Business Tips When Starting a Home Business
Are you a new mom looking to create your own success by starting a home-based business? There has never been a better time in history to make this happen. Today, we have access to technology and services that can help us make the most of our business and family time. Here are a few quick pieces of advice from Making a Millennial Millionaire to get you up and running quickly.
Start on the Web
Regardless of what type of business you’re looking to start (business ideas to follow), you need a website. WebSiteBuilderExpert details the top ten website builders that can build a custom site that caters to your business, including e-commerce. Your website should include a portfolio of your capabilities, as well as contact information and, if applicable, pricing, delivery time, and an option to shop online.
Get Professional
There is absolutely nothing wrong with operating as a freelancer in the early days of your business. If you’re a freelancer, it’s a good idea to get your billing and invoicing in order. By using accounting software, for example, you can quickly generate invoices and expense reports. Additionally, using this type of software can automate repetitive tasks to reduce errors, which is important when you have many clients at once.
To stay on track with tasks, you can utilize a monthly planner template with an option to create a calendar planner. This tool allows you to take a big-picture view of your business and what you need to accomplish to be successful. You can also add your own video, images, and sticky notes.
If you’ll be sending documents back and forth between clients, it’s best to know a few file conversion tricks. While PDFs are helpful because they retain their formatting despite the viewer’s platform, they can be harder to edit. Fortunately, there are editors that allow you to convert your PDF to docx and back again with a few simple steps. This way you can ensure that the documents you send to clients and vendors are both up to date and formatted correctly.
Make the Rules
One of the first things you have to do as a working mom/entrepreneur is to set boundaries for your family, as well as your clients. Make sure everyone understands when you plan to work and what hours are designated solely to family time. You also want to create a visible disconnect between your home office or workspace in your main family areas, such as your living room and kitchen.
Create the Right Space
When you work from home, getting your space right from the beginning is paramount to your success. When you are cramped for space, you may have to get creative with a desk tucked away in a corner somewhere. But if you have a spare bedroom, you have some creative leeway. Start with the right furniture. A computer desk and an ergonomic chair along with plenty of storage will get you started off on the right foot. You also want to make sure that you have a functional and reliable computer.
Home Business Ideas for Moms
As a mom, you most likely don't want to add to the world's problems. Is there a way but you can pursue profit by doing social good? Consider the problems you see as a source of possible business ideas and become a social entrepreneur, where you combine a solution to a problem that people have and also give back. For example, could you combine your organizing skills by helping people sort through their goods and offer two services: marketing reusable items on Ebay, making 60% or higher as part of your commission, and helping place items with social organizations that need them.
Do you still need some ideas? Consider these:
● Clothing reseller
● Online tutor
● Party planner
● Virtual dance instructor
● Jewelry/craft maker
● Interior designer
● Collectible seller
● Photographer
● Gift basket designer
● Wedding planner
Another option is to purchase real estate and become a landlord. Out of all of our ideas, this is the most expensive, but also the one that offers the best passive income. You can also capitalize on your professional experience in whatever industry you worked in before you became a mom.
Begin Your Mom-trepreneurship
Starting a home business as a mom might be a daunting thought. And it’s not without its challenges. Fortunately, through modern technology and old-fashioned perseverance, you can find success at home as both a parent and a professional. Remember, start strong by carving out your online real estate with a great and secure website and creating a space where you can work without interruption. The tips above can help you get started so that you can be in control of your financial future.
Are you on a journey towards wealth and financial freedom? We are, too! Watch our journey and learn from our successes and failures through Making a Millennial Millionaire.
