Have You Considered All Your Needs?
As if the role of being a business owner wasn’t daunting enough, choosing an office space may be one of the hardest parts of the job. While the monthly cost is probably your biggest concern, don’t neglect to cover all your bases while looking.
There are other needs you should consider before signing on the dotted line, including how your decision will affect other stakeholders, including employees, suppliers and customers or clients.
Besides cost, here are some other needs you don’t want to overlook:
- What image do you want to portray? Is your business casual or formal? The space you choose should reflect the feeling you want people to get when they walk in.
- In what part of town do you want to be? Do you want an urban or suburban office space? Is it important for you to be close to public transportation, have easy access to highways or be close to the airport? Is the area safe? This is important to consider, especially if you work non-traditional hours or have employees.
- How far is it from your customers or clients? If you have meetings with your clients on a regular basis, you’ll want to make it as easy as possible for both parties (yourself and your clients) to get together.
- What are the local zoning regulations? Learning what the zoning regulations are in advance could save you a lot of trouble down the line. Pay attention to who your neighbors would be. Are there direct competitors near the office? Are there any inappropriate connections with neighboring businesses (for example, are you opening a day care next to a lingerie store)?
- How much are taxes? Find out the income and sales tax rates for your state, as well as the cost of the property taxes.
- Is there a quality local talent pool? If you’ll be hiring in the future, you’ll want to make sure you’ll be in a location that would attract quality employees with the skills you need.
- What’s the parking situation? You’ll want convenient parking for yourself and all of your stakeholders. Consider whether it would be free or paid parking and how that would affect employees’ budgets.
- Is the space wired for modern conveniences (wireless internet, air conditioning, phone)? It’s becoming more popular for business owners to choose historical buildings for their unique look, but be careful to ask whether it’s wired for all of your communication and modern-convenience needs. If not, factor that into your decision.
Have you considered a shared office space?
Leasing an Amata shared office space is a great option for those people who run small businesses, don’t need traditional office spaces full-time or maybe just want to spring free of their home offices. When leasing a shared office space, you’re paying to use a shared space with other professionals.
There are several benefits to utilizing Amata’s shared office spaces, including:
- Access to multiple downtown office locations and their amenities, including conference rooms, copiers, workspaces and mailing supplies
- Convenient access to public transportation and highways
- Networking potential with other businesses sharing the space
- All-inclusive leasing fees, so you don’t have to budget around fluctuating utility costs
- A business mailing address separate from your home address
- A receptionist to receive packages when you’re not in the office
- No responsibility for property taxes!
Contact Amata Realty Group!
If you’re searching for a new space or are interested in one of our shared office space packages, contact Amata Realty Group. We work with tenants to help them find spaces with services that meet their needs. Reach out to us today!
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