I haven't posted in a while!
I'm still self employed, I've paid my first NI bill - how exciting! However, it's times like this month, I'm glad I had a bit of savings behind me before I started as this month has been a little slow.
Although to be honest, I havent done any marketing what so ever. I'm not sure why - guess I'm not really sure of the way to go with it so I'm waiting for an appointment with the marketing wizard provided by my business advisor. Things have gone a bit quiet that end until the results of the grant 'competition' are in. I do hope I win of course, but it wont stop me if I don't. I will just have to do things on a very very tight budget and it will take me longer to get to where I want to be.
Onwards and upwards!!
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Wednesday 14 July 2010
no rest for the wicked!
I've been so busy lately! not all with paid work unfortunately, but I have had some - business is picking up and at the minute I know I made the right choice going self employed!
The rest of the time I have been working on things like my business plan and cash flow forecast with my business advisor. Its a great free service offered to start up businesses and helps me to secure any funding available to me.
I've also attended another course on this, provided by the same enterprise centre as last time. It's a great service as not only do I learn essential information but I get to network with other local startups. We may never need to use each others services but it's great to speak to other people in the same boat.
The thing I'm struggling with at the moment and doing a lot of research on is insurance. There's lots of types out there - at the moment I need personal imdemnity and public liability - not to mention equipment cover. Its not cheap and there's a lot of small print involved. However, it is essential!
As and when I know more about business plans, cashflow forecast and insurance, I will blog of course!
The rest of the time I have been working on things like my business plan and cash flow forecast with my business advisor. Its a great free service offered to start up businesses and helps me to secure any funding available to me.
I've also attended another course on this, provided by the same enterprise centre as last time. It's a great service as not only do I learn essential information but I get to network with other local startups. We may never need to use each others services but it's great to speak to other people in the same boat.
The thing I'm struggling with at the moment and doing a lot of research on is insurance. There's lots of types out there - at the moment I need personal imdemnity and public liability - not to mention equipment cover. Its not cheap and there's a lot of small print involved. However, it is essential!
As and when I know more about business plans, cashflow forecast and insurance, I will blog of course!
Monday 5 July 2010
Enterprise Course
Today I went on a course provided by a local grant-funded enterprise establishment, on starting up a business.
It was a general awareness course so covered a few subjects like registering with the inland revenue and what type of trader to register as and the tax implications of that choice. It also covered sources of funding and business plans but not in great detail.
Unfortunately, most of the tax stuff, I already knew but it did give me a brief outline of business plan writing so I can give it a try before my one to one session with a business advisor on Friday.
There's more courses available free of charge, too so I will definitely be attending those!
The one point to mention is business names. If you're thinking of starting a business, research your name. There's lots of marketing pointers of this too ie. try and get a name that says what it is you do and if you can localise it too even better! but fundamentally, make sure the name is not already in use, for a similar trade, in your area or you could be sued and made to change it.
More to come on business plans!
It was a general awareness course so covered a few subjects like registering with the inland revenue and what type of trader to register as and the tax implications of that choice. It also covered sources of funding and business plans but not in great detail.
Unfortunately, most of the tax stuff, I already knew but it did give me a brief outline of business plan writing so I can give it a try before my one to one session with a business advisor on Friday.
There's more courses available free of charge, too so I will definitely be attending those!
The one point to mention is business names. If you're thinking of starting a business, research your name. There's lots of marketing pointers of this too ie. try and get a name that says what it is you do and if you can localise it too even better! but fundamentally, make sure the name is not already in use, for a similar trade, in your area or you could be sued and made to change it.
More to come on business plans!
Friday 18 June 2010
Book-Keeping
I'm getting to grips with book keeping - I did used to help out in a small business accounts department so I've picked up a few tips but also plan to attend a book keeping workshop!
I've set up my Book keeping procedure though already.
Daily, I write into a little book the incoming and outgoing for that day and then I can tott it up on a weekly basis and add it to a spreadsheet.
