Category Archives: Freelancing/Self-employed

10 Home Businesses to Start Now

December 12, 2023 By in Freelancing/Self-employed Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment

Whether you are a stay at home parent or you need something to supplement your income, saving on commuting costs and office spaces are compelling reasons to consider work from home businesses.

However, it starts with finding the right business idea that aligns with your interests and skillsets. To guide you in making an informed decision, we’ve gathered 10 lucrative home business ideas you can start today.

3 Benefits of Going For a More Streamlined Aesthetic in Your Home Life picture

1.   Content creation

The creators economy is reported to be valued at over $250 billion and is projected to surpass over $480 billion by 2027. Players in this industry include creatives who create original content, share it on their desired platforms and build a loyal community of audiences.

2.   E-commerce

The value of the global online retail industry is expected to exceed $7 trillion dollars in 2025, showing prospects of its profitability. Retailing, selling handmade products or running a drop shipping business on platforms like Shopify are popular business ideas.

3.   Affliate marketing

If you already have a blog or a social media page with a loyal community, you can earn extra income by partnering with brands to advertise their product or services. That way, you could potentially make some money when anyone clicks the linked products and makes a purchase.

4.   Selling your expertise

If you have a talent for teaching with superior knowledge on certain topics, you can teach them virtually. You could either create educational digital products or organise periodic mentorship courses to monitise your expertise.

5.   Freelancing

In recent times more people are switching from their full time jobs to pursuing freelance careers, because 60% of these freelancers are making more money than they did in their previous jobs. If you’re looking to make this switch, it would be best to leverage your already existing skillsets either on freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, or create your own service based websites.

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6.   Start a day care

Childcare is in demand and the market is currently valued at $60 billion. If you are good with children, offering local daycare service to parents in your area is a great way to rack in extra cash.

7.   Airbnb management

The Airbnb industry is a goldmine and your role as a manager would typically involve managing property listings and bookings, providing customer support, as well as maintaining the property. All you need to do is research the industry nuances to get started right away.

8.   Cleaning services

The global home cleaning services is set to increase to $10 billion dollars by 2026. With the hustle and bustle of 9-5, the working population are left with not enough time to get their spaces in order. Therefore, positioning yourself as an home cleaning service provider can be a profitable venture.

9.   Professional photographer

If you find that getting the right angles when taking pictures for your friends is your superpower, you might want to earn from your knack for professional pictures. Take out time to improve your skillsets and build your photography portfolio because there’s a lot you earn in this sector.

10. Pet sitting

Monetise your love for pets by starting a pet daycare. Pets owners feel more at ease when their pets are in good hands when they have to be away. You can make a huge chunk of money by offering to watch their pets in your home for a fee.

We hope you find our suggestions helpful!

6 Small Business Tips and Tricks

November 10, 2023 By in Freelancing/Self-employed Tags: , , , , 4 Comments

Successfully running a small business can be demanding. Asides from the constant fear of failure, you have to shuffle between different capacities to keep your business up and running. Little wonder why most new businesses fail after the first two years.

Luckily, we would be sharing some helpful tips and tricks to simplify management and set your business up for success.

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6 Tips for Small Business Owners

Staying abreast of major drivers of business success can be beneficial to entrepreneurs who are committed to scaling their businesses. While there’s a long list of them, we’ve streamline these major factors into 6 tips and tricks that you can implement right away. They include;

1.   Build a Structure

It’s never too early to build a structure around your business. While you might not be able to afford the manpower to set up an organisation structure as a small business, having a clear cut process to getting things done is a great way to start. This would help ensure that your business is organised and you’re not constantly overwhelmed by workload.

2.   Be Flexible

As a small business owner, chances are you’re not going to have everything sorted right away. From your business model and pricing strategies to your branding, don’t be afraid to tweak things when the occasion demands.

Be open to feedback from your customers to understand what they wish could be better about your business and take active steps to improve.

