For many of us, the prospect of becoming self-employed is intimidating. After all, you can no longer rely on a steady nine-to-five income, and there are all sorts of uncertainties that lie ahead. But, entrepreneurship is one of the greatest freedoms you can exercise, and there are many ways that you can smooth the foundation so that you can build your success without fear and anxiety. Don’t believe us? The following tips are for areas where challenges are the greatest.
- Advertising. Advertising isn’t always easy; it is easy to feel uncomfortable when selling yourself and your services. But there is nothing wrong with showing the world your capabilities. A great way to get the word out is by leveraging the power of influencers within your industry. Brybe has a host of global personalities in all industries, including entertainment, lifestyle, and beauty.
- Collaboration. Even if you find the ideal marketer, you’ll need a way to collaborate. Although you can correspond via text message or email, one of the best ways to get work done together is to utilize an editable PDF file. This is especially important if you’re making things like Facebook cover pages (or even printed brochures). With the right PDF conversion tool, you can work in Word, convert PDF, and then convert back to Word when you’re done.
- Cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is crucial for all businesses, no matter how large or small. If you’re concerned about your data being compromised or breached, you need prevention and recovery plans in place. But, what is the definition of a cyber threat? In short, this is any type of intrusion or attack that will compromise your systems. Your first line of defense is prevention, which includes things like firewalls and antivirus software. But, your recovery plan – a written plan of action that details who handles tasks once a breach has been discovered – is just as important. And, if you work in certain industries, you may be required to have a data recovery plan before customers will work with you.
- Compliance. If you are a service provider, financial institution, or payment processing service, you may be required to follow certain regulations, according to Alert Logic, a managed detection and response provider with locations in the US, Europe, and Latin America. But all businesses are required to maintain accurate accounting records, and forming a business structure can help. You can use an online service for this, which will also help you reduce your tax liabilities and give you a flexible management structure. Further, you may be able to separate different aspects of your business by filing as an LLC with an alias business name.
- Self-doubt. No matter how confident we are on the outside, many of us struggle with self-doubt. This can put a pause on your business plans, so take steps to get ahead of your personal uncertainties as you launch your new business. Talk to someone, stop comparing yourself to others, and look for ways to boost your enthusiasm and motivation.
- Planning. One of the single most effective ways to overcome your fears of starting a business is to start with a plan. Your business plan will help you create a step-by-step path toward success, and you can even use it to bring on financial backers in the future. CrowdSpring explains that investors want to see a strong executive summary, financial forecasts, and management strategy within your business plan. Importantly, your business plan will also help you choose a business structure and guide you forward when you don’t know what to do next.
When you first enter the world of self-employment, you’ll probably do so with excitement and fear. Both of these emotions exist to move you in the right direction. Use them to your advantage, and proceed with caution, but do not let fear dictate your decisions. Ease into the process by planning ahead and knowing how to sidestep important issues, such as cybersecurity threats and self-doubt.
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By Elena Stewart from Elenestewart.com