Stay at home mums and dads running there business

Well at least I am not one from that 1 %.
Generally work from home appears more comfortable as it saves lots of efforts, dressing and travel overheads. But in practical it is more difficult to manage work in home when you are parents of infants.
But I really appreciate parents working from home.

One of my friends started work from home and allocated time from 12 PM to 4 PM but ended up with from 12 AM to 4 AM. lol

yes... it depends on the client... if you are running a web based business, a lot of the times transaction happen without involving details about who you are, where you are based etc. so it's not such an issue...

however, if you approach offline clients, more of them will ask about who you are, where you are based etc.

so definitely try to expand your online presence and create a professional looking website

I work from home as our business is an internet business and frankly the lower the overheads the better! I havent found it a struggle as I have my own office with filing cabinets, printers etc. But then again I dont have kids! I think if our business came to the point of needing space and we were entertaining various business meetings I would probably investigate the option of an office location. Not at the moment though.

As business moves further into the 21st century, "home-based" business will become more common with the internet becoming the prime marketplace. In some industries, up to 90% of business is now conducted on the internet, not to mention those businesses that have always been 100% internet based.

Being an internet business and working form home is okay if you are a sole trader and stay that way, but the minute you are big enough to need to take on staff, then you're going to need an office.

Depends on whether your staff have to come to your workplace to work or can tele-work. The trend is already towards more tele-working / hot-desking for the many for at least part of their working hours.

I think there is an interesting misconception that all online business is run from a back bedroom or small home office. Had an interesting chat last week with the MD of the Cov University based B2B Centre. They are dropping terms such as "e business" and online marketing, because online has now matured. You now just have "business" or "marketing".

In other words you are setting up a business, online/offline is irrespective. If you are planning on a lifestyle business, ie income supplement, or the ability to take control over your work/life balance, then this will be normally home based, and there is a huge increase in this market.

But if you are starting a business, then the chances are you are going to want to develop and grow this, and although outsourcing will get you a long way, it's only a matter of time before you have employees. Now you won't want these sat in your house (done that!), and do you really want everyone working remotely? Hard to build team spirit and an office is a great incubator of ideas and thought. I think what has changed is the need for flexibility and a less rigid structure, but I think the office has safe future for businesses that will grow, online or offline.

Working from home is never going to be what most people or businesses do, whether employed or self employed.

Some very interesting points being made here.

Have to be honest im personally not a fan of working from home. Before i joined Steve in the office i used to work form home on the sales side of things, i found it isolating and very difficult to focus. I ensured no washing machines where on during working hours but neighbours had dogs & mowed the lawns at the most inappropriate of times just as i was closing a deal, all things outside of my control - even turned off the door bell to ensure no-one disturbed me!

I would by services if someone used a home address - at the end of the day are you buying the service for it being the best or the most competitive, both could be offered from a home based company, although again being honest it would put me off if there was a screaming baby in the background, (bad enough talking to Steve on Wednesday afternoons )

Not sure who mentioned it earlier in the thread but you could always have a virtual office address or as you have stated be proud of a business that works from home.

I've done both in my various incarnations and I much prefer to work from an office.

I'm not sure if it puts potential clients off when they know you work from home but it has never bothered me. The first architect I employed had his office in his attic. It was accessed by a ladder and I kept hitting my head on the cross beams. But he was a great architect.

My preference is based on my own inability to feel like I'm actually at work unless I'm actually AT work. Similarly I wear a suit and tie, not because it is expected quite so much these days, but because it is my working clothes and I have trouble getting into work mode if I wear jeans and a t shirt.