Introduction
Zach Simpson, a tenant representation broker at Avison Young in Charlotte, North Carolina, joins Jack Ossa on The Power of Design Podcast. They talk about his path from construction and data centers into commercial real estate, and about why he prefers relationships to transactions.
The conversation also covers how Zach finds space for clients, how office design is changing, what is making leasing and construction harder for tenants, and why he thinks brokers should share what they know.
About the Episode
Zach grew up in Charlotte and remembers when Southend was the wrong side of the tracks. His first job was as a project engineer at a large contractor, supporting superintendents, subcontractors and the project manager on data center work. He then moved to the owner side, managing architects, engineers and contractors on a data center project, before choosing brokerage because he likes meeting people and seeing their companies grow.
At Avison Young he runs the office team with a partner. He says the firm can compete with the biggest names but is privately held, so it answers to no shareholders and has no silos. His team works mostly with office tenants and also with institutional investors who want adaptive reuse projects, many of them off market.
Jack and Zach spend time on workplace design: the move away from open floor plans, the influence of co-working, and the way hospitality and residential ideas now shape offices. Zach also describes the pressure on tenants from higher rents and construction costs, and says he wants to start producing content so that he can offer value to the community.
Key Takeaways
- Relationships first: Zach structures his business around long-standing relationships, and says the more you show you care, the more people open up and trust you.
- Question the request: when a client asks for 10,000 square feet, ask why, because a smaller space may serve the business better and improve the bottom line.
- Landlord brokers matter: space that is not yet listed often comes from people who know a building will soon be available.
- Offices are becoming places people want to be: collaboration areas, lounges and wellness features sit alongside private space.
- Amenities support recruiting: a well-designed space with views and natural light helps companies in the war for talent.
- Bring the team in early: getting the broker, designer and contractor together before pricing can create more value than collecting three bids.
- Keep learning: Zach reads white papers and listens to podcasts, and believes real estate and construction are behind in technology.
Highlights from the Conversation
I'd rather it be more relationship based instead of transactional based.
Zach Simpson
Amenities aren't about escaping the workplace they're about optimizing it.
Zach Simpson
I think there's a huge opportunity to get the right parties involved early and really work through the process.
Zach Simpson
Topics Discussed
- Relationship-based tenant representation
- Moving from construction and data centers into brokerage
- Finding space through databases, landlord brokers and off-market outreach
- Adaptive reuse and keeping a building's history
- Open floor plans, collaboration and co-working
- Rising rents and construction costs for tenants
- Early collaboration among broker, designer and contractor
- Technology, branding and content in commercial real estate
Why This Conversation Matters
Tenants often decide on a lease before anyone has asked how the space will work. Zach's emphasis on asking why a client needs a given size, and on involving designers and contractors early, is the same logic behind our interior architecture process. His interest in adaptive reuse also connects to projects such as Hedgemore Flex and the B&W Fiberglass Office, where an existing building was given a new purpose.
About the Guest
Zach Simpson is a tenant representation broker at Avison Young in Charlotte. A Charlotte native who studied at Appalachian State University, he worked as a project engineer on data centers and then as an owner-side project manager before moving into brokerage. He leads the office team at Avison Young with a partner.
