Starting your own business is an exciting adventure, but it can become unnecessarily challenging when the space you have will not fit the operation you’re planning. These five tips from Stuart St James should help you start an at-home business and find the right home to suit all your needs.
1. Create a Solid Business Plan
Before you start turning your idea into a tangible product or start spending money on your business, create a solid business plan to help you stay on track. You’ll also need that plan to present to potential investors. A quality business plan needs:
- A strong executive summary explaining what your business is and what niche it fills
- Market analysis to show how you fit into the market
- List of your products
- Plans for funding
- Plan for operations
- An outline of your daily operations
Now is also the time to plan your marketing campaign. Unlike traditional types of advertising, which are often expensive and static, content marketing gives brands the opportunity to connect with their target audience on a more personal level. With regular content creation and distribution through channels like social media and email newsletters, brands can engage with potential customers in a meaningful way while also helping to boost their visibility online. Click here to learn more about the ins and outs of content marketing.
2. Find a Home That Fits Your Business
Buying a new home while also starting a business does require you to take on a great deal at once. However, with help from a reliable real estate agent from Stuart St James, you’ll skip much of the unnecessary searching and get into a home quickly. If you’re interested in buying to accommodate your family and your business, make sure you know how much you can realistically spend. Get pre-approved for a loan and start looking for homes in your price range online. Also, spring for a home inspection to protect your purchase.
You shouldn’t take on a burdensome mortgage when you’re trying to build a small business. If you need to fund your business, then renting a home could be the best option. Peruse online listings to find a house or apartment with enough space to accommodate an office and your inventory (if necessary). Look for a home with an extra bedroom to use as an office.
It’s vital that you prepare for protecting your home and your budget. Give this a try—a home warranty is perfect for accomplishing both. A home warranty assures that you don’t have to worry about large out-of-pocket expenses should something break in your new home. Managing your cash flow is vital when launching a new business.
3. Prepare for Your Move Ahead of Time
Never wait until the last minute to begin the moving process. Research shows that you should start planning no later than two months out from the date of your move. That gives you plenty of time to get everything together and organized. You’ll also be able to sell or donate things you no longer need.
4. Plan Your Business Launch After Your Move
Don’t overextend yourself during the moving process. Launching a business is a big moment with many moving parts, and trying to do that while your life is in boxes can be hectic. The disorganization could even be a hindrance, causing you to miss important steps in the launching process. You could even use the launch as the kick-start to your new life in your new home.
As part of your preparations, spend some time designing some free business cards. A business card conveys immediate legitimacy, which is important for a new venture. The design tool is easy to use—you can customize a template and save a design for printing in minutes. You can also return to it online to update it later.
5. Keep Your Business and Personal Life Separate
Creating a work-life balance is a vital part of life. Those lines can easily blur when you run a business out of your home. The best way to keep them separate is to designate work hours and stick to them. Keep your office somewhat separate from the family areas of the home, such as the kitchen and living room.
Find Your Balance
As you get started with your new business and in your new home, remember to set aside time for family and hobbies. And, whenever possible, outsource activities like marketing to experts so you can focus on other aspects of your business and life. It’s easy to get caught up in work with a startup, but self-care should always be a priority. Make sure you stop to enjoy the progress you make and the experiences you’ll have as a business owner.
Keith Munsell 
