Home is where the business is
For productivity, convenience, and downright comfort, nothing beats a home based business. Here, most every day is "casual day," and the only obstacle on your commute is dodging the cat or dog on your way upstairs.
Home based businesses have also been a boon to women entrepreneurs, particularly those with young children. You can tend to the kids while you tend to business, run errands without competing with the "going home" crowd, and easily capitalize on late night brainstorms.
But home offices have their drawbacks as well. You need a measure of self discipline to stay focused on your work, deal with distractions, and resist the temptation to put business aside in order to take care of chores or SCORE logo for BusinessSo before you trade your power suit and heels for sweats and flip flops, put some planning into your home office strategy.
Site selection. Choose a space that is well lit and ventilated, and has sufficient size for your work activities, files, storage, etc. Multiple electrical outlets are a must to support computers, telephones, desk lamps, and other equipment. And while many people rely exclusively on cellphones or Internet based long distance today, consider installing a landline for your office. You don't cheap fitflop want spotty voice quality or service disruptions to interfere with your customer conversations.
Set some boundaries. Though nobody likes cubicles, they still afford office workers a measure of privacy. You need to do the same thing with your home office. Take steps to keep pets and children from continually wandering in and out during the day. Younger kids are unlikely to play quietly while you work, so consider full or half day daycare, or at least when a major deadline looms.
Know the rules, part 1. If you plan on utilizing the home office deduction on your taxes, remember that the space must be used exclusively for flipflop australia business. It cannot double as a den or spare bedroom unless you claim only a percentage fitflop of the room for the deduction.
Know the rules, part 2. Many localities have restrictions on the types of home based businesses. They include having visits from clients or employees, and manufacturing and shipping/receiving activities. If the rules are too cumbersome, you may need to find space elsewhere for at least some of your work. Even if your activities are permissible, make sure they don't create neighborhood traffic or parking issues.
SCORE is a nonprofit organization of volunteer business counselors covering York and Adams counties. They provide free confidential business consultation and mentoring and low cost workshops for start up and existing small businesses. Confidential business counseling is conducted at the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce, 146 Carlisle St., Hanover, also at 2101 Pennsylvania Ave., York and Grantley Hall, York College.