AdvantEdge Workspaces Blog

1. Drink lots of water.

AdvantEdge Workspaces has been providing professional facilities with attentive and efficient service to the DC business community for over 30 years, so we appreciate the importance of consistency. The basis of a strong relationship with any client is trust, and that trust can only be established by following through time and time again with the promise of great service.

While hotels and convention centers have long been used by businesses for large seminars and meetings, business centers are rapidly becoming the first choice of venue for a wide variety of professional events. Why? Cost, support staff, and customizable packages are the most often cited reasons for heading to a business center; particularly among small businesses.

We’re flexible, so you don’t have to be. That’s one of the reasons our clients are so fond of the services we provide and choose to keep their companies based with us even as they grow. We are committed to covering all of the basics of your business, from phones to internet to conference rooms to coffee, so you can focus on the big picture. At AdvantEdge, we understand that over time, your company will change and so will your needs, but we promise to transition with you in order to provide the ideal environment in which you can be successful.

Sitting in the same office space all day, ever day, can make it abundantly clear why finding an environment that strikes a balance between productivity and comfort is crucial to the health of your employees and your business. As employees feel more obligated to be “plugged in” and “contactable” outside of the normal 9-5 routine, it is also critical for a business to find meaningful ways to promote the physical and mental health of its employees outside of the office as well. Shared office spaces and the ever-growing number of amenities they can provide are one solution that can keep your company happy and healthy without sacrificing efficiency.

For early-stage companies reliant on outside funding, the massive up-front costs of acquiring your own office space can prove a seemingly unsustainable burden. When trying to exercise as much financial prudence as possible, the last thing you want to do is take on a long-term liability, but with a traditional lease, you’re left with little choice. Your company has to work somewhere, but how can you manage cash flows appropriately while still getting the environment you need? Shared office space can prove the perfect solution for startups, keeping costs low over time, and even lower up front.

While we have seemingly endless apps and websites available to use as a resource for just about anything, with so many resources at our disposal, a task like finding office space can quickly become quite daunting. Because physical office space is such a large expense, educating yourself as much as possible and starting early are vitally important. Not only do you need to determine the needs of your business at present, but you also have to consider its future. AdvantEdge can help assist along the way and ensure you make the best decision for both your company and your employees.

When it comes to determining the office space needs of your business, it’s most important to stay realistic. Try not to over- or underestimate - your business’s future capacity by allowing yourself enough time to evaluate the needs of your employees, your future business plans, and by doing your research thoroughly. Once you’ve nailed down the roadmap of your business plan, a good place to turn to amidst your search are the tried and true resource of real estate brokers. While you can search for space on any site or app, brokers understand the current conditions of the real estate market for your city and can help you make better informed choices about a building or market than you would be able to on your own. This is particularly helpful if you’re trying to set up an office in an area that you may be unfamiliar with. Online reviews and social media, when mixed in with expert opinions from your broker, are also good resources for getting the feel of a space. These tools can provide insight into the quality of the customer service you would receive, building amenities, and current tenant satisfaction.

One of the primary objectives of any small business is to grow and expand in a way that supports both your employees and clients alike. How can you make sure your business has the correct resources to accommodate such growth? Expansion means more employees. More employees means more space, more offices, desks, chairs, the list goes on. Shared executive office spaces grant you and your business the freedom to expand at your own rate without the pressures of committing to a long-term lease. Here at AdvantEdge, our team works closely with you day in and day out to make sure your business’s needs are met to the highest standards.

One of the fundamental concerns in opening a new office will be deciding what physical location is best for your company. How will you find a space that is within your price range yet still meets all of your needs? Will this be a space that your company can grow into over time or will you be forced to relocate within a year or two? Choosing to office your business with a shared workspace can be a valuable step towards jump starting your entrepreneurial endeavor.