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Last Updated on September 30, 2021 by Editor Futurescope
Working for yourself as a solopreneur can be the liberation you didn’t know you needed. You have the freedom to set your own working hours, your own salary, and to spend as much time with your loved ones as you want. Starting and running a business solo isn’t for the faint of heart, however.
Being a solopreneur means that you’re taking the lone wolf approach to make a living, which comes with its challenges. By following these nine solopreneur rules, you’ll hopefully avoid the pitfalls of business owners before you.
Take advantage of your freedom
Thanks to technology, solopreneurs can work from a table at their favorite café or their favorite Adirondack chair by a lake. If you want to jet-set worldwide, you can put tools in place to manage your business back home.
For example, if you’re planning a month-long European getaway, but you’re worried about porch pirates in your absence, you can sign up for a virtual P.O. box. That way, you can wipe your hands of all mail-related responsibilities during your tropical vacation and avoid pestering unsuspecting neighbors with favors. With the click of a button, you’ll be able to view your mail and decide what happens to it, whether you’re in the mountains or on the beach.
An enhanced sense of freedom is one of the main reasons why people take on the risk of the solopreneur lifestyle, so be sure you’re enjoying this freedom to its fullest extent.
Become a time management expert
Since they’re working alone, solopreneurs have to make the most of every hour of the day. That means holding themselves accountable and keeping a realistic, actionable schedule. Those who seize the day find that they can run their schedules instead of their schedules running them.
Delegate to professionals
Successful solopreneurs know that striking out on their own doesn’t mean becoming a one-person show for all eternity. There’s no shame in seeking outside help when you’re out of your depth or need an expert eye. Enlisting the support of mentors, freelancers, and contractors can give your business the building blocks it needs to succeed.
Celebrate the wins
Solopreneurs will face challenges. Sales slumps happen, and so do long nights and end-of-quarter stress fests. Because of the high-pressure nature of this lifestyle, you shouldn’t forget to appreciate your wins where they occur. Celebrating the bright side will give solopreneurs resiliency.
Work in the cloud
On-the-go solopreneurs will need to have access to their documents wherever they travel. This need makes cloud computing a vital service for any traveling businessperson. A reputable cloud storage solution like Google Suite is part of the online toolkit that lets solopreneurs run their companies from anywhere in the world.
Automate when possible
Automating rote tasks such as vendor payments and specific email responses frees you up to spend time on the real money makers in your company. In an interview with Forbes, Ravi Srivastava, founder and CEO of priceSeries, recommends looking for ways to automate business processes to make the most of each workday. If you’ve ever wished you had a second set of hands, automation will see that wish granted.
Make your workspace productive
Having an office for a solopreneur might mean having a desk at home, or it could mean having a laptop and travel bag. Solopreneur offices should be efficient and convenient, and setting up a workable digital platform is vital. Ideally, the platform, as well as the office, will make running a company more straightforward.
Prepare for income variations
Solopreneurs don’t have a guaranteed income, which means it’s vital that you learn to budget. Saving money during good times will ensure your business’s survival during a lean stock market winter.
Be patient
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a career. Exercise patience and consistency with your business endeavors, and you’re sure to see returns.
Before you go
The thrill of seeing a startup succeed, the unlimited income potential, and the freedom of a solopreneur’s life make solo entrepreneurship satisfying for many. Following these solopreneur life rules will help you make those startup dreams a reality.
