It seems like companies take a familiar path.

These days, new companies get their start over a cup of coffee at Starbucks, on the sidelines of a junior league soccer match, or most recently by the fireplace at Panera.   I remember vividly a set of conversations I overheard in a coffee shop a few wild business cycles ago.  It was like something out of Silicon Valley, with “Camouflage Man,” a man dressed head to toe in tree bark hunting clothes, closing deals in a coffee shop with the “suits.”   This was not in San Jose, Boston, or New York.  It was in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Many companies follow a similar path on their way to their first office suite.  After they graduate from Starbucks, they end up in someone’s (or sometimes multiple someone’s) basement(s), garage, or spare bedroom.

At some point, they outgrow their surroundings.

I love to hang out at my favorite coffee shop, and despite having a wonderful office, I still can think better outside the office… but that’s another blog post.

Deer Creek Tower - Executive Center

If you’re like me…. the graduation can be paced… I found a great executive suites building more than four years ago, and we have no intention of leaving it any time soon.

What does it provide?   In short, credibility, camaraderie, a credible business address, and creature comforts.   Listen to the following post from our landlord, David Rayl, serial entrepreneur and owner of Executive Suites and Services in Leawood, Kansas  www.suitesandservices.com.

Take care, and happy hunting… for great new ideas, and for great new surroundings.   See you at the bagel counter.

David Rayl of Executive Suites and Services www.suitesandservices.com has been building businesses since the beginning of his career.  After a few years as a software developer renting space in someone else’s building, David decided to become a landlord.  He learned the lesson early, that being a landlord could become much more profitable than being a tenant.

We estimate that David is now the largest owner/ manager of business incubator space in Johnson County, Kansas.  And that is no small deal, Toto.

Johnson County is the suburban Kansas portion of the Kansas City metro area.  According to a 2008 study by the Corporate Research Board, Johnson County ranks among the top 25 U.S. suburban counties, based upon the percentage of “high impact” businesses within the ranks of local employers.   Johnson County includes towns such as Leawood, Overland Park, Lenexa, and Olathe to name a few.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_County,_Kansas.

Johnson County is a great place to raise a family and a great place to work.  In fact, Forbes.com ranks Johnson County as the third best place in the U.S. to raise a family. (http://www.forbes.com/2008/06/27/schools-places-family-forbeslife-cz_zg_0630realestate.html)

And, obviously, parents need jobs to support their families. More than 29,000 businesses, ranging from start-ups to well-established companies like Black & Veatch, Quintiles, Fort Dodge Animal Health (now a part of Pfizer), Sprint, Freightquote, Euronet, and Garmin (the worldwide leader of GPS), call Johnson County home.

There are also great budding young companies in Johnson County; for an example, look at www.browniepops.com.  Marcia Penner Johnston, the inventor and owner is a renowned pastry chef, shipping her invention to sweet tooths everywhere.   Brownie Pops are available at the local Dean and Deluca in Leawood and in the William Sonoma catalog. They also make a great treat with a fine cup of Danny O’Neil’s coffee from www.TheRoasterie.com.   The Roasterie is a Kansas City based specialty coffee company selling its brand of brew through fine restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores.

Deer Creek Tower - Suites and Services

David Rayl’s offices are at College and Nall in Overland Park, Briar Drive and 136^th Street in Leawood, and in the new Deer Creek Tower Executive Center www.DeerCreekTower.com at Deer Creek Woods or 133^rd and Riley/69 Highway in Overland Park.

If you’ve out-grown your garage and are looking for some “uptown” digs, give David a call.