Blog - Page 3 of 22 - Tenant Advisory Group

March 4, 2019 | Business - Leasing Space - Neighborhoods | No Comment

How to Maintain Low Rent in Booming Areas

Commercial Real estate agent and customers negotiating

Up-and-coming areas can be a scary concept for some business owners. One day you’re paying low rent in a semi-popular part of town, then a few years pass and the area is booming, people and other businesses are flocking over and rent is skyrocketing. However, you don’t have to pay a fortune in rent or change locations if you take the right precautions. Here’s how you can hold onto your prime real estate at a fair rate.

Stipulate a Rental Rate

When negotiating the renewal clause in a lease, oftentimes there is a fair market value clause that leaves negotiation of rental rates open for when an area grows in popularity. But fair market value leaves too much freedom for the landlord to hike up the rates to match the new standard, which could end up being well above your budget. One benefit to using a good broker is that they know to negotiate for a specific rental rate based upon a finite escalation instead of relying on a fair market value agreement. This ensures that the you can afford the future rental rates and also reflects the increase of growth in the area.

Negotiate a Right to Terminate

The termination option is also an extremely valuable piece of negotiation leverage. A landlord will not offer this unsolicited. For leases longer than five years, it is very helpful to have a termination right. By negotiating this into the lease, should rates dip below market value, then you will be able to exercise the right to terminate and move or use this as leverage to reduce your rate. Conversely, if rents have skyrocketed, you can utilize the leverage of the termination right to extend your lease and keep your rates below market for the foreseeable future.

Sublease Your Space

Another option you can consider when the rent goes up is to sublease. As always, any business leasing a space should work with a broker to ensure that a sublease clause is included in the lease. From there, if the ability to sublease is allowed, you can move elsewhere to pay a lower rate while subleasing your original space to help offset the overall costs. This is especially beneficial if you are able to reduce your square footage as well.

Maintaining your presence in a popular area all comes down to your lease. Working with a reliable broker to negotiate the correct terms can take the stress out of rising market rates and give you peace of mind about staying in your space.

February 25, 2019 | Design - Relocating | No Comment

How Much Space Do You Need to Grow?

Environmental Office space. High rise office space.

With success comes growth and with growth comes a need for more employees and space for those employees to work. While it can be challenging to know just how fast your company may grow, an estimate is necessary for you to understand your needs and for you to have an adequate amount of space to accommodate that growth. Check out these tips to find that sweet spot of room for expansion while also being realistic about what are those needs.

How to Determine Space Requirements for Growth

Every business has different needs when it comes to space, so there isn’t a magic formula to guide you to an exact number of square footage, but you can make an educated estimate. Each employee you have on staff will require approximately 220 square feet in office spaces that aren’t open concept. So for example, if you have 100 employees on your team, you would need to account for 22,000 square feet in work space to accommodate them. From there, you will also have to take into consideration other spaces such as conference rooms, lunch areas, restrooms, storage and any other additional rooms you need for your specific office layout. After you have an idea of how much space you need to accommodate your current workforce, multiply the total square footage by 10 to 20 percent depending on how much growth your business projects. This additional space for growth is known as shadow space.

Shadow Space vs. Right of First Refusal

There are a few different ways you can go about ensuring you have adequate space to grow. As we mentioned above, you could rely on shadow space. This space is an unused buffer that will be filled as you add more employees to your team. But what happens to the space in the meantime? More often than not, businesses are paying for the space even when it’s not being utilized. This option is great for short-term growth, but if your plans to expand don’t move as quickly as you hoped, you could be paying for more space than you need.

On the other hand, you can work with your broker to include a right of first refusal agreement in your lease. Here’s what that means. Say you come across an office space that fits your current space needs, and there is also an additional adjacent space that would be perfect for you to grow into when the time comes. A right of first refusal agreement ensures that before your landlord leases that space to a third party, they must offer the space to you first. This option is great for companies that plan on growing, but need a little more time to achieve their goals.

