#WORKBOLD PODCAST SEASON 4 EPISODE 4

#WorkBold Podcast.S4.E4.Mark_Gilbreath.Caleb_Parker

Have we reached the peak portfolio?

LiquidSpace CEO talks infinite workplace

Mark Gilbreath, Founder and CEO of LiquidSpace, joins Bold Founder, Caleb Parker, to discuss why he believes we’ve reached peak portfolio.

Mark says “infinite workplace” enables work from anywhere to proliferate, and as a result 80% of enterprise customers in the US will significantly reduce their leased office portfolios.

We learn about the new LiquidSpace Enterprise solution, and hear stories of their early days with enterprise customers, as well as a new big partnership with Comfy, which provides tens of thousands of workspace options to hundreds of thousands of employees.

Mark says landlords need to recognise that flexible use of space must be a principal asset management strategy. Traditional real estate leasing practices do not solve for delivering thousands of workplace options at scale for employees today.

The two also discuss how Workplace Brand is going to become a fundamental part of commercial real estate. 

Value Bombs

Real estate will become more liquid going forward

  • Mindsets are shifting profoundly in regards to fixed real estate portfolios
  • We’re no longer having a binary debate between working from the office or home.
  • The challenge for enterprise companies is how to provide tools that enable flexibility and workplace choice while maintaining duty of care and ensuring the overall financial objectives of the company are met.
  • Workplace will be a continuum
  • Traditional real estate leasing practices do not solve for delivering thousands of workplace options at scale for employees

We are at Peak Portfolio

  • 80%+ of US enterprises will significantly contract their lease office portfolios
  • Infinite workplace enables work from anywhere to proliferate
  • Digital online and mobile transactions have potential to break the broker commission fee model
  • Office landlords must become more liberal in their thinking

Landlords need to recognize that flexible use of space must be a principal asset management strategy

  • The 10 year lease and bond-like structure will not be the only asset strategy
  • Flexible asset strategies complement traditional asset strategies
  • Flexibility has value - the economic activity of an asset with flexibility can be higher than those just deploying traditional leases
  • Occupiers need the ability to easily tap into the thousands of workspace options globally.

Workplace Brand is going to become a fundamental part of commercial real estate

  • Workplace is becoming a consumerized experience, and that will scale as employees come back from the pandemic with workplace choice and autonomy
  • We’re going to see people choosing their workplace based on trust, and that’s where brand becomes important
  • Brand creates trust in the experience that will be delivered
  • Landlords who aren’t conscious of the brand experience delivered across their portfolios will see a lag in their economic performance