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Hello!

I realise that we have been a bit absent of late but lots of exciting new projects underway so watch this space.

In the meantime I wanted to share some feedback on moo.com 
Having used a number of business card designers and printers over the last 10 years I must say I found moo.com very easy to use, economical, good quality and still versatile enough to keep on brand.

If you're looking to get business cards, postcards or promotional stickers printed then they are definitely worth a visit.

And if you click on this link you will get 10% off your first order http://www.moo.com/share/2sjjjd

I'll be back soon with more about our exciting projects. 

Preparations to Jump Ship

Well, of course we are not talking about ships but jobs. 

During the recession many people have been working in jobs that they find unfulfilling or dissatisfying as they should feel 'lucky to have a job'.  Having a steady income and keeping safe during the recession were the priorities.  But now the water has calmed this could be the moment to set a new course by launching a business of your own.

There are many people who are fed up with their unsatisfactory jobs but have always harboured the idea that they could become their own bosses.  This need for independence and the opportunity to control your own destiny is the desire of many.

Unfortunately, with banks making loans unattainable it is difficult to propel yourself into a successful new venture that stands on its own two feet.  You need to continue earn money from your paid employment, whilst you moonlight and generally toil to get your new enterprise up and running.  Equally you may need to prove your concept before handing in your notice.
As Paul Brown of Forbes.com says, entrepreneurs are by nature risk adverse.  They accept risk 'as part of the game and then work extremely hard to reduce it to a minimum'.

We created the Virtual Office® in 1992 for the express purpose of helping budding entrepreneurs start up and succeed in their new enterprises.  We always knew that many start ups fail but our experience over the years has been that by investing in a Virtual Office service most of our clients have gone on to be successful

Why is this?  Because these people looked at what they needed to succeed and paid for the service to make this happen.  The Virtual Office enables people to work in full time paid employment and yet effectively run a parallel operation without distraction during working hours.

Just to be clear a Virtual Office service typically includes the use of our address, all post arrives at our office and is handled as directed.  It is possible to use our rooms for meetings at the same address. This is very discrete and any potential customer will always feel assured that you are a real and trustworthy.

But above all it is our telephone service that makes all the difference.  We have a highly trained group who answer a physical London number in your name (the name of your company).  They also know when you are calling in, and look after you!  Prospective clients feel reassured when a business has more than just a mobile telephone number.  A mobile is a direct link between an individual and another.  The key is that enterprises must show solidity and the reality of a proper organisation in order to grow and succeed.  Of course once contact is made everyone uses their mobiles to talk to each other.  However, the initial experience must be a proper receptionist who knows all about your company when she answers the telephone.

We revel in new start ups.  We want to help new companies succeed and our experience is that we do so.  Over the years we have helped thousands of companies succeed and prosper.  It seems that the key to success is your commitment to building a successful business and being determined to put the right infrastructure behind it from the beginning. Of course we delight when these fledgling enterprises take wing and go off to establish themselves in their own offices.

Author: Richard Nissen, Chairman

© The Virtual Office September 2013

My take on an old favourite...

How to Work from Home Successfully

Let me start by saying that working from home is not for everyone. 

I love working from home.  I'm productive, relaxed and really don't miss the commute.  However I speak to people regularly who believe that they would hate it.  They feel that working from home they would lack focus and fear the isolation.  I currently have the best of both worlds.  I work from home and I work from the office.  In fact I believe the majority of people who 's main place of business is home actually spend half their time there.  They spend the other half meeting clients, networking, developing their business; and the increase in drop -in hubs and free networking spaces have made it easier and cheaper to connect and build business relationships.
I will revisit networking and shared spaces in a future blog.  Today I am going to focus on making your working day in the comfort of your home a productive one.

These tips work for me:

Don't feel confined by the 9-5

Everyone has times in the day when they are more motivated.  For me it is the afternoon.  So I plan my day around this.  With all administrative jobs completed, emails sent and washing done in the morning I can concentrate on creative or more involved projects in the afternoon.  I can also decide to leave the project go for a walk or have dinner then come back to it with fresh eyes and new ideas.

You may work best in the morning and be finished on your projects by the afternoon.  Even better as you can then plan your next day, cook dinner or find other ways to fulfil your day. You will be more productive when you are at work if you can also make time for other things.

However...

Set boundaries

If you're not working to a fixed schedule and don't have dinner to cook or kids to collect from school then sometimes there is no natural end to your day.  Too many times you start work early and are still working when you realise it's dark and you've missed your evening.  Then it is often good to set a reminder in your calendar or phone to have a cuppa for a time that you'll definitely want to have finished work by.  If you take that step away from your desk you can then decide whether the project you're working on can wait until the next day.  It normally can.

Break away

It is important to take breaks but it is also important to go outside.  A walk round the park or to the shop not only forces you to get dressed it is also good for your health.  It provides light exercise, improves your vitamin D levels and will help you clear your head making you more productive when you return to your desk.  Constantly putting in long hours without break is draining and damages long term productivity.  More importantly it damages your health.  A change of scenery will do you good and make you happier.

And that's it.  Nothing that will make headlines.  Just a gentle reminder to us all that working hard doesn't mean being chained to your desk.  It means working to your strengths. Keeping yourself happy and healthy will help in every area of life. Simple.

Five questions to ask yourself before you start your small business

Starting a business is a daunting and exciting prospect. Before you jump in here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. What do I enjoy doing?

Consider what you love to do, your passions and skills. It will be your passion that drives you forward through the tough times when you are building your business.

2. Can I improve on current offerings?

Look at the current market and evaluate your future competitors. Develop and define a unique selling point for your business whether it's a personal mission statement, green ethics or innovation.

3. Is there a gap in the market that I can exploit?

Maybe you have tried to find a service or product that just doesn't seem to exist. If you are looking for something it is possible that others are too. Research the idea and potential market thoroughly and gauge how much people would be prepared to pay for it.

4. Does my business have a niche market? And how do I access them?

If you can find a niche market for your business then this can reduce the barriers to entry by reducing competition. However consider how you are going to access the niche market and it's potential for growth.

5. Am I making all possible profit from my business idea without compromising the delivery and my ideals?

Consider other ways to deliver your service or knowledge, online, in print or in person. Also, if your website performs well, can you make extra money from advertising or paid for content. Make sure all actions are consistent with your brand and don't diverge from your ideals.