Can You Afford Not to Have a Virtual Office?
Yeah you, one of the two hundred thousand home based businesses in the Puget Sound area. I know, you’re a serious entrepreneur. You’re going to be a big success someday. You’re going to go viral, be discovered and the world will beat a path to your door. After the IPO you’ll be worth a bazillion and start chillin with Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.
In the mean time you’re working out of that spare bedroom with the desk made from cinder blocks and plywood you call a home office. The room is decorated with 15,000 happy meals toys and all the stuff from days gone by that you just haven’t been able to part with yet. It is here that you find the solitude to focus on growing your business. The neighbor mowing the lawn, your dog wanting to go out, your spouse needing help doing something or other, the kids running amok, the phone ringing constantly with people looking for anyone but you and the hundreds of other everyday distractions have no effect. You are a motivated and driven entrepreneur and nothing is going to stop you. Who are you kidding?
You’re a startup or early stage business. You are the most important asset the company has, maybe the only asset the company has. That asset has to be productive. You have to actually be able to think, restraining yourself from not going postal is not good enough.
You also need to present an image to the rest of the world that says you’re for real, you’re a winner and you’re someone they should do business with. What does having your six-year old answering the phone say? Missing the important package because no one was home? And that business address of 1617 Primrose Lane? I suppose you’ll just remove any doubt by meeting-up with the VCs at Starbucks.
Let’s get real. There’s a lot riding on the next few years. Success versus failure. Wealth versus financial ruin. Your marriage, sanity and ego are all in play. Do it right!
Maybe a fulltime office is out of the question, but a virtual office is an affordable way to make you productive and give your business a professional presence. With a virtual office, you’ll have a real business address, a receptionist to accept your packages, greet your guests and answer your phone. You’ll have an office to call home when you need to focus or meet clients. You’ll have conference and meeting rooms available for bigger events. Administrative and secretarial support is also available when you need it.
Your image will be reinforced when each time a client, supplier and investor calls they hear a professional, friendly and familiar voice answer the phone in your company’s name. Not like a call center where your phone is answered by a different disinterested third party every call, but someone that knows you, knows your business and probably the caller. In short, your window to the rest of the world is being covered by someone that cares. A person that cares about you, your business and your success.
Successful entrepreneurs are gifted at surrounding themselves with people vital to the success of their business. Meadow Creek can be vital to your success and through our educational, social and networking events you’ll have many opportunities to meet other people that may be vital to your success.
Richard Gabel
Comments