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Hi! Just wondering where other home based business owners are meeting with their clientele. My home office is not a large enough room to have anyone else in there with me, so I have been either meeting with clients at their place of business, going to a local cybercafe (which is now closing), meeting at a local library (which can be iffy for confidentiality if there is not a private room available) or last resort, having them come to the house and meeting at my dining room table.
My business started as just a marketing firm, and I was able to meet in clients offices. For the past three years, I have been consulting with other business owners and people thinking of starting a business, as a SBTDC consultant. We do not have an actual office in the area I work, so we meet people elsewhere.
The problem is, we are rural, and the place I was meeting people (which was absolutely perfect) is closing. Even so, I drove 28 miles round trip on a regular basis just to use their facility. The owner of the cafe liked it because I brought him new customers, and paid for the internet time and usually a meal and definitely beverages for the group. When I am meeting with new clients, I don't like to invite them into our home until I know them, and even then, not real crazy about meeting with men in our home. It just seems inappropriate, and not real safe.
Final issue is that I don't get reimbursed for office space, so any costs will be coming out of my pocket. I am seriously considering converting our garage into an office and conference room.
What do you do???
Thanks,
Lisa