For Soloprenuers: 5 Tips When Starting a Business

If you're starting a business, there's a good chance you've already spent hours thinking about your products, your logo, maybe even your Instagram handle.

But there are a few things that fly under the radar until they suddenly pop up and demand your attention.

So here are five areas people often don’t think about early enough, and how to stay one step ahead.

Who's going to handle the boring stuff?

The behind-the-scenes admin is never the fun part, but someone has to do it.

And if it’s just you in the beginning, that someone is probably... you. Sorting invoices, logging expenses, handling contracts, answering emails, it all adds up fast.

One area that catches people off guard is payroll.

Even if you’re only planning to hire one or two people, it’s not as simple as sending over some money and calling it a day.

That’s where a payroll bureau comes in. They take care of all the calculations, payslips, taxes and compliance. It saves you a lot of time and stress, and honestly, it’s usually worth every penny.

How much time do you really have?

A lot of people underestimate how much time running a business takes.

You’re not just doing the work you love, you’re also wearing every other hat in the business.

Planning your week is essential, and so is protecting your own energy. If you’re trying to juggle clients, social media, emails, accounts and packaging orders, something is going to slip.

Map out your typical week before you even start and build in breaks, catch-up time and maybe even a cheeky afternoon off if you can manage it.

Are your prices actually making you money?

This one hits harder than most people expect. It’s easy to set your prices based on what feels fair, or what other people in your industry are charging.

But have you actually worked out how much profit you’re making once your costs are taken out?

That includes time, materials, software, shipping and yes, even your breaks.

If you’re undercharging, you’ll burn out fast. Do the maths before launching anything new. You might be surprised how much more you should be charging just to break even.

What happens if someone complains?

No one wants to think about complaints when you’re just getting started, but they’re bound to happen.

Whether it’s a customer not happy with your service or a supplier running late, you need to know how you’ll respond.

Have a few go-to phrases ready for those awkward emails and be clear in your terms and policies from day one.

That way, you’re not scrambling for a response when something does go wrong.

Do you actually enjoy this?

It sounds obvious, but people forget. When you’re knee-deep in to-do lists, social posts and late-night admin, you can lose sight of why you started in the first place.

Check in with yourself regularly. If something feels off, tweak it. Your business should work for you and not the other way around.