Client Spotlight: Dunn's River Brands

TenantBase helped Dunn's River Brands find their first office space in Frisco, TX in 2018. The beverage brand incubator is still active today.

Bill Meissner, a partner for Dunn's River Brands, sat down with TenantBase to discuss the company's new venture and their experience finding office space in Frisco, TX.

Dunn's River Brands is, in short, an incubator for beverage brands looking for the mentorship and tools to grow. "We give them the support so CEOs and founders can do what they do well." Bill worked with several well-known beverage companies, including SoBe, FUZE Beverages, Talking Rain, and Jones Soda, at the executive level before starting this venture. He'd reached a point in his career where he could give back to the next generation of beverage companies past the proof-of-concept stage and ready to grow, and along with his partners, started Dunn's River Brands in 2017.

As the company started, they worked virtually for a time but knew they'd need a home base to grow. "Being together in one place is meaningful. We get energy from working in the same space and the convenience of talking to colleagues in the office to get things done quickly," says Bill. The group was intentional in choosing Frisco, TX as headquarters, for its location and easy access to the rest of the country, cost of living, and the talent available in the surrounding area.

When Dunn's River Brands decided to start looking, they began with an online search and a specific list of criteria: a shorter-term lease that would let them grow quickly, and a plug-and-play situation they could move into and ramp up quickly without any build-out. They connected with Shawn Hall, a TenantBase advisor, through an online inquiry. "Shawn showed us spaces that were in our budget and met our criteria," says Bill. After touring four different spaces, they narrowed it down to one, and Shawn worked quickly to get the lease finalized and ready to move. "Happy to find something move-in ready in the market they wanted to be in, with the amenities they wanted," said Shawn.

Dunn's River Brands had recently acquired three brands, Sweet Leaf Tea, Templewinds, and Temple Turmeric, and were ready to go once the lease was approved. Their new space was 7,100 square feet, with mostly open workspace in the center surrounded by private offices on the perimeter, a conference room, and a full kitchen within the suite. Most of the space had floor-to-ceiling windows with an open ceiling, a popular trend at the time. Building amenities included a gym, a professional lobby, a coffee shop, and restaurants, walking distance to great local eateries and the local professional soccer stadium. Bill was particularly fond of Pizzeria Testa in Frisco Square, an upscale Italian spot with a Mediterranean vibe.

The space gave the team room to support their brands operationally, with an eye toward eventually having their own location in the Frisco area. Working with startup companies, Bill has seen the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial world firsthand. Asked what advice he'd give budding entrepreneurs, he said: "Do whatever you can to focus on what you're best at, untether yourself to the non-value-adds that need a lot of attention. Know that it's going to cost you a lot more than you think. Founders and entrepreneurs concerned about giving up too much of their company need to understand a strong balance, or access to needed financial support, is going to drastically enhance your chances of success."

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