If you're one of the few people who have the pleasure of running a business from home, congratulations!
If you're one of the few people who have the pleasure of running a business from home, congratulations! No early morning commutes to avoid traffic, no workplace drama to spoil your day and not much consideration into what you have to wear to the office. But as people who run a business from home will tell you, it's not a holiday.
Like any other business, you can bet there's always one major goal: growth. Every entrepreneur wants their business to be in a better place than it was a year ago. But growth isn't a random occurrence: it's something you have to work towards. And that requires a bit of planning.
Here's how to set goals for your work-at-home business.
It's one thing to set a goal; it's another thing to set a goal that's within your reach. Let's say you want to expand your client base. Do you think that meeting potential clients is something you can juggle with all the other tasks that keep your business afloat? Before you pursue a business goal, ask yourself if it's something you can keep going for the long run.
After identifying which goals are within your reach, the next step is to figure out which tools you'll need to turn the goals into realities. Maybe you want to switch to a business insurance policy that's more comprehensive than the one you're on. Do you have the time to get online insurance quotes and weigh up the pros and cons of each insurer? What if you want to start using your own car for transport? Normal car insurance won't do. Do you have enough money to pay business insurance if you need to make the switch and it turns out to be a bit more expensive?
Not all goals are created equally. Some can be put off for a few months, while others need to be realised as soon as yesterday. But deciding which category your goal falls into isn't always a cut and dry process. For example, if you need to start making more revenue, you have to expand your client base as well as find out if there's a way to get more business from your client. Both require quite a bit of time and effort, and both can yield great returns. So which one do you go with first? There's no universal answer; it's something you'll have to figure out on your own.
Running a business is hard work, but it's completely worth it. All the hardships an entrepreneur faces pale in comparison to the freedom that comes with being your own boss. Not many people can honestly say they work on their terms. What's a bit of hard work when the reward is getting to live your way?
