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.

Want to keep up to date with all our new starting out articles? Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, sent to over 15,250 loyal readers each Tuesday, and receive valuable bonus reports to download instantly.

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Starting Out articles

• What’s your excuse for being disorganised?

  Is disorganisation preventing you from acting on ideas and opportunities that you know would be valuable? Drop the excuses for being disorganised and watch your productivity soar!

  • 13 January 10
  • Roz Howland
  • 12 Comments

• Seven tips for effective goal setting

  The New Year means it’s time to set new goals. These tips for effectibe goal setting are based on neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) to help make your goals more lively, fun, and effective!

  • 01 January 10
  • Deborah Keep
  • 6 Comments

• Backyard studios: Do they work for work?

  I moved house, and therefore office, earlier this month. Inside there’s plenty of competition for bedrooms and, with three wardrobe-hogging girls circling my precious office, I could be banished to the doghouse. But should I go to a backyard studio?

  • 25 December 09
  • Peter Crocker
  • 63 Comments

• The 7 deadly sins of buying a small business

  Are you looking at buying a small business? Perhaps you are a business owner looking to snap up an additional business or are craving an escape from the rat race. Either way, there are seven sins all potential purchasers must avoid…

  • 21 October 09
  • Craig Reid
  • 10 Comments

• What makes you start your own business?

  always had a desire to work for myself one day. But for me, when it came to taking the plunge, it was a total knee-jerk reaction with no inkling of a business plan. Is that the norm or the exception when you start your own business?

  • 15 September 09
  • Peter Crocker
  • 54 Comments

• How to develop your power of possibility

  Do you have an inner gremlin that questions your confidence and makes you doubt yourself? Here’s how to tame that niggling voice and instead develop your power of possibility.

  • 31 July 09
  • Zoe Routh
  • 15 Comments

• Career change: My new brilliant career

  There is plenty of career advice out there for job jockeys who want to change their employer. But what about a career change for soloists? What do you do when you’ve lost heart in your business? How do you tell it “I’m just not that into you”?

  • 25 May 09
  • Trish Weston
  • 14 Comments

• Setting work boundaries for the home office

  Many of us find it a challenge to close the door at the end of the day. Our home office draws us to finish that invoice, put the finishing touches to a project or make that last phone call… even if it is Sunday.

  • 01 May 09
  • Bronwyn Simmonds
  • 15 Comments

• Starting your own business: Jumped or pushed?

  Starting your own business doesn’t always begin with a well planned jump. Mine began with a firm push, courtesy of my last boss, who was in fact the last boss I had, or will ever have with any luck.

  • 14 April 09
  • Sam Leader
  • 33 Comments

• Run your own business: There are no downsides

  I realised how lucky soloists are when having a conversation with a friend who couldn’t decide whether or not to leave her job to run her own business.

  • 24 March 09
  • Sam Leader
  • 30 Comments

• Freelancing: Ready to work for yourself?

  Before going solo, I imagined freelancing was similar to flying like a bird. That sense of being uninhibited, boundless and the sky being the limit. No more instant coffee or people stealing your food out of the fridge were additional perks.

  • 27 February 09
  • Bronwyn Simmonds
  • 11 Comments

• How being organised helps you set goals

  Do you feel too overwhelmed by lack of time, space or energy to set goals? Breaking the process down and being organised at every step will see you setting goals in next to no time.

  • 13 February 09
  • Roz Howland
  • 8 Comments

• Targeting key business milestones

  Success is not about working long hours and weekends, it’s about actively targeting key business milestones in the form of key, or ‘springboard’ events. Here’s how these events can propel your business forward.

  • 12 January 09
  • Philip Shaw
  • 4 Comments

• Why you need an organised office

  Did you realise that an organised office helps create a better quality of life? It puts you in control of your business and not the other way around. Here’s how having an organised office allows you to enjoy more time, space, money and energy.

  • 09 January 09
  • Roz Howland
  • 8 Comments

• 

  Flying Solo the book: perfect holiday reading!

  If you want to get 2009 off to a great start, grab a copy of Flying Solo - How to go it alone in business. This book will give you the confidence and tools you need to get your business flying.

• Confidence building: Building confidence by using fear

  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. You can use fear for confidence building too!

