Category: Tips and Tools

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For a lot of people, there’s no fantasy greater than being able to walk out of the office, tell their boss what they really think of them, and go and work for themselves. However, for a lot of people, fantasy is how it stays. Sure, the internet has made it far easier for people to become freelancers but the truth is that it still comes with a whole host of different challenges that you have to face up to. The last thing you want is to try and get out on your own before you’re ready and end up falling flat on your face. Sure, the positive aspects of being a freelancer are amazing, but if you ignore the difficult side of things, then you’re never going to be able to find any success. With that in mind, here are some of the most important things to think about when you’re considering becoming a freelancer.

Getting started

One of the hardest things about becoming a freelancer is actually getting started in the first place. Sure, you might have big dreams of earning money as a free agent, but everyone’s got to start somewhere. This means that you need to figure out how to present yourself in such a way that the modern business world is going to take you seriously. The best way to do this is to create a professional looking website. Services like Squarespace or Wix are fantastic for creating great looking websites without needing to know any code at all. You also need to be sure that your social media presence is as professional as possible. Sure, you might have personal accounts, but it’s a good idea to have professional accounts that steer clear of anything that might put people off hiring you.

Finding work

Of course, once you’ve got your presence as a professional freelancer set up, you’ve got to go about actually finding work. This can often be the biggest stumbling block since many people first starting out just don’t know where to begin. The best place to start looking is almost certainly online. There are plenty of sites like UpWork than can connect freelancers with clients for both one of jobs and longer-term contracts. The other way of finding work that’s very effective is that dreaded word: networking. Being able to talk to people and sell yourself effectively can be pretty difficult a lot of the time, but if you get the hang of it, then you’re going to be able to make incredibly valuable connections that will carry you forward well into the future.

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Getting paid

Of course, finding people who want to hire you is one thing, actually getting those people to pay you for the work you do is something else entirely. Sure, in an ideal world people will be more than happy to pay you for the work that you do but the truth is that not all businesses are quite as well-meaning or honest as they should be. If that’s the case, then you may need to invest in some legal representation. Of course, it might not even be something so significant that stops you getting paid. If you’re not able to provide clients with clear and well-formatted invoices, then it’s going to be a lot more difficult than it needs to be to get paid for your work. Using something like a proforma invoice template can save you a huge amount of time and make life a whole lot easier for everyone when it comes to trying to get you the money that you deserve.

Staying disciplined

One thing about freelancing that you should never forget is that if you’re not working, then you’re not earning. When you work for someone else, then you’re paid for the hours that you spend in the office, even if you’re not all that productive, and you get sick and holiday pay. Those things are not available for you as a freelancer and every moment you spend no working it money that you’re missing out on. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should spend all of your time obsessively working, but rather that you should be as disciplined as possible when it comes to your working hours. Sure, the idea of getting up at noon and working in your pyjamas all day long might seem great, but it’s not really the most effective working method that there is. It’s much better to set yourself a strict timetable that you have to follow and create a space where you can work productively. That way you can be sure that you’re working enough to earn a living, but that you’re not eating into time that you should be spending on yourself.

Paying your expenses

The other thing that people often forget when going from employment to freelancing is that the suddenly have to worry about doing their own tax returns. When you’re employed by someone else, they take care of that for you, but it’s something that you have to remember when working for yourself. If you don’t set aside the money that you need throughout the year and then fill out your tax return on time, you’re almost certainly going to end up in a pretty unpleasant position on both a legal and financial level. Combine that with the fact that there may well be business expenses that you have to account for, and if you’re not careful with your money, then you could end up earning a lot less than you thought.

Now, don’t let any of this seem as though it’s trying to discourage you from actually becoming a freelancer, far from it. But if you try and jump into the world of freelancing without properly considering the kinds of difficulties and challenges that you might face, you’re going to end up making your life far more difficult than it needs to be. Becoming a freelancer can be one of the most rewarding things that you ever do, but if you’re not ready to deal with the reality of what it’s actually like, then you’re doomed to fail from the very start.

 

Managing a successful small business is hard work. However, the opportunity to take control of your lifestyle and financial future in one fell swoop is very appealing. In truth, it’s something that many mums dream about on a near daily basis. But only a very small percentage actively chase it.

