Valeo Financial Advisors

On the northside of Indianapolis, Valeo Financial Advisors was quickly outgrowing its space. The firm occupied suites on two separate floors, with client-facing areas sprinkled throughout. According to John Trott, a principal and financial advisor at Valeo, the cultural difference between the two floors had become noticeable and significant.

“We needed everyone on one floor again to improve teamwork and increase our random interactions,” John said.

The Valeo team planned their move into a new building in Carmel and engaged OfficeWorks to furnish the environment.

Goals: Maximizing impact, optimizing budget

As Valeo’s leadership team embarked on their project, they surveyed their staff and outlined several goals. They wanted partners who would facilitate a seamless experience during the design and construction process. For the new space, they sought to create an engaging workplace that aligned with their brand and culture and provided growth flexibility, all while achieving the best financial terms.

From an aesthetics perspective, communicating the firm’s brand meant making selections to strike a balance between a technology and professional services firm.

“Our vision was to significantly upgrade our client and employee spaces without being over-the-top,” John added. “Finding that balance guided our decision making.”

Process: Creating a seamless experience

The design process was a collaborative effort between Valeo, OfficeWorks, and the interior designer.

“We have a flat organization in terms of hierarchy and did not want to contradict this by designing large corner offices,” John said. “In our previous office, one of our floors featured all offices in the center and workstations along the windows. That experiment worked well for us and was a key theme we wanted to incorporate into our new space.”

OfficeWorks created mock-up workstations that allowed employees to try out options and provide feedback on size, height, functionality, and storage.

“The process helped us quickly decide what would work best for our team,” John said. “OfficeWorks was flexible in helping us test and assemble different configurations.”

That flexibility was again evident in the spring of 2020, when elevator-related construction delays stalled the firm’s move-in plans.

“When our move-in date changed to later in the year, OfficeWorks provided storage solutions that allowed our employees to take some of their personal items home while storing other items,” John said. “That made our life easier and saved the day when it came to the delays presented to us.”

Once Valeo moved into their space, the new environment helped increase employees’ excitement about returning to the office.

Outcomes: Providing an engaging environment

The resulting environment features navy and wood furniture selections that punctuate the bright, light-filled space.

“The aesthetic has the feel of a nice, tailored suit—it’s a modern take on a professional environment,” said Camille Inchauste, OfficeWorks' account executive.

To enhance privacy and workflow, the floorplan separates client-facing areas from employee spaces. Offices are now the same size—regardless of the team member’s position—and the height-adjustable workstations are situated around the perimeter of the space to take advantage of natural lighting and views. The office also includes a space designed specifically for interns.

“The intern area coordinates with the rest of the open office but incorporates fun touches to attract potential candidates,” said Megan Minnich, senior designer, OfficeWorks. “Any intern fortunate to join the company will love working in their neighborhood.”

That attention to employees is evident in some of the more unique aspects of the space, including an interconnected training area, social hub, and patio.

“The patio is my favorite feature,” Camille said. “The exterior space was designed before COVID, but now we have more and more customers interested in outdoor spaces and bringing the outside in.”

From maximizing the budget by repurposing select furniture to providing adaptable spaces that support growth, Valeo’s workplace meets their goals now and well into the future.

“Our office should be a place where our employees and clients enjoy spending their time,” John said. “The professional team at OfficeWorks was responsive and patient throughout the entire process, which helped us reveal the best space for both.”

Project Team

Interior Design: Parallel Design Group