The Complete Office Setup Guide for Entrepreneurs

“Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.” – Belva Davis.

The words above laconically describe an entrepreneur’s ethos, entrepreneurship is all about turning even the most paradoxical dreams or ideas into practicality. But the space between these two things might appear to be infinite if you don’t step on the right road from the start. And if you do all of it right, voila you have a startup. Congratulations! But the work doesn’t end here, the road ahead has a lot of steps and the first one is to set up the right office.

Startups usually begin with a small team so you don’t need to have a huge space, just a well-constructed area in an apt location would do. Let’s dig into some must-haves in a new working space. Let us see the complete report on the ultimate office setup guide for entrepreneurs.

Who Is An Entrepreneur?
The Structure Matters
What All You Might Need?
Let The Office Speak
FAQ's

Who Is An Entrepreneur?

Before moving on, let's try to understand what is entrepreneurship? Who is an entrepreneur? How to become an entrepreneur?

According to the Entrepreneur website, an entrepreneur is-

Someone that creates something new, either an initiative, a business or a company. He or she is the beginning (and sometimes the end) of a venture, project or activity.

The entrepreneur might not be the ideator, but he or she is definitely the one that decides to make that idea a reality. An entrepreneur is a driver, a starter is accountable and responsible.

The video below clearly explains all these questions in brief. Have a look into it to understand entrepreneurs better.

The Structure Matters

Cool, open office spaces are now the new trend, the layout isn’t considered of that much importance. But, the fact of the matter is that structure matters a lot. The structure is the first and the foremost point which should be in the checklist of the ultimate office setup guide for entrepreneurs. You need to divide the space diligently. You got to maximize the utility even after realizing the limitations of space, budget or maintenance.

Open space doesn’t mean interference. Every employee should get a proper working area where they can isolate themselves and think. Remember, the environment influences the quality of the work.

You got to fade away noise. Whether it’s from your own office, or from somewhere around you. Lay carpets to dampen the excess noise. Use curtains, if you have employees who constantly need to be on the phone with the clients or give them a separate space.

Proper partition of space is super crucial. You need a formal meeting room, you need a brainstorming area, you need an informal briefing area, the paperwork room, you need cabins for the founders, a small kitchen, washrooms and what not. You see, a small office has a million smaller rooms. If you don’t manage the space cautiously chaos is bound to be your first client.

What All You Might Need?

1) Reception Area

The most important thing if you're setting up an office as an entrepreneur is a welcome space i.e. The Reception Area. This is the first impression of your company, this sets the theme in your client’s mind, in your employees' mind. You don’t need to overdo it, just add a fascinating backdrop, a classy desk, some pictures, figures on display, and your company’s name in a stylish, unique manner that stays in the client’s mind for long.

2) Work Desks

Rows of individual cubicles with desks and chairs, don’t make their hellholes. Choose the ones, which feel more open and connected to the whole space but also give you the room to function. Place ergonomic chairs and tables so that they will be comfortable while working for long hours.

3) Board Meeting/Client Meeting Room

This space where you’ll talk to your prospective clients, this is where you lay down the work, where you persuade them to go with your ideas. The room should be professional, of course, but should it be nerve whacking? No. Make the room formal but don’t lose touch. Make it comfortable. Add a plant or two in the corners. Let it have glass partitions. Remember you need a projector, a great conference table and comfortable chairs.

4) Brainstorming Zone

This might just be the most important space. Startups are made up of ideas. They feed on ideas, nurtures ideas, if not ideas then why even call it a startup? The brainstorming area is where dreams are born, this is where plans are made, this is where the foundation of the building called success begins. This is the place where your journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur begins in the first place. You need to focus on the energy in the room, it should be motivating, it should spark something. Add up a bookshelf, fill it up with amazing books relevant to inspirational content. Put up posters, which contain a spirit that resonates. Set the room up with whiteboards, beanbags, a small swing maybe.

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5) Briefing Area

This is the zone where communication happens. This might be the space where you design the outline for the day, set the targets, assign jobs or just talk. Talk about progress, loopholes, improvements anything at all. Space should be comforting and informal so that the employee feels free of any barriers to expression. Just add a few chairs arranged in a circle or something with a table in the middle for paperwork and you’re good to go.

6) Kitchen and Coffee Area

Startups usually don’t stick to the 9 to 5 regime. They have flexible working hours with some going on even the night. You need to fuel your employees so that they can deliver. Make a small kitchen with an induction stove, coffee maker, snacks, 2 minute noodles, energy bars. Keep a small fridge for some fruits or something. Keep it stocked. Let your employees contribute to the fridge.

7) Play Area

As much as it is about work, startups are also funky and friendly. Design a small relaxing area, where there’s music, a small tv, a foosball table, UNO, Jenga. If you have the budget, make the office pet-friendly, dogs are the best stress-busters, maybe all that the mind-blocked employees need is an escape for a while to make the productivity race. This will improve the overall vibe of the office, give it a playful impact.

Let The Office Speak

The company vision should echo in the space, the employees should feel the work that does, and the environment gives them that vibe.

Casual is the key, but remember your office nurtures your work. The office should resonate with the motivation behind your startup. It should be a little version of the big mountain, that’s your inspiration. Put up motivational stickers, posters, add up the flavor with your company name. Anything that adds a personal touch. Keeping it bare would make it dull faster than quicksand.

Organize team-building events, fun activities, co-curricular activities, surprise them with gifts that will allow your team members to interact with each other and will also keep them off from their work for a while.  

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When you have a small space, it’s very easy to make it monotonous, because why take the effort. But, a few months into the work and the monotonicity will start suffocating. So, it’s better if you make every room different. For example, add colours. Choose the brighter ones for the brainstorming area, obviously the decent ones for your cliental meeting zone. Add wall decor, wall art to make it more classy. Green adds life to space, so remember to have indoor plants.

Your office should be a combination of industrial and cozy. The office environment should allow people to socialize and communicate with each other, interact with their fellow colleagues to be more efficient and comfortable at their work. Falter here, and all you get is a boring space. Startups create magic, so let be unique, let it be flawed, what matters the most is that it should be personalized.

FAQ's

Who is an Entrepreneur?

The entrepreneur might not be the ideator, but he or she is definitely the one that decides to make that idea a reality. An entrepreneur is a driver, a starter is accountable and responsible.

Where do entrepreneurs work?

The workplace of an entrepreneur will be office-based, but it can vary.

How big is the workplace for entrepreneurs?

The size of the workplace will depend on the size of the venture and may start at home or in a small office and grow to a large corporation.

What is the work environment of an entrepreneur?

An entrepreneurial work environment is one in which people are not afraid to take calculated risks, and in which they can embrace the idea of learning something valuable from a failure.

How many hours does an entrepreneur work?

Lots of entrepreneurs work 60 to 80 hours a week.

Why are coworking facilities attractive to entrepreneurs?

Coworking can greatly ease the path to starting a new business and also provide flexibility when your business is growing. You can add team members at any time without the costs and commitment of commercial lease space.

Feel free to reach us and share your feedback. We would love to hear from you. Do comment us in the comments section below. Happy Reading.