The challenge: finding office space when headcount is a moving target
When Vicki and Rich Fulop launched Brooklinen on Kickstarter in 2014, they were working out of their living room. They had just taken a vacation, tried to purchase the sheets from their hotel, and found that luxury bedding came with an $800 price tag. Brooklinen’s mission was to create high-quality sheets at a more affordable price point.
Almost immediately after launching, Brooklinen’s bedding was in high demand. Vicki and Rich believed it was important to stay lean and agile as their business took off so they could quickly jump on growth opportunities—whether that was developing new products, starting initiatives, or growing their team. However, they weren’t sure what their headcount would be in the coming months, so it was challenging to predict how much space they’d need. “We didn’t know what the future held for us, so we wanted a workspace that was extremely flexible,” says Rich.
The solution: a place that enables Brooklinen to grow their business and team
The founders realized that by moving their business to a WeWork location, they could get the space they needed to house their growing team with the flexibility to navigate that uncertain future. Rich and Vicki try to forecast their headcount six months out, but that can prove challenging in a high-growth organization. With WeWork, “you can move offices, lease another office, take out a wall,” Rich explains. “WeWork will let you grow with your team.”
Vicki and Rich also discovered another benefit of WeWork: They don’t have to worry about office operations, like buying printers, setting up Wi-Fi, or hiring a cleaning crew. “Every logistical thing that would take hours away from focusing on our business, WeWork takes care of,” says Vicki.
The results: a scalable home for a growing business
Three years later, Brooklinen has expanded their team to 32 people. WeWork has been with them every step of the way. “We moved in when we were only two people. Now, we’ve scaled up within the same building,” explains Rich. “We are now one of the biggest teams here.”
Partnering with WeWork has helped Brooklinen save money by reducing their capital expenditure and making operating costs more predictable. They’ve been able to invest that savings into developing new products.
WeWork has also helped Brooklinen with talent attraction and retention. Being at WeWork helps Brooklinen show candidates their commitment to a positive day-to-day employee experience—whether it’s the friendly face in reception, the round-the-clock refreshments, or even WeWork networking opportunities.
Jaime Petkanics, vice president of people at Brooklinen, explains, “When people are assessing job offers, they’re not just looking at the offer that they get at the end—they’re thinking about the entire experience. Space is a major part of that decision-making process.”
Brooklinen’s future is bright. As Vicki explains, “When we think about growth, we really think about growing the business within WeWork. We’ve been really happy, and we just want to continue to expand. We can’t wait to see what’s next.”
Key highlights:
- Brooklinen branding throughout the space
- Ability to grow on demand
- Operational support to handle day-to-day logistics
- Reduced capital expenditure and operating expense
- A private space of their own
Learn more about spaces for growing businesses.
