Travel
If you’re starting a business that will have you or your staff traveling frequently to trade shows and client meetings, it’s a good idea to leverage the Internet for discounted travel options. Additionally, setting up frequent traveler reward accounts with your preferred airline, hotel and car rental company will help you accrue points towards free tickets, hotel stays, and maybe even upgrades and amenities.
Going the traditional route of using a travel agent is certainly still an option, and could be the right one if you frequently have complex itineraries and no time to shop for good prices yourself. Searching websites that aggregate discounted prices from a variety of airlines, hotels and car rental companies is also a simple way to get a broad sampling of your options. But some airlines and hotels offer better deals directly at their own websites, and may not even participate in the aggregated travel sites, so be sure to shop around.
Real Estate
If you are opening a brick-and-mortar store or an office, you will, of course, need some real estate. You can choose to lease a property or buy one, but in either case, it’s best to begin with the Downtown Development Authority or the City’s Planning Commission in the community in which you want to locate. These entities may be able to help you identify the perfect location for your business, perhaps even one that carries some attractive tax incentives. Otherwise, you may try working with a commercial real estate agent or developer to identify the right location. A real estate agent or broker will take a commission on the sale price or lease, just as they do in personal real estate transactions.
To find a commercial real estate agent near you, ask for references from other small business owners in your community, or peruse the yellow pages.