Starting a Small Business

Starting a new small business of one requires a mass of business planning and research. Don’t be overwhelmed though, business start up is a high-energy stage and what’s needed is the right focus for those energies.

This section covers the basic needs of a successful solo business. You’ll find tips on making the right career choice; working from home, how to speak powerfully about what you do by using an elevator statement, how to decide when to start your own business and advice on business goal setting.

And if you’re not sure that a solo business is for you, we have a quiz that will help.

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Starting Out articles

• Starting Out

  Using fear to build confidence

  Even the most confident people feel an element of fear when they step outside their comfort zone. Think of someone successful. That person has felt fear too, but they faced their fear and gave it a go anyway. You can use fear to build confidence too!

  • Published 07 May 08
  • Lucinda Lions
  • 8 Comments

• Starting Out

  Building confidence by earning confidence

  It’s been said that your business’ earning potential is directly related to how confident you feel. There are plenty of tips around these days on how to feel instantly confident but I’d like to suggest a more robust approach to building confidence.

  • Published 20 February 08
  • Mark Moore
  • 6 Comments

• Starting Out

  Work and family: Benefits of working at home

  I’ve discovered both expected and hidden benefits to my work and family in the 14 years I’ve been working at home.

  • Published 06 February 08
  • Kathie M. Thomas
  • 10 Comments

• Starting Out

  Career decisions: The perfect job fantasy

  Who says there’s one perfect job or one ideal client out there for you? In reality, there are many great roles out there for everyone. In this article I explain why it is important to have a realistic approach when making career decisions.

  • Published 30 January 08
  • Megan Tough
  • 3 Comments

• Starting Out

  Ten tasks for the festive season

  If you're expecting some downtime over the holidays and you are, like most soloists, not great at switching off, check out these ideas for making the most of your spare time.

  • Published 21 December 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 5 Comments

• Starting Out

  22 things you MUST do every day

  With so many self-help books around, keeping up with the latest tips can be a major challenge for the time-poor solo business owner. Never fear, Big Noel sat down in Borders with a super-size latte and summarised just a few of the gurus’ tips.

  • Published 14 December 07
  • Noel Ranger
  • 14 Comments

• Starting Out

  Why a professional image is important

  The image we portray sends an important message to our clients, as well as influences how we feel about ourselves. Therefore, as soloists, we too need to consider our professional image and how to dress for success.

  • Published 23 November 07
  • Sue Currie
  • 15 Comments

• Starting Out

  Job satisfaction: Is your ladder up against the right wall?

  On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy are you in your work? Do you get job satisfaction from the rewards your work brings? Do you do it well, almost effortlessly? Or is it a constant frustrating struggle?

  • Published 28 September 07
  • Mark Moore
  • 14 Comments

• Starting Out

  In a mess? It’s time to declutter your desk!

  The way your desk is set up is crucial to your productivity, efficiency and wellbeing. How many times have you ‘lost’ things in the sea of paper around your keyboard or felt overwhelmed by the mess? It’s time to declutter your desk.

  • Published 05 September 07
  • Lissanne Oliver
  • 7 Comments

• Starting Out

  Dressing for success: The art of being yourself

  When you are meeting with the big end of town, do you dress up for the occasion? This is a dilemma many soloists are faced with when they need to move from their home office and meet in a corporate environment. How important is dressing for success?

  • Peter Morgan
  • 29 Comments

• Starting Out

  Confessions from the third bedroom

  The next time some well-meaning relative asks me how my 'little' business is going, when I’m getting an office, or, if I’m still 'just' freelancing, I’m going to chop down the family tree. It really gets my goat.

  • Published 24 August 07
  • Noel Ranger
  • 35 Comments

• Starting Out

  Making the right career choice

  Making the right career choice can be a difficult process. By focusing first on what we value in life rather than on job specifications, our career choice will become much clearer.

  • Published 22 August 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 6 Comments

• Starting Out

  Working virtually: A definition

  In recent years, 'working virtually' has come to describe the home-based worker. But not everyone understands the concept. For example when I tell people them I’m a Virtual Assistant, the typical response is ‘what’s that?’

  • Published 06 June 07
  • Kathie M. Thomas
  • 12 Comments

• Starting Out

  Does working in your bathrobe work for you?

