How to Get a Business Address for Your Startup

The startup stage is an integral – and exciting – part of a business’s life cycle. You have worked hard to put your ideas into motion and drive your dream into reality. Now it’s time for the real work! There are a myriad of considerations to juggle at this point, and your business address may seem like a relatively minor matter. Do not make that mistake: it is an important issue – and one that reflects on you as a professional, credible business. Even if you run your startup out of your home, it is essential that you have a “proper” business location. A virtual business address can be the multi-faceted solution for which you have been looking.

Why Does Your Startup’s Business Address Matter So Much? 

There are several reasons your business’s address matters. It is necessary when you open accounts with banks, merchants, vendors, and suppliers; when you communicate with clients; when you receive bills, invoices, and statements; when you file for permits and licenses; and when you list your businesses on directories (e.g., Yellow Pages, Yelp, Google Places, etc.). 

If you structure your business as an LLC, a physical address is required in Florida. While it can be tempting to use your home address, keep in mind that this puts your privacy (and even security) at risk. It also impacts your professional image. 

Lenders, merchants, vendors, clients, and customers implicitly place more trust in businesses that maintain a “business address.” While there are 38 million home-run businesses in the US, there is still the perception that these professionals are lounging in their PJs. While you may, in fact, do your best work at your kitchen table or your patio, stakeholders want the assurance that your business is stable, solid, and sustainable. 

Fair or unfair, they will feel reassured seeing a professional address in a highly desirable business hub, like Downtown Tampa on Harbour Island, rather than your home, apartment, or condo.

A Professional Location Without the Overhead? Try a Virtual Business Address 

Renting, leasing, or buying office space is often cost-prohibitive for startups, nor do these agreements allow them the flexibility they need to flex, grow, and scale. There are other options, however, that enable startups to do business on their terms. These include:

Private Mailboxes and Virtual Mailboxes 

You can rent a private mailbox from a service such as The UPS Store, PostNet, or Postal Annex. Your address is the address of the service, and you can receive packages from USPS, UPS, FedEx, and other carriers. With 24/7 access, secure package holding, and ancillary services like fax, copy, and packaging, this is a simple, cost-effective solution.

Like a regular PO box, though, there are limits. You have to go to the mailbox store to get your mail, and if you are away, you risk not accessing important documents/packages.

A virtual mailbox helps address some of these concerns. You have the virtual business address,you need, you can view and manage your post online. Many services also offer check depositing, physical mail storage, shredding, etc. On the downside, you will incur additional charges for forwarding your mail versus picking it up, and it may be difficult to open business bank accounts as they typically require a physical office.

Coworking Spaces

A coworking space is a shared workplace and offers exceptional flexibility for startups. In addition to the cost savings (no overhead!), there is a sense of collaboration and community that can be a real boon to productivity. It gives you a physical address and a location at which you can work and the benefit of private space for meetings and other events. The convenience is outstanding, and it helps you present the polished, professional image you need to succeed. 

Virtual Offices 

With this option, you have the benefit of a virtual address in Tampa; the Harbour Island district is highly desirable and at the hub of the business community. This is your physical address, which adds cache and credibility to your startup. Services like Office Evolution also offer live phone answering, so clients, customers, vendors, suppliers, and other stakeholders don’t need to know that you are working elsewhere. You can also take advantage of hot desks, offices, and meeting rooms in our Harbour Island facility on an as-needed basis. It is a great option that provides the most cost-effective way to score a virtual business address that is guaranteed to impress. 

A Harbour Island business address is exclusive, but leasing office space is an investment that many startups cannot afford at this point. A virtual office is a solution that allows them to leverage this advantageous location.

A virtual address in Tampa is a smart move for startups. As your business grows and evolves, you can leverage the flexibility to meet your needs. Contact Office Evolution; we’re happy to answer any questions and take care of the details so you can do what you do best… building a strong company!