Baileys-inspired Cream Ale using coffee and vanilla beans, cacao nibs and lactose. With its higher ABV it’ll knock you around a bit, but that might be what the moment calls for, no?

Greenbrier Valley Irish Dave’s Maple Bourbon Porter (Maxwelton, WV; 6% ABV):

My most blatant shill of the week, as this little treat is my featured draft this weekend at Arrowine. “Irish Dave” is Greenbrier’s head brewer who adds West Virginian maple syrup to this Porter before aging it in 13-year old bourbon barrels from Smooth Ambler. A little boozy, a little sweet and at 6% you can get more than a little in before it bites you — hard to ask for more.

Stay safe and have a great St. Patrick’s! Until next time.

Upcoming Arrowine Events:

Saturday, March 14, 1-4 p.m. — Virginia Tasting with Walsh Family, Early Mountain and Dr. Joy Ting
Sunday, March 15, 1-4 p.m. — Super Sunday Tasting! Three importer/distributors; 18 outstanding wines at standout prices
Tuesday, March 24, 6:30-9:30 p.m. — Spanish Wine Dinner at SER with winemaker Issac Fernanadez and importer Aurelio Cabestrero of Grapes of Spain. RSVP here.
Saturday, April 18, 1-4 p.m. — Port City Brewing feature tasting with Lager Series and other draft-only specialties

Photos: Tiny House Built Near Clarendon

By ARLnow.com
1/10

An open house is currently scheduled this weekend to tour a new “tiny house” built in the Clarendon area.

Tours will be offered to interested members of the public from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, according to local home builder Arlington Designer Homes. The 860 square foot house, at 1031 N. Cleveland Street, was “custom designed and built for an environmentally-conscious family that values smaller, simpler living.”

“This sensibly-organized, energy-efficient home could be a model for accessory dwelling units throughout the county,” said Andrew Moore, President of Arlington Designer Homes. “The home offers the latest in energy saving technology, including energy efficient Jeld-Wen windows and doors, Hardie siding, low VOC paints, and LED lights,”

The tiny house — which, to be clear, is not for sale — is expected to be certified under the Arlington Green Home Choice Program.

“Proving that good things do come in small packages, this tiny home features two bedrooms, two baths, a full galley kitchen, a front porch, tons of light, and is walking distance from restaurants, shops and Metro,” a press release noted.

“Home trends in Northern Virginia are changing. More and more of our clients are looking for smaller, well-designed and well-organized spaces – especially in Arlington,” Moore said. “This tiny house demonstrates that you can build smaller and smarter, without sacrificing style or comfort.”

Just Listed in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Just Listed highlights Arlington properties that just came on the market within the past week. This feature is written and sponsored by Andors Real Estate Group.

Will the housing market be impacted by the stock markets dropping into bear market territory?

Probably. When? It’s simply too early to tell. Expect a delay.

Fear and even panic over coronavirus are setting in, and the impact may have ripple effects for a long time to come. Even though the stock market has swung wildly and lost much value recently, we are not in a recession at this time. And, if we do experience a recession, it is likely to be less severe here than in other parts of the country, just as it was during the Great Recession.

Is real estate less volatile than stocks? YES, and “by a lot” is an understatement.

The housing market operates on a delay, relative to the stock market. We don’t complete a transaction in fractions of a second, but rather in 30-60-90 day timelines depending on how you measure start to finish. Most of Arlington’s housing purchases are not reliant on how the buyers’ stock portfolios are performing that day, week or month.

Instead, they are tied to the need for a roof over a family’s head and the desire to participate in price appreciation as opposed to sitting on the sidelines of it. Arlingtonians and prospective Arlingtonians are largely very well qualified for their purchases, with cash already set aside for down payments, closing costs and even renovations.

Arlington real estate agents are already talking about how this will impact open house traffic. We are taking preventative measures to enable visitors to still get into see homes without too much increased risk. This means to expect that as much as that Realtor wants to shake your hand, they’ll probably elbow-bump you instead — no surprise there!

