For New Parents, Starting Their Own Business Can Be a Wise Choice
What better way to begin life with a newborn than to be able to stay home with them and still earn an income? Many new parents are finding that working from home means not only more time home with their children but more quality time as well. They’re not rushing home after a long commute, ending their day on their company’s time schedule trying to prepare a meal, take care of household chores and spend those important moments with their child that they both want and need.
This can mean that this is the perfect time to start your own business from home. Being a new parent and an entrepreneur can be challenging for sure, but the rewards for all of you can make it well worth the effort.
Here are some tips that will hopefully guide you into making your dream of entrepreneurship while being home with your newborn a reality.
Start With a Plan
Rather than try to jump into the deep end of the business pool right away, use the first few weeks at home with your newborn and go slowly. You probably don’t have a lot of energy anyway, so this can be the perfect time for you to plan your business ideas.
Keep a notebook and use some quiet time to brainstorm ideas for your at-home business. You can sell products you hand make at home, begin a catering or meal prep business, photograph weddings on the weekends, or whatever works for your skills, talents, and desires.
Once you’ve decided on what you want to do and a name for your business, it’s time to write your business plan. This is something that will take you weeks to write since there will be research involved. This can mean how you will pay for your start-up costs, who will be your backup on the days you can’t work, who your competition is, how you’ll market your business, and if your services are needed in your area. You can find a lot of online resources that will guide you through writing your business plan, including templates you can use, most of which are free.
Choose a Business Structure
Decide how you will structure your business early on. Most at-home entrepreneurs choose to structure their business as an LLC since it’s something you can do yourself and does not require a lawyer’s assistance. An LLC protects your personal assets, has a lower tax burden, and requires less paperwork than other business structures. A formation service can handle the registration process—search for the best LLC services online.
Start Marketing
As a small business owner, it’s important to get the word out about your products or services. But with so many marketing options available, it can be tough to know where to start. Content marketing is a great way to reach new customers and build brand awareness. By creating and sharing informative blog posts, infographics, and other types of content, you can attract attention from your target audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field. In addition, content marketing is relatively inexpensive, making it a great option for businesses on a tight budget. Visit Cornerstone Content to learn more about how to effectively market your business.
Use Available Technology
Keeping track of everything that needs to get done in the life of a new parent as well as a new business owner isn’t anything you can leave on sticky notes or in your memory. Instead, choose an online calendar app or software that can keep you organized and on track. Calendar is one app that eliminates the need for sending email reminders since you can share your calendar with multiple people.
The Blueberry Pediatrics app offers live, 24/7 virtual access to doctors They can make diagnoses, send in prescriptions, or tell you what your next steps should be, all while you and your baby are still at home. They even send you a medical kit to use at home. The app is free, but it costs between $12 and $18 per month for a membership.
When you need a sitter, you can browse profiles of babysitters or nannies for hire with Sittercity. Or you can post a job, and one of their members can respond to it. The service does background checks, and you can read reviews from other parents before you book.
With so many things to consider, like how to balance childcare and work life, you’ll definitely need a support system. Make that the number one step before you do anything else. Then by following smart guidelines like choosing the best business structure, office tools, and apps, you could well be on your way to having it all: entrepreneurship and parenting.
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