When completing your research, you will encounter obstacles that may discourage you from taking the leap of faith. Here’s how to break through them to encourage the best chance of success.

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#1. Financial Worries

Money is at the heart of most concerns, especially when starting a new business. As a new mumpreneur, using an alternative finance company is probably the best way to fund the venture in a responsible manner. As long as that capital is spent in a suitable way, which includes minimal waste, you should be just fine.

The other major financial concern revolves the income. It takes time for a business to grow to the point where you can pay yourself a salary. Maintaining a part-time job throughout the early stages of the venture can reduce the pressure greatly.  

#2. Limited Skills

Despite having the perfect idea for a business and the skills to complete many of the tasks, there’s a strong chance that you’ll be lacking in other areas. The knowledge that you don’t have the marketing, production, or admin skills needed to facilitate success can be worrying. But teamwork makes the dream work, and hiring some employees can make all the difference.

 If you’re starting the business from home, it’s likely that you’ll choose remote freelancers instead of having people work from your home. Still, the right employees will bring their innovations and creativity to the job. This should result in greater efficiency and final products. If that doesn’t inspire faster growth, what will?

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#3. Work-Life Balance

 Starting a business is supposed to enhance your life, and not just in a financial sense. Unfortunately, a lot of inexperienced mumpreneurs allow the two parts of their life to blur into one. When this happens, it becomes very difficult to enjoy either. Even when you’re at home, that lack of quality time can be gruelling.

 First and foremost, setting aside a home office space creates a working environment. This can work wonders for your mindset as well as the family’s. Meanwhile, it’s imperative that you learn to give yourself a break from time to time. In addition to enhancing your personal life, coming back with a fresh mind may help you unearth improvements for the business.   

#4. No Store

When starting a home-based business, not having a store will obviously create problems. Fortunately this is easily fixed.  If running a hairdressing venture, for example, operating as a mobile business that visits clients in their homes you’ll be able to take payments from a card reader . If selling products to the local community, a combination of online selling and popup stalls can work wonders.

Handling stock can be another issue.  When selling clothes, you could partner with fulfilment companies that create and distribute on your behalf. That way, you won’t even see the stock and can focus completely on design and selling. Perfect.

Essentially, if you have the right levels of determination, it’s possible to break through all barriers in business. You can do it!

Going freelance is a great option for mums who want to get back to work but don’t want the pressure of a 9-5 working day. It may be that you want to work from home for a few hours a day while your baby is sleeping, or perhaps this is more of a lifestyle choice and you want to try something new.

Whatever your reasons for going freelance are, you need to be aware that as well as all the perks and freedoms that come with this career choice, there are also some things to think about first.

How Will You Fund Yourself?

You might not expect it but going freelance does have a start-up cost. You will need to have somewhere to work, a decent laptop and a website promoting your services at the very least and all these things add up. While you can happily work from home, you might also consider whether you would prefer the sociable nature of a shared workspace and create a budget for this too.

If you are a new mum, you may need cash fast in order to set yourself up as a freelancer. As you may not get regular work for a couple of months, having some money in an emergency fund is always a good plan for your to fall back on too.

How Will You Get Work?

When you are working for a company, work tends to just appear on your desk. As a freelancer, you need to know how and where you can get work regularly to support yourself. While there might be a few companies who want regular freelance work from you, you might also wish to try networking events to meet new people and broaden your opportunities.

Like all small businesses, you should also have a plan for the future in place, even if it is only a vague one. This should help you to work out which jobs are best to take based upon where you want to get to and how they will help you achieve your bigger goals.

How Will You Achieve Balance?

Though many people think that freelancing is a great idea because you can work whenever you want and however much you want, it isn’t always that simple. You will need to earn enough to support your family, which may make it harder to reject some work. Plus, while you are setting yourself up, it is likely that you will have to spend significantly more time than you thought sorting out your website and getting in touch with people set up work opportunities.

Over time, everything will balance out and you will get better at saying yes and no to the right jobs. You will also learn how to use your network to set up the next opportunity over and again, always making sure there are irons in the fire. Going freelance is a great opportunity and if you grab it with both hands, you can make it work for you and your family.