  February 2007 was deemed the month for home-based workers to don their bathrobes to do their work. Whilst I appreciate the sentiment behind this idea, I’ve never worked in my bathrobe in the thirteen years I’ve been working from home.

  • Published 27 April 07
  • Kathie M. Thomas
  • 18 Comments

• Starting Out

  How strength of conviction helped me win business

  Self-awareness, integrity and being true to yourself are all characteristics of a successful soloist who can win business. This was proven to me recently after I successfully played what I call the "strength of conviction game".

  • Published 25 April 07
  • Linda Anderson
  • 9 Comments

• Starting Out

  Handling fear in your new business

  So you've taken the plunge and are going it alone. Good for you! Commonly, though, new soloists find they get the nerve to start their own business, only to find that once they're up and running, new anxieties are taking their place.

  • Published 23 February 07
  • Linda Anderson
  • 12 Comments

• Starting Out

  Overcoming fear of running your own business

  It's normal to experience fear of running your own business before starting up. Even those with a strong desire to do their own thing feel this fear, and need to overcome it to move forwards.

  • Published 24 January 07
  • Linda Anderson
  • 13 Comments

• Starting Out

  Get out of your comfort zone!

  Comfort zones are insidious. They keep us doing the same old things, the way we’ve always done them. After all, when was the last time you thought about taking your business to new and heady heights, but didn’t actually get any further?

  • Published 22 January 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 9 Comments

• Starting Out

  Get organised, get business!

  The relationship between an organised office and a healthy business are plain to see. What's more, now is a great time to declutter your office.

  • Published 08 January 07
  • Kim McGuinness
  • 6 Comments

• Starting Out

  Working at home better than a 'real job'

  It can’t hurt us home business owners to reflect on all of the reasons why working at home works for us. Here we explore some of the best bonuses of not having a real job.

  • Published 05 December 06
  • Karen Morath
  • 2 Comments

• Starting Out

  An achievable vision for your solo business

  Is your vision for your business acheivable? Only then can it keep you motivated and focused. Here's how a vision that's grounded in reality can be of real use to your solo business.

  • Published 29 November 06
  • Paul J. Morris
  • 2 Comments

• Starting Out

  Setting goals: Turning dreams into reality

  There is a big difference between dreams and goals. Here's what to consider when it comes to setting goals and turning dreams into reality!

  • Published 01 November 06
  • Linda Anderson
  • 8 Comments

• Starting Out

  Setting up your own business

  The earlier you are aware of your rights and obligations when setting up your own business, the better. Here's an overview of things to consider before starting.

  • Published 11 October 06
  • Barb Clews
  • 5 Comments

• Starting Out

  Career choice: Do what you love!

  Running a successful solo business takes integrity, energy and passion. In fact nothing will sustain you more than having your heart in your business, so career choice is very important.

  • Published 09 October 06
  • Katie Roberts
  • 2 Comments

• Starting Out

  Is it time to organise your office and desk?

  Is your office or desk packed with excess clutter? Do things need to be consolidated or trimmed down? If so, it's time to organise your office and desk to gain some power back.

  • Published 25 September 06
  • Megan Tough
  • 3 Comments

• Starting Out

  Flexible working hours: Mowing on a Monday

  As a fairly new soloist, I am still coming to terms with the flexible working hours this existence brings. No longer am I bound to my desk from nine to five, having to find an excuse if I want to sneak out mid-afternoon to buy a book or wash my car.

  • Published 15 September 06
  • Tim Reid
  • 11 Comments

• Starting Out

  Four questions to ask if you want to work for yourself

  How do you turn your dreams of going it alone into a reality? Here are four questions dealing with self-analysis which will help you discover whether you have what it takes to work for yourself.

  • Published 16 August 06
  • Barb Clews
  • 1 Comment

• Starting Out

  How to build self confidence

  Whether you're a new soloist, or an old hand, knowing how to build self confidence and maintain it at a healthy level is important.

  • Published 14 July 06
  • Barb Clews
  • 5 Comments

• Starting Out

  The highs and lows of working for yourself

  Working for yourself from home is often glamorised as a life of freedom, leisure & balance. A world where shiny silver laptops roam free and hours are spent at the beach. But what’s the reality? And is it all worth it?

  • Peter Crocker
  • 20 Comments

• Starting Out

  Small business credibility: You cannot be serious!

