Office in a Box

Still not much feedback on the Book Club deal. I'm working on something though. You'll have to wait and see.

Yesterday I went down to Gottingen St. to do my Retail Management assignment. It started to pour, which is too bad because I wanted to take pictures of the amazing architectual work around that area. It's beautiful. I will return and post pictures at another time. But anyway, I found shelter in a nearby Staples. While looking around and acting as though I was interested in buying a new computer, I came across a pile of Canada's SOHO Business Magazine (which is published by Staples and is free). I picked up the two latest editions.

Inside, in their "Cool Stuff" section, I came across their featured item - Office in a Box - which is manufactured by CederShed.ca.


How cool is this?!

I believe that structures under 100 sq/ft are usually hassle free when it comes to obtaining a permit. The idea is great, but the price tag - not so much. At $12,999 I could get soemone to build me something very similar for half that price, or less. Still - this would be a great alternative to working inside the home, especially if clients frequent your office a lot.

There are many things to consider before buying or building an outdoor office:

1. Do you have employees? If you have a few employees, this space could get very cramped.
2. Hooking up the heating, lighting, etc. Oh - it could also get annoying telling your clients to "go inside the house and use the washroom"....
3. Are you planning on growing your business in the near future? If so, this is not the best option for you, as you might be relocating and expanding.
4. The cost - is it worth it? You don't have an accessible washroom, you'd probably have to invest in a security system as well. Maybe paying the $1,200 or so a month for a small office downtown with facilities in place is worth it.
5. It ties the business to your home, even more so than if you were just working inside the house. Purchsing this outdoor office may hinder you from moving and growing your operation due to its significant investment.

Something to think about anyway. It would be perfect if you just need extra space and privacy. At this stage in the game, for me at least, I am not sure where I am going to be living in a year from now, so ensuring my business is portable, with the least amount of responsibility and material ties to a specific area is best for me. A rented office inside a corporate building with accessible facilities is ideal in my situation.

It looks beautiful though. I think I just like the idea of the structure itself - maybe their Sun House is more up my ally. Growing my own herbs and vegetables for most of the year... Oh yeah :)

--------------------------------------------------------------"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change"Charles Darwin