We’ve just presented a list of equipment and supplies needed for a new start-up. Below you’ll read how dinosaurs and younger were equipped.

Neil’s equipped

I stated my business before the computer age. As such, equipment needs were significantly different. I started out with a drafting table, my trusty T-square, some triangles, an X-Acto knife and some layout pads. In those days, it didn’t cost nearly as much to start out as it does today. The office area had the usual stuff – desks, phones, paper clips, etc.

Once we got into the outside office, we needed some more stuff. We bought our first computer, a Radio Shack deal, and a printer. We also bought a really neat new thing that had just hit the market … a fax machine. (How old am I?) I bought it because we needed to get a proposal out quickly to a client in another state and we didn’t even have time to overnight it. By the way, we got the gig and it more than paid for the fax machine.

As for leasing, borrowing and begging, I did set up a $15,000 line of credit that we used occasionally to cover overhead when cash flow went slow. We also leased a car and had an American Express account for the business. We did a lot of travel back then and AMX helped us keep all those expenses under control.

A few years into the business (second office era) we bought another computer. It was a PC with something like Windows 1.0 on it. We also bought a postscript printer. The cost? Just a bit over ten grand for the lot. We used it for project management, typesetting (PageMaker 1.0), typing copy to go to the type house … and playing silly games. We were even online via CompuServe (pre-AOL). We used that to make travel reservations and communicate with the type house.

Neil (nt) Tortorella | Marketing Manager
Tortorella Design | The Marketing Mind | Creative Latitude | BoDo Team | Marketing Minute

Leslie’s steady

For my business, I didn’t need anything more than a computer, the Internet, and a printer, so equipment wasn’t a significant issue. For many creative, though, equipment is a huge hurdle. Take photographers–a decent digital system will easily run them tens of thousands of dollars. And they need constant updating. Again, I suggest planning your projected equipment costs then finding good sources for funding (business loans or savings). If you are a minority (including a female) and/or if you are willing to open your office in certain areas, you can get significant assistance financially (in the USA).

Leslie Burns-Dell’Acqua | Creative/Marketing Consultant & Coach
Burns Auto Parts–Consultants | Burns Auto Parts blog | Podcast | Book

Jay’s into tools

Cliche alert! ‘It’s important to have the right tool for the right job.’ Fortunately, because of the length of time in the business, we’ve managed to accrue all the office requisites needed to perform efficiently. Photocopiers, faxes, scanners, printers, computers (pcs and macs), filing cabinets are all at hand. Reserve supplies of consumables (such as paper, inks etc) are maintained for that last minute presentation.

It’s important to stay current with software, but not necessarily the latest versions. We stay aware of new and emergent software that can enhance our productivity. We test ‘evaluation’ versions and keep abreast of reviews.

Since jay’s often out of her office or in someone else’s, portability is the key: Her diary, mobile (cell) phone and laptop go everywhere. The laptop can connect to the Internet via a cable network, wireless or phone line and even acts as a fax machine at times.

Jeanette (jay) Wickham | Systems Manager
FastCoconut.com | NO!SPEC | BoDo Team | Ask jay

Cat’s not

As previously mentioned, I came into the business by sliding in on a client’s whim. For equipment, I had the computer but not much else. During the first couple of months (when I needed to print or scan), I made arrangements with the local university.

After each project (but only after being paid), I’d add more of what was needed. A scanner here, a printer there, faster computers, external hard drives, modems (when Brunei finally got Internet).

When buying large purchases, that’s one rule I’ve made and stuck to. If the money is not physically there, it doesn’t happen.

Catherine (cat) Morley | Project Manager
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | Katz-i | FastCoconut.com | BoDo team

Next up, Who’s (ac)Counting Now? That’s right. We’re back to serious considerations. The conversation of money. Ok, not money. But what you need to do, in part, that has to do with money.

Until then,
The BoDo Team
cat - nt - jay