DVO_week13_3As costs rise, new businesses and start-ups are looking for more favorable places to live and work. No longer is it always feasible to start a business in high-cost environments. Thankfully, technology has made it possible to have a home base just about anywhere!

The reason this is so great for entrepreneurs is that they can enjoy lower cost living -- say, in a city like Minneapolis, but still do business all over the world. It used to be that you had to pick up and move the family to wherever it was that you planned to operate.

Minneapolis is one of those cities that has everything that a big city has -- but lower crime rates and lower costs. There are lovely suburbs too, but what I learned about Minneapolis when I was there is that even the areas that are considered less safe are better than many average neighborhoods in other parts of the country!

While it does cost less in Minneapolis, commercial rents are still higher than many entrepreneurs might be able to afford. However, a virtual office is just around $50 a month. Let's face it - most anyone starting a business has that! But it's really shocking what you get for that little cost. You get a respectable business address in the downtown area where mail can be dropped off and clients can be greeted.

Best of all, you can take meetings there, too -- for around $25 an hour! What's really great about all of this is that you are only paying for the services that you use. The phone system handles your calls, but if you want - there are live receptionists to take calls, messages, and even orders!
If you really want to expand a business - you have to think about having a presence in other cities. That is, if you're serious and you want other people to take you seriously -- it just has to be done.

But who can afford to have multiple offices? Today, start-ups can barely afford
an office as it is -- unless they go virtual!