It’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed when choosing your perfect office space for starting your own business. There are many things to consider but the central theme of your decision should be based on how to effectively run your business from that location. Your team, resources, and other materials needed will come if you have given the fundamentals some thought.
This will make your decision a lot easier and you’ll feel more confident that you’re doing what’s best for your business. Here are some tips in choosing the right space for your business, to help you narrow down your search:

1.   Location

The old real estate adage applies here, you don’t want your office location to become a source of problems with your clients and employees.

Zoning

There is some legal aspect here that needs to get cleared out of the way. When choosing your workspace, make sure you check the zoning laws of the city. There may be some restrictions about your business operating in a certain zone in the city.

Attract Clients

Make sure your location attracts clients with the surroundings and its accessibility. The main question here is: how would you want your customers to feel when having to go to your office? Terrible parking options, no immediate transit, dark alleys, etc. would make your office abysmal in your client’s eyes.

2.   Price Tag

This is a crucial factor when deciding if the office space is right for you. Any business owner knows how important it is to consider the costs of the office space and what you can afford. There are providers that offer flexible workspaces in London, and in many other business capitals of the world, which makes it a sound option for businesses who don’t want to get tied down to long-term leases. This reduces cost and gives you flexibility when you decide to move to a different location.

3.   Infrastructure

You will also have to determine if the place is a perfect fit for your needs. We are talking about the infrastructure requirements you have for your business. It’s entirely useless to have an office space if you can’t even conduct your business from it. Amenities may include:

• Private Offices – this refers to when you need a private office for certain discussions of your business
• Connectivity – this refers to fast internet speed, telephone lines, etc.
• Reception Area – you will need an area to accept visitors and clients visiting your office.
• Conference Rooms
• Loading Dock
• Pantry and other Facilities

4.   Safety

Make sure you take a look around and see how safe your “possibly” new neighborhood is. Include safety and security for your assets when deciding to have an office space. You can talk to authorities and other businesses to know about the crime data in the area especially those that can affect your employees, customers, and your business itself. You can also ask the renter about their security arrangements for you and your operation.

5.   Competition

You might also want to check the area if the market is already saturated with competition. If you’re a new law firm, you might find it difficult to attract clients in an area filled with law firms. If you think your business will struggle with the environment due to competition, you might want to look for other options.

6.   Accessibility

Check the area if it’s easy for your employees to find public transportation to and fro the location. You might also want to scout the neighboring businesses if there is a nearby cafe or restaurant, for when you want to conduct a lunch meeting with a client.
Of course, there will be other considerations that are unique to your company when choosing an office space. But checking the list above will help secure your business’ growth and success with the environment and culture you’ve nurtured for your staff.