There are advantages and disadvantages to being in the city, and you can say the same thing about starting your business in the country.
On the one hand, you might thrive on the energy and momentum of busy city crowds. On the other, you might value the slower pace of bucolic living.
In addition to these personal considerations, there are other things to consider carefully.
Utilities and Infrastructure
If you have a rural location in mind, or even have some land where you are thinking to build, find out what it will take to get everything up to code.
For example, you might have to look into water bore drilling for a well and digging a septic and leech field. Make sure to design for future growth when you are planning.
You may not need more capacity than a single-family home right now, but what happens if you need to bring in more employees or provide facilities for customers in the future?
Consider your needs for buildings as well.
If you are doing business online and shipping to customers, how much inventory storage do you need?
Will that space need to be air-conditioned or heated? What if you expand into other product lines down the road? Is the local electrical grid reliable enough to support your needs?
Make sure to consider what goods and services you might need access to, as well. Do you need a handy copy shop or hardware store, or do you have enough time to order those goods and services online?
Broadband
With broadband becoming more available, all kinds of business opportunities have opened up for rural areas via e-commerce.
But you will need to make sure you have the speed to take advantage.
No matter what kind of business you are starting, you will need to be online. The connection speed you need varies a lot depending on your needs.
A business cleaning homes or a small restaurant might be able to get away with slower speeds, but for an e-commerce or web-design business, you will need high speed and low latency.
The good news is that SpaceX’s Starlink service is currently in beta testing. Reasonably affordable broadband may soon be available to all populated areas of the globe.
Staffing
If your business is just you, working alone, you don’t have to worry about anyone else. But make sure to consider possible future expansion and staff needs when you are deciding where to locate. Remember, many types of staff members may be able to telecommute.
It might be harder to find qualified staff in rural areas for some types of business. And it might be hard to lure city dwellers out to the countryside.
Make sure to consider your location from the point of view of a staff member who needs to commute. Are the roads okay? What amenities are available?
Consider your own needs as a “staff member,” too. What are your quality of life considerations? Is it a hardship to travel long distances to shop? Are you comfortable driving a lot in different weather conditions? Do you want to get away from crowds and bustle and spend more time in nature?
The factors that draw you to either the city or the country are factors that any employee will consider, too.
- DISCLOSURE – This post has been written by an outside source
