Guest Post from Tina Martin
You have decided to take the plunge into business ownership, and you are going to work right out of your home in Carlsbad. You have made an important first step. But now you need to establish your business and your home office. Read on for a few ideas about how to do so, presented by Ohana.
Get Your Business Up and Running
First, start your business by creating a business plan. This document will describe your business and its purpose, as well as information about products or services, structure, roles and tasks, marketing, and budget. With regard to structure, consider forming your business as a limited liability company (LLC) to take advantage of tax benefits, greater flexibility, less paperwork, and limited personal liability for you. Do your research, though, as states have different rules about LLCs. Find out the rules for California. Then, you can file your LLC on your own or use a formation service to avoid expensive legal fees.
Also, you need to market your new business to attract customers. Start with an eye-catching logo that sets your business apart and builds customer awareness. You can create one online with a convenient tool that lets you make custom logos for free. Choose your favorite style and icon, and then customize them with text, fonts, and colors. Use your logo on all your marketing materials.
Option 1: A New Home
Now it is time to turn your attention to your home office. You have three options here, depending on your situation. First, if your current home is too small to support a business, consider purchasing a new home in the Carlsbad area. Set a reasonable budget, and list the characteristics you need in your new space. Include plenty of room and privacy for your home office. You may want to hire a real estate agent to guide your search and the purchasing process.
Option 2: Renovations
If you do not want to leave your current home, your second option is to do some renovations to create the home office you need. You might refinish part of your basement, for example. Depending on the condition of your basement, you may have to install Sheet rock and flooring, put up walls, add an egress window, and run electricity. This is a big project, and unless you have some major construction skills, you should hire a professional. However, it can produce the ideal home office.
If you have space in your backyard, you could add a stylish container office from Ohana. This could be a much better option if you don’t have space inside your house for a workspace. Many of these containers offer 100 to 500 square feet worth of space for your new office.
Option 3: A Redesign
Finally, you might already have a home office or a spare bedroom or finished space that could become one. In this case, you only need a redesign to make your office functional and comfortable.Bring in quality office furniture such as a desk and an office chair. Add shelving and file cabinets for storage and enough lighting to help you avoid eye strain. Use paint, pictures, and knickknacks to personalize the space — you can evenincorporate pendant lights to introduce some stylish dramatic lighting to the space. Then, you will be ready to get to work.
Your New Business and Home Office
If you set up your new business and home office correctly right from the start, you will have a smoother experience in your first days and weeks. So follow some of these tip sand get started. Check out the Ohana website for a convenient backyard office option, too.
Check out more of Tina’s articles at ideaspired.com