**KLIPERDVILA’s Success Story: Financing for a Major Project**

The advertising, communication, and marketing agency KLIPERDVILA is embarking on an ambitious project set to culminate in 2022: transforming a large space in Valencia into a coworking area that will also serve as the new headquarters for the company. This dual objective has been years in the making and required appropriate financing to become a reality. This was achieved with the support and advisory services of Kaizen Consulting. Empar Català, the CFO of KLIPERDVILA, explains in this interview how this process, which will have a happy ending in a few months, unfolded.
– When did this project for a new headquarters and coworking space begin?
– We spent 5 years searching for a location that fit our vision, which wasn’t easy. We were looking for the ideal site, a ground floor space with over 1,000 square meters to carry out a dual project: creating a coworking space as a new business line and relocating our offices for 32 employees. We finally found it very close to the Joaquín Sorolla AVE station, and it seemed like the perfect spot. The outbreak of the pandemic forced us to temporarily halt the project, but our CEO, Alejandro Payá, considered it a priority and believed in it. So we decided to proceed. The first step was to renovate it, as it was an old gym with a pool, requiring a total transformation of the space.
– Is that when the need for financing arose?
– Yes, because a significant financial investment was needed to adapt the space for its new purposes: initial cleaning, creating open spaces, proper soundproofing, and an ambitious design to achieve a coworking space and offices with all the desired amenities and functionalities. It’s a project with an emphasis on natural light, well-planned ventilation, and interior terraces with natural vegetation. Post-COVID, there are new priorities for workspaces that we’ve taken into account. It was an ambitious project for which we couldn’t find adequate financial coverage from the banks we usually work with.
– What challenges did you face?
– As an SME, we typically work with two or three banks and sought financing during a complex time due to mergers and the economic situation. We secured part of the financing but needed more. We realized we needed advisory services and new contacts to achieve our goal.
– Is that when you contacted Kaizen Consulting?
– Yes, we began asking who could help us move the project forward, and Kaizen Consulting was recommended to us. We had conversations with them and connected immediately: they believed in the project and advised us on banking entities and financial products. They broadened our options, and we quickly found suitable solutions: within a month and a half, we signed the first loan and covered the entire amount needed in just three months.
– What solution did you adopt?
– Ultimately, the best option for us was to expand our financial pool with more banking entities. Kaizen Consulting supported us throughout the process, and we felt well-supported: they introduced us to bank managers, attended meetings, and always seemed to bet on the project. We are very happy with the work of their team and Cecilia Pintos, who has been our advisor on this journey and has helped us with a very friendly and close approach. Besides the support, they were very quick and efficient because we found the solution we were looking for in a very short time.
– Why this investment in a coworking space?
– We see it as a business with great potential in Valencia: there is high demand, commercial rents are expensive, and it is challenging for someone starting out or a freelancer to afford a solo office rental. We believe in this project because the idea is to offer a space with excellent meeting rooms and common services. Valencia needs this; it must improve its offer, which is still far from what is available in Barcelona or Madrid. When we decided on the location, we valued its proximity to the Joaquín Sorolla station: it has excellent public transport connections, is near the center, and has parking options. This was necessary for the convenience of our employees.
– Where is KliperDvila currently positioned?
– We are a team of 32 people, with three distinct but very interconnected divisions: the KDV agency, specializing in 360-degree communication and advertising, covering everything from events, audiovisual works, to advertising campaigns. In Estudio KDV, a team of 13 people focuses on editorial and graphic design, packaging, and branding. The third area is Go Green KDV, specializing in environmental advertising campaigns, focused on areas like recycling, with major clients who are leaders in Spain. Our current headquarters has become too small, and growth requires offices suitable for our number of employees and the highly collaborative work dynamic we engage in. This is also why we are interested in coworking: we want to attract freelance professionals dedicated to communication who can collaborate on our projects. We believe in the addition of talent, in synergies, we are creative and welcome external contributions, and the new offices will provide us with new possibilities.
– How is the construction progressing?
– It is currently in the construction phase, which began in January. The demolition and cleaning works to prepare the space were already completed. Now, all the design details are being finalized, and we hope to move into our new home in the summer of 2022. We are very excited and have the peace of mind to undertake the project with good financing. I believe we signed the loans at a good time, at a fixed rate, and with very competitive prices, before an expected rise in rates. The advisory work of Kaizen Consulting has been excellent and crucial: we are well-covered, even for unforeseen events.