In the past, often people wouldn’t take home-based businesses seriously. If you had an office at home, you would do everything to hide the fact. However, this is no longer the case… These days home-based businesses are among the fastest-growing job segments.
Technology has been the key driver in this shift as many people are now able to handle their businesses from anywhere. You can start any business you are passionate about, and the benefits are staggering, including not having to worry about rent for the business when you start.
Write a Business Plan
The fact you’re starting the business at home does not mean you should discard all the professional recommendations of all other startups. A business plan is an essential document as it defines your business and provides recommendations for the direction you should take. This is a time-consuming step in setting up a home-based business, so do it well.
A good business plan should contain the information you need to run the business successfully. The document is also important when applying for funding or pitching for partnerships.
Register Your Business
Like any other business, you need to establish the legal status of your home-based business. If you choose to form an LLC, you must register with your state to run the business legally. This process varies by state, so check the local laws to know what you’re required to do.
Generally, you can consult your local County Office for information on how to go about your business registration. Also, you need an employer identification number, this is important as it offers several advantages, including making it possible to hire employees, filing business taxes, and opening a business bank account.
Important documents like your business plan and your formation papers quickly pile up as you start up your business, which is why it’s crucial to not misplace any of the paperwork. Be sure to keep it all organized and in the same location. The best way to maintain your documents and have them available for easy retrieval is by digitizing them by scanning them as PDFs, then merge PDF files and store them on your hard drive or in the cloud.
Getting Your First Customer
Getting the first customer is an experience that gives you hope. To make your business a success, you must begin with the first customer. This is possible if you engage the right marketing steps to make the business visible to as many people as possible. There are many options if you want to find customers, including looking for referrals, as Birdeye explains. Start with your friends and family and you can encourage them to share the information about your business with their friends.
Another option is to attend industry events, where you can showcase your goods and services. You could also team up with other businesses to see if they can accept partnerships. Don’t forget social media to spread the word about your business. This is one of the most effective marketing tools, especially for startups.
If you feel the need to beef up your business acumen, consider taking business classes to acquire the latest knowledge in areas like finance, management and marketing. Opting for an online college-level program makes sense, as you can work toward a degree while having the flexibility to complete assignments and take tests remotely and on your own schedule. Online programs can be completed in relatively quick fashion; it’s possible to earn an MBA through the University of Phoenix, for example, in just 16 months.
Separate Business and Personal Finances
After taking all the right steps to establish a home-based business, it can be tempting to mix your personal finances with money from your business. Forbes notes that managing business finances is important if you want to stay in business longer. While this is a one-person operation, you must separate business and personal finances, especially if your business is just starting out.
Keep your personal and business finances separate. This is the best way to protect your personal assets, and it’s a crucial idea as it makes it easy to handle tax filing, bookkeeping, and offers general organization.
Using your EIN, open a business account. This will make it easy to manage money in your business, and you can use the account for paying employees, suppliers, and other services. Because you’re running a home-based business, prioritize bank accounts that offer online banking.
Conclusion
Running a home-based business should not be different from running any other type of business. Except for the fact, the business is based in your home, you need to maintain all professional guidelines for a startup. Manage your finances separately, and ensure the business is registered and licensed.
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