Home or office, virtual or co-working?

The opportunity to work from home, especially in this area, offers numerous advantages over an office and many people choose to do so out of choice or necessity.  But there are downsides and if you have aspirations to grow your businesses – or even sustain it at a level that maintains your lifestyle, then it might need an extra boost.

Perception is everything in business and if you are trying to portray your company as having some depth and resource (to deliver your service) then using your home as your business address immediately signals to the potential client or customer that you are probably a micro SME or a one-man-band.  There is also the issue of security, especially if you are selling expensive stock; publishing your address indicates exactly where your stock is likely to be located.

Another feature of working from home is the distraction.  This can take many forms, from children, walking the dog, doing chores, staring wistfully out of the window at the sea, moor, sky, horizon - or generally finding any excuse not to work. This is one of the most common reasons people give when they join a co-working community. Co-working is a working environment that has gained increasing popularity especially (but not exclusively) amongst the tech entrepreneurs and is almost the standard format for modern office layouts.  In simple terms it is bringing together people with a cross range of skills, experiences and talents and allowing them to flourish by locating them in the same space.

Plymouth Science Park has two co-working spaces hosting twenty separate businesses and is in the process of developing more to meet the demand. The low cost and one month rolling contracts make this an attractive and low risk option, especially the 6-week trial for £75 (+VAT). The park even has views of the sea…on a clear day.