Almost all big businesses come from humble origins. Steve Jobs started Apple out of his garage; Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in his dorm room; Nick Woodman built the first GoPro in his mom’s basement. The list goes on.
However, as these startups evolved to legitimate businesses, they moved out of the basement and into the office. If you’re running a small business and want to scale up and take things to the next level, you need to get yourself a professional office.
Having your own office shows your clients, employees, and, potential investors that you’re fully committed to running your business.
1. Get a professional working space
You don’t need a massive corporate headquarters to get started but you do need to start somewhere. A professional working space sends the message that you mean business.
While opening your own office requires a lot of capital, it also attracts more potential business and investors (if you’re looking for funding). Owning a workspace and having a home base is a big–although sometimes scary–step every business needs to take in order to grow. Think of it as a long term investment.
If you aren’t ready to open your own office, you might want to try an office for rent. As always, it’s always good to get your feet wet before going all in.
2. Hire great people
Putting the right people together is key to any company’s success. If you want to move forward and grow your business, you need people who share your vision and have the capability to see it through. More importantly, you should assemble a team that gets along and stays on the same page.
Studies show that teams with good communication delivered 44% more profit and 50% more output than those with poor communication.
3. Develop a solid workspace culture
A company’s identity stems from its culture. Developing a workplace that is positive and engaging sets you up for long-term success.
According to reports, companies that cultivate work friendships and good working relationships have 50% higher employee satisfaction. Moreover, making your company a happy place to work results in a work environment with less stress, health problems, and mental disorders.
If you want your employees to stay healthy and productive, you should develop a workspace culture that promotes their happiness and well-being.
4. Innovate, innovate, innovate
It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish. Companies, no matter how great, need to evolve constantly in order to survive. In today’s competitive economy, innovation is the best way to stay ahead of–or catch up with–your toughest competitors.
Foster a work environment that values learning and progress. The more quickly your company adapts to the changing times, the more likely it will succeed.
These steps will help your company get to the next level, and take your startup from a mom-and-pop operation to a legitimate business. Looking for a place to set up shop?
Check out an office space at Common Desk. At Common Desk, teams and professionals can work and collaborate in well-designed workspaces, perfect for growing businesses.