  • 24 December 08
  • Lucinda Lions
  • 28 Comments

• 

  Starting a business? Five must read articles, part 2

  Following on from the success of our previous article on starting your own business, we’ve found five more must reads which will help give your new business the boost it needs.

• Five tips for better office organisation

  Often with more freedom, comes less structure. Because soloists have no corporate structure to fall back on, they need to create their own structure for their office organisation.

  • 05 December 08
  • Roz Howland
  • 14 Comments

• Fear of failure: Are you playing to win?

  No matter where you are in your business, I’m sure you’ve had this thought: “I want my business to be successful.” Of course you do!

  • 26 November 08
  • Zoe Routh
  • 12 Comments

• Career paths: Are you who you wanted to be?

  The other day, I caught the end of a radio report on recent research into career paths and happiness. The researchers asked: “Are you doing what you’ve always wanted to do?” and, “Given the chance, would you change careers?”

  • 18 November 08
  • Peter Crocker
  • 37 Comments

• 

  Starting your own business? Five must read articles

  If you’re looking to start your own business, Flying Solo can help. But with dozens of articles in our Starting Out section, how do you know what to read first?

• Corporate redundancy: A survivor's story

  Are you facing corporate redundancy and wondering whether now is the time to start your own business? This story could be just the motivation you need for flying solo.

  • 24 October 08
  • Jack Fraenkel
  • 9 Comments

• Starting my own business: If only I'd known!

  I'm not a big believer in crying over spilt milk. However I’ve recently been considering what I might like to have known before starting my own business. I look forward to learning from your own comments on the topic!

  • 17 September 08
  • Grant Hyman
  • 20 Comments

• Mistakes made by start up micro businesses

  In my work life, I come in contact with a lot of start up micro businesses and have discovered some of the mistakes they have made. Fortunately, we have the opportunity to learn from them, and hopefully avoid the same mistakes ourselves.

  • 01 August 08
  • Heather Smith
  • 12 Comments

• Career satisfaction: Do you love your work?

  The philosophy of “Do what you love” and “Find your passion” implies if you’re not bouncing out of bed each day with fire in the belly then you’re in the wrong career. But are we chasing an impossible dream? What is your level of career satisfaction?

  • 03 June 08
  • Peter Crocker
  • 64 Comments

• Why start your own small business?

  When talk turns to starting your own small business, there’s never a shortage of peopleo tut-tuting to themselves... “Most small businesses fail you know.” “Never go into business with family.” “Don’t borrow from friends.” And so it goes on.

  • 26 February 08
  • Peter Crocker
  • 22 Comments

• 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.

  • 20 February 08
  • Mark Moore
  • 6 Comments

• Benefits of working from home

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

  • 06 February 08
  • Kathie M. Thomas
  • 11 Comments

• 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.

  • 30 January 08
  • Megan Tough
  • 5 Comments

• Goal setting strategy: Aim high

  Several years ago I took a stab at managing a pop band. They were good musicians. I was an okay manager. Together we failed abysmally. I think I know why. We didn't have the correct goal setting strategy.

  • 22 January 08
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 23 Comments

• 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.

  • 21 December 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 5 Comments

• 

  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.

  • 14 December 07
  • Noel Ranger
  • 18 Comments

• Business deadlines: Let yourself off the hook

  In December, the world of the solo business owner can go somewhat wobbly. Sound familiar? Thought so. Welcome to what I consider the most uncomfortable few weeks of the silly season. I suggest it’s time to let some business deadlines go.

  • 27 November 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 27 Comments

• 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.

  • 23 November 07
  • Sue Currie
  • 15 Comments

• Have confidence to start a new small business

  My newsletter addressing those who are thinking of starting a new small business generated some lively conversation. This time I thought I'd discuss the role confidence plays when you start a new small business.

  • 23 October 07
  • Sam Leader
  • 24 Comments

• Thinking of starting a new small business?

  We know this newsletter’s readership includes a number of individuals who would love to fly solo, but aren’t. If you’re thinking of starting a new small business, then this one’s for you.

  • 02 October 07
  • Sam Leader
  • 46 Comments

• 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?

  • 28 September 07
  • Mark Moore
  • 15 Comments

• 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.

  • 05 September 07
  • Lissanne Oliver
  • 8 Comments

• 

  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?

  • 27 August 07
  • Peter Morgan
  • 29 Comments

• 

  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.

  • 24 August 07
  • Noel Ranger
  • 45 Comments

• 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.

