How to Work From Your Man Cave, by Twist CEO Bill Lee

In 2008, when the real estate market collapsed, I bought a 3,000-square-foot apartment near the SoMA neighborhood in San Francisco. My plan was to create a big, open space where people could come and hang out and think up great ideas. It worked. People get their best ideas in a more relaxed environment.

It took me about two years to get this place just right. It has a gourmet kitchen, a wine cellar, some great artwork, guitars to strum, and a ton of places to sit and talk. There’s the first home installation of an electronic casino table anywhere in the world and a living wall with ferns and some other plants. On average, I’ll take about 200 meetings a year here. The best returns I’ve had have come through my friends, and this is about growing that network. This place is not about making a return; it’s about meeting people and the relationships that come from that.