If you are at the point in the life of your business when you have to think about expansion, then it’s safe to say things are going well. Expansion and moving into bigger properties are the stuff of dreams when you first think about starting a business; you’re moving into the big leagues and intending to grow all the while.
So you decide that you’re going to move into a bigger premises; onwards and upwards; the beginning of the business empire starts right here and now. You have the funding, you know what you want, and so you start the hunt for the right property.
A few weeks pass. “Well,” you think to yourself, “that’s okay. We have to find the right place, don’t we? Buying the wrong property for expansion is even worse than not buying one at all! Something will turn up.”
A few months later, you’re still in your existing premises and you’re no closer to moving out. Tick tock, tick tock. “It’s not my fault everything I have seen is terrible,” you reason to yourself, “it’s not my fault none of them would work out. There’s nothing available! I can’t conjure up new premises out of thin air!”
A few months further down the road, you’re no further along, and the problems are beginning to mount. The budget is stretched, your productivity and plans for the future seem to all be on hold. There’s nothing that you have seen that has the potential you think you need, and you’ve not even come close to making an offer.
When you find yourself in this situation, the only way out of it is with a solid dose of realism and some forthright questions. Here are the questions – now all you need to do is figure out how to answer them.
Question 1: Are You Being Too Picky?
If you’re waiting for the perfect premises to come along, then there’s a good chance you’re being unrealistic. Perfect doesn’t exist. All you can do is make a list of things that are essential for your new premises to have. Make a second list of things that you would like to have, but which are not dealbreakers. While it would be nice if you find a property that ticks off the second list, it’s not the priority. Lower your expectations before your company suffers from your perfectionism.
Question 2: Could You Build?
It might be a scary idea, but there’s something to it: if you can’t find the right premises, then why not build them? The idea needn’t be so terrifying, especially if you experiment with areas that are currently under-developed. With the assistance of companies like Cintra and other infrastructure and building specialists, it’s more feasible to create a working premises from very little if you set your mind to it. This option also allows you to custom design your new premises to exactly what you want – so it’s a perfect solution if you’re struggling with perfectionism.
Question 3: Are You Looking In The Wrong Areas?
Developed, business-friendly locations might be a lovely choice, but properties in prime locations don’t become available very often. While you could wait for the location that you want, there’s no predicting just how long that’s going to be.
It’s important to expand your search if you are struggling to find properties in your ideal areas. That’s not to say you have to plan to move to another town or city entirely; that’s feasible, but it means more disturbance – especially for your staff – than the majority of companies can sustain. Moving a few more miles from the city centre, however, is manageable. It might take a little bit of getting used to, but there’s nothing wrong with moving into a more secluded location. You never know, you might catch the crest of the tide and move somewhere that’s going to be the place to be in five years time.
Question 4: Are You Really Ready To Move?
Finally, the big one: are you sure you want to move your business premises? Sometimes, you might know it makes sense on one level, but have an undercurrent of concern that means you are extremely picky when it comes to finding a property. Effectively, you’re making up excuses because you are uncomfortable with the idea of such a big change. Examine your motives, solve any problems that are holding you back, and you should be able to move your company forward into the future it deserves.
