Should I use a separate laptop for my new business?

[Lewis5373]

I will soon start my own business, where I have already purchased a separate mobile phone. But for the computer?

I already have a Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga that I use personally, and is pretty capable, with the folding nature being very useful for the travel that will be part of the business, but I would like an element of separation for software. For example, I would have Firefox with business only bookmarks, BitWarden with business only passwords, OneDrive/Office with a business account, etc.

I know you can install some software in another directory to use two versions of it, but not all software supports this, sometimes they share AppData, etc... it could get messy. Nor do I wish to dual boot and keep rebooting to jump between business and personal resources.

So I'm thinking I basically have 3 options, which are to buy a business specific laptop, to use two Windows user accounts, or to use the laptop primarily for personal use and then spin up a virtual machine for the business stuff, which if I used VMWare Workstation, I could use Unity Mode which makes applications feel seamlessly part of the main host system.

I'm torn on the best solution. A separate laptop seems best, but if I'm on a train visiting family, and I want to get some business work done, I'll be carrying 2 laptops. If I have Windows accounts then I still need to swap between them to access different resources. Virtual Machines take resources and of course perform lesser than the host system.

I would appreciate any thoughts

 

[cjd]

Why are you even spending the time to write the post on this? You're starting a new business, think about the business!

Rule 1 of new self-start businesses: don't spend a penny more than you have to. You already have a laptop, use that. Don't make things complicated - business is complicated enough. If you're doing it right, in a few months time you won't have a personal life so forget the distinction. You don't need two mobiles either, but now that you have them I guess you might as well use it.

But really, don't spend time and money on stuff that's irrelevant, save that for your business.

 

[Lewis5373]

Why are you even spending the time to write the post on this? You're starting a new business, think about the business!

Rule 1 of new self-start businesses: don't spend a penny more than you have to. You already have a laptop, use that. Don't make things complicated - business is complicated enough. If you're doing it right, in a few months time you won't have a personal life so forget the distinction. You don't need two mobiles either, but now that you have them I guess you might as well use it.

But really, don't spend time and money on stuff that's irrelevant, save that for your business.

I don't feel that it is irrelevant if it means I will be more productive down the line, ensuring I can focus on business stuff when needed but dip in to personal stuff when needed too, without them crossing over. I would never be comfortable with using the same phone for personal and business stuff either

 

[ctrlbrk]

I'm torn on the best solution. A separate laptop seems best, but if I'm on a train visiting family, and I want to get some business work done, I'll be carrying 2 laptops. If I have Windows accounts then I still need to swap between them to access different resources. Virtual Machines take resources and of course perform lesser than the host system.

From what you say, it seems like swapping between Windows accounts is the best choice for you. You don't have the inconvenience of carrying two laptops and you don't have performance drawbacks from using VMs.

Unless you constantly switch between work and leisure activities on your laptop (in which case I'd go for two laptops), it strikes me as the most balanced option.

 

[Daybooks]

Another option worth a consideration is to buy a MacBook and install bootcamp on it. Use the bootcamp for Windows when needed otherwise fire up MacOS. Bootcamp is not a virtual environment so no performance u=issues. Depends whether you want Mac for personal stuff - but at least you have both options on one machine.

 

[fisicx]

Just use one laptop for everything. It’s really not that complicated.

 

[johndon68]

Another option worth a consideration is to buy a MacBook and install bootcamp on it. Use the bootcamp for Windows when needed otherwise fire up MacOS. Bootcamp is not a virtual environment so no performance u=issues. Depends whether you want Mac for personal stuff - but at least you have both options on one machine.

It would have to be a second hand Intel powered MacBook, Boot Camp isn’t available on the current ‘M’ powered MacBooks.

John

 

[WaveJumper]

I quite happily run windows on my MAC's, one I like Outlook and the other after years of Excel its hard to give it up

 

[DontAsk]

If we're suggesting different OSs then my choice would be Ubuntu in WSL2 one a Win11 machine. No dual booting, just switch between Linux/windows apps as though they were one and the same OS.

