John Macaulay On Does A Niche Audience Work In Flexspace?
This time, I'm talking to John McCauley, the founder of Grit Studios, a unique niche in the commercial property market. John shares his journey of merging his passion for art with his property expertise, creating a thriving community of artists in Stockport and Manchester. He discusses the challenges and successes of building a brand and community, the importance of finding the right buildings and locations, and the potential for scaling the Grit Studios model. KEY TAKEAWAYS Building a strong brand and telling a compelling story can open doors and attract potential partners and landlords. Focusing on a specific niche or target audience can create a sense of community and provide unique value to tenants. Transparency and open communication with tenants about pricing and expectations is important for building trust and maintaining a sustainable business model. Scaling the business may require hiring additional staff to manage operations and foster community growth. Engaging with local councils and community groups can help create partnerships and opportunities for placemaking and community development. BEST MOMENTS "I think as we get more sophisticated, moving forward that maybe we don't want to sell our soul but maybe there's bigger businesses who've got bigger budgets who would pay a little bit more to be around." "We're very anti-establishment, I think, in the way we operate" "I think, we probably do a little bit too much in some respects in terms of, if we calculated our hourly rate, it probably isn't fantastic because we probably do throw the kitchen sink at it sometimes." "As we start to scale, those are two recruits that we'll be looking to bring." JOIN THE NETWORK If you want to learn more about investing in Commercial Property why not consider joining the CPI Network? A community of active investors who collaborate, share experiences and empower each other in their Commercial Property endeavours. Useful Links: CPI Website - https://commercialpropertyinvestor.co.uk/Our Sponsors - https://commercialpropertyinvestor.co.uk/podcast-sponsors/Property Investing, Commercial Real Estate, Strategies, CMO, Lease, Licence Agreement, Cashflow, Vacancy rates, Agents, Best Commercial property podcast, how to buy, Valuations, ROI, residential, assets, Flexspace, office space, How to get started: https://www.commercialpropertyinvestor.co.uk/