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If you are in a position to establish your own workforce, it is important that you evaluate your options. It’s especially important if this will be your first time acting as someone else’s boss. Before you hire any staff members, you will need to be completely confident in your decision. That is why you need to make sure that you are on top of your finances and able to provide your employees with a suitable workspace. You should also have thought carefully about the future of your business and the workers that you are taking on. Can you help your employees get to the next level? Is your business the kind of place where people can achieve their dreams? If you are going to lead your company in the right direction, it is best to plan ahead. Below are four tips that will guide you through the recruitment process.

Carry out extensive interviews

To feel completely confident in your decision to hire a new member of staff, you will need to carry out extensive interviews. Don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions and to find a recruitment technique that works for you. Once you have signed a contract, it will be much harder to backtrack. That is why you need to be certain about your chosen candidate. Whatever you do, make sure that you talk to your potential staff member before inviting them to join your company. Even if your potential workers live far away, you can still interview them via Skype. You could even link in other people and ask for a second opinion.

Prepare your finances

It can be quite overwhelming to take on the responsibility of paying someone else’s wage. That is why you need to make sure that your company finances are in order. Hopefully, you will already have a financial plan in place that includes projections for your future earnings. It will help you to work out what you can afford to pay. Another important step is to use a checkstub maker to monitor your wages. That way, once you start paying out money, you can keep a detailed record of this process.

Evaluate your premises

You should also evaluate your company premises before you take on any workers. If your business is going to run effectively and efficiently, you will need to make sure that you have enough space to work. You will also need to ensure your company premises are in a desirable location. If you are not yet ready to invest in a bigger space, you might benefit from employing virtual employees. It’s a great opportunity for you to get the best of both worlds. You can find people to help with your workload, without having to provide them with a space to work.

Establish a training program

If you are struggling to find the right candidate who is willing to accept the salary that you are offering, you should consider establishing a training program. It’s a fantastic opportunity for you to give deserving candidates a chance to step onto the career ladder. Not only will this save your business money, but it will also help you to secure a loyal workforce who appreciates the guidance that you have provided.

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There’s nothing worse than lying awake at night worrying about money. It can bring on all sorts of side effects from stress including anxiety, loss of appetite, overeating, nausea, panic attacks and much more. It can be difficult to get yourself out of money troubles, but in the meantime here are some fabulous ways that you can relax from the stress of money troubles in an easy and surefire way.

First and foremost, you need to take action against your financial difficulties. While it’s important that you’re not spending every waking minute worrying about them, you also need to tackle the problem before it gets worse.

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If you’re in debt with utility providers, call them and explain your current financial situation. You will be surprised at how accommodating they are to help you get out of trouble. They want their money repaid, so they are obligated to help you through this difficult time. You may even land yourself a cheaper deal so that in the future you won’t find yourself in this mess again.

If you’re in credit card debt, it’s obviously a bit more of a stress because you have your lenders on your back, and with interest rates in this day and age the amount you owe is only increasing. Take a look at this consolidate credit card debt calculator to see how you can help yourself out of debt. There is always an option for you to take, so think long and hard about which option is best for you.

Once you have something set up for your debts, it’s time to take your mind off the problem and relax. There’s no point in worrying about it all hours of the day because it’s not going to resolve the issue. Here’s some fab ways in which you can take your mind off your stresses and relax:

• Remember that you don’t have to spend money to have a good time. The outdoors is a great way to get some fresh air, exercise, and spend quality time with those that you love.
• If you have children, ask someone to watch them for a few hours so that you can spend some time pampering yourself; take a long hot bath, catch up on your TV programmes, and generally give yourself some TLC.
• Find a new and inexpensive/free hobby for you to take up. This could be something that you could do at home when the children are in bed like knitting, crafts, or even painting. A popular choice for stressed adults is an adult colouring book.
• Light some scented candles with essential oils to help you relax at the end of the day. The smell after you have blown them out should help you drift off for a great night of sleep.

Money troubles are horrible, but if you take the above advice you will soon find yourself being able to relax a little more, and worry a little less. Get yourself back on track the right way, you can do this!