Within a few months, we’d moved into our first proper premises and quickly outgrew that space. By 2021, we’d relocated again, this time into our current HQ in Snodland.
Now, just four years later, even our current building is practically bursting at the seams. We’ve run out of warehouse space, desks, car parking and even toilets! For the past year, we’ve been searching for a new home and after a lot of searching, we’re preparing to move into a 250,000 sq ft unit that will allow us to keep growing.
We were incredibly lucky to find that space just a few minutes away from our current home, but the journey to find that space revealed a much bigger problem: the commercial property market simply isn’t built for fast-growing businesses.
Starter units are relatively easy to find. But once you outgrow those, larger spaces are rare – especially in accessible locations. In our entire search across Kent, we came across only five possible units. Most were unsuitable, and some weren’t even built yet. At the rate we were growing, we didn’t have time to wait another year!
Being denied space slows growth
When you’re scaling quickly, space becomes a critical resource. Being denied the room to grow can slow momentum, limit hiring and force compromises. Running out of warehouse and office space meant we’ve started making decisions with those things in mind rather than what is best for the growth of the business. Space shouldn’t restrict a business’s ability to grow.
During our search, we encountered many landlords who assumed that because we were a young company, we couldn’t possibly need a bigger unit – they saw our ambition as risk, not potential. What they couldn’t grasp is that our growth trajectory would mean we’d grow into the space – we wanted to avoid the pain of moving into a space we’d outgrow in another 18 months or so. We’ve made that mistake before.
The trouble is that when it comes to accommodating startups, the commercial property market has fallen behind, lacking both flexibility and vision. Landlords tend to prefer leasing to large, established companies, seeing them as a much safer bet. But bigger doesn’t always mean safer – in fact, many larger businesses are far less agile and financially stable than fast-growing startups.
We need more entrepreneurial-minded landlords
Despite bringing energy, innovation, and long-term tenancy potential, young businesses are often overlooked in favour of legacy brands. This outdated thinking is holding growing businesses back. We desperately need landlords who understand startup dynamics – those who see the value in backing businesses early and growing with them. If the market is to keep pace with modern entrepreneurship, then property owners must start embracing innovation and start backing the future with easier access to shared larger units, lease terms that align with growth, and better communication with tenants.
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