Quest Workspaces is expanding, offering space so clients can grow

April 21--Company: Quest Workspaces

Location: Headquarters: 1395 Brickell Ave., Miami. Additional locations in Coral Gables, Doral, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and New York City

Service: Quest Workspaces provides flexible and affordable workspaces to support companies at every stage of growth. Quest offers move-in-ready, serviced business centers, co-working space, virtual offices for home-based and mobile workers and conference/meeting rooms for hourly and daily rental.

Years in business: Four

Management team: Laura Kozelouzek, CEO/founder; Kamani Yanez, regional vice president; Nancie Dudash, regional vice president; Vanessa Vega, director of operations

Revenues: 2011: $2.2 million; 2012: $4.5 million; 2013: $6.5 million; 2014 estimate: $8.4 million.

Employees: 20

Milestones: "Opening our first location in the Espirito Santo Plaza building on <location>Brickell Avenue was our first great milestone. The building owner selected us, over the world's largest and best-known operators, because they believed in our experience, commitment and mission," Kozelouzek said. "This opportunity gave us our start in Florida. Now we are the regional leader of independently owned and operated centers across the tri-county area, and manage more than 200,000 square feet of commercial office space for other real estate owners."

In 2012, Quest opened its first center in New York City's Time & Life Building with neighbors including Clinton Global Initiative, Hearst Magazine and other publishing and financial giants. The center opened amid Superstorm Sandy, and was greeted with gale-force winds and downed power lines, Kozelouzek said. "Penning deals in our pajamas, the Quest team fielded urgent phone calls from large corporations in search of a place to power up," she said. "Throughout the night, we were able to accommodate space for Foursquare, United Healthcare and Guardian Life Insurance along with dozens of others that needed to get back to business as the city was shut down. Amid the disaster, we were able to extend our services and help those in need."

Impact: Founded on the principle that everyone should have the freedom to work the way they want, Quest supports more than 1,820 clients and has revolutionized the "workplace culture" by carving a niche in commercial real estate with the ideal workplace, Kozelouzek said. With more than 20 years in the commercial real estate industry, she said, she has learned how to help small businesses "fake it until they make it" with shared office space solutions that are move-in ready within 24 hours and flexible leasing terms from one week to three years -- with no start-up capital required.

"Quest has built a strong reputation for quality, service and expertise in the shared office space and co-working industry," she said. "We are actively raising the standard on the context and conditions of a workplace and living out our mission daily. With company-owned locations and management contracts with landlords, we now operate more than 350,000 square feet of commercial office space, with close to 1,000 offices in 11 locations." Quest's clients range from independent entrepreneurs to established companies including Starwood Hotels, BlackRock, Alliance Bernstein and Sephora.

Keys to success: "Our keys to success are the passion for what we do and a commitment to helping our clients. We do not see our role as just providing office space -- we are here to help our clients grow their businesses, assist them in any way they need, connect them with one another both professionally and personally and ensure that every day is productive and positive." Kozelouzek said. "We use extensive research, development and reflection to create a distinct work environment and a unique energy that is contagious. The result is a dynamic atmosphere in which everyone feels supported and successful."

Strategy for next steps: "Our next-step strategy is to keep improving upon what we have built so far. We will continue to grow by adding new locations, offering greater value to our clients, providing professional development opportunities for our staff and supporting local and national nonprofits," she said. "By doing so, we will enhance the brand and company year after year -- that is our quest."

INA PAIVA CORDLE

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