 

[Daybooks]

It would have to be a second hand Intel powered MacBook, Boot Camp isn’t available on the current ‘M’ powered MacBooks.

John

Thanks, you have saved the the shock when I do go to replace! I wonder how good Parallels is?

 

[johndon68]

Thanks, you have saved the the shock when I do go to replace! I wonder how good Parallels is?

As I understand it, and I could be wrong as I still use an Intel powered MacBook so I'm not completely up to speed with the M variants, Parallels on an M powered Mac only allows you to run the ARM versions of Windows, you can't run the Intel versions.

John

 

[John P Rogers]

I will soon start my own business, where I have already purchased a separate mobile phone. But for the computer?

I already have a Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga that I use personally, and is pretty capable, with the folding nature being very useful for the travel that will be part of the business, but I would like an element of separation for software. For example, I would have Firefox with business only bookmarks, BitWarden with business only passwords, OneDrive/Office with a business account, etc.

I know you can install some software in another directory to use two versions of it, but not all software supports this, sometimes they share AppData, etc... it could get messy. Nor do I wish to dual boot and keep rebooting to jump between business and personal resources.

So I'm thinking I basically have 3 options, which are to buy a business specific laptop, to use two Windows user accounts, or to use the laptop primarily for personal use and then spin up a virtual machine for the business stuff, which if I used VMWare Workstation, I could use Unity Mode which makes applications feel seamlessly part of the main host system.

I'm torn on the best solution. A separate laptop seems best, but if I'm on a train visiting family, and I want to get some business work done, I'll be carrying 2 laptops. If I have Windows accounts then I still need to swap between them to access different resources. Virtual Machines take resources and of course perform lesser than the host system.

I would appreciate any thoughts

Using two laptops achieves complete separation but doesn't seem to have any other advantages.
Personally I have no problem using one laptop. I use Outlook which currently has six different email addresses it is collecting for and six different signatures.
I do tend to use Firefox for one business, and chrome for another, but equally could have two different chrome logins.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

One laptop one phone for everything because then you wont miss out on a cheap holiday when doing a quote

As said worry about the business and forget what is not important

 

[MOIC]

One laptop one phone for everything because then you wont miss out on a cheap holiday when doing a quote

As said worry about the business and forget what is not important

Wot ee said ^^^^

 

[Kerwin]

Get a phone that accepts dual SIM cards like the iPhone (one physical SIM card and one eSIM).

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Get a phone that accepts dual SIM cards like the iPhone (one physical SIM card and one eSIM).

He is not a drug dealer!

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

I have already purchased a separate mobile phone

I would also wonder why this was purchased, as well.

 

[RandyMarsh]

Just one laptop. A business laptop, because when you start a business you won't have any spare time or personal life

 

[fantheflames]

Unless there's a specific need to have separate laptops, I don't see why having two laptops for each business is worth the extra ££££.

You'll reduce upfront costs and ongoing expenses by sharing the same laptop.

Also, if you need to take your business with you - that means travelling with two laptops.

In your situation, I would be investing in a better laptop, perhaps one that has a processor that can manage multiple activities and if you're using Google products, make sure you are using two separate windows/ accounts for your businesses.

Job done!

 

[JLondon]

Why are you even spending the time to write the post on this? You're starting a new business, think about the business!

Rule 1 of new self-start businesses: don't spend a penny more than you have to. You already have a laptop, use that. Don't make things complicated - business is complicated enough. If you're doing it right, in a few months time you won't have a personal life so forget the distinction. You don't need two mobiles either, but now that you have them I guess you might as well use it.

But really, don't spend time and money on stuff that's irrelevant, save that for your business.

????

 

[MBE2017]

I would also wonder why this was purchased, as well.

Sell one of the phones, put both numbers onto the same phone.