Home work help

Tips for setting up a home office with winning results

The small office/home office has become an integral part of the American business landscape, with more than half of all small business owners working in the same spaces where they and their family live. Whether you're running your enterprise completely out of your home, or using a home office as an extension of your commercial headquarters, it’s important that you have all the components in place to ensure that your at-home business headquarters operates efficiently, safely and legally. Here are some tips and resources that can help you go S.O.H.O. with winning results.

Make sure you're in the zone
Before you hang that shingle on the front door, find out first if your community’s zoning laws allow you to operate a business out of your home. Failure to do this could spell legal problems for you down the road, even foreclosure of your business. To learn more about the issues surrounding zoning ordinances, visit the Home Based Business Council. For a quick primer on the topic, read this article on how to research, comply with and change your local home-based business zoning laws.

Build a network
If more than one person works out of your home office, then it makes sense to set up a network that will link up all of your computers. This also allows you to access your Covad Internet service through only one connection. If you're a one-person office, having a wireless network gives you the option of working from any computer in the home. To learn more about home networking, visit the Covad/Linksys wireless networking site. Keep in mind that, if you purchase your wireless products through this site between now and June 30, 2004, we'll cover your shipping costs!

Furnish for success
In an ideal home office, furniture is selected and arranged to encourage efficient workflows, present a professional image to client and colleagues, and fit comfortably within the allocated space and budget. For help in creating your ideal home office space, drop into Ikea and select Workplace Furniture and Accessories from the pull-down menu. In addition to online shopping, the Ikea site features office planners, lighting tips and work space storage ideas. For more home office furniture ideas, check out OfficeFurniture.com and Home Office Direct.

You may also want to look into buying or leasing used office furniture and equipment. The directory at Recycle.net provides a comprehensive listing of vendors that offer previously owned furniture and equipment, including computers, printers and photocopiers.

Don’t forget your health and safety
Protect yourself and your team from work-related injuries by ensuring that your home office is ergonomically sound. For a wealth of resources, including ergonomic products and consultants, click on Ergoweb and Ergosolutions Magazine. It’s also a good idea to get in touch with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration division for small business and set up an on-site safety assessment of your office. Another valuable safety resource is the Institute of Business and Home Safety, where you can download brochures on such topics as protecting your business and disaster planning.

Don’t go S.O.H.O. without insurance
Still wondering if you should take out in-home business insurance, professional liability insurance, or both? Although your homeowner’s policy may provide some coverage for business equipment, chances are the coverage won’t be enough to protect your business assets in case of a fire, flood or some other disaster. And it certainly will not cover you for the loss of important documents, accounts receivable, off-site business property and loss of income resulting from an interruption in business. To learn more about the different types of insurance for home-based businesses, visit the Insurance Information Institute. While you're on-site, be sure to download the business insurance checklist.

Join the club
Tap into the knowledge and networks of like-minded entrepreneurs by joining S.O.H.O.-focused organizations such as the Home Based Business Council or SOHO America. For a big-picture perspective on the trends and issues facing small businesses today, visit the United States Small Business Administration, a federal agency with a mandate to help and protect the interests of small business.

The decision to go S.O.H.O. brings with it many practical advantages and a few business and logistical challenges. But with the right tools - including your Covad DSL - knowledge and resources, and a plan that puts all these elements to good use, your S.O.H.O. could be just the right home for your growing business.

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