Expanding a business is never a straightforward process, especially when it comes to finding the right office space. For Brian and Mary Jo Sullivan, opening an office in New York City was an exciting but daunting step forward. It presented an opportunity to better serve clients and recruit talent, but it also tested their confidence in the company’s growth projections. In this excerpt from Entrepreneurial Trinity, they share how a conversation with a trusted friend and a shift in approach led them to a solution that supported their long-term success.

NYC Office
“As we continued to grow our team, we decided it was time to open an office in New York City. It made sense from the perspective of serving our clients, who were mostly located in NYC. It also allowed us to recruit professionals from all areas surrounding NYC, as opposed to just Northwest of the city, where our New Jersey office was located.

Looking for office space in Manhattan was a very different experience from looking for space in suburban New Jersey, but it was a similar test of my confidence. Although we had experienced some success and growth, the larger expense and longer lease duration terms in NYC were testing my confidence in our growth projections. On the other hand, the allure of some of the building addresses was very attractive and tested my ego.

I remember talking to my very good friend, Brian Isaacson, who is a fantastic real estate attorney, about a space down on Wall Street that I had looked at. I explained to him the size of the space and the terms of the lease. Brian knew our growth projections and pointed out the very obvious issue that we would grow out of that space in four years (in his opinion, two to three years), and the lease was a 10-year term. As I defended my mindset, I knew immediately he was right, and I was losing a battle against both my ego and self-confidence. And, as it turned out, he was right; we would’ve grown out of that space in less than three years.

After the conversation with Brian, we adjusted our plans and looked exclusively for co-working spaces that would allow us to adjust the amount of space we needed as we grew until we leveled off our NYC employee growth. We ended up renting space from WeWork in Times Square on the corner of 41st Street and Broadway. This was a much better geographic location for us, which was a factor that I wasn’t taking into account with the allure of the Wall Street address.”

Outro:
The decision to expand into New York City was a pivotal moment in Brian and Mary Jo’s journey, but it’s clear that flexibility and thoughtful planning were key to their success. By adjusting their approach to office space and taking the long view, they were able to scale effectively while managing both their confidence and ego. If you’re considering expansion, whether in office space or business strategy, these insights could guide your next move.

For more on the entrepreneurial journey, be sure to explore Entrepreneurial Trinity.