Category: Tips and Tools

For some people, working at an office or factory is their day-to-day preference. It allows them to have a structure to work to, and of course, to see people every day. For some, that element of companionship and socialising is key. Of course, working in office also means that somebody else is likely in charge of your day, even if it’s just in something basic. This could be hours you work, or what kind of a dress code is considered appropriate.

However, it could be the case that you don’t like working in an office. Perhaps you find it too restrictive, or find having lots of people around you distracting. Or maybe you do, but you just want a change. You want to strike out on your own, be your own boss and see if you can make a go of running your own business.

Whatever the case may be, there are options out there. You can do a number of jobs from home. This number has drastically increased over the last two decades also. Thanks to technological developments, we can now communicate without being in an office. We also have our own laptops, meaning we can work remotely. And, of course, we all have our own mobile phones, meaning you don’t have to be tied to a desk to answer calls.

Note, however, that these jobs do not necessarily have to involve you freelancing or working alone. You could in fact set up your own business and grow it to such an extent that you could run it from home with the help of colleagues or co-managers. Further down the line, you could even hire someone to run the company for you.

So, no matter your skill set and previous experience, there is a good chance you could find a job you could do- from home. Let’s take a look at what some of these jobs are, and what they entail.

Car Repairs and Servicing

Got at least a garage, a driveway, or any large paved outdoor area? Got skills in working with cars, motorbikes and other vehicles? Then you could run a car repairs and servicing business from home. Or you could branch out and focus on more of a niche, like modification. If you do want to run a vehicle repair or servicing business, your first step should be figuring out the finances. Insurance is imperative, so figure out what your traders insurance quote would be. You can then factor this into your other running costs, such as tools, machinery, and other equipment.

Baking Business

You’ll need a big kitchen and lots of storage for this one! How about running a baking business from home. Consumers are getting sick of the same old stuff from the supermarket. They’re craving something a little special. This can be what you provide.

First up, consider what is going to make you stand out from the crowd– your USP? Maybe all of your products are chocolate? Or vegan? Or sugar-free? The competition is fierce, and you need to have something you are recognised for. Once you’ve found your footing, start offering baking services for events like weddings and parties. These will bring in big orders, and also spread the word of your business to lots of people.

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Recruiting

It used to be the case that recruiters could only work in offices. After all, all of their files and information was on paper, and that was where their phone and computer was also. However, times have changed. We are now much more mobile, and those constraints simply no longer apply. Nowadays, companies often outsource recruiting roles and responsibilities out to people working from home. If you are new to the industry, you may want to get your training in an office. You’ll learn lots of useful skills for this role from listening to others and being inspired by them. Move to a home-based set-up once you’ve got your confidence. However, if you already work in the industry, consider making the move- home!

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Handmade crafts

If you have a knack for creating handmade items, but it to good use! Set up a handmade crafts business from home. Chances are you already have most of the items you will need, if you are already skilled in that area. You will just need extra stock, and of course, a USP. Sites like Etsy don’t just make selling online viable; they make it desirable. Be sure to price your goods fairly to stand out from the competition. Do be aware that Etsy and other such companies do take a cut, however.

These days, every business has a reliance on IT in some way. It could be as simple as creating your invoices on a computer and emailing them out, or as advanced as a private network for a nationwide company with multiple departments. No matter what your needs though, the chances are in the digital age that you will need to invest in IT support as you continue to grow. Here are just three reasons why…

1. You need to stay safe

When you think about security, it’s often your premises that spring to mind, and things like CCTV installation. Meanwhile though, all of your customer details, from addresses to credit cards, are stored online. This means that they can potentially be stolen, and this is something that’s become particularly important since companies started storing data in the Cloud. It’s cost effective, it’s fast, it’s incredibly accessible to every team member no matter where they are, but unfortunately that means it’s easier for hackers to get into.

As technology develops, internet crime becomes equally sophisticated, which is why it’s vital that you invest in an experienced company who understand this side of IT support. For example, Dynamic, provide vital IT support in Leeds, but they also provide all of the physical security that your facility could need too. From phishing scams to fire alarms, you’re covered from every angle.

2. Your automation needs attention

Almost every business will use automation of some kind. On a small scale, you could be looking at simple email generations across a broad distribution list. Taking it to the larger businesses, they could use virtual switchboards to take the pressure off the sales teams, which need coordinating on a daily basis. Then there could be problems with call diverts on company mobiles – who will fix it if it goes wrong?

Automation will require a huge input from IT, so making sure you get the right company to help you get up to speed during down time is critical. Think of all those error messages that would be sent to customers by mistake. Think of all those missed calls from potential customers.

3. There are more remote workers

There is a new and large workforce emerging, and the concept is taking businesses by storm. Remote workforces represent the attention employers are paying to the needs of the modern employee, allowing them more freedom in how they work in order to balance other commitments.

Of course, working for home is fantastic until your connection breaks, you can’t access shared files, and your email is unusable. Suddenly, the mobile workforce is very much immobile.

These employees will need a constant support line for external use, so that wherever they are, they can get back on track with tackling customer issues. Making sure the IT company you choose is clear on these kinds of working trends is essential, as it means they’ll be able to understand the issues and pre-plan for them.

