Your Guide to Starting a Small Business: Office Space

If you’ve worked in an office at some point in your life (or just watched the movie Office Space), you know that one of the many perks of starting your own business is the freedom to choose where you work and who you work with (to a certain extent). Depending on the type of business you’re starting, you have some flexibility as to the type of work environment you create for yourself. The key is to analyze your needs and make a practical decision about what will work for you.

Home Office

The home office is probably the most economical office solution. Who wouldn’t want a 2-second commute to and from work? Once the office is set up the way you want it, there’s very minimal monthly expense. In fact, the home office actually saves you money, because you can write off your home office as a business expense on your tax return.

Things to Think About

Now, before you go turning your husband’s man cave into your new headquarters there are a few things you need to consider. For example, are you going to be able to focus knowing that there’s a Top Chef marathon airing on Bravo? Will you be able to relax come 9:00pm when the kids are tucked in bed, knowing that your to-do list for the next day is a mile long? Some people need to have that clear distinction between their personal living space, and the place where they conduct business. You’re the only one who knows the honest answer to that.

Setting up Your Home Office

If you do decide to go with the home office set-up, take it as seriously as you take your business. It’s best if you can dedicate an entire room to your office, even if it’s small. Although I’m sure some people can make do by setting up a desk in the kitchen or the bedroom, most people would find this set-up both distracting and a little unprofessional.

Once you have the space picked out, it’s time to make it your own. I’m not saying your office needs to be state-of-the-art, but it definitely should meet these two criteria:

1. You genuinely enjoy being in the room
2. It contains all of the equipment and supplies you need to do your work.

First of all, if you’re setting up shop in your daughter’s vacant bedroom, but the fuchsia paint on the walls gives you a headache within 15 minutes of commencing work, I would strongly consider painting the walls. Go above and beyond to make that office as pleasant as possible. Do some research about the kind of things that affect your mood subconsciously. Maybe it’s simply a matter of swapping out the florescent lighting for a more soothing, soft light, or setting up a water fountain for a calming background noise.

Secondly, don’t skimp on the proper equipment. Make sure that you have the equipment and the supplies you need in order to run your business efficiently and professionally. Your shopping list is going to vary depending on the type of business you’re starting, but you should have a pretty good idea of what you need to run a smooth operation.

Renting Space

You may find that the nature of your business doesn’t allow you to get by with a home office. Perhaps you have a full staff and there isn’t enough room in your house to set up an office big enough to support your employees. Or maybe you’re constantly meeting face-to-face with clients, and you need a more professional place to conduct these meetings.

Things to Think About

First and foremost, you need to consider whether or not renting office space fits into your budget. Starting up a business can be expensive, so if you can eliminate or save money on your work space, by all means take advantage. But, if a professional space is mandatory for your business and you have the budget for it, by all means find yourself some office space!

Office Space

In the event that you’re going to be housing employees, traditional office space is probably your best bet. Given the current state of the real estate market, there are going to be some great bargains out there right now, so make sure you really do your homework and don’t settle on the first space you fall in love with.

Co-Working Space

Co-working is a relatively new concept but it’s spreading pretty quickly as an alternative to traditional office space. Co-working spaces are generally meant for entrepreneurs or even employees who work remotely and want a professional place to call their office. When you become a member at a co-working space, you decide whether or not you need an actual office with doors that you can close, or if you’re fine working from a desk in the common area alongside other entrepreneurs like yourself.

Chris actually has a membership at a co-working space in Green Bay called, The Docking Station (http://www NULL.thedockingstation NULL.net/). On days that he really needs to lock into his work, or if he just needs to make use of a conference room, he cruises down to TDS for the day. He’s found that his membership at the co-working space has also served as a great source of new business leads. Working alongside other entrepreneurs allows for some great networking opportunities every time he goes into work!

The freedom to choose where you spend the majority of your days is a great luxury of starting your own business. Just make sure you do some research and make an informed decision, one that you don’t regret a few months down the road. Take into account your business needs and weigh all of your options before you hop on any “jump-to-conclusion mats.”