Growing companies treat a new lease like the hard part. The lease is easy. Day one is where it falls apart.

Three gaps show up every time:

1. HVAC that was "fine on the tour" and dead by 10am once 20 people are on laptops.

2. Housekeeping that starts after the team moves in — so the first week is dust, bathrooms, and a trash plan nobody owns.

3. Equipment ordered late. Desks, monitors, access control, a working kitchen. The space looks empty and the team works from home anyway.

If you are opening a location in the next 30–60 days, run this before you sign the furniture PO:

• Walk the space at occupancy, not empty. Heat, noise, bathrooms, storage.

• Write a one-page gap list: HVAC, housekeeping, equipment. Nothing else.

• Shortlist one vendor per gap. Specs, lead times, who owns the keys.

• Build a 14-day reverse timeline from move-in. If a lead time doesn't fit, cut the item or move the date.

That is the whole sprint. Plan first. Spend second. The office actually works on day one.