Here are a few potential scenarios I see in our future, and I’m not going to profess that any are more likely than the other.

  • Some buyers step out of the market, making it a bit easier for those who stay in to finally get a place to call home. Moderate/low impact on a still squeezed supply/demand equation.
  • Many buyers get scared and step out of the market, resulting in inventory building up. At minimum this slows appreciation, and if inventory increases too much it could push home prices lower.
  • Sellers continue to stay put at a high rate as they have been for many years now, and buyers continue to buy out of desire and necessity. Relatively little impact, Arlington housing market proceeding as normal.

There are currently 182 homes for sale in Arlington. 101 are detached homes, 12 are townhouses/semi-detached, and 69 are condos. Median list price of available properties is $1,052,000, while the average is $1,209,000.

Sellers listed some 93 properties for sale this week. Buyers ratified 68 contracts, 46 of which were homes that had been on the market one week or less. 93 new properties this week is a large jump from last week’s 68 (almost 37%)! 68 ratified contracts this week compared to last week’s 48 (almost 42%)!

Click here to search currently available Arlington real estate. Call the Andors Real Estate Group today at (703) 203-1117 to talk more about buying or selling Arlington real estate. Below are eight homes that are new this week that I think you might like to check out.

Boring Title: The Refi Boom is Here!

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Title insurance is boring, but Allied Title & Escrow is here to decode the jargon and make it (somewhat) more interesting. This biweekly feature will explore the mundane (but very necessary!) world of title insurance while sharing interesting stories of two friends’ entrepreneurial careers.

In this week’s edition of Boring Title, we present to you Allied Mike’s first single.

The refi boom is here, so let us know if we can help you out! We have lowered our settlement fees $125, hired additional processors and are ready to help. So come on in, and dance in our closing room!

Have questions related to title insurance? Email Latane and Matt at [email protected]. Want to use Allied Title & Escrow when you buy a home? Tell your agent when you buy a house to write in Allied Title & Escrow as your settlement company!

Biz Talk: Arlington Partners with the Real Estate Community

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
Photo via David Hills

This article was written by Alex Taylor, Senior Business Development Manager for Arlington Economic Development.

Arlington Economic Development has many evolving strategies to attract business to the County, but one consistent piece is cultivating our partnership with the commercial real estate community.

In February, we hosted the first Broker Breakfast, a series of events that will occur over the coming months and will focus on synchronizing messaging to enhance our efforts to bring business to our commercial corridors.

Companies looking to expand into a new market often rely heavily on real estate experts to be the front door into the locations that best suit their needs. Whether it’s a new gym, rooftop employee lounges or just easy access to metro, there are dozens of factors that can drive a real estate decision within a building itself. And while buildings are important, the key drivers for most of these decisions boil down to one thing: attracting and retaining a quality workforce.

Workforce is currency that every tenant in the market is working to leverage. A highly-educated and reliable workforce is pivotal for business success and overall economic growth. Arlington is fortunate enough to sit at the center of the second largest tech talent pool in the U.S., and our universities are near the top of every ranking in the country for graduating technology and professional degrees.

The smartest and hardest working employees reside here, and the future workforce will be here as well. The Commonwealth’s $1.1 billion investment in the Tech Talent Pipeline is set to create nearly 31,000 tech degrees in the next two decades between Virginia Tech in Alexandria and George Mason in Arlington.

The County’s public infrastructure, built environment and overall quality of life are huge draws for companies and their employees. Arlington is the model for urban-suburban development, a product of smart planning during the 1960’s and 70’s as Metro began expanding into the suburbs, a decision that has paid dividends ever since.

There are many factors that lead to a high quality of life, but the ones at the top of the list typically involve easy walkability, quality transit, access to amenities, high quality of life and a strong public education system — all things that Arlington has in abundance, and all important factors for workers when choosing where to live and work.

