GULF SHORES, Ala. — When Susanne Dicker moved to town and wanted to start a business to help the local hospitality businesses hire seasonal staffers, she needed an office.

And an affordable one for her startup company, People, Inc.

“When I moved to the area from Dallas I was looking for something like an executive suite service and couldn’t find anything like that, professional office space,” Dicker said.

Then she met Del Matson of Visions Real Estate who had an executive suite service, but necessarily realize it.

“He founded his own real estate agency which is Visions Real Estate Company and he built the building we’re in now,” Dicker said. “When the downturn hit he lost a lot of his agents. The downstairs, it was designed for real estate agents to have a private office and so he has about 10 or 11 offices. And then he has a large conference room and kitchen and work area for a coffee area.”

In other words, the perfect place to offer offices to startup businesses or home businesses that have outgrown their space.

“The chamber told me they have almost 100 members of the chamber that have an office at home,” Dicker said. “It just seemed like if I was looking for a space to have an office without all the overhead of a private space and that some of the common areas could be shared and that there had to be some other small business owners in the area that wanted space.”

Each office is furnished with all utilities paid and even wireless internet is included. All for $350 a month and it includes use of the conference room and kitchen. There is one larger office that would be $500 a month, Matson said.

“(Susanne) rented one and is very comfortable,” Matson said. “She’s been very helpful. Everything’s paid for and they only thing they have to pay for is their telephone. A lot of places you have to put deposits down for utilities and if the air conditioning goes out you have to pay some on fixing it. All if it is taken care of.”

There have been several inquiries since a ribbon-cutting and opening, but so far only Dicker and Matson work out of the building. There are about 11 available.

“I talked to the chamber, Vicki Stillings, about why there doesn’t seem to be more interest in creating an incubator space for entrepreneur-type companies with the comeback and the publicity BP has given the area,” Dicker said. “This would be great for young people with the opportunities here. The school system is excellent. Young people like to be around an entertainment center where there are concerts and the beach.

“I just can’t believe that there aren’t other business owners that would love to have access to an office and a conference room.”

As for her own business, Dicker is bringing something a little different to the area as well. Her company concentrates on bringing in local college students to fill the summer seasonal jobs in hospitality and restaurants.

“My service is uniquely designed to provide the employers with a higher caliber person for summer employment and provide the student with an opportunity to make money for school expenses and possible employment at graduation,” she said. “I am recruiting from a dozen colleges and student organizations in southeast Alabama and Florida.”

Currently she is working with Tacky Jack’s and one housekeeping client, LM Services. By the next summer season she hopes to expand that client list.

“I was focused on finding a need and filling it,” Dicker said. “I understand seasonal employment is a challenge and I understand there are college students that are graduating or on break from school that really need to earn money during the summer months. There didn’t seem to be an organization focusing on Alabama students or U.S. students.”