Focus on Manatee: An affordable space for small businesses is key. We’re working to make it happen.

There’s a segment of employers that tend to be overshadowed by larger companies that have many employees on their payroll — entrepreneurs.

Regardless if it’s a business of one or a business of many, these entrepreneurs are contributing to the growth of our economy and have achieved what many are still striving for … employment.

CareerSource Suncoast will soon offer a solution to one of the most pressing problems that small business owners face today — the lack of affordable commercial office space with access to business support services.

Renting a space for $1,000 or more is not always within a small business’ budget, so many entrepreneurs choose to either work out of their home or a coffee house. That remedy creates several problems that can hurt business profits.

While a home office is affordable and can allow a parent to conduct business and take care for young children, the family home is not the ideal business environment.

First, home internet often lacks security and is slow — making the download or upload of large files cumbersome.

Second, the business owner can have difficulty establishing barriers for family members who do not understand the need for quiet and privacy. The owner may also be distracted by the pull of unfinished chores or personal phone calls.

Third, if the entrepreneur wants to meet a customer in the home office, there is the added expense of business liability insurance. Residential home insurance will not cover the costs of a customer’s injury such as a slip and fall.

Lastly, using a home address as a business address creates privacy issues. Most business owners do not want an irate customer on their doorstep.

The coffee shop does not offer a much better solution. It’s generally noisy and crowded, offers little privacy and has a public internet that offers no cybersecurity and is vulnerable to hackers. In addition, it is not a professional space.

For the typical entrepreneur, commercial rents are generally too expensive, security deposits too high, and rental leases too long (three to 10 years). In addition to paying $1,000 a month for a 10-foot by 10-foot office, entrepreneurs have the cost of furnishing the office, buying the necessary technology, setting up a domain name as well as all the other business start-up costs.

Often office internet speeds are slow and there is little or no technology support. To compound the situation, in a commercial office, the entrepreneur is isolated from a collaborative and supportive environment. There is no one to turn to for on-the-spot advice or to fix a technical issue.

CareerSource Suncoast recognizes the need for affordable office space and business support for entrepreneurs. In the coming months, we will be filling eight offices located at our Sarasota career center, with support from our entrepreneurial services manager who will assist with business plans, growth strategies and professional development.

In addition, renters can access Microsoft Office 365, a domain name, and rent month to month. We tend to think of large businesses as the bread and butter of our community, but small businesses need love too … and at an affordable price.

For more information on either renting space or providing professional development to our tenants, contact Michael Meerman at (941) 877-0288.

Ted Ehrlichman, president and CEO of CareerSource Suncoast, writes about workforce issues across the region.