Starting your own business isn’t what it used to be 10 years ago.
Opening up a shop used to mean signing a costly office lease and hanging a shingle outside your storefront location. Now, the tables have turned thanks to digital transformation.
But wait just a minute…
Many entrepreneurs spend all of their time focusing on building a business website and neglect infrastructure elsewhere. Owning a website is important but it’s just one piece of the pie.
In this post, you’ll learn:
- Why Digital Business Infrastructure Is Critical
- Why Location Independent Businesses are Booming
- What is a Virtual Business Address?
- Digital Infrastructure Tools Needed to Start a Business
- Building Professional Credibility
Why Digital Business Infrastructure Is Critical
Let’s start with the stats.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, entrepreneurs are opening up over 5 million businesses per year. Business startups are actually growing year over year, pre-pandemic numbers have skyrocketed.
And most of these businesses are going digital.
Tradition dictates that you lease out office space, hire a receptionist, and buy a business copier. But these days entrepreneurs are bootstrapping leaner than ever before. Instead of overspending on physical space, modern businesses are building digital-first operations that put minimum stress on their bank account.
Business owners these days need more than just a custom domain. Not only do you need virtual phone lines and professional email addresses, but you also need a reliable mailing address that allows you to work from anywhere.
Enter Virtual Business Address Services.
A virtual address service provides businesses with a street address they can use as their official mailing address. This allows businesses to operate location-independently while maintaining a professional image. (Bonus: You never need to leave the comfort of your own home.)
Need more convincing? Let’s dig into the numbers.
Why Location Independent Businesses Are Booming
The number of Americans who telework has been on a steady incline.
Recent studies from the Bureau of Labor Statistics discovered that there were 35.5 million teleworkers across the United States during the first quarter of 2024. That means that nearly 1 in every 4 American workers now teleworks either part-time or full-time.
Businesses are starting to jump on the trend too:
- Hybrid job openings currently make up 24% of all jobs
- Fully remote job openings make up 12%
- Job openings that require you to be on-site dropped from 83% in 2022 to 66% in 2024
Many analysts believe that the shift to remote and hybrid work models has fueled the demand for virtual offices. The global virtual office market is expected to grow from $24.57 billion in 2025 to nearly $48 billion by 2034.
Translation: Customers don’t care where your business hangs its hat as long as you’re giving them awesome service. The same goes for employees, who have come to expect flexible workplace options.
Operating your business from a location of your choice is quickly becoming table stakes.
What Is a Virtual Business Address?
Virtual business addresses are for business owners who want to run their operations remotely.
A virtual business address service will give you a street address that you can use as your official mailing address. Here’s what that enables your business to do:
- You can register your business and get licensed
- All physical mail gets sent to your virtual address, scanned, and emailed to you
- Gives your business credibility
- Protects your privacy
Virtual addresses have become a godsend for digital nomads and location-independent entrepreneurs.
Basically, any professional that can operate their business without visiting a physical office on a daily basis can benefit from virtual address services.
Say you want to start an e-commerce business, but you don’t want to reveal your home address. You can simply point your business mailing address to your virtual location and clients will never know the difference.
Digital Infrastructure Tools Needed to Start a Business
Don’t forget about the other components of your digital infrastructure.
While a virtual address will set you up for success, there are other tools you need to start your own business. Here are a few that come to mind:
Business Phone Services
When starting a business from home, it’s important to separate work and personal phone numbers. Many virtual business address providers also offer phone services that allow you to do just that.
You’ll want virtual phone numbers that:
- Allow you to have a dedicated business phone line
- Have voicemail services that can send transcripts to your email inbox
- Allow you to forward your calls to your cell phone
- Give you the ability to set up an automated attendant
These days you can run your business by email alone.
Cloud-Based Software
It wasn’t too long ago that we used to rely on desktop computers to store all of our important files. Thankfully, that’s not the case anymore. Now we have programs like Google Drive and Dropbox that allow us to store documents virtually.
But cloud-based software doesn’t stop there. Project management and accounting software allow teams to collaborate no matter where they are located in the world.
Not to mention payment processors and digital invoicing software have made it easier than ever to accept payments online.
Professional Online Services
Do you have a professional website? While that’s a given. But do you have matching email addresses? Do all of your social media accounts sport your company logo?
You get the idea.
It’s important to have a consistent brand that spans across all channels. This includes paid listings like Google Business Profile, major review sites, and local business directories.
If you need tools to help you grow your business online, make sure to check out our free directory of online tools for small businesses.
See also: Transforming Medical Office Interiors with 3D Modelling Technology
Building Professional Credibility
Last but not least, don’t neglect your business’s credibility.
When you’re running a business from home, you’ll want to establish trust as early as possible. Here are some tips on how to build your credibility with potential customers:
Get a Professional Business Address
As you’ve learned by now, having a virtual business address is crucial. If you want to register your business or apply for a business license, then you’ll need a physical address.
Using your home address isn’t a good look. Customers and vendors will think your business isn’t legitimate.
Use Professional Email Addresses
This one should also be a given. But if you’re using a Gmail address as your business email, then prospects will assume you’re still in high school.
Create business email addresses that end with your domain name. These types of emails are much more trustworthy.
List Your Business on Review Sites
We live in a day and age where reviews are everything. Your products and services need to be validated by real customers.
This is why you should ask for reviews after every sale. The more reviews you get, the more trusted your brand will become.
Start a Blog
Blogging is another great way to showcase your industry knowledge. Create helpful content that teaches your audience something new.
You can share these blog posts on social media or in industry related forums. The more eyes that see your content, the more authority you’ll gain as a brand.
Claim Your Business Listings
Search engine visibility is key to growing your brand online. Make sure you claim your business on Google Business Profile, review sites, and local directories.
These free listings will improve your visibility when someone searches for your business.
Wrapping Up
Starting a business these days is more than just getting your hands on a website.
You need to make sure that you have all the tools you need to successfully run your operations. And while owning a website is critical. You should also invest in phone services, cloud-based software, and anything else that allows you to operate from anywhere.
Luckily, virtual business address services have made it easier than ever to start an online business from home. If you’re interested in learning more about virtual addresses, make sure to check out our comprehensive guide to virtual business addresses.