An important step in ensuring your new office location has the perfect amount of space is to analyze how your business has grown in the past and how you predict it will continue to grow in the future. From there you can formulate a realistic idea of how much additional space you may need, and decide if either shadow space or a right of first refusal agreement are viable options for you.

Where you work matters. That’s why we’ve partnered with an online software platform to make it easy to search for spaces that are specific to your needs. All you need to do is enter your information here, and you will be given access to a database of office space listings complete with virtual tours, floor plans and all-in monthly prices. Finding the space of your dreams is only a click away.

February 19, 2019 | Business - Inspiration - Work | No Comment

Executive Networking with Tenant Advisory Group

This Executives Breakfast inspired a number of great discussions and offered Chicago business leaders the opportunity to broaden their networks.

At the Executives Breakfast, attendees discussed “Is there a defining moment or decision you’ve made that has helped shape your career?” Here are the responses:

Jill Kushner Bishop, PhD, Founder & CEO, Multilingual Connections: Wanting to start a business for a while but had a comfortable position. HR director had made some unethical decisions and she spoke out and was given resignation later. Was Named Evanston business person of the year!

Jaclyn Moser, Partner, Harken Interiors: Was helping facilitate creative work and wasn’t getting the right fit from the current job. Wasn’t being fulfilled. Seeing the fruits of their labor.

Brian Black, Relationship Development Manager, Tenant Advisory Group: When he met Bill, he felt he was a genuine guy. When spoke with Mark Meyer he suggested a lane change for his career.

Matt Field, President, Express Employment Professionals – Used a recruitment firm and it was a terrible experience.

Chris Sommers & Jaclyn Moser, Founders & Partners, Harken Interiors: Getting paired up with Jaclyn and seeing how well they worked together.

Nanette McCarthy, Principal Partner, Griffin McCarthy & Rice: It started from previous employment and she met her partner there. She saw that the client’s best interest was not being met. She and her partners started their own firm to put their client’s best interests first.

Robert Natke, Partner, UrbanWorks: Just graduated from architectural school. He went back for an MBA and that changed his approach to architecture.

Max Adelman, State Farm Insurance Agent, Max Adelman State Farm: He was premed at home for break. His family told him to not be a doctor.

Joe Blandford, CEO, Greatline Communications: Had a job and got a new boss. His boss was a difficult person to work for and he left. After surviving cancer, he changed perspective. He has 4 daughters.

Cathy Jama, Executive Vice President, Tenant Advisory Group, LLC: Had a meeting with Bill and is now working with the TAG team. Surround yourself with positivity.

Laurel Bellows, Founding Managing Partner, Bellows Law Group, P.C. & Past President, American Bar Association: Met her future husband and current law partner. She wanted to be a trial lawyer when women weren’t allowed to be lawyers. He was looking to train a woman to be a trial lawyer. Who stands in front of a jury and builds a relationship within 30 seconds, a man or a woman?

Percy Haley, Partner, Black Rhino Financial GroupF: Decided to switch careers from banking. Prayed about it and he met his partner Darryl.

Jamie Horn, Partner, Digital Experience and Marketing Recruiting: Her dad never encouraged her to get into the business. She did an internship in commercial real estate and came out of school in a recession.

Chris Salvi, Co Founder, Salvi Media: Interviewing a glioblastoma caretaker. Made him realize the power of the story.

Amber Autumn, VP of Business Development, Summit Design & Build: Her dad was a brick mason and he took her to jobs. When she was 8, her dad said do you want to go to work with me or stay home with your mom and clean the house?

Dane Sanders, Director of Capital Markets, Black Rhino Financial Group: Wife, and 3 kids were the defining moment. A client said you really helped me.

Rick Sudekum, Managing Partner, Sudekum, Cassidy & Shulruff: when some younger partners came to him and convinced him to start a new firm. Living values. 10 commandments. Do unto others.

Mark Meyer, Founder, E&M Strategic Development: Was a banker at Associated. Had a cushy job. He was approached by someone to go to straight commission and left salary. He has started 7 different businesses since. He cames back to relationships and began doing the right things. Do what you say you’re going to do.

