14 Tips for Finding Office Space for Your Growing Team


New data from Brother's technology adoption survey shows that the small businesses vacillate between old school and cloud technologies.

Good news — you’re growing. But you want to make sure your team feels comfortable and can do their best work in your space. That’s why we asked 14 entrepreneurs from Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) the following question:

“What is your top tip for finding office space when your company has outgrown its current location?”

Here’s what YEC community members had to say:

1. Talk to Your Property Manager

“If you’re currently renting a space, have an open conversation with your property manager. Often they will have something available that they are already managing, and will cut you some slack on your lease terms if you continue renting with their company. We’ve moved spaces three times in the past six years with the same property manager, and they let us keep our existing lease terms.” ~ Cassie PetreyCrowd Surf

2. Always Be Looking

“You never know when that deal or opportunity that triggers explosive growth will be presented to you. Stay alert to what is going on in your local commercial real estate market. Check LoopNet every few weeks.” ~ Jonathan Long, Market Domination Media

3. Consider Co-Working

“Consider moving your team, big or small, to a co-working office that caters to your work culture. Co-working spaces are a win-win situation. You still have the privacy of an office, as well as exposure to a community of like-minded individuals — built-in networking!” ~ Rakia ReynoldsSkai Blue Media

4. Track Down an Experienced Broker

“Find a local broker who has marked success closing deals with companies similar to yours. Navigating these waters — from leasing to construction — is tricky, and you don’t want to waste your time with brokers who haven’t proven themselves before. A broker who’s serviced similar companies will be more likely to understand your unique needs.” ~ Zach RobbinsLeadnomics

5. Get Creative

“When we outgrew our office space for the second time, we looked for a new place only to realize we had a treasure in our own backyard. An empty warehouse was transformed into a new modern space that our employees love. We added an employee lounge, open office plans and many meeting rooms. It is now an integral part of our company.” ~ Elliot BohmCardcash.com

6. Ask Yourself if It’s Necessary

“Do you need the new office? In this day and age, you should ask yourself if you actually require more space, or if it’s time to stretch your wings and go remote. It isn’t always important to have every member of your team in house. Further, it can actually help with creativity and growth if you offer employees who can easily manage themselves the ability to work from home.” ~ Blair Thomas, EMerchantBroker

7. Use Your Negotiation Skills

“We were moving from a space three times the size of our first office, and I think you really have to work it. I aggressively negotiated the price down to get into a space that I know we’re going to fill in as we grow.” ~ Josh York, GYMGUYZ

8. Consider Multiple Offices

“You don’t have to have everyone in one place. You can have another office of similar size and move some staff there. When RED began to expand, another office space was necessary since it was going to take too long to find another location that could accommodate everyone.” ~ Chude Jideonwo, Red Media Africa

9. Find a Recently Vacated Location

“After a year on a waiting list, my co-founder and I were accepted into the startup incubator at the university and grew the company to a full-time staff of 15. It became clear we outgrew the incubator, so we looked for office space downtown. We found a freshly renovated office by a large telco who never moved in and wanted to terminate their lease. It saved us $250,000 in leasehold improvements.” ~ David Ciccarelli, Voices.com

10. Prioritize Company Culture

“My company, Saxbys Coffee, just moved from the suburbs to Philadelphia. Our goal was to find a space with a location and vibe that bolstered our company culture. It’s essential to be in a city for both the accessibility and the community. My team has a simpler commute, which attracts new members too. And now we’re part of the fabric of Philly and locked into the growing business community here.” ~ Nick Bayer, Saxbys Coffee

11. Put a Link in Your Email Signature

“Reach out to your clients for any leads they may have. You can do this by putting information in the signature line of your email. C-level executives, for example, may add a line like, ‘We’re growing and looking for space! Contact us with any information you may have.’” ~ Mike SeimanCPXi

12. Seek Out News About Large Company Moves

“Look for news articles in your area about large companies who have moved out of their office space. Then contact those buildings. We moved into a space that the U.S. Navy had recently vacated. The building had a big void they were looking to fill and so we were able to negotiate an amazing deal.” ~ Douglas BaldasareChargeItSpot

13. Focus on Engagement

“We recently purchased a 6,200 square foot building that we renovated to fit our needs. Before, we occupied a 1,200 square foot ranch house and had exceeded its capacity. Work stations were in closets outfitted with “tailgate” tables. Cars were double parked and there were no perks. Morale was stagnant.  he new space has an open environment, gym, locker room, full kitchen, lounge and parking. Morale is up!” ~ Matt TelmanikCCS Construction Staffing

14. Check Craigslist

“With so many tech companies riddled with debt, it is surprising that more organizations don’t focus on running lean businesses. Renting a high-cost office space and signing a long-term contract for the space can spell disaster for a company down the road. Utilizing a platform like Craigslist, which can eliminate the middle-man, can help companies find cheaper spaces and more flexible contracts.” ~ Robert LeeCirca Interactive Inc

Office Image via Shutterstock

6 Comments ▼

The Young Entrepreneur Council The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.

6 Reactions
  1. Great points. There are a lot of costly pitfalls when looking for new space and it is important to have a client advocate / owner’s rep to protect your interests and guide you through conception to completion.

  2. Your two tips about always looking and considering multiple spaces are really great. It would seem that keeping your options open when it comes to looking for office space would be really beneficial. That way, you are sure to come across something that will be perfect for your business.

  3. I agree that it can be a good idea to get creative when looking for an office space. It can help to think of what you could do with an office space rather than feel limited by how it initially looks. You may even find that a creatively created space will be better for your employees.

  4. I think it is great that the article recommends finding an experienced broker. After all, when you’re choosing office space, you have to know where in your town to look. The right broker can help you find the right place for your office that is the right size as well.

  5. I liked that you mentioned you need to consider your company culture if you are looking for an office space. My husband is thinking about moving his office to a commercial space, and we are looking for advice. I will let him know about the importance of prioritizing his company culture to find the perfect place for his office.

  6. It’s interesting that you mentioned that having multiple offices is a viable strategy to take when growing a company. A friend of mine is planning to get me along for the ride for his plan to start his own software programming company since we are both interested in doing something with our mutual interest in coding. Perhaps I should help him out by starting to look for an office space for rent.