Comments on: Cheap Office Space

By: FreeMan

FreeMan — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:59:15 +0000

Yeah whatever saves money is worth doing especially since people end up with two leases on a idea they are not sure works at all. People need to realize in the first 6 months a office may not be needed so why spend the money.

By: caligirl

caligirl — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:44:48 +0000

Good post. I was also told by a tax preparer that if you have a 2 bedroom apartment, you could use one as the office and write off part of your rent.

By: FreeMan

FreeMan — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:55:54 +0000

I think Regus has the same setup nationwide so you can use them if you want also. So many people have been taught to get office space that it drains all their money. I say get the office when you actually grow into it and until then save your money.

By: Arthur Pledger

Arthur Pledger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:16:05 +0000

2 Words – Virtual Offices. Office buildings at prestigious locations (Trump Tower, The Crown Buildings in Atlanta, etc) will let you rent virtual office space for $50 a month. The benefit is that you can have Trump Tower as your registered business address (instant legitimacy), have 24 hour telephone service (they either fwd calls to you, record them, or transcribe them and send it to you via email), and access to their conference rooms and resource centers at deep discounts.

By: FreeMan

FreeMan — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:14:45 +0000

You have an even better situation because you can use the facilities of your building. I didn’t think of that angle at all but I wish I would’ve. You end up paying for so much when you open your business that it causes you to stress out because of the lease then actually furnishing it so people think you are legit. It’ll be better to take your meetings over lunch someplace nice or like you said in the meeting rooms of your building if you’re lucky. Overall if it’s unnecessary don’t spend a dime or your time on it.

By: Shayla_B

Shayla_B — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 23:08:13 +0000

I absolutely agree. I’m now putting my business plan together to finally branch out on my own. I definitely plan on using my apartment in the rare instance that I should need a formal meeting space. Originally I moved into the apartment I have to have virtually no commute to my current full-time job. I lucked out with a place with very nice amenities (i.e a business center and resident lounge that I could reserve). Plus the area is growing into a popular metro spot with a lot of businesses HQ’d here. So I’ll be taking advantage of that before anything.

By: FreeMan

FreeMan — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:51:15 +0000

Somehow looking like your in business has replaced actually being in business. I don’t know if Office Depot and Staples made you think you need auto-stamper but realistically you can run most businesses out of a garage and if you don’t have that run it out of your living room. All these worries about meetings that never happen are weird.

In all my years in business I only had 2 clients come to my office. Now we’re talking 10 years and no one comes so I don’t get what the hell everyone is thinking when they need office space. It’s unnecessary.

By: FreeMan

FreeMan — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:31:43 +0000

I agree! Look when I started there were other cats who had nice offices and were paying extra money. I stayed home and used the same Internet that was in my house and added two vonage phone lines and I was up and running. I only paid about 25 dollars more for the phones and that was my only increase.

I always laugh when people say they need a conference room. Most of the time you are going to the customers office so what the hell is your conference room for. And, like you said most businesses started off the same way and they welcome the guy out there doing for self.

Like I said people don’t want to make money they want to look like they make money! That’s the damn problem.

By: ed

ed — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:49:52 +0000

Great information. This is the #1 mistake Black entrepreneurs make and cost them their business. The reason I emphasis Blacks because we tend to focus on books and marketing material that tells us getting an office or a “professional presence” is the best way.

To be honest, no one requires an office unless they are doing open customer facing business such as food service, currency exchange, dry cleaners or retail. I met plenty of very well-known 9-figure people in my industry at a coffee shop, airport lounge or even at a golf club community center.

Great advice letting people know they need to stop looking professional and just focus on doing business. People who are made respect a hustler that is bootstrapping out of a bedroom because 9/10, they had to come up the same way….