Ivan Vislavskiy, Co-Founder and CEO, Comrade Web Agency: inspired by his old boss. He loved him and thought very highly of him. He wanted to be like his boss. Decided needed balance in his life.

Chuck Gullet, Managing Broker, Best Chicago Properties: Has 13 yrs at Caterpillar. The moment of clarity was during Pearl Jam at Lollapalooza. Realized he needed to move to Chicago.

Cyrus Rivetna, Principal, Rivetna Architects Inc: Was doing everything for his business and took the plunge and hired his first employee. Changed his mentality that he can delegate. If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, you’re doing the wrong thing.

Guest List:

Max Adelman, State Farm Insurance Agent, Max Adelman State Farm

Laurel Bellows, Founding Managing Partner, Bellows Law Group, P.C. & Past President, American Bar Association

Tim Van Mieghem, Partner, Proaction Group

Dave Norris, COO, RedRidge Finance Group

Chuck Gullet, Managing Broker, Best Chicago Properties

Amber Autumn, VP of Business Development, Summit Design & Build

Laura Dribin, CEO & Founder, Peritius Consulting

Dane Sanders, Partner- Director of Capital Markets, Black Rhino Financial Group

Max Adelman, CEO, Max Edelman State Farm

Joe Blandford, President, Greatline Communications

Matt Field, President, Express Employment Professionals

Chris Sommers & Jaclyn Moser, Founders & Partners, Harken Interiors

Percy Haley, Partner, Black Rhino Financial Group

Jill Kushner Bishop, Ph.D., Founder & CEO, Multilingual Connections

Nanette McCarthy, Principal Partner, Griffin McCarthy & Rice

Andy Mack, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, SnapMobile

Chris Salvi, Co-Founder, Salvi Media

Robert Natke, Partner, UrbanWorks

Rick Sudekum, Managing Partner, Sudekum, Cassidy & Shulruff

Jaclyn Moser, Partner, Harken Interiors

Brian Black, Relationship Development Manager, Tenant Advisory Group

Joe Blandford, CEO, Greatline Communications

Cathy Jama, Executive Vice President, Tenant Advisory Group, LLC

Jamie Horn, Partner, Digital Experience and Marketing Recruiting

Mark Meyer, Founder, E&M Strategic Development

Ivan Vislavskiy, Co-Founder and CEO, Comrade Web Agency

Cyrus Rivetna, Principal, Rivetna Architects Inc

February 11, 2019 | Business - Work | No Comment

Making Your Employees’ Needs a Priority in Your Office Search

Employees are the lifeblood of any business, and their productivity is directly tied to their happiness. Employees who feel their needs are being met are generally more productive and creative. It’s human nature, and finding a space that supports your team can mean happier and more productive employees.

Need: A Quiet Place

Open-concept office spaces are great for collaboration, but what happens when someone needs a private space to focus or make a call? Consider finding space with smaller office rooms that can accommodate the need for a place to think, a place to be productive and place for your employees to take a moment away from the hustle and bustle.

Need: A Place to Communicate

Whether your team is trying to complete that sale or they’re corresponding with a client via video conference, it’s important to have a designated space to take calls and video conferences. This room will need to have infrastructure that allows it access to the necessary technology.

Need: A Place to Gather

From social gatherings to team meetings to networking events, there needs to be space within your office for people to gather. Consider a multi-purpose space with movable furniture and partitions. This will allow you the freedom to use the multi-purpose area to gather when needed and utilized for other office functions when not needed.

Adequate spaces and layout should be an important consideration for your search. When your team feels supported and heard within the office space and structure, the results yielded will be boosted productivity, increased morale and an overall better work experience.

Need: A Place for New Mothers

Mother’s Rooms are one of the best ways you can support employees coming back from maternity leave. Not only are these spaces a great way to help the mothers on your team feel like their needs are being met, it’s also illegal to not have a private area for women who are nursing.

