There's been a strong influx of new-to-market companies coming to South Florida and Taylor & Mathis principal Brian Gale expects that to continue in ’15. (There must be something in the water...besides jellyfish.)

There’s no single reason companies like to set up shop in the region, Brian says, despite the rest of the country imagining that weather is the main advantage (though there’s no denying the fine climate, especially as everyone else suffers through February). Low taxes and business-friendly policies are also important, along with access to growing Latin American markets. Brian doesn’t expect these to change, considering the number of inquiries he's received lately from out-of-town prospects.

Recently Brian repped MetLife, the owner of Wells Fargo Center, in its lease of 10k SF to Spafinder Wellness Inc, which is planning to move its global HQ from New York to Miami. Brian says that the strong local business environment was a factor in the move, but that wasn’t all. Spafinder, which is a major player in marketing and gifting for the wellness industry, believes that South Florida’s lifestyle is more conducive to healthy living. It also wants easier access to the rapidly expanding Latin American/Caribbean wellness travel market.