Archive for the ‘Business’ Category
Quitting Your Job*
Posted in Business, on December 4th, 2009 by Carlos.
So you’ve been dabbling with this some freelance work on the side but are otherwise fully employed at a job that pays well, has benefits and gives you security. Yet there’s a nagging feeling that you should be trying something out on your own. Are you crazy? Perhaps. Bonkers? Probably. But I think it takes a little bit of that to make that break and go it on your own. The results though can be simply amazing with hard work, a little luck and more hard work.
Several months before I was looking to go all-in with my design business I had the pleasure of attending an AIGA Conference in Denver, Colorado. I was completely amazed by many of the speakers’ abilities to non-chalantly say that they quit their jobs and starting to work for themselves at age x, y or z. I couldn’t believe that something as profound as quitting their jobs to start their own businesses could simply be made a footnote in the grand scheme of their careers. After only 1.5 years of being self-employed however, I started to find I was doing the same thing when talking to friends, clients or family about my experiences. I think the reason is that I know I made the right decision, so now it looks like a no-brainer, but I’ll tell you it was anything but when I was contemplating it.
Here are some tips that I’ve prepared based on my own experiences:
- Build a client base – find new clients to start building a foundation to which to grow from. You would be surprised to find how accommodating people can be to your part-time status.
- Build your brand – start to develop your brand, website, business cards, etc. You’ll find its easier when you have some free time, rather than when you are trying to juggle two jobs and a life! Read this article for more.
- Set a schedule – Set a schedule of when you can do work for your clients. I would often meet clients in the early morning before heading off to my job, and then spend evenings doing the work.
- Set aside some space – set aside some space in your home that you can use as an office, preferably something with a door so you can separate your work from your home life. Start treating it like a place of work to get you in the right mindset.
- Set goals and write them down – it sounds like a big pain in the butt, but seeing on paper what you plan to do with your business really helps to put things into perspective. Be realistic on your current living expenses and the amount of money your business needs to bring in order to make it sustainable. Model different scenarios, including the worst case scenarios, so you can see if you are comfortable with the potential of losing money. If you aren’t, think about whether or not this is right for you.
- Invest in your business – use the money you are earning from your existing clients to put into equipment, software, office supplies for your business. That way when you are on your own, you can focus your money on other essential things like food and housing!
- Save – use the money you are earning from your job on a regular basis to save for a rainy day, because it is quite possible that there will be several. It’s easier to save when you know the money is going to be there.
- Remember who your boss is – remember you still work for someone and you have to respect that and give them your full attention and support. Don’t mix your business with your employer’s business. Keep it separate as best you can, including not using their resources to conduct your business.
- Leave on good terms – don’t burn bridges. Seriously. Leave on good terms and offer to make the transition as easy as possible for them. You never know, your current employer could always be a future client!
- Ask for help – ask your family, friends, other entrepreneurs for help. Also – get professional help from accountants, lawyers etc. Their advice and support will be invaluable!
- Enjoy – Do what you like, but like what you do!
Even with writing this entry I realize how I’ve oversimplified my explanation of the entire process. Quite frankly, I could write a novel about it, and well… a lot of people have. Its not an easy decision to make, but like I said, it can be extremely rewarding if you do it right and have a little bit of luck.
Leave your comments on your experiences about leaving your job to start a business!
* For the love of all things good, please don’t quit your job if you aren’t ready. These are just my experiences that may or may not help you in making your decision – don’t go doing anything rash!
Brand Yourself
Posted in Business, on December 3rd, 2009 by Carlos.
Perhaps one of the most important ways to create a recognizable business is to brand yourself. Not only does it make you more memorable and recognizable to both existing and potential clients, it also adds an extra level of professionalism. It also gives clients an added peace of mind that they know they are trusting someone who understands the value of a brand.
I’m not saying that you need to go out and create a catchy and exciting company name (after all, I copped out to a certain extent and named my company after myself!), but there’s value in creating an image that you want to portray to your clientele. Decide on what strengths you have and that you want to communicate as you develop your brand. By no means is it an easy task, as I’m sure you’ll agree creating something for oneself is often a hundred times more difficult than doing it for someone else. Whatever direction you take, try to maintain consistency throughout your various customer facing contact points and stick to it – your website, your email address, your business cards, twitter account, etc. should convey the same image and message. Even your business chequing account is worth branding (if you operate under a business name) – it gives your clients some reassurance that you’re a legitimate business.
To draw on an example from my own company brand (Pérez Design + Communications Inc.), I decided to include the accent in Pérez in my company logo as I thought it would add interest and edginess to the overall design. Although technically correct in Spanish, I normally do not use the accent in my day to day life. However, it didn’t make much sense to have it in my logo, but then not use it everywhere else in company communications. As a result, I started to use it in my email signature, my “from” field in emails, and anywhere else my name shows up. Through this consistency I was hoping to build a stronger brand. As a result, I’ve started to use the accent on its own as a design element – something I can get away with as it is constantly reinforced when people see my logo, read my emails or visit my site.
Perhaps just as important as branding yourself is reinventing yourself. As you and your business evolve, your brand should evolve with it. Do you want to take a more corporate tone, or a more personal tone? Are you focusing more on traditional print media, or online? There are many questions that will be unanswered when you are first starting out, so leave yourself and your brand room to grow and evolve.
If clients recognize the strength of your brand, they will be more willing to trust you with their brands.
What has been your own experience? Is this a necessary exercise or is it just added work that there is no time for in the busy life of a self-employed business person? Leave your comments!
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