Running your own company is a great path to freedom. If you find the right business model, you can earn a good income and have the flexibility to study or travel should you want to.
More people are waking up to this fact, which is why so many are deciding that being self-employed is for them. However, it is not an easy path. When you run your own business, there is a lot to consider, and some very important decisions to be made. One of the most vital is where to locate your offices.
Where your company is based says a lot about how good you are at what you do, at least in the eyes of your customers. Whether you are looking for office space in Brentford, or London it make sense to take your time and do your research before signing a lease.
Here is a roundup of some of the things you need to bear in mind when looking for business premises:
Your company image
Where you locate your business has a big impact on how you are perceived by potential customers. When you are a start-up, branding and image are particularly important because you are still establishing yourself in the marketplace.
It may be tempting to lease the cheapest space you can find. Sometimes that can be OK, but not if those cheap offices are located in a bad part of town in a shabby, poorly serviced block. Moving into a place like that will definitely work out to be a false economy.
You will find it hard to impress customers and to get them to take you seriously. In addition, recruiting and keeping staff could prove difficult. People do not want to work in a bad area or a tatty office without good facilities.
Your budget
However, you still need to be careful not to overstretch yourself financially. As a start-up, you are still finding your feet, so need to be careful not to spend too much of your profit on premises.
The needs of your business
The other important consideration is the needs of your company. Before you go out looking at office space, you need to understand what facilities you need now and in the near future, and one of the best ways to get advice is to get feedback from thousands
You will want enough space to expand when you are ready to do so. It is important that the offices you move into have good facilities, which are properly supported.
Think about whether you need extras like meeting rooms and a staffed reception area. If you run the kind of business were making presentations to clients is essential having access to these facilities would be very beneficial.
Look at the surrounding area
It is important to be located in an area with a good transport network. This makes it easier for people to access your business and is good for staff retention. Having shops, cafes and bars close by is also beneficial, especially if you need to entertain clients on a regular basis.
