Welcome to the first edition of Outside the Box! 

We're launching this newsletter because small businesses deserve better warehouse options. Just ask our COO, Joseph Ely, who, when helping a friend search for warehouse space in Philly <2,000 square feet, found exactly…six options. 

Expanding to the DMV area yielded 15 choices — most resembling what Joseph calls “haunted warehouses.” (Think dingy lighting, zero security, no climate control, and possibly ghosts.)

This gap isn't an accident. Traditional warehousing was built for massive corporations, while storage units explicitly prohibit running businesses from them. 

WareSpace exists to fill this “missing middle” with professional, flexible spaces for growing businesses to operate—without compromising on basics like safety, cleanliness, and functionality.

If you've outgrown your garage but aren't ready for a 20,000 square foot commitment, you're exactly who we built this for. 

Now let's jump in.

📦 WareSpace COO Joseph Ely's blueprint for business growth

🏢 The latest on small warehouse trends and solutions

🔑 Essential resources for finding your perfect space 

📣 Your turn: Tell us about your warehouse hunting horror stories

Stop Managing Space Problems, Start Growing Your Business

Joseph Ely, Warespace's COO, takes a fundamentally different approach to warehouse spaces. Instead of treating them as mere storage containers, he focuses on creating environments where businesses actually operate efficiently. “We build spaces for how people work, not just where they store things,” he explains.

The differences between WareSpace and traditional warehousing are grim:

• All-inclusive pricing vs. mysterious triple-net leases with hidden fees
• Month-to-month flexibility vs. rigid 3-5 year commitments
• Professional management vs. DIY maintenance headaches
• Community support vs. isolated industrial boxes

With this philosophy in mind, WareSpace provides a complete business infrastructure. Beyond simply leasing square footage, each facility has an on-site General Manager who handles maintenance, security, and daily operations.

This means tenants can focus on what they do best: growing their businesses.

How do you choose the right space? Before signing any warehouse lease, Joseph recommends asking these three critical questions:

• Does this include 100% absolutely all costs, or are there hidden fees?
• How will this work as my business scales or shrinks?
• Can you show good reviews or tenant references?

When you're not dealing with leaky roofs, broken heating systems, or security concerns, you can redirect that mental bandwidth to serving customers.

That's why 73% of our tenants report significant business growth after moving in—they're finally able to focus on what matters.

Dive deeper into how to evaluate and choose the ideal space for you in our comprehensive playbook for growing businesses. 

INC: Warehouse Space Shortage Intensifies — Many businesses across the country are forced to look for warehouse space in less convenient locations or lock in leases before buildings are even completed. Adding to the pressure: rising lease prices (up 25% compared to five-year leases that expired this year).

LinkedIn: Top Warehouse Challenges for Small Businesses — A lot of small businesses struggle with inefficient warehouse layouts and inventory management headaches. But tech solutions like barcode scanning can help.

Kladana: Green Warehousing Gaining Momentum — The global green logistics market is projected to reach $2.9 trillion by 2032, with businesses increasingly adopting energy-efficient lighting, solar power, and sustainable packaging.

Business Insider: Robots Still Can't Match Human Picking Speed — Despite massive investment in warehouse automation, even Amazon's most advanced robots achieve only about 30 items per hour with a 16% failure rate, while human workers can handle around 400 items hourly with minimal errors.

New to the warehouse hunt? 

These resources will help you understand what to look for:

Explore Our Spaces: Take virtual tours of our warehouse units across different locations.

Businesses We Serve: See how businesses like yours are using WareSpace.

Warehousing Amenities That Matter: Check out the essential features any small business warehouse should have.

Scaling Your E-commerce Business: Learn how the right warehouse space can fuel your growth.

Self-Storage vs. Industrial Warehousing: Your key to understanding the critical differences for your business.

We want to hear from you! Fill in the blank here, and we’ll share the most eye-catching responses in future newsletters. 

“The most surprising thing I discovered when touring warehouse spaces was _______”

Respond by replying directly to this email.  

We built WareSpace because we couldn't find small warehouse space that wasn't depressing, dangerous, or designed for companies 10x our size. 

Now we're building Outside the Box for the same reason — to give small businesses practical, actionable information they can't find anywhere else.

If you found these insights helpful, forward this newsletter to another business owner trapped in their garage or dealing with a “murder scene” warehouse. 

We're building this community, one rescued business at a time. See you in two weeks.

Ready to focus on your customers instead of your space problems?

Book a quick 15-minute tour at your nearest WareSpace location. No pressure, no salespeople chasing you around — just a straightforward look at spaces designed for businesses that mean business.