{"id":25512,"date":"2026-01-26T16:39:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T00:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tmcfinancing.com\/?p=25512"},"modified":"2026-02-04T12:58:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T20:58:59","slug":"lab-studios-sba-504-commercial-property","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tmcfinancing.com\/es\/lab-studios-sba-504-commercial-property\/","title":{"rendered":"From Dream to Reality: How Lab Studios Bought Its Creative Home with SBA 504 Financing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Lab<\/a>
Lab Studios Exterior, Photo Courtesy of Lab Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cBuying this property was a dream goal,\u201d says Valerie Ramirez, founder and owner of Lab Studios<\/a> in Los Angeles, CA. \u201cIt became a reality because of the good people around me.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a clientele that includes top talent in dance and choreography and projects for several of the most-recognized performers and brands in the world \u2013 including Nike, Body Armor, Mastercard, BTS, Blackpink, and Bad Bunny, to name a few \u2013 it would seem that Valerie could have approached any funder for financing. Here\u2019s why she chose TMC Financing and the Programa SBA 504<\/a> for her ever-evolving creative-talent agency.<\/p>\n

A pandemic pivot and continuous evolution<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Valerie
Valerie Ramirez, founder of Lab Studios in Los Angeles, Photo Courtesy of Lab Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lab had a different name and a different focus \u2013 to develop enthusiastic young hip-hop dancers into disciplined and determined industry professionals \u2013 since the time that Valerie launched her business when she was just 17 years old. Then, a huge change came five years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe couldn\u2019t teach onsite during the pandemic and that gave us an unexpected opportunity to reconsider our vision and goals,\u201d Valerie explains.<\/p>\n

Lab pivoted<\/a> to become a full-service talent management and production company. Today, Lab has a team of five remarkable women who run the essentials including day-to-day operations, creative output, and talent management. In addition, they work with a core group of about a dozen choreographers, dancers, movement directors and other creatives and bring on many more for project-specific opportunities \u2013 keeping the company to a size that enables the Lab team to focus on delivering the absolute best experience for every client, every time.<\/p>\n

Valerie says, \u201cWe\u2019re intentionally scaling at a level that lets us to hold onto our values for the team we\u2019ve created \u2013 and for our commitment to exceptional experiences and elevated creative output. It also means that our work and energy never get stagnant or stale.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finding a dream building and making it work<\/strong><\/p>\n

The business pivot led to another significant change: Up through the pandemic, Lab was located in a 12,000-square-foot studio in West Covina. Valerie decided to downsize the space and move to Los Angeles, about 20 miles further west, to be closer to industry collaborators.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d looked at several spaces for lease but nothing felt right. Then, she met Brandon Burns, a commercial-property broker with Cushman & Wakefield in Los Angeles. He took her to see a building that hadn\u2019t hit the market yet. It had a dirt floor and no working plumbing \u2013 but it also offered tremendous flexibility and a great location.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could envision what it could be and although it was out of our budget, I was sold and determined to make it work,\u201d Valerie says.<\/p>\n

The building\u2019s owner made several improvements and Valerie signed a five-year lease with a goal of eventually buying it. When she inquired about a purchase three years into her lease, the owner\u2019s asking price was too high. A year later, the owner reached back out to Valerie and they found their sweet spot.<\/p>\n

The SBA 504 program and TMC Financing make it easier to own property<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When it came to financing the purchase, once again, Valerie trusted her team.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrandon, our property broker, recommended Financiamiento TMC<\/a> and the SBA 504 program,\u201d she says. \u201cI trust his insight, so I really didn\u2019t have to look any further than that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Soon, Valerie was in touch with TMC Business Development Officer Jennifer Davis<\/a>, who reviewed the benefits of the SBA 504 loan program. SBA 504 loans are made in partnership between the business owner, a bank, and a certified development company (CDC), like TMC. It\u2019s an outstanding option for small business owners who want to purchase commercial property for their businesses because it offers:<\/p>\n