The idea of working from home is a dream for many people. I find not having a boss looking over me is well, bliss. It’s awesome. It’s fantastic working for myself now and I don’t regret a moment after walking out of my last job. But the ride from leaving one’s day job to going it alone is by no means for the faint-hearted.
Running a business is not all about ‘getting the sale’ or ‘marketing.’ If you are working from home, which many people do to reduce overheads, there’s much to consider.
Today, I’m taking a look at some cold hard business facts you need to know before quitting your day job – for good.
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Home Modifications
Depending on the type of product you sell, you may need to make home modifications to maximise your success in business. For example, bulk-buying products for an eCommerce business will require storage space.
You’ll also need to make sure any services you need have access to the house. If you sell cars online, you might want need a towing service close by to help move cars around that need fixing before a sale.
The degree of change will vary from person to person. Some people will have to make large modifications to their home – like add an extension to create a home office. Others may have to change the way they live slightly. I had to create a whole ‘private wing’ in my home that wasn’t near a hallway – because I found family walking past would interrupt me too often. Now I’m hidden up the back of the house, which is really working for me. They still find me but mostly they can’t be bothered because it’s too long a walk from the lounge!
Safety Is Important
Always consider safety too. Unsafe products should not be stored in a home. For example, if you’re a painter you’ll need a large shed for paint and tools. Paint is flammable so you would need to consider this fact before starting a trade like this out of a small home – especially if it doesn’t have a shed.
Cleanliness Is Important
A lot of home businesses are often online. This means that customers will never actually visit your home. You’ll only need a website, in this case.
But, people are visiting to buy products, make sure your home is spotless. Consider creating a special area just for customers to visit. One at the front of your home, where they don’t have to walk through your entire house to get to your meeting room. Your customers are your most important asset, so make a great first impression.
Tip: Consider a super cool digital print in the entryway. We have done this at our place and people we’ve just met always go ‘ga-ga’ over that print.
Check Suitability
Some businesses aren’t suitable to run from home at all. If you have staff that answer phones and answer emails, you’ll need an office. If you are a field engineer, you’ll probably need a workshop. The workshop should be safe and follow all legalities. Make sure your business isn’t breaking any rules.
Other Factors To Think About
- Feeling isolated at home
- Never leaving the house and feeling like everyone has a life but you
- Getting interrupted by children and others
- Having trouble ‘cutting off’ from work because it is always in your face
- Feeling like you should do laundry while you work
- Getting caught up in housework and domestic affairs instead of working
- Consider your personality and if you’ll miss people too much
- Business is a constant push – some people don’t enjoy that and find working more relaxing
- Consider the impact your business may have on your family
These tips should give you a good starting point as to the viability of your home-business. That’s it! If you do venture down the business path (like me) I hope you love it as much as I do.
Enjoy!