Quality environment, product and workforce are true drivers of real estate decisions on the commercial side. Fortunately, Arlington, along with the rest of the region, is very well positioned in these areas as well. Amazon, Nestlé, Lidl and dozens of other small and medium-sized businesses have had success in our market due to these features.

While many companies have struck gold here in Arlington, not all companies in the U.S. know these stories and statistics. It is our job to help relay these themes, but we are a small staff with limited resources. We must maximize and leverage our partners in the real estate industry at every opportunity.

Arlington Pet of the Week: Vila & Macchiato

By ARLnow.com
1/7

This week two rescue cats are Arlington’s Pet of the Week: Vila & Macchiato.

Here is what the felines’ owner has to say about their lives in Arlington:

Vila and Macchiato began life on the streets of Belgrade, Serbia.  Vila and her birth brother were in a parking garage; Mac was in a street.  Some kind people found them, bottle fed them, and those people’s cats helped raise the tiny kittens to be well-socialized bigger kittens, ready to go to a permanent home.  Their new Mom & Dad met them, fell in love, and adopted them, living first in Belgrade, where the humans were U.S. diplomats representing American interests to that country.  Eventually, the humans were transferred back to the U.S. and found their new home in Ballston, bringing the now-American kitties with them.

Vila, whose name means “Fairy” in her native Serbian, is a wiry, spunky girl, which is helpful as her big brother sometimes picks on her.  She usually holds her own.  Macchiato doesn’t actually mean “coffee;” it means “stained,” like Mac’s silly spotted nose.  He is tall, limber, cuddly and gregarious — and a little jealous.  Both are smart, enabling them to work together to open cupboards and get into lots of trouble.  Although they will turn 8 this spring, they still play, racing up and down the stairs of their townhouse and wrestling.  Fortunately, they also still love each other and snuggle.  Vila is the ground athlete, excelling at crumpled paper soccer and hockey with unpopped popcorn kernels.  Mac is a graceful aerial athlete, catching and destroying wand toy lures with alarming hunting prowess.

They love visitors, but are strictly indoor cats, for the sake of their health and that of neighborhood fauna.  They were neutered as young as possible, to ensure they wouldn’t contribute to pet overpopulation in Serbia or here in the U.S.  They are very happy to be part of the greater Arlington family!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner of eight consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.

Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.

Just Reduced Properties in Arlington

By ARLnow.com Sponsor

Each week, “Just Reduced” spotlights properties in Arlington County whose price have been cut over the previous week. The market summary is crafted by Arlington Realty, Inc. Maximize your real estate investment with the team by visiting www.arlingtonrealtyinc.com or calling 703-836-6000 today!

Please note: While Arlington Realty, Inc. provides this information for the community, it may not be the listing company of these homes.

Germs — and the spread of them — are certainly top-of-mind during these interesting times.

In addition to being cognizant of your surroundings and taking preventative measures out in public during this flu (and now COVID-19) season, there are some steps everyone should be taking at home.

Among them are these three quick tips:

  1. Take your shoes off at the door and encourage your guests to do so, too. Germs can travel on the soles of your shoes and, depending on the virus, can live on your shoes for up to 48 hours. Hey, at the very least, your floors will be cleaner.
  2.  Sanitize surfaces frequently. If you are carrying items in and out of your home — setting them on your counters, dressers and more — you’ll want to do some cleaning once those surfaces are clear again.
  3. Be aware of your guests. While your family may be perfectly healthy, you may have a guest that’s not. And, in a matter of minutes, they may touch your remote, thermostat, doorknobs, refrigerator door and more. A periodic cleanse of these areas certainly can’t hurt either.

Stay calm and smart out there, friends.

And now on to this week’s Just Reduced figures.

As of March 9, there are 119 detached homes, 14 townhouses and 79 condos for sale throughout Arlington County. In total, 11 homes experienced a price reduction in the past week:

Please note that this is solely a selection of Just Reduced properties available in Arlington County. For a complete list of properties within your target budget and specifications, contact Arlington Realty, Inc.

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