By Matthew DeRose – CEO, Nomad Group

Let’s not sugarcoat it—rent isn’t cheap. Especially not in NYC. But you know what else will quietly cost your company 10x more?

Losing your culture.

We’ve seen it firsthand. When a company’s energy flattens, its people scatter, and its mission starts to feel like a Google Doc instead of a shared purpose… That’s not a financial issue. That’s a cultural one.

And yes, your space plays a bigger role in that than you think.

Culture Doesn’t Happen on Zoom

You can try to scale it remotely. You can document it in Notion. But real culture – the kind that retains top talent and fuels innovation – happens in moments:

• The side conversation after a tough client call
• The team lead who overhears a product idea and says “let’s build it”
• The founder who says “let’s grab lunch” and actually means it

Those moments don’t happen by accident.
They happen in spaces designed to make them happen.

We’ve Watched the Difference

Last year, we worked with two teams.
Same headcount. Same funding stage.
One stayed remote. The other secured a hybrid HQ in Flatiron.

Six months later:

• One team was battling Zoom fatigue
• The other was onboarding faster and closing deals in-person
• Guess which team started hitting their targets again?

(Spoiler: it was the one with a killer office that actually gave people a reason to show up.)

The “Cost” of Space Is a False Tradeoff

Everyone talks about cutting costs. But let’s reframe it:

If you think office space is too expensive, ask yourself: What’s the price of lost energy, weak onboarding, or a misaligned team?

So What Actually Works in 2025?

Here’s what the smartest companies are doing right now:

• Custom space with personality, not cookie-cutter coworking
• Flexible terms with expansion built-in
• Plug-and-play HQs that don’t eat up team bandwidth
• Intentional layout design (people don’t come in for a desk—they come for energy)

At Nomad, we’ve helped build duplex spaces, custom internal staircases, branded HQs, and everything in between – because your office should reflect who you are, not just where you work.

You don’t need the biggest space. You need the right space – one that tells your story, supports your people, and brings your company back to life.

Because yeah, offices are expensive. But in this market? Losing your culture will cost you even more.