http://cataclysmicluck.livejournal.com/ (![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png)
cataclysmicluck.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2012-09-17 08:08 am
cataclysmicluck.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2012-09-17 08:08 am
Entry tags:
How to Start a Business, Monday, Period 3
"Real estate is an issue in business that can trip people up," Zayne said. "WIth the businesses you're putting together in this class, it's not much of a concern. You can get away with doing whatever you need in your dorm room, maybe a common room, maybe school facilities if necessary. Worst case, there's plenty of warehouses to squat in."
"But as you grow, you have to start thinking about what kind of space you need. I've seen more than a few businesses hurt themselves by taking up way too much room, significantly more than they actually need. Or, as they start to grow, they don't have enough room for all of their employees. So if people need desks, they have to start getting creative. And that's one way where creativity in the workplace isn't a great idea."
"Ideally," Zayne explained, "you get a space that has what you need plus just a little bit more in case you do expand. Thinking locally, look at Caritas. That building's been there since before I was a student here. But when I first came to Fandom, it didn't have a usable back room. Eventually the owner at the time decided he could get some more usable space in there and renovated an area that was previously just storage."
"Obviously, this isn't always an option. With Goodvalor's, I use the whole lot and the restaurant is pretty much set unless I really want to renovate. Most of the local businesses are fairly compact in size and don't give many opportunities for physical growth. But on the other hand, they're servicing a community that doesn't have a ton of room for growth, either. So it more or less works out," Zayne said.
"The other issue is owning the building versus renting it. Renting has some real benefits. You can move easily if you need to. You don't have to handle repairs and utilities. You don't have to pay taxes on the land. And while you pay rent that eventually adds up, it's a much smaller investment short-term. Also, frankly, a lot of time there isn't a chance to buy the lot you want outright."
"I prefer to own. It gives a lot more freedom in terms of what you might want to do with the space. Here, I renovated the basement level of my apartment building to have a security bunker in case of your typical Fandom invasion. Back in my galaxy, I bought an abandoned warehouse and built a secret underground headquarters for a group that looks for people to help while a big war goes on out there," Zayne said. "I couldn't do either of those things if I were renting. Well, I could have, but not in secret and not easily."
"Of course, then all of the goofy utility issues and pipe leaks and renovations are entirely on you. But if you own, then you can also rent out space to other people, which can be a nice way of making some more money."
"So, there you have it. A brief overview of real estate. There's a lot I can't really talk about right now and, honestly, a lot I still don't know myself. But that's why there are experts."
"But as you grow, you have to start thinking about what kind of space you need. I've seen more than a few businesses hurt themselves by taking up way too much room, significantly more than they actually need. Or, as they start to grow, they don't have enough room for all of their employees. So if people need desks, they have to start getting creative. And that's one way where creativity in the workplace isn't a great idea."
"Ideally," Zayne explained, "you get a space that has what you need plus just a little bit more in case you do expand. Thinking locally, look at Caritas. That building's been there since before I was a student here. But when I first came to Fandom, it didn't have a usable back room. Eventually the owner at the time decided he could get some more usable space in there and renovated an area that was previously just storage."
"Obviously, this isn't always an option. With Goodvalor's, I use the whole lot and the restaurant is pretty much set unless I really want to renovate. Most of the local businesses are fairly compact in size and don't give many opportunities for physical growth. But on the other hand, they're servicing a community that doesn't have a ton of room for growth, either. So it more or less works out," Zayne said.
"The other issue is owning the building versus renting it. Renting has some real benefits. You can move easily if you need to. You don't have to handle repairs and utilities. You don't have to pay taxes on the land. And while you pay rent that eventually adds up, it's a much smaller investment short-term. Also, frankly, a lot of time there isn't a chance to buy the lot you want outright."
"I prefer to own. It gives a lot more freedom in terms of what you might want to do with the space. Here, I renovated the basement level of my apartment building to have a security bunker in case of your typical Fandom invasion. Back in my galaxy, I bought an abandoned warehouse and built a secret underground headquarters for a group that looks for people to help while a big war goes on out there," Zayne said. "I couldn't do either of those things if I were renting. Well, I could have, but not in secret and not easily."
"Of course, then all of the goofy utility issues and pipe leaks and renovations are entirely on you. But if you own, then you can also rent out space to other people, which can be a nice way of making some more money."
"So, there you have it. A brief overview of real estate. There's a lot I can't really talk about right now and, honestly, a lot I still don't know myself. But that's why there are experts."
Questions/Discussion