Where you work matters. That’s why we’ve partnered with an online software platform to make it easy to search for spaces that are specific to your needs. All you need to do is enter your informationhere.You will be given access to a database of office space listings complete with virtual tours, floor plans and all-in monthly prices. Finding the space of your dreams is only a click away.

February 6, 2019 | Buying and Selling - Relocating - Technology - Work | No Comment

The Importance of Infrastructure

Paying attention to infrastructure means paying attention to the nitty gritty details, but it’s these details that save you time and money in the long run. Below we have your guide to all things infrastructure for your new office space.

Movable Partitions and Furniture

As your business changes size and scope, having appropriate accommodations will make this transition seamless. Movable partitions and furniture are an easy and cost-effective way to accomodate for the expansion of your business. Seeking infrastructure that lends itself to the incorporation of movable additions is an imperative way to adequately plan for your company’s future.

Internet Connectivity

We all run on wifi these days, and your new building should be able to support that need for the entire office. Infrastructure plays a huge role in how easy or challenging it may be to set up your necessary systems. The difference between fast and effective wifi and internet that drags can be in the way your space is designed. Before you commit to a space, have the landlord run a network test on existing channels to ensure they work properly. If any of the cablings needs to be restructured, it could turn into a more costly project.

Security Systems

Ensuring the safety of your employees and important information is crucial. Consider if the space you’re looking at has a doorman or if there’s already a security system. If the security system needs to be updated or if one needs to be installed, this could turn into a costly and expensive project. Be on the lookout for existing security and how that aligns with what you need to ensure the safety of your employees and company assets.

Utilities

It’s easy to overlook things like sprinkler systems or outlets. If the sprinkler systems don’t function properly, you’re putting your employees at risk and either you or your landlord will be required to replace them. As for electricity, it’s recommended that you ask your landlord to run an electricity survey to gauge how much electricity your office space is using. Understanding the efficiency of your electricity and utilities can save you time and the surprise of higher-than-expected utility bills.

The inside of your new location is just as important if not more than the actual physical location. Weigh the pros and cons of location and infrastructure to narrow down the types of office locations you’re considering.

Where you work matters. That’s why we’ve partnered with an online software platform to make it easy to search for spaces that are specific to your needs. All you need to do is enter your information here, and you will be given access to a database of office space listings complete with virtual tours, floor plans and all-in monthly prices. Finding the space of your dreams is only aclick away.

January 31, 2019 | Business - Inspiration | No Comment

EXECUTIVE NETWORKING WITH TENANT ADVISORY GROUP

Every month, Tenant Advisory Group hosts an Executives Breakfast and an Executives Luncheon to provide an opportunity for Chicago business leaders to build new, meaningful connections and discuss topics relevant to running a business.

During the Executives Lunch, attendees were prompted with the question, “Some of our best referral sources can be existing clients. What do you do to stay in front of your current client base?” Here are a few of the lessons shared in response:

Thanks again for taking the time to attend and please remember to follow up with those you might have synergies with. A rising tide lifts all boats!

Bill Himmelstein, Founder & CEO, Tenant Advisory Group, LLC: I have found that by offering value such as the opportunity to meet other business owners and potential clients, they will show up. Asking a business owner how you can best support them is a wonderful way to go from vendor to partner.”

Ian Stevenson, Partner, Straight North: Reminder in the calendar every 6 months to touch base.”

Morrie Elstien, President, MorrieCONNECT: How can I help you grow your business and who can I connect you with? Best way to get a payback is to give something upfront. They need to ask how they can help you back.

Randy Bridgeman, Partner, Perkins Coie: Getting out of your office and meeting your clients and going to networking events with them. Have a proactive relationship with your clients.

Barbara Best, Founding Partner & Principal, Capital Strategies Investment Group: Focus on what you can do to support other people. Do a value add newsletter and video. “What can I do to help you?”

Paola Meinzer, Partner, Manning Silverman CPAs: Leave an audience with something they can take with them. Get engaged with committees and organizations.

