Next Move

Sharing space with another business, especially a complementary one, makes sense from an economic point of view. The down side is that when one of the other businesses pulls out, your share of the overhead shoots up dramatically (unless you can quickly find a replacement). I'm in the flooring business and have shared space with interior designers/decorators which was a good fit. Unfortunately, their departures were very disruptive to my operations and probably cost me more than I gained while they were sharing space with me. If all you need is a garage (or similar) and a small office, check out what's available in an industrial park. It may cost the same or maybe less without the risk associated with sharing space. Also, in any business, you need to be careful not to become a slave to your overhead.