  A majority of soloists admit they are concerned about their small business credibility. But before changing our ways to suit others, we should recognise the legitimacy of our chosen workstyle.

  • Published 29 May 06
  • Sam Leader
  • 12 Comments

• Starting Out

  How to set business goals (big hairy ones!)

  In the heady arena of business strategy and business goals, consultants find wonderful acronyms for the work they do. Today let me introduce one of those to you. It’s the BHAG – the Big Hairy Audacious Goal!

  • Published 19 May 06
  • Megan Tough
  • 5 Comments

• Starting Out

  Meet two types of home-based business

  There are two types of home-based business owners, the laissez faire homegrown and the ambitious solo professional. It seems no matter which we are, others assume our businesses are a mere folly.

  • Published 12 May 06
  • Karen Morath
  • 16 Comments

• Starting Out

  How to choose a career

  Would-be solo business owners often know they want to go it alone, but can't figure out how to choose a career. Similarly, established soloists often get the urge to change direction when they outgrow their original business idea.

  • Published 28 April 06
  • Katie Roberts
  • 4 Comments

• Starting Out

  Self-regulation: Setting and achieving goals

  What is it that helps and hurts us when it comes to achieving our goals? Why is it so easy one day and so difficult the next? Here are three factors which play a part in self-regulation and setting and achieving goals.

  • Published 17 February 06
  • Ellen Jackson
  • 3 Comments

• Starting Out

  Seven learnings from starting my own business

  I had always been interested in starting my own business, but if you're a teacher, communicator, manager, writer and editor what can you actually offer that people need? I learned the answers in my first six months of starting my own business.

  • Published 01 February 06
  • Diane Lee
  • 7 Comments

• Starting Out

  How to identify your strong points

  In part 1 we talked about the importance of knowing your strong points to make business choices, market yourself and maintain your focus on success and balance. Now let’s look at how to identify your strong points and use them to your full advantage.

  • Published 08 December 05
  • Ellen Jackson
  • 1 Comment

• Starting Out

  Is now the right time to start your own business?

  How do you know exactly when the time is just right to take the plunge and start your own business? The answer is surprisingly simple: never.

  • Published 04 November 05
  • Peter Crocker
  • 12 Comments

• Starting Out

  Ten tips on how to start your own business

  If you want your new solo business to flourish, it makes good sense to review these tips on how to start your own business.

  • Published 27 October 05
  • Megan Tough
  • 8 Comments

• Starting Out

  Goal setting tips for your business

  The secret to effective goal setting is to break your big objectives into manageable chunks. Here's how...

  • Published 29 September 05
  • Barb Clews
  • 2 Comments

• Starting Out

  The psychology of working from home

  For most of us, going solo means waving goodbye to rush hour and saying hello to working from home.

  • Published 27 September 05
  • Ellen Jackson
  • 2 Comments

• Starting Out

  New business ventures: Expect the best, but watch your back

  As soloists we need to let positive energies drive our new business ventures. However at the same time we need to watch our backs.

  • Published 09 September 05
  • Paul J. Morris
  • 1 Comment

• Starting Out

  Working from home: 10 tips to make your home office work

  Soloists know the benefits of working from home. They tend to be more efficient, spending less time in non-productive situations caused by travel and traffic than their office-bound friends. Read on to discover 10 tips to make your home office work.

  • Published 06 September 05
  • Thomas Murrell
  • 3 Comments

• Starting Out

  The joy of starting a side business

  “Ditch the corporate job and go it alone” they say “Life is not a rehearsal!” But realistically, it’s hard to chuck in a good job. Have you considered starting a side business?

  • Published 03 September 05
  • Peter Crocker
  • 5 Comments

• Starting Out

  Are you planning to run your own business?

  Some valuable pointers if you are planning to run your own business and want your business to thrive, not just survive.

  • Published 15 July 05
  • Grant Hyman
  • 8 Comments

• Starting Out

  Are you suited to working solo?

  If you're thinking about making the leap to soloism, take our quiz and see what the results say about your tendencies toward this way of working.

  • Published 06 July 05

• Starting Out

  Crucial questions for small business start ups

  New small business start ups require plenty of planning. Here are five questions that all aspiring small business owner’s need to consider.

  • Published 06 July 05
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 3 Comments