If you’re reading this you’ve thought about being your own boss. You get to make your own hours, don’t have to answer to anyone, and can take off whenever you please. There are so many attractive reasons to be your own boss but many people don’t know how to start or have doubts. These fears are expected and even normal but I’m not gonna lie to you, being your own boss isn’t for everyone. But with a little motivation and planning you can be your own boss too.

Here is some guidance to get you started on your way to becoming your own boss:

1. Don’t Quit Your Day Job

The biggest mistake entrepreneurs make is quitting their day jobs too soon. Starting a business takes money, how much money depends on the type of business you are starting. You’ll need a flow of funds so don’t quit your day job just yet. Wait until you have your new business built up to the point where you are making the same or more money than your day job. Once you reach that point, quite your day job and focus your attention on growing your new business.

2. Start Small – Then Grow

Don’t try to get too big too fast. When you’re starting out remember MVP – Minimum Viable Product. Start with the minimum then grow. You may want a marble front desk for $5,000 and a 10,000 square foot office but do you really need it? Start within your means and then grow. Getting too big too fast will rack up debt and will cripple your business.

3. Want vs Need

Just like starting small, discern the difference between wants and needs for your business. When you’re starting out, only buy things you need, not the things that you want. Once you’re more established and have more finances then you can start to buy things that aren’t necessarily needed but may be nice to have.

4. Be Resourceful

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel on projects. If there is a service or item that can speed up your process and save you money, use it!

5. Don’t Spread Yourself Too Thin

New business owners tend to want to micro manage every single aspect of business. This will lead to a mental and physical burnout. Be in charge, oversee things but find people you can trust to do the things you don’t like to do or don’t know how to do. If you’ve gotten to the point where you can’t take on anymore clients (which is a great problem to have) hire an employee or raise your prices.

6. Find a Good Accountant

Find an accountant to manage your tax filings. They can also help guide you in financial decisions, business changes, legal registrations and so on.

7. Apply For Grants

Ask your accountant if there are any grants you can apply for, especially if you are a woman or a minority. Every dollar helps when starting out.

8. Put Your Name on It

Do good work, plain and simple. Your work represents your business so be proud to put your name on the jobs you complete. Establish relationships with your clients rather than just getting a paycheck. It’s a symbiotic relationship. If you do good work your clients will be more successful. If they’re more successful they’ll have more money to spend. When they have more money to spend they will come back to you to spend that money. Your clients will also be more likely to refer you to new customers if they are happy with your work. Word of mouth is the best advertising!

9. Be Organized

Organization is key. The more organized you are the faster you will work and the easier life will be. Come up with a file naming system for projects. We use a simple but very effective naming system.

Here is an example: SOLIDES_FL_13_Block-Party_0916

SOLIDES = Client name (abbreviate if too long)
FL = Flyer (come up with abbreviations for the type of work)
13 = 13 (the number of flyers we have designed at that point)
Block-Party = Brief description (keep this to only a couple words)
0916 – Month and year (September, 2016)

Managing projects is the same. There are apps, online services, etc. that can be utilized to effectively manage projects. We personally use the flag system in Mac Mail.

Red = Do project
Purple = Waiting for reply
Blue = Check back in in a month or so
Green = Meeting or shipping of item

10. Marketing, Advertising & Consulting

Keeping up with social media and advertising can be a daunting task, use a business like us that can take that off your plate so you can focus on completing projects and maintaining client relationships. Odds are you’re not a marketing expert, stick to what you love to do and let us make your business stand out.

Two things every business needs are a good website and compelling business cards. A website is most likely the very first interaction you are going to have with a customer so you need a good website to make the right first impression. Having a well designed business card has the same effect. You want both of these items to make people go “Wow! I want to work with these people.”

I had designed a business card for a client. The card had diecuts, foil, UV ink, raised ink, and colored edges and it looked amazing. My client gave his card to an executive at GE and his reply was “Holy %#@^! This is the coolest card I’ve ever seen!” That’s the kind of reaction you want. People should be excited to work with you and know that you are professional and care about your work. Don’t know where to go for a website, business cards, or any other design materials for your business? Well that’s where we come in. We love design and we can help you build your business. If you’re in a rut or don’t know where to go, shoot us an email or give us a call. We’ll get you on the right track.