Lisa Gufford “wears a variety of hats” to create a perfect area for her tenants in EverBank Heart Downtown.
Her firm enters into licensing agreements with companies that want workplace area and provides providers that embody furnished and geared up places of work and suites, convention rooms, videoconferencing and digital workplace providers, parking and a lounge. Tenants have entry to the health club the place ESP operates in EverBank Heart at 301 W. Bay St. Downtown.
The 14th-floor suite has 94 places of work and is 92% occupied. Gufford designed the ground plan herself.
ESP serves small and enormous corporations, entrepreneurs, home-based companies and contractors, however Gufford mentioned its proximity to the Duval County Courthouse and Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse makes it particularly well-liked with attorneys.
Gufford, 60, was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and raised in Caribou, Maine. She graduated from highschool at 16 and moved to Florida to be close to her grandparents. Forty-four years later she’s nonetheless in Jacksonville.
She earned her diploma on-line at Ashley College and holds a Florida actual property affiliate license.
Gufford entered the workplace area trade in 1999 when she was employed as common supervisor at Workplace Suites PLUS in Jacksonville, regardless of having no expertise.
“I received began within the enterprise by likelihood. I knew I wished one thing within the company world,” she mentioned. “I walked within the door and received the place simply by promoting myself. I went in for an interview and scored it.
“I instructed them I used to be the lady who might get the job carried out.”
Gufford describes herself as a “go-getter” and “people-pleaser.”
Lisa Gufford appears to be like down from the places of work at Government Suite Professionals on the 14th ground of EverBank Heart
“My ardour is small enterprise. I like working with individuals. I like serving to younger ladies succeed,” she mentioned.
The Workplace Suites PLUS constructing at 4720 Salisbury Street had two flooring, 67 places of work and three convention rooms. Gufford stuffed it in seven months and even needed to hire out her personal workplace, bringing occupancy to 102%.
After eight years and intensive journey, she transitioned to worldwide actual property, managing portfolios as massive as $340 million for Stornoway Investments.
When the corporate bought to Germany-based Taurus Investments, she returned to the workplace area trade, becoming a member of The Crexent Enterprise Facilities. She ultimately resigned as a result of she “received bored.”
“There was no place for me to go aside from common supervisor,” Gufford mentioned.
Across the time of her resignation, her father-in-law suffered a stroke, so she took a 12 months off to take care of him at dwelling.
Lastly, in 2012 she struck out on her personal.
“After therapeutic my thoughts, physique and soul I made a decision I wished to open my very own firm,” she mentioned.
“I made a decision I wished to do it higher. I wished it to be all-inclusive and didn’t wish to nickel-and-dime individuals to demise.
“I discovered the suitable companions and right here I’m 13 years later.”
Gufford personally oversees all gross sales, accounting, advertising, IT and human sources. She even designed the furnishings.
As for locating the suitable tenants, she mentioned she trusts her instincts.
“ inside 30 seconds if you meet anyone if you need them in your life long-term,” she mentioned.
“I can simply inform.”
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