What Business Investors and Landlords Need to Know About Partnering with IWG

International Workplace Group (IWG), the 3,300-location flexible workspace global powerhouse parent of Regus, a professional workplace brand; Spaces, a creative workplace brand; HQ, a hassle-free workplace brand; and Signature, a luxurious workspace brand, has announced plans to increase its Americas footprint. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations are increasingly adopting a hybrid approach to working, in which employees spend a few days at home and a few days in an office. As a result, the flexible workspace industry is exploding in popularity, and everyone from commercial landlords to institutional investors to franchisees have an opportunity to take advantage of a partnership with IWG.

But, with such a massive shift in the way traditional commercial real estate works, many business investors and landlords naturally have questions. And after helping 500 new partners take advantage of this opportunity last year alone, Regional Director of Partnership Growth Ryan Semler says the IWG team has an answer for all of them.

For example, although many business investors understand the big picture impact of hybrid working, Semler says a lot of the candidates IWG talks to are hesitant about whether or not a flexible workspace can succeed in their specific building.

“That is a common question we get,” said Semler. “They need the knowledge to understand why there is demand in that territory. They may understand the larger trends, but they need to understand the specifics of their building. We can talk with owners and explain why their location is a great option for us. We have specific plans in place for all of our territories and understand the needs and demands of the area.”

Semler says IWG will sit down with every prospective investor and lay out a financial model to showcase when they will recoup their investment, drive income and bring in a premium over-market rent. From there, IWG will help building owners understand an indicative floor plan.

“We walk them through a layout of what a best-in-class flex space should look like,” said IWG CEO of the Americas Wayne Berger. “We've been doing this for 33 years, so we've learned from the failures and successes of creating the perfect operating and hospitality business. It seems simple, but it's not. It's really important to design the space correctly for monetization with multiple revenue streams while also making sure everyone has a great experience from the moment they walk in the door.”

After the agreement is signed, IWG has a team for design, construction, sales, marketing and everything needed to build, operate and launch a successful new flexible workspace.

Business investors and building owners are encouraged to take a look at IWG’s financials, as well as the case studies that exist of real-life locations that have operated for years. “Review those numbers and let's work together to find the right space in your portfolio to build out the right cost model,” Berger said. “Our goal is to demonstrate why flex is going to be a driving area for your future."

In a recent webinar, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills, IWG Regional Director of Partnership Growth Ryan Semler and IWG CEO of the Americas Wayne Berger discussed how IWG has seen record-breaking agreements with business investors to turn empty building space into profitable revenue. Watch the full video here.