Karan Devgan: Entrepreneurship and Commercial Real Estate

Most people look at a commercial property and see square footage, a price and a lease rate. Someone who has run a business looks at it differently. Karan Devgan's work as an entrepreneur shapes the way he approaches commercial real estate.

Seeing a property through an operator's eyes

When you've built and managed businesses yourself, a property stops being a listing and becomes a set of practical questions:

• Where will customers park, and how easily can they get in and out?
• Will the sign be visible from the main road?
• Is there enough power, plumbing and ventilation for the equipment?
• How much will it cost to fit out the space before opening?
• Can deliveries get in without blocking customers?
• What happens if the business needs to expand in three years?

These details rarely make it into a property brochure, but they often decide whether a business succeeds at a location.

What operators actually need from a site

Different businesses need very different things:

• Restaurants and cafés need visibility, parking, venting and the right zoning for food service.
• Retail depends on foot traffic, anchor tenants and co-tenancy with complementary businesses.
• Service businesses need convenience and accessibility for their regular clients.
• Industrial and logistics users care about ceiling height, loading docks, truck access and proximity to highways.

A good broker starts with how the business works, then finds a property to match, not the other way round.

Franchise expansion: when site decisions scale

Franchise site selection raises the stakes. A franchise brand needs locations that fit its model again and again. Each franchisee is often investing their savings in a single location. A weak site hurts that owner and the brand's reputation in the market.

Good franchise site selection balances the brand's criteria (demographics, traffic, competition, co-tenancy) with the franchisee's budget and goals. Territory planning matters too: new locations should grow the brand's reach without cannibalizing existing stores.

Practical lessons

A few principles guide how Karan works with business clients:

1. Start with the business plan, not the listing. Know your customers, budget and growth plans before you tour properties.
2. Budget for the full cost of occupancy. Base rent is only part of it. Add property taxes, maintenance, utilities and fit-out.
3. Read the lease as carefully as the floor plan. Term, renewal options, exclusivity and permitted use can matter more than the rate per square foot.
4. Plan for growth. The right site today should not box you in tomorrow.

Work with a broker who understands business

If you're opening, relocating or expanding a business in Brampton or the GTA, talk to Karan about commercial real estate.