Tips for Running a Successful Home-Based Business

Running a business from home may seem like the perfect solution to your work needs. But it is not a situation that rests easily with a number of people as they find adapting to the undisciplined environment hard to cope with. Sure, the hassle of the commute and the distraction of the office banter may have gone but these things provide a certain structure that provides more support than sometimes we like to admit.
Perhaps the hardest thing about running a business from home is maintaining some form of discipline. Make sure that you know what hours you want to work – and work them! Let your customers know what your hours are too and make sure that you do not suffer `drift` by accepting calls into the evening or at weekends unless you are really happy about the personal intrusion. This doesn`t mean that you can`t work outside these set hours but you need to be disciplined about what is work and what is family life else the two will encroach and grate.
You may have exceptional talents in a specific area but have probably not run a business before. There are endless amounts of help and assistance available for new small business owners from a range of government and regional agencies. Sometimes tapping into it can be a challenge all of itself but there is excellent help available through the Regional Development Agencies or Business Link websites. This will contain information ranging from how to set up bank account through to business insurance and VAT. Don`t be afraid to ask – no question is too small and you will not be the first person to ask for help.
Working from home is best done in your own personal space. Create an office or dedicate a room to your work so you are not sharing it with the kids or relatives when they come to visit. This also helps you to `close the door` when you have finished and to relax away from the reminders of what has to be done.
Working from home is just another job. You may become emotionally attached to it (indeed you should!) but it must not dominate to the extent of cutting the rest of the family out. Make sure that you reserve family time since the phenomenon of having you around the house all the time may well be a significant change for how they have to live too.
When your business starts to grow and succeed you may have to consider moving out of the home and into a dedicated office or factory unit. This may mean employing people and will almost certainly challenge your ability to keep on top of all the paperwork. Think carefully about the type of person you want to work with and how they can complement your skills rather than compete with you. Small teams need people that can get on rather than always the best talent available. One of the best ways to earn money for your business is to ensure that you have a happy and high performing team at your side.