a blog by Hiro Maeda

When you first start your own company you have very little budget to work with. However, it is still important to separate the space of where you sleep and where you work. Having an exclusive space for work will help you and your employees focus more, and it will increase your team’s productivity. Here is a great post by Don Charlton on How to Create a Great Startup Office Space on a Bootstrap Budget

Tip #1: Find office space that comes with tax benefits.

Through a few new friends, I learned about a program in Pittsburgh called Keystone Innovation Zones. These are zones that provide tax credits for businesses that choose to operate in certain locations. Don’t let your suburban upbringing blind you—these are not buildings in blighted communities, as some narrow-minded folk would immediately assume. They’re just available space, all over the city, where economic development is encouraged. Your startup could qualify for tax credits simply by moving into the zone. That means if I have a tax bill of $4,500 by the end of 2010, that amount—and probably more—will be credited. If you work with your local government to find out if there are tax benefits for your business to locate in certain buildings or areas, you can offset the costs of moving into that space, and then some.

Photo Credit: Flickr

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