Jonathan Rothstein, Senior Vice President, MB Financial Bank: Making strategic introductions for clients to help them grow their business. I try to get together quarterly in person, but a phone call works if needed. Have speakers and host events.

Gary Parenti, CFO, Worsek & Vihon: guest of Jonathan Rothstein: Do lots of writing and put good information out there. Don’t do much electronically on purpose. Try to keep personal service as much as possible.

Tim Schumm, Founder & President, Lucas James Talent Partners: View yourself as a partner rather than a vendor. Bend over backward for each client and do whatever you can do for them.

Stefanie Jenkins, Director of Business Development, Vault Innovation Group: Have quarterly panel sessions for clients to speak in front of their other clients.

Ed Grasse, Managing Partner, Busse, Busse & Grasse: Stay ahead of the law and let clients know he is on top of it.

Rasheed Hammouda, CEO, BridgeFT: Need a scalable way to stay in front of clients. Need to consistently deliver value to clients.

Justin Frick, co-owner, AV Chicago: Reaching out to clients when new product offerings, new ideas and new clients who are doing something cool. Knowing customers and have that personal touch.

Jeff Asperger, Partner, Meltzer Purtill & Stelle LLC: Write blogs and small articles that may be of interest to them. Follow up with emails and telephone calls.

Stephen Beriau, Managing Director, Encina Business Credit: Stay in front with good information.

Erryn Cobb, CEO, Fetch IMC: 30% of revenue was from referrals from existing clients. Offer a referral fee to clients who refer them.

Eric Masi, President, Torque Digital Marketing: Post something on LI that’s both business and personal.

Ruth Minnick, Global Business Development Manager, Client Executive, Unispace: Make introductions for clients. Hosts quarterly events focused on different industries. Write articles and white papers. Reach out with a survey at each stage of the project.

Scott Simpson, Owner, Scott Simpson Builders: Have a 3-year warranty that keeps them in front of their clients.

Mark Mann, Managing Partner, Mann Weitz & Associates: In touch with clients once a month for advice. Give out referrals to attorneys, insurance and wealth advisors.

If you’re a business owner with 20+ employees who are interested in attending future TAG events, please email Bill Himmelstein at Bill@TagCommercialBroker.com.

Guest List

Gary Parenti, CFO, Worsek & Vihon – guest of Jonathan Rothstein

Dan Yost, Principal, Employee Benefit Consulting Group – guest of Bill Himmelstein

Mike Olson, Director of Acquisitions, DecisionOne Dental – guest of Bill Himmelstein

Mark Mann, Managing Partner, Mann Weitz & Associates – guest of Barbara Best

Scott Simpson, Owner, Scott Simpson Builders – guest of Morrie Elstien

Ian Stevenson, Partner, Straight North – guest of Morrie Elstien

Randy Bridgeman, Partner, Perkins Coie – guest of Morrie Elstien

Stephen Beriau, Managing Director, Encina Business Credit – guest of Morrie Elstien

