Bedroom to Boardroom: How to Make the Move From A Home Business

There are many good reasons for starting up a business in the comfort of your home. First of all, there are few overheads, and you can invest the vast majority of profits into better areas of your business. It’s handy, too, as you can cut back on a lot of travel time, and work for as long as you like without interruption.

However, at some point, your business will grow. And, when it does, the time will be ripe for moving out of your home based business and finding an office somewhere. You will need more space for staff, equipment, and stock. And, you will also want to have a much more professional image.

It’s an enormous change – and in this guide, we’re going to give you the tools to make it happen. Read on to find out more in our guide to handling business change.

Find the right location

Your first step is to find the right location. It’s important to consider several options here and ask yourself the right questions. First of all, do you need to be in a busy, central location? If you are relying on passing trade or make more money from being central, it makes sense. If not, however, it might be more affordable to move outside of the hotspots. As long as you have good transport links, you can get a lot more for your money.

Consider size

Size is vital to your decision – and you have to get it right. Plump for something too big, and it’s going to eat into your profits needlessly. That said, you can’t expect to rent an office that is just the right size, as it will restrict your options for hiring more staff. A good way of dealing with these issues is to go for somewhere you can grow into. You can even rent out desk space to freelancers until you have the employees to fill them. This way, not only will you have a more professional office, but a second income stream, too.

Look at security

Make sure that your new office is secure and safe. Find out about crime rates in the surrounding area, and quiz landlords about any recent issues. The last thing you will need is to have all your new stuff stolen before you’ve had the chance to bed into your new home. A good alarm system is vital. According to www.adt.co.uk, it’s vital. They say more than half of all small businesses have been victims of crime.

Make a plan

Make sure you plan well in advance of your big move. The idea is to do it on a quiet business day, without any commercial interruptions. Assuming you have staff coming into the office as well, you will need to run a highly coordinated operation. The better plan you have, the quicker, you will be able to move. And, the quicker you can get back to work.

Understand your new responsibilities

When you run a business from home, it’s likely that you don’t pay much attention to health and safety issues. Once you move to an office, however, that’s all going to change. According to www.elliswhittam.com, you have to have a health and safety policy in place if you hire five or more people. Things are going to change, and you have to be proactive about those responsibilities. Get help from a third party HR specialist to help. It is far cheaper than employing a human resources department yourself, and it will ensure you are taking the right steps.

Change your address – on everything

Don’t forget; there is an enormous amount of documents and marketing materials that you will need to change. Make sure your new address is on business cards, brochures, and headed paper. Update your website, too. You will also have to notify the authorities if you plan on changing your business’s registered address. HMRC will need to know – as will any of your insurers or service providers. This particular stage is missed by a lot of business owners in all the excitement of moving to an office. However, it can cause you myriad problems, so make sure you update your details for everyone’s benefit.

OK, so that’s all we have time for today. We hope this guide has highlighted some of the important aspects of moving to a new office. As you can see, there is plenty to think about. Let us know about your experiences in the comments section below. And we wish you all the best for your big move!