3.   Ensure your products/services are easily accessible

It’s instructive to make your customers journey with your business as seamless as possible. This would involve setting up clear channels; whether it’s through social media or a responsive website. Whichever way, eliminate redundant steps and make the checkout process fast.

Also ensure that your product/service page is clear and easily navigable to ensure that customers have the best experience.

4.    Cut Costs

Since priority for small business owners is saving costs, it’s advisable to ditch the idea of getting extra hands for tools that can make your work easier. Instead of getting your own space, using a shared space or setting up a virtual business are options you can explore.

Understand your business peculiarities and look for ways to cut down on unnecessary expenses without compromising the integrity of your operations.

5.   Market within your means

Getting billboard adverts or splurging on advertisements may not be sustainable for a small business. Majorly because, it would be more meaningful to divert the funds into scaling your business.

Therefore it’s essential to take advantage of cheaper means of getting your business in the minds of your ideal customers. Options such as SEO, networking, email marketing, social media and word of mouth marketing are cost effective marketing alternatives that are reputed for yielding results.

6.   Stay Creative

It’s important to constantly look for ways to make your business relevant and stay ahead of competitors. For this reason, staying informed about industry trends and creatively adapting them to improve your business can set you up for success. Keep learning and be open to new ideas and opportunities.

There’s no quick fix for scaling a small business. It’s a marathon and not a sprint. So keep at it! Don’t be scared to refine your strategies and do your research. You’d eventually see the rewards.

 

5 steps to becoming a successful freelancer

October 9, 2023 By in Freelancing/Self-employed Tags: , , , , , , 4 Comments

Freelance is fast becoming a new work model that is gaining traction worldwide. As of 2023, freelancers account for 1.57 billion people out of a global workforce of 3.38 billion. While these numbers signal profitability, one must recognise the severe competitiveness in the freelancing space.

Unsurprisingly, the perks of flexible work hours, global work opportunities and higher earning prospects make it worth a try. But how can you be successful at freelancing? 

Thankfully, there are proven strategies to make your journey to becoming a successful freelancer much more doable.

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Picture source: here

Find your Niche 

If you are considering getting into the freelancing game long-term, you must start by settling on your niche. Leveraging your existing skillsets would be a great way to break in if you work full-time. Some popular niches include writing, web design, social media management and data analysis. 

After that, research your competition to guide you in understanding the profitability of the niche and help you position yourself. For instance, by searching for “freelance web designer” on Linkedin or Instagram, you could see existing freelancers in that space and take it up from there.

Build your Portfolio

Do you want prospective clients to perceive you as an expert? Your portfolio must reflect this at all times. Ideally, your portfolio should showcase your best work to prospective clients since it determines the basis of their decision to either work with you or not.

While there are many portfolio platforms, you must choose one that works best for your niche. For instance, if you are a web designer, Behance is your best bet, and for content writers, you can consider using Journo, Authority or Contently. 

Choose your Platform

Once you’ve chosen your niche and have your portfolio ready, you can focus on finding the right channel to advertise your availability to take on freelance projects. From researching existing freelancers in your desired niche, you would have seen where they hang out. 

While some prefer freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiverr, others prefer to build their brand around their niche on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter and even Facebook to attract customers. 

Stay Organised 

Freelancing allows you to work on your terms. However, since you would be working at your own pace, it is easier to get trapped in the web of procrastination. Therefore, time management and project management skills are essential for excellent and timely delivery. 

Intentionally create a schedule you can stick by and use project management tools like Trello to help you stay organised and track your progress.

Keep Learning

Technology is rapidly transforming the way we do things. Freelancers who stand out from the competition are up-to-date and can leverage learning to adapt to trends.

Avoid the temptation of complacency at all costs and be dedicated to consistent learning. 

Freelancing is no doubt a rewarding career opportunity. But if you aim to be successful at it, you should be ready to go above and beyond in improving your craft and building your brand around your chosen niche. 

 

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