When to move out of your home office

Filed in archive business tips on March 28, 2010

© paul (dex) busy @ work


At a certain point, your business might expand outside of your home. How do you know when it's time to move out of your living room and into a "real" office? Some people argue your company can always be virtual, but there are some upsides to a physical office space. Here's when you might need to get a brick and mortar store front:

1. Your inventory doesn't fit in your garage anymore. If you work from home and sell some kind of physical product, you might outgrow your home space. Or you spouse might just be sick of your packing all over the dining room table.

2. You are entertaining larger clients. Sometimes it just doesn't feel right to bring a client into your home. Many people handle this by meeting in a neutral location, like a coffee shop. But if you've grown to the point where you need to take it up a notch, or maybe fit more people into a conference room.

3. You're taking your company public. Perhaps you've managed to stay virtual to the point where your company is making enough money to get publicly traded. Once you hit this point, its mostly expected to have a public office.

4. It makes you feel better. If you can afford getting an office space or store front and it makes you feel like your business is more legitimate, do it. Just because you started at home, doesn't mean you have to stay there. Remember, it's your business! Do with it whatever makes you happy.

The joy of owning your own business is that you can choose to take it any direction that you want.

When do you think its a good idea to move out of your home business?