Eric Masi, President, Torque Digital Marketing – guest of Ruth Minnick

Paola Meinzer, Partner, Manning Silverman CPAs

Ed Grasse, Managing Partner, Busse, Busse & Grasse – guest of Stefanie Jenkins

Justin Frick, co-owner, AV Chicago – guest of Jeff Asperger

Rasheed Hammouda, CEO, BridgeFT – guest of Tim Schumm

Erryn Cobb, CEO, Fetch IMC

Barbara Best, Founding Partner & Principal, Capital Strategies Investment Group

Jonathan Rothstein, Senior Vice President, MB Financial Bank

Tim Schumm, Founder & President, Lucas James Talent Partners

Jeff Asperger, Partner, Meltzer Purtill & Stelle LLC

Ruth Minnick, Global Business Development Manager, Client Executive, Unispace

Morrie Elstien, President, MorrieCONNECT

Stefanie Jenkins, Director of Business Development, Vault Innovation Group

Bill Himmelstein, Founder & CEO, Tenant Advisory Group, LLC

January 23, 2019 | Leasing Space - Property Listings | No Comment

Elkhorn, WISCONSIN. I-43 AND SOUTH 67

Description: A 10.5 acre property is available for development. The property is 10 minutes from Lake Geneva and Lake Delevan. The nearby area has over 100,000 full-time residents with over 300,000 visitors per year. The adjacent business park has over 4,500 visitors per day, and the traffic count for I43 is 22k per day and for route 67 it is 9k per day. The site will feature a Love’s Travel Center, as well as a Fairfield Marriott hotel with 70 rooms. It is a great opportunity for a restaurant and other retailers to cater to the Marriott and Love’s guests, as well as the industrial park traffic.

Size: 10.5 acres

Location: Elkhorn, Wisconsin. I-43 and South 67.

January 22, 2019 | Buying and Selling - Leasing Space - Negotiations and Transactions | No Comment

Understanding Costs Associated With Moving to a New Space

When you’re looking for a new space, having a budget is essential. As you check out potential locations it’s important to understand the not-so-obvious costs that may pop up as you transition to your new place.

Parking

Just as we mentioned in our location blog, understanding parking is an essential part of running a business. Depending on the area you’re looking to move to, parking can be a lot more expensive than you initially thought. If a significant percentage of your employees are driving to work and parking, you may be able to make a deal with a nearby garage so your team has the resources to get to work easily.

The Lease

Before signing the dotted line on your new lease, you should understand every associated cost. You’ll be locked into this lease for an extended period of time, so it’s of the highest importance to know exactly what that means for you and your business. There will be a security deposit required which is typically 30% of your landlord’s out of pocket expenses, and additional fees for utilities not included, after-hours HVAC use, and possibly janitorial services. There may also be termination penalties if for any reason you were to break your lease earlier than expected.

New Furniture

Different spaces call for different furniture, and what you have on hand may not always work in your new office. If you’re adding collaborative spaces or just expanding from your old office, it’s necessary to budget for any additional furniture you may need. Furniture can range anywhere from $15 to $25 per square foot, so It’s a good idea to take note of what furniture would translate to the new location and what pieces you would need to purchase.

Mover’s Insurance

If you decide to use a moving company to get everything from Point A to Point B, you’ll want your items to be protected. Buying an insurance policy to cover the cost of all the items you’re bringing to your next space can save you a lot of hassle if anything were to get damaged or lost. While purchasing insurance may be a little more costly upfront, ensuring the protection of your assets will give you peace of mind during your move.

Phone and Data

There’s an expense associated with wiring your space, getting your data hooked up, and potentially getting a new phone system. Often times even when a landlord commits to turnkey a space, the cost to setting up the wiring may not be included.

Phone and data wiring and set up fees start at around $2 per square foot and depending on factors like how many workstations you have, the types of ceilings you have, etc, it can go up to about $5 per square foot. Also, there can be a lag time from when you call to set up your internet service and when it actually commences. So be sure to start this process as early as possible.

A discrepancy with your budget can push back your move and set you behind. Take the time to look into any extra costs that could come up, and budget for the unpredictable. This strategy will ensure that money will not inhibit your big move.

January 17, 2019 | Inspiration - Relocating | No Comment

Choosing the Best Location for Your Office

Selecting the perfect location for your office is no easy task. It is vital to consider factors that will satisfy clients as well as employees. Keep in mind these important elements when searching for your new office location.

Accessibility

You want a space which clients can find easily and employees can comfortably commute to – perhaps close to public transportation or with a parking lot if many clients and employees will drive to reach you. Consider where your key employees live and whether the space is convenient for them.

Proximity

Think about what sorts of amenities you’d like in the surrounding area. Are there restaurants nearby for client meetings or are you close to any green space your employees can utilize to unwind and stay active? While the inside of your space is incredibly important, the area you’re located in provides an important first impression of your business.

Proper Spacing

If you have multiple offices, it’s imperative to understand what the commute between the two spaces will be like. Just as it’s important to have accessible transportation from your home to your office, it’s also important to secure a location that ensures an accessible commute amongst your various office locations.