What other reasons can you think of to invest in IT support?

Having a child changes the way your career pans out, and one of the great ways to remain busy is to go freelance. When you’ve got a newborn to deal with, there’s nothing quite like being able to pick and choose the work you undertake. Not only can you choose what interests you and will make the most money, but you can fit it around your newly busy schedule! Still, going freelance isn’t an easy route. It’s going to take a lot of hard work to not only complete paid tasks but find them in the first place, too. To do that, you’re going to need to know the basics of marketing, particularly from an online standpoint.

If you take just one thing away from this article today, I want it to be the importance of branding yourself. You need to stop thinking like a regular employee. There’s no-one above you to blame things on. Everything is now under your control, and it isn’t going to be such an easy ride. That means that you’ve got to put yourself out there. If you don’t, how will anyone ever find you to offer you work? This is what I mean by branding. Having an active presence online will make it more likely that the job offers will come rolling in.

So, how do you do this? Firstly, I suggest you get started on social media. Whether social media will have a big impact on your marketing strategy depends on the type of work you’re looking to obtain. It’s still beneficial in any case, though, so start making a basic page. Form a Facebook and Twitter account, and feel free to keep them separate from any personal pages you may have. The whole point of these accounts is to showcase your talents and try to obtain work. You need to maintain a professional approach and come across as someone who would be a great fit for budding employers.

Another important consideration is to have a portfolio that can be accessed easily. Using a template like carbonmade.com, you can upload your work to be seen by others. This gives you a clean and clear layout, and you can refer employers with a simple click of a link. If you want to go one step further, you could forward your portfolio to a tailored website of your own. Create a domain of your choice that looks particularly professional. SEO services from FireflySearch.co.nz will also help to increase your exposure.

Don’t be afraid to go the extra mile, either. Your competitors are all looking to obtain the same work that you’re after. What separates you from them is the amount of searching you’re willing to do to find opportunities. Upload your CV to a variety of websites that specialize in freelance work. Search Twitter for employers who want freelancers to carry out some work for them. You need to be willing to use search techniques to delve into the deepest corners of the internet. Sometimes, you’ll find high paying gigs that haven’t been discovered by many people.

We wish you the best of luck with your freelance career!

One of the most exciting parts of any business owner’s life is the moment after they have just started their first venture. If this is where you are at the moment, then it is likely that you are excited to get going. This is definitely a good sign. After all, that is the kind of energy which is necessary if you are to enjoy any kind of long-term success. However, there is another side to doing business which you should take into consideration as early as possible. We are talking, of course, about the possibility of something going wrong. The truth is, no business is completely immune from those everyday problems. What’s more, if you want to get ahead, then you need to know about the kind of problems that you can expect to face. Otherwise, you might find yourself in real trouble before you even know what has happened. Keeping your business safe from disaster is not something you want to think about all the time. Yet, you must put some consideration into it if you want to be taken seriously. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how to ensure that your business always stays afloat.

Planning

Far and away, the best way to ensure that nothing untoward happens in your business is to plan ahead. All businesses require dedicated planning anyway, so you should already be familiar with it. You should already have a clear business plan which sets out clearly exactly how your business will function. It should also have a clear idea of what kind of time frame you can expect for certain results to start appearing. If your business plan is not yet this detailed, I highly recommend you go back to the drawing board and take another look. Having a plan in place is easily your best defense against the many possible downfalls which a business can experience.

As well as a generic business plan, you might also like to draw up a protective plan. This is a plan which outlines the potential issues your business may face. It also details any courses of action you might think it necessary to take. If nothing else, having these plans in place will likely make you feel a lot more confident in your business. Starting out in this manner is the best possible way to go about building a business from the ground up securely.

Protection

However, it is not usually enough to have a plan in place detailing what you would do in case of emergency. Don’t get me wrong: it is vital that you do have those plans, but alone they are not enough. Ultimately, you can only do a certain amount of planning. Nothing really changes what is destined to happen to your business. With that in mind, it is important to understand that your business needs to have ways of protecting itself. Knowing what to do if the worst happens is one thing. Reducing the chances of it happening in the first place is quite another, and in many ways much more important and more effective. There are a few different main aspects to protecting your business. Let’s take a look, first of all, at the profit side of things.

Protecting your profits is something which you can’t afford to take lightly. If you are like anyone else, then you want to make as much money with your business as possible. With that in mind, it is important to remember that you need to know exactly how to draw in as much profit as you can. You also need to have ways of minimising your expenditure. In essence, this is just normal business common sense. There is another side to protection, of course, and it is this side which people normally think of when they hear the word. There is the possibility that your business will one day come under attack from outside forces. The reasons might be unclear, but it does happen  -and it might happen to you. That’s why it is vital that you protect your computer systems with the best endpoint security software. Otherwise, there is no way of knowing who might get into your systems and wreak havoc.

Perseverance

Another main issue which many businesses can face is that things slow down at times. To be honest, this is a natural part of running a business. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to stop it from happening. One of the main qualities which you should try to adopt towards that end is perseverance. With enough perseverance, you can achieve anything with your business. Who knows, one day it might become a huge corporation. Remember: all big companies start out small.