So, you’ve taken the leap. You have decided to give up working for others and start a business on your own. You have the determination and the drive – and are willing to do what it takes to make a success of your business.
At this juncture, it is likely that you will need to take a long, hard look at your finances. What do you have in terms of capital? What can you invest in the business to give it the best possible start? Like most start-ups, your first thoughts might be to cut expenses wherever possible. One way to save, you might think, is to work from home. You can probably find a spare room or a corner that you can convert into a home office. This will help you save on rent as well as travel and other expenses, you think.
Avoid Working from Home, Experts Say!
Experts advise – don’t do this! While a home office is certainly an attractive option, you will find many problems once you actually start working from home. Your home cannot really offer a professional ambience for work. Your home and office lives will necessarily converge. You will have many distractions and will not be able to focus on your work, which must be the first priority at this point. Besides, it’s not always a good idea to have professional meetings with clients at home. The overall image you project may not be conducive for business. You may save some money but in the long run you will almost certainly not gain as much as you bargained for.
The better alternative is to opt for a shared office. This will take you out of the home setting into an office location. You can get all the business facilities you need and get down to work, without worrying about infrastructure and maintenance. You will be able to meet clients in a businesslike setting and create a positive image.
DBS, pioneers of serviced office spaces in India, have come up with just the right solution for start-ups. D-Desking at a DBS business center, located in a prime business district, enables you to share an elegant office with two or three like-minded people. You pay just a fraction of the cost of getting an independent office yet the office is designed to give you your own space. You have a totally WiFi environment to work from and so can be instantly connected to the Net. If you need any other business facilities such as making and receiving calls, getting administrative help with printing and other facilities, you just have to pay for the services you use. Besides, you may well find that the people you are sharing the office with represent networking opportunities that might be good for your business. Maintaining an office-like routine, including regular office hours, will enable you to work smarter and more productively.
So, while cutting costs may be on your mind it makes good sense – specially good business sense – to work from a shared office instead of home. This has been the experience of many start-ups in a similar situation. They agree that sometimes spending, not cutting expenses, can help business grow.