I keep all receipts and I mark them with a receipt number (made up but consecutive) and also right it next to the outgoing in the little note book.
I then file all the receipts in a little file, in month order. I plan to also list all receipts and numbers and put this in month order too, I'll do this weekly too!
A bit over the top perhaps but I figured this way I'll be totally on top of the books and will be able to work out my tax return when it comes to filling it in.
Doing a little bit daily should stop a mad panic at the end of the financial year as well!!
I've set up my Book keeping procedure though already.
Daily, I write into a little book the incoming and outgoing for that day and then I can tott it up on a weekly basis and add it to a spreadsheet.
I keep all receipts and I mark them with a receipt number (made up but consecutive) and also right it next to the outgoing in the little note book.
I then file all the receipts in a little file, in month order. I plan to also list all receipts and numbers and put this in month order too, I'll do this weekly too!
A bit over the top perhaps but I figured this way I'll be totally on top of the books and will be able to work out my tax return when it comes to filling it in.
Doing a little bit daily should stop a mad panic at the end of the financial year as well!!
Thursday 17 June 2010
Silver Linings
I made the big leap and I'm now officially self employed! Its very scary and overwhelming as at yet, I've no money coming in and therefore no income.
So at the minute, I'm doing everything I can to get myself out there with promo and of course, I am building up my stock.
Today I felt a drop in energy and motivation, I felt like I had made a big mistake but also feel like I cant go back either so I felt a bit stuck between a rock and a hard place. However, I can only really go onwards and upwards or pack it all in and be miserable! To cheer myself up, and inspire myself, I thought I'd actually think about all the things I've acheived so far.
I've also realised, I need a bit of guidance from professionals and so I have contacted Blue Orchid who help new startup businesses - especially Women in the Manchester and Liverpool areas. They offer workshops in various things like business and book keeping. Check them out if you fancy making the big leap!
So at the minute, I'm doing everything I can to get myself out there with promo and of course, I am building up my stock.
Today I felt a drop in energy and motivation, I felt like I had made a big mistake but also feel like I cant go back either so I felt a bit stuck between a rock and a hard place. However, I can only really go onwards and upwards or pack it all in and be miserable! To cheer myself up, and inspire myself, I thought I'd actually think about all the things I've acheived so far.
I gave myself a massive task list of all the things I have to do these next few weeks and I'm pleased to say I have managed to cross more than a couple off the list. I've also completed a couple of projects that were outstanding.
I'm also proud of myself for learning a new skill today! See, every cloud does a silver lining if you look hard enough.
photo by flickr user maistora
Monday 14 June 2010
the plunge
So I've gone full time on the business as from this week- the business covers a lot of genres from crafts to photography to artwork.
At the minute though I'm not exactly rolling in it - in fact I've earned nothing so far so I've not even registered as self employed yet.
However! it's not all doom and gloom, I'm in the middle of building up my stock and then getting it advertised and I'm looking into funding and business advise.
I will of course blog as soon as I find anything or if something interesting happens!!
Tasks this week:
At the minute though I'm not exactly rolling in it - in fact I've earned nothing so far so I've not even registered as self employed yet.
However! it's not all doom and gloom, I'm in the middle of building up my stock and then getting it advertised and I'm looking into funding and business advise.
I will of course blog as soon as I find anything or if something interesting happens!!
Tasks this week:
- Sell my car
- Look into funding
- Create and list stock
Friday 21 May 2010
friends of friends
So I've doubled my facebook fans this week...how have I done this??? I asked a friend to suggest the page to their friends!
This is a great idea as the people who like my fanpage might have other friends who like my fanpage and so on and so forth. I plan to ask a couple more friends to do this too.
I'm trying to push the PR at the minute and also did a huge postcard drop in the city centre today.
Fingers crossed it increases sales!
This is a great idea as the people who like my fanpage might have other friends who like my fanpage and so on and so forth. I plan to ask a couple more friends to do this too.
I'm trying to push the PR at the minute and also did a huge postcard drop in the city centre today.
Fingers crossed it increases sales!
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