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Running a business from home can often be flexible, exciting, and ideal for those who don’t relish the idea of paying high rental costs for office space.
But what should you do if your business starts to outgrow the kitchen table?
Settling down to work at a kitchen table that is heaving with papers, files, notebooks, laptops, extra screens, and other business items can feel messy. Not everyone has a spare room to be able to move into either.
But when you choose to take on office space, you are committing to an increase in costs, utilities, monthly service fees, furniture, and more. Even if you make enough money to cover it all, the consideration should be – do you want to?
If not, then the best idea is to look for a home that is big enough to accommodate your growing business. Check out local real estate in the area, and see if you can find a home that has the extra space you need to create an office.
There are some solid reasons that it is time to move your business outside of the home, though.
Hiring
If even after looking at countless larger homes, there still isn’t enough room for them to accommodate more people then you might need an office.
Hiring people can be an essential part of moving your business forward, and you can take yourself out of the busy work and instead focus on products, clients, and more. You can likely accommodate an assistant in the home working environment – but beyond that? You’re going to need to consider moving out of the home.
Clients
Have you ended up in the position where clients wish to talk with you face to face, and you find yourself scrambling to find local rentable office space? While meeting clients can bring a new dimension to your business and is a sign you are growing, it can be a nightmare for those who are working from home.
While Zoom meetings can cover a lot of the ground for client meetings, it can often be a sticking point for some.
One of the main concerns you have as a home business is looking professional; this can be undermined by the inability to hold face-to-face meetings depending on your industry.
Distractions
Partners, pets, and children can be wonderful to have around you. But when you are on a deadline and need to get the work done, distractions can be harmful to your workflow.
If you need to get up extra early or work late into the night to get some peace, this is a good indicator you need either an in-home office or some outside office space.
It is a big decision to choose between upsizing your home or moving your business into a separate office. One thing is for sure though, as your business grows, it can be very beneficial to have that extra space. It allows you to push the boundaries of what you can achieve.
If you have decided that moving to an office space is the best thing for you, then check out these great tips for taking your office from drab to fab: Upgrading Your Office: Take Note Of These Essential Tips – Making It Pay To Stay.
