Millions of people run their own small businesses many of which are run from a home office. But if you’re considering starting a business what happens when the business expands and your home can no longer cope with storing your stock and other business items but you have not yet reached the financial comfort zone to invest in renting an office?
Increasing numbers of people are now starting a business from home fuelled by the easy and inexpensive availability of fast internet connections, the proliferation of mobile devices and free Wi-Fi in coffee shops, cafes, libraries and almost anywhere you can think of. This has made it easy for many people to start living their dream of working for themselves without the need make a large financial outlay on renting premises.
With a professionally developed website, desirable products and great customer service start-ups can compete with much longer established businesses. With a well-designed and well-thought out online presence a business run by just a few people can have a significant impact on the marketplace in a way that would have been unimaginable as little as 10 years ago.
Thinking About Locations
A business can be started up from any type of home “office”; it does not have to be a dedicated office space but could be a spare bedroom or even the kitchen table (think what J. K. Rowling produced at hers). Many businesses simply need good internet access for their computer and a mobile device. However, depending on the type of business you may need storage space for your products and using storage space in your home initially may be the only option but what about when the business starts to grow and the storage in your home simply cannot cope anymore; when the cupboards, loft and the garage are full?
Thinking About Storage
For any type of business that makes or supplies retail products then proper storage space is essential as the business grows. It is no longer necessary to hold vast amounts of stock as there are plenty of other business on the digital tide producing items to very rapid timescales but as customer expectations increase and, especially if you are competing on delivery times, a certain amount of stock is a must. Internet customers want their goods now, not in 2 weeks’ time. Add to that the cost savings from buying in bulk from wholesalers and it is obvious that some stock does need to be held ready for dispatch.
A simple and inexpensive solution to a start-up’s storage requirements is literally staring us in the face. Every big town and city seems to have at least one large self-storage facility where units of varying sizes can be rented on a short-term basis. These offer a quick and easy option to a start-ups storage problems, units are usually available immediately, they are secure, have no long tie-in contracts and are relatively inexpensive. The self-storage industry is often viewed as a place to store excess personal belongings or furniture and household effects if moving temporarily abroad but it is just as suitable for the storage of a small business’ stock.
Don’t Limit Your Growth
So if you have been working from home for a while and your business is successful and growing don’t limit its growth by thinking the next step is to rent warehousing space and feel that is too big a leap to take; there is another option.
Starting a business from home gives the freedom and autonomy to develop a business in whatever way you choose; to fit in family commitments and lifestyle choices to gain a better work/life balance so don’t be pushed into growing too big, too soon. Use facilities readily and cheaply available to grow the business how you want to, without the pressures that probably drove you out of the corporate world in the first place. Cheap business self-storage is available somewhere near your home to enable your business to expand.