  • 22 August 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 8 Comments

• 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?’

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

• Business start up tips: Things I'm glad I did

  For those that missed it, in my last newsletter on business start up tips I listed four things I wish I'd done from day one of my solo business. This time, on a more positive note, I'm looking at five things I'm glad I did.

  • 05 June 07
  • Peter Crocker
  • 8 Comments

• How to achieve goals

  This time last year I took a trip to Borneo, where I climbed south east Asia's largest mountain, Mount Kinabalu. I learned a great deal about how to achieve goals from the experience.

  • 29 May 07
  • Sam Leader
  • 12 Comments

• Business start up tips: Things I wish I'd done

  Hindsight is a beautiful thing, isn't it? I've been in my solo business for five years now and in looking back, can see four simple business start up tips that I wish I'd implemented from day one.

  • 15 May 07
  • Peter Crocker
  • 22 Comments

• 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.

  • 27 April 07
  • Kathie M. Thomas
  • 20 Comments

• 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".

  • 25 April 07
  • Linda Anderson
  • 10 Comments

• Handling fear in your new business ventures

  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 new business ventures, only to find that once they're up and running, new anxieties are taking their place.

  • 23 February 07
  • Linda Anderson
  • 14 Comments

• Five back office management tips

  If there's one thing that can get in the way of a smooth running solo enterprise, it's the lack of organised back office management. Sadly it's not unusual to see a business that fronts up well yet is a disaster behind the scenes.

  • 13 February 07
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 11 Comments

• 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.

  • 24 January 07
  • Linda Anderson
  • 14 Comments

• Building confidence through positive feedback

  A friend described to me today how his 23 year old son turned a corner recently through receiving positive feedback when working in a computer shop.

  • 23 January 07
  • Sam Leader
  • 19 Comments

• 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?

  • 22 January 07
  • Megan Tough
  • 9 Comments

• 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.

  • 08 January 07
  • Kim McGuinness
  • 6 Comments

• 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.

  • 05 December 06
  • Karen Morath
  • 2 Comments

• 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.

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

• 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!

  • 01 November 06
  • Linda Anderson
  • 9 Comments

• 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.

  • 11 October 06
  • Barb Clews
  • 9 Comments

• 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.

  • 09 October 06
  • Katie Roberts
  • 3 Comments

• 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.

  • 25 September 06
  • Megan Tough
  • 3 Comments

• 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.

  • 15 September 06
  • Tim Reid
  • 11 Comments

• 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.

  • 16 August 06
  • Barb Clews
  • 1 Comment

• 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.

  • 14 July 06
  • Barb Clews
  • 7 Comments

• 

  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?

  • 05 June 06
  • Peter Crocker
  • 21 Comments

• 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.

  • 29 May 06
  • Sam Leader
  • 13 Comments

• Setting big hairy long and short term business goals

  In the heady arena of business strategy, consultants find wonderful acronyms for the work they do. Let me introduce one to you. It’s the BHAG – the Big Hairy Audacious Goal! Read on to find out more about setting long and short term business goals.

  • 19 May 06
  • Megan Tough
  • 8 Comments

• 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.

  • 12 May 06
  • Karen Morath
  • 16 Comments

• 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.

  • 28 April 06
  • Katie Roberts
  • 5 Comments

• 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.

  • 17 February 06
  • Ellen Jackson
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 01 February 06
  • Diane Lee
  • 9 Comments

• 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.

  • 08 December 05
  • Ellen Jackson
  • 1 Comment

• 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.

  • 04 November 05
  • Peter Crocker
  • 15 Comments

• 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.

  • 27 October 05
  • Megan Tough
  • 12 Comments

• Goal setting tips for your business

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

  • 29 September 05
  • Barb Clews
  • 3 Comments

• 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.

  • 27 September 05
  • Ellen Jackson
  • 3 Comments

• 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.

  • 09 September 05
  • Paul J. Morris
  • 4 Comments

• 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.

  • 06 September 05
  • Thomas Murrell
  • 4 Comments

• 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?

  • 03 September 05
  • Peter Crocker
  • 6 Comments

• 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.

  • 15 July 05
  • Grant Hyman
  • 8 Comments

• 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.

  • 06 July 05

• 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.

  • 06 July 05
  • Robert Gerrish
  • 7 Comments