11–20 of 34 posts
Solve your problems first, and the rest will follow. 37Signals has been preaching it, and so will I because it works
You are on automatic pilot.
"I am in the process of looking for an office space to move my business so that I can hire some employees."
It is 2008. Hire your employees. Where they work is not your problem any more.
i think, you can make creative use out of boring office spaces with "creative interior decor." Maybe concentrate more on "interior designer" on a "boring office space" for a change. When in startups better to be frugal and creative.
You mentioned you needed to bring clients and investors to the office. As someone said, investors often like to see the bootstrapper be creative so you'll get bonus points. Some clients will be put off; others will think it's great - only you know. Sorry if this takes you off the track of your question.
To answer your question: you know what the best thing to do is. Asking for advice here is futile since, as you can see, you get so many different types of answers. Trust your instincts; no one knows the business better than you.
Your employees are costing you $50+ per hour (with burden and benefits) - if you have a more expensive space that'll result in 15 more minutes of productive work per employee per day (due to privacy, quiet, whatever)... Well, it's easy to do the math.
Creative spaces are good. Everyone loves a clubhouse, and that'll help with loyalty retention. But you can do a lot by getting a crappy space and then giving each employee $1000 to decorate their space how they will (including paint!).
"cheap or creative?" Both. Take the cheaper space and make it creative cheaply. There's lots of ways to do this (beyond my expertise). Home Depot and Ikea are your friends.
Every space (office or home) has an impact on those who occupy it. The top things to consider when choosing a space for a small starting company: collaboration, privacy, lighting, noise. collaboration - depending on your type of business, choose a space that either promotes or discourages collaboration. privacy - choose a space that lets your employees have a sense of privacy. Its not fun having the boss being able t…
and also which one fosters more creativity.