More and more South Africans are opting to run their own businesses. From the vendors selling their wares on the street to one-person travel, IT, publishing, financial services and retail operations online, home-based businesses are already a major driver of the economy.
Issues with running a business from home
For those with home-based businesses, potential disadvantages include:
- a lack of separation between work and family life
- cluttered home office space that’s not suitable for meeting (and impressing) clients
- a shortage of suitable space for storing files, tax records, spare computer equipment, spare office furniture, inventory, backups and other business paraphernalia.
Also, what happens when it’s time for the business to expand? The spare room, garage or attic is no longer a feasible solution. The next big step is renting office or warehouse space – or is it?
A more practical, affordable solution may be found in self-storage.
Flexible business storage with XtraSpace
Self-storage units range in size from around 2 m2 to mini-warehouse units, and – through XtraSpace – are available with flexible, month-to-month rental agreements.
This means you can match the storage space you rent to your current business needs.
You can upgrade to a larger unit when business is booming and you need plenty of accessible stock or more space to store business records. During quieter months or if it’s necessary to downsize your business, you can rent a smaller space or move out, with just 30 days’ notice.
If you run a business from home, other advantages of self-storage over fixed storage space include:
- no double deposits
- no need to commit to a long lease
- no extra costs, such as rates, levies and utility bills
- unlimited access to clean, dry, well-ventilated space
- security that’s already in place, with guards, access control and 24/7 CCTV monitoring.
An operational HQ and distribution hub
Many XtraSpace storage facilities include business centres with internet, fax, printing and copying facilities. All XtraSpace branches feature on-site courier services – and branches are centrally located and close to highways, arterial roads and transport nodes.
As a budding small business owner, this means you can ensure your business keeps on ticking over, even when you’re out of your home office.
Self-storage units can also double as distribution hubs. Storing stock at multiple branches in different locations could facilitate faster deliveries for your e-commerce business – and even help you “go national”, without having to set up physical branch locations.
High-tech security
A key benefit of using self-storage for a home-based business is security.
Frequent home break-ins are an unfortunate reality in South Africa, and few businesses can afford to lose their computers, phones and other valuable resources – or their business documents.
Your inventory, equipment and sensitive documents are definitely much safer at an XtraSpace self-storage facility, featuring perimeter fencing, fire protection systems, security guards and continuous CCTV monitoring.
XtraSpace offers self-storage that’s ideal for home-based businesses at branches in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. Contact us online or call 0861 250 259 for more information.