The Nation’s Capital is Calling to Coworking Space Franchise Office Evolution

After opening its first locations in the suburbs of Washington D.C. earlier this year, Office Evolution is already looking at expanding its presence in the nation’s capital.

The coworking space franchise celebrated an opening in Tysons Corner in January by a two-unit area developer, John Yu. Originally from the startup world, Yu was looking for an opportunity that would allow him to continue driving the success of local small businesses. Recognizing that a coworking franchise would give him the chance to not only be a small business owner but also support other entrepreneurs, Office Evolution gave him the best of both worlds.

“My background is in technology, product strategy and product development. Before I became a franchisee, I was working for a company that was in a really early stage,” Yu said. “While I was there, I was consulting for other startup companies on the side. It was my passion to help these small businesses grow, and Office Evolution gives me the opportunity to provide these entrepreneurs the flexible option to have an office presence without the high upfront real estate cost.”

Now, Yu is looking for real estate for his second location, demonstrating the high demand for coworking space in the market. In fact, for three straight years, the Kauffman Growth Entrepreneurship Index ranked D.C. number one in startup growth, with a 75.5 percent year over year increase.

“We’re right outside of the nation’s capital, and that proximity has helped spark small business growth,” he said. “There are a lot of talented, well-educated people in the D.C. area. They need the space and we provide it. It has proven to be a perfect fit for Office Evolution.”

In the greater D.C. area alone, Office Evolution sees an opportunity to build out at least 13 additional units, starting in areas like Ashburn and Reston, Virginia. To drive this momentum, the brand recently welcomed its second area developer, Martin Gruszka, who is expecting to open his first of two locations in Herndon, Virginia March 2019. Similar to Yu, Gruszka came to Office Evolution from the tech world where he was a consultant for more than 20 years.

“I’ve always worked with creative professionals, from entrepreneurs and startups to lawyers and software developers. Office Evolution provided me with an opportunity to continue working with these creatives on a larger scale,” he said. “In a way, I am both an owner and a client of Office Evolution. I’ve been in the same shoes as many of my future clients. I’ve worked out of a Starbucks and I know what it’s like to be on your own and not have a professional office space. Having Office Evolution as a resource makes a huge difference.”

As a resident of Northern Virginia for more than 20 years, Gruszka has watched the area become the “Silicon Valley of the East,” which he believes will open the door to endless growth possibilities for Office Evolution.

“While there will always be a large presence of government contractors, there has also been an increase in the number of tech companies coming to the area. In fact, the majority of the big-name tech brands now have a presence here,” he noted. “It’s a vibrant place for entrepreneurs to launch a business.”

Aside from the suburbs, Office Evolution sees growth opportunity near D.C.’s bustling airports, areas Yu is vetting for the future.

“We have two major airports, Reagan National Airport and Dulles Airport in Loudoun County. Loudoun County in particular is an area that a lot of entrepreneurs call home. Because of this, the county does a really great job nurturing its relationships with small business owners. They host events and activities throughout the year to promote collaboration and networking, and we want to be a part of that,” said Yu.

According to Office Evolution founder and CEO Mark Hemmeter, D.C. is just one of multiple growth opportunities for the brand across the East Coast. He and his team are also looking at the suburbs of cities like Baltimore, Boston and Charleston, just to name a few.

“The economy on the East Coast is booming and, as a result, the small business climate is really healthy. We see this as a great opportunity to break into an area of the country where we don’t currently have as big of a presence,” said Hemmeter. “John and Martin have done an outstanding job jump starting our growth in the D.C. area, and we look forward to helping them build out the market further for years to come.”