In October 2020,seven months after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, Ethos Tenant Co. launched to help small and medium size companies capitalize on golden office space opportunities. Led by Edward Saa and Timothy Jacobs, Ethos Tenant Co. specializes inbringing local companies unique ethos to life through office space, ultimately turning office leases into a business tool,and creating an experiential workplace in which companies thrive.
Saa explains, “Colleagues thought we were crazy for starting a commercial real estate firm in the middle of a pandemic.We sought value in the all-time high subleasing trend. Tenants who are shedding space are leaving behind beautiful, fully furnished “plug and play” spacesthat are highly discounted. These spaces are ripe for high-growth startups that will be raising seed funding, companies in co-working environments ready to graduate to their first standalone space, and established larger companies that have developed a hybrid remote work policy that need to “right size” into a smaller space or work on a government contract. We viewed this as an opportunity to connect these types of tenants with these types of spaces.”
Demand is driven by a flight to quality to take advantage of market conditions. Jacobs adds, “We have seen a rapid uptick in interest levels from all types of businesses mainly fast-growth tech companies and government contractors, because COVID has forced companies to re-evaluate their office needs. They know ‘work from home’is here to stay but human interaction is invaluable so we’ve come up with a comprehensive analytical offering to reduce rent spend and maximize flexibility. Collaboration and engagement are difficult on Zoom, so we work hard to create office spaces that make employees eager to return to the office. In a bid to attract and retain top talent, we are helping tenants to re-structure and design physical workplace experiences that foster creativity, innovation, and collaboration; make employees feel safe and healthy; and align with their company’s ethos, culture and values. “
Ethos Tenant Co. is a boutique Washington D.C. metropolitan-based commercial real estate leasing agency that specializes in tenant representation. Saa and Jacobs have a combined 35 years of commercial real estate experience and proven track record. Prior to founding Ethos Tenant Co., Saa and Jacobs worked at a national “full service” commercial real estate firm and global “tenant only” firms as leading performers within their organizations, and have also been locally recognized as top real estate professionals by their peers. Most recently, Saa and Jacobs spent over six years as Managing Directors of Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. where they specialized in advising technology, government contractors, nonprofits/associations and law firm tenants. Saa and Jacobs’ broad experience ranges from guiding startup technology companies transitioning to their first 1,000 square feet space to advising large publicly traded government contractors how to navigate the complexities and pitfalls of a100,000 square foot build to suit transaction.
