Being a working parent is hard, and being a business owner is hard, but finding the perfect balance for your home business is possible. Owning a business often requires more hours than a normal 9-5 job, but often, it allows flexibility that wouldn’t be found elsewhere. Being able to take the time to drive your kids to school in the morning, eat dinner with them at night, and tuck them into bed are some of the best parts of owning a home business.

On the other hand, the lines between work and home often get blurred when running a business out of your house. It can be hard to figure out the best way to run things – in your business AND your household. We’ve compiled some success secrets for running a home business in hopes that your life can become just a bit easier by incorporating these tips.

 Identify the Problem You’re Addressing

 Having a strong grasp on the “why” behind your business will make all the difference in the world when it comes to your motivation and business longevity. Holding the reason you’re doing what you’re doing in the back of your mind can help you keep going when things get tough and help you stay aligned with your core values. The problem you address doesn’t have to be overly complex, but even something as simple can be the guiding light for all your business decisions.

For instance, if you’re selling car-based audio games for families to make commuting and traveling with little ones easier, you can revert back to the problem you’re addressing with every business decision you make. If a decision doesn’t align with making a commute with kids easier, then maybe it’s not the right one. This is never set in stone, and might even change as your business evolves, but knowing “why” you want to keep grinding is foundationally important.

Know Your Strengths

 No human is good at everything; it’s simply not possible. Having the self-awareness to identify your strengths, capitalize on them, and spend energy in the areas you excel will propel your business faster. If you have the means, consider outsourcing tasks that don’t fall into your strengths. Don’t worry, this doesn’t always mean hiring an employee. Often, expanding the team can be out of the question for small, home businesses.

Outsourcing tasks can be done on an as-needed basis. If finance and accounting tasks take you twice as long to complete as most other things, consider hiring a contractor accountant to help you process your finances on a monthly basis. If you need a quick graphic created and art isn’t your strong suit, don’t hesitate to find an artist on a freelancing site like Fiverr or Upwork to help you. As a business owner, your time has a direct price tag attached to it. Knowing when the cost of outsourcing something is less than the cost of doing it yourself is a massive key to success.

Prioritize Your Digital Presence

 It’s 2022; having an online presence is non-negotiable. Websites and social media are two digital tools that every single business should be prioritizing. Social media allows for an increased reach and enhances your ability to bring in customers. With applications like TikTok and Instagram, the possibility of going viral has truly never been easier. One viral video paired with a strong social media presence can be a business game-changer.

Additionally, having a website is critical. If you sell a product or good, enabling online purchases means that your offering can be purchased from around the country, instead of just where you are based locally. Mastering Search Engine Optimization (SEO) will help your business pop up when someone searches for a related phrase on the internet. Put simply, SEO is how easily your website comes up when someone searches for products or goods related to yours. This is a great thing to outsource if possible; there are many firms and professionals that focus solely on SEO because there is so much to it.

Dedicate Time to Strategic Planning

 Business owners wear a million hats at once and it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, without focusing on the future. Though strategic planning is often one of the first things to get cut from lengthy to-do lists, it should be a top priority. Having a strong strategy that aligns with your “why” will help keep your business running in the right direction, even in the craziest of times. Don’t get too caught in the weeds that you forget to plan ahead.

Figure Out a Time Management Strategy

 Juggling kids, working at home, and running a business is challenging; we won’t sugar coat it. There are many time management strategies out there such as time blocking or batch processing that help individuals stay as productive as possible. As a busy parent, using your time effectively is critical to more than just business success; it’s also critical to the success of your children. Spend time figuring out what works best for you.

Don’t Be Afraid to Adjust

 Being able to take a few steps back, look at the big picture, and decide what is and is not working is one of the best skills any business owner can have. When you have a certain vision for your business, it’s easy to get caught in that, even if it’s just not working. Absorbing new information, learning from it, and adjusting accordingly can be the shift your business needs. Just like kids, what works for your business might change, and that’s perfectly okay. Ride the waves with confidence.

You’re Doing Amazing!

 Ups and downs are normal in business and parenting, and since you’re doing both, you’re going to have to get comfortable with some bumps along the way. As long as you keep in mind the “why” behind it all, you should find success in any venture. Success might take time, and it might look different than you had imagined, but with these tips, it’ll be waiting for you.

References:

1. https://www.thebalancesmb.com/secret-to-home-business-success-1794133
2. https://bytrellus.com/business-insights/6-secrets-to-growing-a-successful-home-based-business/
3. https://allsmallbusiness.com/home-business-success/
4. https://www.powerhomebiz.com/working-from-home/success/6-secrets-of-a-successful-home-based-business.htm
5. https://homebusinessmag.com/featured/20-start-success-secrets-for-your-home-based-business/