Figure your long term business model (how much staff).

Neighborhood or downtown?

Neighborhood - "4a" equivalent professional building - judge quality by other tenants - orthodontists, lawyers, dentist, import traders, etc.

500+ sq. ft. could do it.

Nice carpet and build out you own walls. Your office, with meeting table, at the window. Interior walls can have windows to let light through - and make sure you can see through to outside windows at entrance.

Check out Dania type furniture - leather office chairs, blonde maple furniture, etc. Minimalist original art work provides color "pop".  Rest of office, carpet, wall colors, kept light but toned down warm colors.

Fully wired for XM satellite radio, surround at your desk. 2 phone lines with wireless and headset plug ins.

And so on.

Location - how about ten minutes from your home and no more than 20 minutes to the golf club?

[quote=san fran broker]If you broke out on your own, and you had a
decent budget, how well decorated and located would you make your
office?[/quote]



My office would be next to EDJ’s offices since they have good taste in retail sitings.



More seriously, my office should look like a classic bank/trust company
office, and be located in nice building in a good part of town.

[quote=san fran broker]If you broke out on your own, and you had a decent budget, how well decorated and located would you make your office?[/quote]

Why would a big shot like you ask such a stupid question?

[quote=My Inner Child]

Why would a big shot like you ask such a stupid question?

[/quote]

You really are hell-bent on taking put trader / nasd newbie / sexy lady's place as biggest jerk on this board...

I asked the question because this is a message board where industry professionals (a title of which apparently you will never be worthy), ask questions and discuss matters relevant to the industry and the lifestyle of a financial advisor.

What's your problem Childish? Are we having trouble making our sales targets at Bob & Earl's Bucket Shop Brokerage? Is that why you have nothing to contribute but poisonous assaults - because you have no stories of success of your own or insights to help others? What makes you so angry?

I have a basic theory... I've seen your posts go from snotty and arrogant to rageful and pointless.(And those are just the ones I've read...) The only good thing that I can say that is that you will soon be gone. The nature of your posts indicates that you are immature, and this means that you are probably another frustrated Rookie loser whose pissed off that nobody will buy what he's selling. So, instead of trying to figure out why, you come here to try and punish people who care enough about their business and the choices they seek to get the insights of a broader audience.

If you are coming here to vent your frustrations in these little bursts of cowardly narcissistic rage, then you aren't spending enough time building your business or your knowledge of the industry. This means that soon your sales manager will call you into his office and that explain that "you aren't right for this job" (code for arrogant, lazy and stupid). After you've pinned that Herbalife logo to your jacket, you should quickly lose interest in posting on this website, so - in advance, let me say a hearty.... "good bye".

Now, let me get back to being such a "big shot"....

[quote=san fran broker][quote=My Inner Child]

Why would a big shot like you ask such a stupid question?

[/quote]

You really are hell-bent on taking put trader / nasd newbie / sexy lady's place as biggest jerk on this board...

I asked the question because this is a message board where industry professionals (a title of which apparently you will never be worthy), ask questions and discuss matters relevant to the industry and the lifestyle of a financial advisor.

What's your problem Childish? Are we having trouble making our sales targets at Bob & Earl's Bucket Shop Brokerage? Is that why you have nothing to contribute but poisonous assaults - because you have no stories of success of your own or insights to help others? What makes you so angry?

I have a basic theory... I've seen your posts go from snotty and arrogant to rageful and pointless.(And those are just the ones I've read...) The only good thing that I can say that is that you will soon be gone. The nature of your posts indicates that you are immature, and this means that you are probably another frustrated Rookie loser whose pissed off that nobody will buy what he's selling. So, instead of trying to figure out why, you come here to try and punish people who care enough about their business and the choices they seek to get the insights of a broader audience.

If you are coming here to vent your frustrations in these little bursts of cowardly narcissistic rage, then you aren't spending enough time building your business or your knowledge of the industry. This means that soon your sales manager will call you into his office and that explain that "you aren't right for this job" (code for arrogant, lazy and stupid). After you've pinned that Herbalife logo to your jacket, you should quickly lose interest in posting on this website, so - in advance, let me say a hearty.... "good bye".

Now, let me get back to being such a "big shot"....

[/quote]

Struck a nerve, did I?

I would second the bank trust dept look.  If you cut corners on your office, clients may percieve that your other resources may be lacking, especially if you've left a large firm with a top of the line office.

[quote=san fran broker]If you broke out on your own, and you had a decent budget, how well decorated and located would you make your office?[/quote]

This question should also apply to your company supplied office. Don't be afraid to spend some money to upgrade your office to your liking.

Everything from small tasteful touches, art work for example, to gutting the office and starting from scratch. The goal is to send the success message without showing prospects and clients your 1099. At the same time you need to maintain the utility of an office.

Also an acheivement wall is a good idea. Degrees, community service recognition awards, and photos should adorn that wall. family photos should be prominently displayed. Keep the BASE jumping shots in a desk somewhere.

Thinking out of the box, also a good idea. One FA I know, gutted his office and redecorated it from the carpet up. The one innovation that impressed me was how he got rid of his desk. He had a workstation built into one wall. This was his desk. He sat facing the wall. The rest of the office was decorated like a den at your home. Two big backed chairs sat in two corners. A coffee table sat on an expensive(looking) oriental carpet in the center of the office. He had the walls papered and painted to his tastes, brought in high quality art work and nik naks. This was best looking office I've seen in a brokerage office. When client/prospects came to visit he spun his big leather chair around and talked to them across the coffee table. He served them coffee, tea, soft drinks in high quality china. He had turned his office from an office into a cozy room. His thinking was that the desk between the FA and the client represented an obstacle. His goal was to solve that problem.

If you have the space a separate round table, with four chairs is a good idea. Sort of a mini conference table in your office. Prelim/fact find interview done in the cozy room portion of the office. Preso/solution/close meeting at the table.

[quote=BondGuy]

[quote=san fran broker]If you broke out on your own, and you had a decent budget, how well decorated and located would you make your office?[/quote]

This question should also apply to your company supplied office. Don't be afraid to spend some money to upgrade your office to your liking.

Everything from small tasteful touches, art work for example, to gutting the office and starting from scratch. The goal is to send the success message without showing prospects and clients your 1099. At the same time you need to maintain the utility of an office.

Also an acheivement wall is a good idea. Degrees, community service recognition awards, and photos should adorn that wall. family photos should be prominently displayed. Keep the BASE jumping shots in a desk somewhere.

Thinking out of the box, also a good idea. One FA I know, gutted his office and redecorated it from the carpet up. The one innovation that impressed me was how he got rid of his desk. He had a workstation built into one wall. This was his desk. He sat facing the wall. The rest of the office was decorated like a den at your home. Two big backed chairs sat in two corners. A coffee table sat on an expensive(looking) oriental carpet in the center of the office. He had the walls papered and painted to his tastes, brought in high quality art work and nik naks. This was best looking office I've seen in a brokerage office. When client/prospects came to visit he spun his big leather chair around and talked to them across the coffee table. He served them coffee, tea, soft drinks in high quality china. He had turned his office from an office into a cozy room. His thinking was that the desk between the FA and the client represented an obstacle. His goal was to solve that problem.

If you have the space a separate round table, with four chairs is a good idea. Sort of a mini conference table in your office. Prelim/fact find interview done in the cozy room portion of the office. Preso/solution/close meeting at the table.

[/quote]

Why wasn't the coffee table an obstacle?