What Equipment Does Your Startup Need?
Startups vary wildly from one another, but understanding the basic strategy of equipment planning can help everyone. Far too often what happens in startups is you get everything you think you need in order to launch, only to realize the missing gaps in your equipment list later on when they are desperately needed. To help you uncover all of the equipment that your startup needs, and learn a few helpful tricks to stay in budget, all you need to do is follow this guide.
Standard Office Equipment to Invest In
You will need sufficient desk space, chairs, and above all else, storage. It’s a good idea to ask around and to get a full list of ideas from friends, family, and previous co-workers what kind of office equipment your business will need, and which is just nice to have. Before you look into buying this equipment, however, be aware you might be able to rent an office space that comes with many of the standards included.
Specialist Equipment to Invest In
This will depend entirely on the type of business you are starting. A lab’s equipment will vary from an accountant’s equipment, but even then how you further specialize will depend on what you need. In order to invest in the tools, you need to go through every step of the business and what you need to do on a day to day basis. If you can, consider brainstorming with someone else you will be working with or with old coworkers in the field.
It is important that you do this for every business process in your startup, including payroll, recruitment, accounting, and other supplementary processes that keep a business running.
Saving Money on Equipment for Your Startup
You can easily save money on the equipment that your startup needs by:
Buying Used and Refurbished
Unless you have been provided with unlimited funds by a fortune 500 company or investor, chances are you are going to have very limited startup cash. There is no point in buying the best and most expensive when it could result in a deficit right from the start. A great way to avoid this is to invest in used or refurbished equipment.
Playing the Long Game
Buying used machinery and equipment can save you a lot of money, especially when it comes to specialist equipment you would see in a hospital or lab. That does not mean you can afford to let maintenance become lax. The trade-off for buying used or refurbished is to follow up with specialist repair and calibration services. If you have an ultrafiltration system, for example, create protocols that include bringing in specialists from macontrols.com.
Ask for Advice and Research Before Buying
If possible, always seek out advice from a similar company to yours. If you are not seen as a direct competitor, they might just provide you with a clear run-down of what you need. Try to seek out advice from competitors in different cities or regions. You can also ask on message boards, or search for information online. People can be very forthcoming and want to help so long as you ask for it.