Strategic Partners

Take note of potential partners in your desired location. Situating your new office within a hub relevant to your industry can make all the difference in the ease of your partnerships and business deals. You are who you surround yourself with, so make sure you’re seeking spaces that work hard for your company.

Cultural Fit

Community culture means a variety of things depending on the area in which you’re looking. It’s essential to understand what role your business will play in the local culture. Does this culture align with your company’s values? What role would your company play in this community? Assimilation into your area is a necessity for success in your new location.

While there are many things to consider when choosing a location for your office, it all boils down to figuring out what your company needs to succeed and choosing a location that fits those ideals.

Where you work matters. That’s why we’ve partnered with an online software platform to make it easy to search for spaces that are specific to your needs. All you need to do is enter your information here, and you will be given access to a database of office space listings complete with virtual tours, floor plans and all-in monthly prices. Finding the space of your dreams is only aclick away.

January 14, 2019 | Networking and Making Connections | No Comment

Executive Networking with Tenant Advisory Group

Every month, Tenant Advisory Group hosts an Executives Breakfast and an Executives Luncheon to provide an opportunity for Chicago business leaders to build new, meaningful connections and discuss topics relevant to running a business.

During the Executives Breakfast, attendees were prompted with the question, “What are your best practices for business development?” Here are a few of the lessons shared in response:

Bill Himmelstein – The best practice for business development for me has been doing business development for others.

Gary Breden – Relationships are the best means for developing businesses. Setting up channel partnerships.

Keith Glantz – Over-deliver with quality and then clients become the salespeople. Looking into the EOS model.

Jay Sharman – Best sales have been one degree of separation. I get most new clients organically by asking clients. I failed miserably when spending money on marketing.

Paola Meinzer – Focus on relationships. Be a part of different groups and be engaged in those groups.

Bill Gimbel – It’s not about selling. It’s about servicing and providing value. The ultimate compliment from a client is a referral. You should ask for the referral.

Ken Daemicke – Networking. Chambers, Rotary, NFP boards. Get involved. Ask: “How can I help you?”

Dominic Rinaldi – Using your phone works! Calling an owner of a business has been the most effective practice for business development. I use a CRM system and mine the data. If under $10m, around 2x-5x of adjusted EBITDA. The owner needs to stick around to transition relationships.

Zori Haouchine – Personal connections have been the most important. I want to focus on doing the things I want to do.

Paul Pagel – Growth through software wave. Started based on relationships. You can’t scale care. I did it through employee ownership. I want to transition to a team running the company.

Ben Olson – Channel partnerships like PE firms, they’re great people to work with. I want to get people together more.

Michael LaVista – Our marketing is excellent deliverables. 70% of our business is from other software companies. I’m going to write a book this year.

Charlie Franklin – I join and participate in organizations.

Thank you to all who attended!

If you’re a business owner with 20+ employees who are interested in attending future TAG events, please

email Bill Himmelstein at Bill@TagCommercialBroker.com.

TAG Executives Breakfast Guest List

Keith Glantz, President & Chief Creative Officer, Glantz Design

Jay Sharman, CEO/Founder, TeamWorks Media

Paul Pagel, CEO, 8th Light

Bill Gimbel, President, LaSalle Benefits

Michael LaVista, Founder & CEO, Caxy Interactive

Steve Brown, President Stratego, Partners

Zori Haouchine, Founder & Creative Director, ZOHA Architecture & Design

Jay Sharman, Founder & CEO, Team Works Media

Dan Dooley, CEO, Morris Anderson

Mike Olson, Director of Acquisitions, DecisionOne Dental

Domenic Rinaldi, Managing Partner, Sun Acquisitions

Ken Daemicke, Partner, Mueller

Paola Meinzer, Partner, Manning Silverman

Ben Olson, Founding Partner, Faircourt Partners

Charles Franklin, Managing Partner, Franklin Law Group

Jay Page, Co-Founder, CEO, Grey Street Capital