About Us: Meet Consultant
Susan Eaton Mendenhall

As founder and owner of Spatial Impact, Susan has experience as a strategic planner, keynote and motivational speaker, published writer on space and behavior issues, interior designer, educator, and artist. Her interest in the effects of a business space on a client's behavior began with her own experience. She holds a Master’s Degree in Design Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Her thesis, The Effects of the Business Reception Area on Potential Clients, was a case study of two businesses. In 2008 she traveled to China to study the eastern understanding of Feng Shui and its integration into the western concept of environmental psychology.  Her consulting has provided clarity to the marketing of businesses in investment, law, chiropractic, counseling, banking, and the non-profit. 

In Susan's Words:

"When I moved to Madison, Wisconsin in 2000 it required securing new professional services in banking, investment, and health. In entering each place of business I found myself quickly deciding whether this was a place I trusted and whether I would choose to do business. Lighting, sounds, smells, position of the furniture, care of the reception space, wall décor, and promotional materials all spoke to me.  I formed an opinion about the professional nature of this business and whether it met my standards. In some cases I could not name why the feeling was so strong, only that the ‘feeling’ was a significant factor in my decision.

"I chose not to do business with a particular bank because the space was not private or confidential enough for me to trust the care of my information.  While waiting in the reception area, I could easily hear customers discuss their financial affairs with a bank employee. I felt uneasy knowing about a person’s private financial matters. It was similar to eavesdropping, but without the option to remove oneself from the situation. I also had opportunity to watch people enter the building.  The arrangement of the space and the signage were confusing to people, making it unclear where they were to go to transact business. 

"At a mortgage company my husband and I were taken into a cluttered conference room to discuss our financial questions.  Unused equipment and boxes lined the edges of the room indicating that this room was more frequently used as a storage area.  Information from a recent staff meeting was left written on the white board. It seemed inappropriate to see this in-house conversation about staff goals, client relationships, and problem solving.  Papers covered the conference table requiring us to ‘make do’ with a corner space.  We felt as if we had accidentally entered the staff break room. 

"These businesses did not measure up to my image of a professional business and I chose not to do business with either of them.  I became increasingly curious about how specific physical attributes in the reception area factor into the decision to retain the services of a business. My own experience suggested that reception areas had some effect on everybody.  I returned to graduate school to research this more thoroughly."