If you're not quite ready to upend that homebased lifestyle
you've come to know and love--yet you still need to do some
expanding--there's a variety of options to consider. Ken
Greenberg, for one, didn't allow his need to hire employees to
force him into a traditional office. Having started his PR
business, Edge Communications Inc. (www.edgepress.com), in 1998 out
of his 28,000-square-foot home in Calabasas, California, he
eventually had three employees working out of his home office (as
well as two virtual employees). Working in increasingly cramped
bedroom offices, he decided to relocate his family and his business
to a home in Bell Canyon, California, that had a separate
900-square-foot recreation room above the garage, which Greenberg
quickly transformed into an office. He now has four employees
working out of this room, which features its own bathroom, shower
and kitchenette.
It was a good move for Greenberg, who can't imagine moving
back into a traditional office. "It still doesn't interest
me--in fact I've heard of two or three larger firms that have
actually shut their doors because business dried up but they had
massive lease obligations in high-rise office buildings," says
Greenberg, who expects to hit the million-dollar mark in sales this
year. "Our idea was to keep overhead as low as possible, and
that enables us to pay good independent contractors and freelancers
on the outside, get employees, and offer good value to
clients."
On the other hand, sometimes it's just not feasible to stay
in a home, no matter how big. 1n 1996, Mark South started Busy
Beaver Express Inc. out of his home in Brandon, Florida, near
Tampa. A year later, his wife, Ricki, joined him as vice president
of the company, which provides same-day, B2B delivery service in
Southeast Florida. Although physical contact with their drivers is
limited--they're dispatched from their own homes via a two-way
radio and DSL text messaging--Ricki expects that the time will soon
come when they will be forced to make the move into an office
space.
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Mark and Ricki currently have eight drivers who work as
independent contractors for the company, and even though traffic to
and from their home office is minimal, the Souths feel that any
increase in the amount of drivers will cause problems with zoning
regulators because of the added traffic, especially since they plan
to double the number of drivers within the next few years. Plus,
any increase in the volume of calls coming in will most likely mean
hiring their first employee--and, since they're unwilling to
have that person work from their home, a move to a commercial
office could be inevitable.
Another incentive for moving Busy Beaver: image. If the Souths
pursue more accounts with larger companies and continue to expand
their business, setting up a more professional dispatch center may
be necessary. "Once you get to a certain size, you look at
either buying some smaller couriers out so you can grow your route
business or having someone buy you," says Ricki. "We
really need to double our size to about 16 drivers. Then we'll
be very marketable in the industry, or we will get bigger and buy
someone else out."
When the time comes that you think you've outgrown your home
office, the most important step is to analyze the costs associated
with making your move before signing a lease. Consider lower-cost
options such as leasing shared space or executive suites, which
typically provide receptionist services as well as use of
conference rooms and office equipment. A commercial real estate
agent may be able to help you find the space that's right for
you. "Really pencil out in detail the additional costs,"
stresses Deeds.
And in the end, go with your gut. No one says you have to do
anything you don't want to do.
Originally published in the June 2002 issue of HomeOfficeMag.com
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