The landscape has changed a lot for today’s entrepreneurs. Now that working from home has become more common, we see that we can be not just as productive, but even more so from our home offices.
This has opened up more than just people working their standard jobs from home, people are taking that leap of faith, and they’re starting their own home-based businesses.
If you’re one of those innovators beginning your own business and using your home as a base of operations, then there are a few things you should know going in.
Structuring your business is an important first step. Choosing an LLC will protect your personal assets, separating your business finances from your personal ones, giving you peace of mind that you’re protected financially should anything happen to your business finances. An LLC also reduces your tax burden. Look into the pros and cons of the different ways to structure your business and choose what will work best for you.
Keeping your home office safe for clients is an important consideration as you begin remodeling and redesigning your home to accommodate your office space. A UV built into your HVAC purifies the air, killing mold, mildew, allergens, and other germs. In addition to the health benefits involved, it prolongs the life of your HVAC. Keeping windows open, and allowing for fresh air to circulate is vital for keeping airborne illnesses from making you, your family, and your clients ill. Keep disposable masks available for clients who prefer to be masked and who expect you to be as well.
You can also reduce risk by taking advantage of technology to hold meetings virtually. You can reduce the number of visits to vendors too by utilizing online tools and apps for making your own invoices or business cards with templates that are easy, and many times free to use.
Remodeling or redesigning your house to accommodate your home business can involve some expense, but purchasing quality products like upgraded flooring, walls, windows, or improvements to the exterior to make it look more professional can improve the appraised value of your home. And remember, when it comes time to sell, it’s a real possibility that future buyers are looking for homes that have office space all ready to go. Be sure and keep track of all your expenses for those improvements to quantify your home’s increased value.
Keep your office space free from clutter, as that implies a disorganized business. Keep only the things you need immediate access to on your desk and use creative ways to disguise other supplies, keeping them out of sight. If you’re doing mostly virtual meetings, you’ll still want to create a sense of professionalism in your surroundings and even have strategically placed items in view.
When your clients visit your home office, you want to promote a sense of separateness from your family environment. If a separate entrance doesn’t exist, and you’re not able to create one, at least have the areas they’ll enter through be free of toys, animals, and other family members to remind them that they are not house guests, but clients of your business.
Keep seating for your client at least as high of quality and attractiveness as you would expect visiting any professional office. How you treat your client’s comfort says a lot about how you’ll treat their business. Use shelving to tastefully display a sample of your products with lighting that showcases them. The rest of the lighting in your office should be as much from natural sources, like windows or skylights, as possible. Look into “smart lighting” systems that you can control electronically to maximize their effectiveness for various parts of your office.
Taking the time to create your home office right from the start means you avoid the cost of do-overs or even worse, making a bad first impression on your clients. Your home office investment is as important as any other business expense, so make sure you plan it with the same thought and considerations.
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