Oh, how I wish someone told me these things…
Research. I researched other organisers and everything to do with the industry. To know about competition and what was needed for me to do my own business.
Skills. Do I have the skills? I would be wise to improve on it by possibly working under someone, a safer road to thriving by learning from someone else - how they succeeded. That idea fizzled out quickly when I realised how eager I was not to have a hierarchy figure telling me what to do and how to do it. I would rather prefer making my own decisions, my own way. The reward for that independence and bravery was surely to be sweeter. After all, we all do things differently and are our own individuals with something unique to offer. Practice is always easily gained, whether it be at one’s own home, giving jobs for friends or family and strangers as freebies, or learning from others through books, online and tv. I believe in the saying that 'we learn by doing'.
Identity. Questions I asked myself... What is my business identity? What target market am I looking for and what services do you I want to offer? Thinking about this all carefully makes a difference when actually starting the work. There are many transferrable skills used in this industry. I am lucky enough to have studied Interior Design which is a major influence in Home Improvements.
Training. I came across the organisation of APDO. Brilliant. Completing their course 'Starting a Professional Organising Company' gave me the foundation to birth my business steadily with support. Finding this organisation group opened my world into the industry where I found out how big it actually is, and I was flooded with resources and a network to begin my journey. There are many courses available out there from Personal Organising to Business startups to Social Media training. The internet is your oyster.
Networking. A world awaits us for meetups and sharing our dreams or advice with one another. Hopefully more individuals can pursue their dreams, become entrepreneurs and enjoy their work while bearing the fruits of their labour.
Branding and Website. One could always pay for these things, but I persisted in learning new skills and refused to spend a fortune hiring, so I did it myself, creating my own website with branding to follow suit.
Books. Registering with HMRC for tax was a headache! I did hire an accountant to do it for me. That saved me a hassle, but I made sure I started recording expenses and income from the beginning. This really helps in the long run! I used Excel spreadsheets and onto a site like QuickBooks to make it professional.
Payment methods. Cash is great, but times are changing and who knows if people decide not to pay you or may not have cash at hand. There are apps. Cash sometimes is preference, so I created invoice templates.
Legalities. Insurance, DBS checks, policies, terms & conditions, I created online through template generators. I simply have copies and links of them to share to my clients.
SEO, Analytics & Google (clicks & pages). This was another headache! But eventually without giving up and pushing through, I just got on with it. Website building sites and google have tutorials and instruction guides through this complicated process. Also, sites such as Fiverr or Upwork were the key to getting someone to do it for me without costing an arm and a leg.
Advertising. The way to do it is physical ads as well as social. I made sure to cover all mediums! Flyers, magazines, articles, social media, word of mouth and event networking. Business cards are not a bad idea to carry around in case those large flyers are left at home, or some people are not big into social media. I am always advertising.
Other income sources. I know that I should always have a back-up. I came to find that a business does not immediately take off and pay the bills. My back-up plans were that I could use this industry to stretch out into other areas which provide multiple incomes. If I keep myself with a stable income, but also flexible for when clients need, then I can be consistent with growing my business without worrying.
Mental Health. For the client or provider. I have learnt that this work can be physically and emotionally demanding for both. It is good to say no, take breaks or set boundaries, otherwise one can burn out. There is no use in being uncomfortable and sometimes we are going through personal challenges. It is only a good outcome if the balance has been made. Entrepreneur mental health challenges are real. It is stressful starting a business worrying about self-worth, paying bills and expenses, failure or loneliness through this journey. Sometimes we need to take the risk and not give up. It is far better we tried and failed, than not tried at all.
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