Love Where You Work: Location Tips

Look for an area with updated regulations that are designed to accommodate your style of operation and take technological advances into consideration.

For example, if your company functions completely or partly on a virtual basis, will the area accommodate homebased workers with services such as high-speed Internet access? Also, are there resources for growing companies ranging from education to funding sources for entrepreneurial ventures?

McEnroe says business-friendly locations tend to have well-managed infrastructures so you can budget for normal increases in taxes, fees and expenses, rather than risk being hit with big jumps when your business is suddenly in need of major repairs.

Finally, McEnroe advises, consider the position of entrepreneurs in the local landscape. Do you see entrepreneurs in leadership positions with the economic development agency, the chamber of commerce and similar organizations?

"Trust your instincts," she says. "If you feel you're not getting attention and responsiveness [when you're shopping for a potential location], don't presume it will get better once you're there. You can get a good sense of that early in the process if you're interacting with the folks whose job it is to bring you into the area."