Next IT began its story as a classic start-up: two buddies building and repairing computers out of a garage. Today, they’re a thriving business of 30, doubling in size each year at Irvine Company’s Innovation Office Park.
Small Business Week (May 4-11) offers a chance to celebrate these small businesses, more than 1,800 of which call Irvine Company workplaces home. In California, there are over 4.1 million small businesses, the most in any state. This accounts for more than 98% of total business and drives two-thirds of net new jobs in the state.
“When you think about the scale of Irvine Company, you might be surprised to learn that more than half of our workplace customers are small businesses,” says Beau Rawi, Senior Vice President, Irvine Company.
Next IT is one of the fastest growing IT companies in California and delivers state-of-the-art IT support and cyber support services.
“Our goal as we’re growing and expanding is to have the professionalism and the scalability of a large Fortune 500 company, but to have the passion, the purpose, and the closeness of what makes a small business so beautiful,” says Josiah Schaffer, Next IT President and Co-Founder. “We knew we wanted to lease from Irvine Company because they really have a reputation of doing things right.”
Next IT believes that building a tight knit team starts with having everyone together in the same space. But the young startup did not have the resources to pay for a custom office build or furniture. Flex+ solved this challenge.
“Flex+ was a game changer for us, we had no experience, but Irvine Company never made us feel like rookies. The process from beginning to end was unmatched.”
– Justin Singleton, Next IT Co-Founder
Irvine Company’s Flex+ program is tailor made for Next IT’s needs. The company was able to lease space at Innovation Office Park, a brand-new campus that’s also home to multi-billion-dollar companies like SEGA and Twitch. Thanks to Flex+, Next IT gained access to a sought-after workplace and state-of-the-art amenities, plus plenty of room to scale, all without needing to buy furniture or pay a large, upfront fee.
“It’s an Irvine Company workplace, so prospective clients and employees know that we’re not just a fly-by-night company; we are here to stay,” Singleton adds.
Irvine Company’s team walked Next IT through the process of personalizing and furnishing their space, wrapping the cost of the furniture into their lease.
Next IT was surprised by how much Irvine Company shares their customer-centric ethos. The company anticipated a more formal relationship but arrived at their new office to food, wine and a team excited to welcome them.
“They wanted us to know we made the right choice and they have proven that to us every day over the past two and a half years,” Schaffer says. “I’ve never seen a company like Irvine Company before.”
Next IT already has their eyes on the future and knows that Irvine Company is there to help them expand or restructure their space to meet changing needs, including the full building they are hoping to move into in the next five to 10 years.
Learn more about how Irvine Company’s Flex+ can support small business growth, visit flexplus.com