However, the luxury of investing in your own office and having your name above the door is likely to be out of reach until your business is established and the money is rolling in — and in the current climate, it might be a bit risky even then.

And it's not just the cost which can be prohibitive, you've probably got better and more productive things to be doing than viewing dozens of properties and then negotiating business leases or mortgages, right?

As such, the flexible solution of renting office or even desk space can be the practical and logical next step from the kitchen table. And it doesn't mean having to compromise… your ideal office space could be out there and waiting for you to move into.

As much space as you need?

One of the great things for an entrepreneur about renting office or desk space is that you only need to commit to what you need.

To start with, that could just be renting somewhere to set up your own desk, or a couple of rooms… but when that day comes, and you will hopefully require an entire floor, your office space can grow with you.

As easy as you want it to be?

Compared with more traditional methods, renting office or desk space can be considerably easier and less time consuming. Once you’ve decided whether you want to opt for the shared, serviced or sublet route, you can be up and running in no time.

Not just that, but if you are looking at serviced office space, this often comes complete will all the basic office requirements from receptionists, post and IT support to waste management — though obviously there will be a (normally monthly flat) fee for these services.

When you’re comparing office rentals it’s also worth thinking about what else you want, because many come with access to shared facilitates including meeting rooms, video conferencing facilities or shared kitchens.

What are the other benefits?

Something that should never be under-estimated for entrepreneurs, is the importance of networking with like-minded individuals — and this is probably where renting office and desk space offers its most unlikely benefit.

Many office complexes now house a variety of smaller businesses, and an increasing number will put like-minded businesses together in ‘hubs’. This means that if you are a creative organisation you could be housed alongside other creatives and benefit from networking with them.

The same can be said for sub-letting office space from a like-minded business, not only can they make use of unused desk-space, but you could find that you are able to work with them to increase business.

Simon Crisp writes on behalf of Office Genie, the first proper online marketplace for desk space and shared office space in the UK.