By Courtney Rosenfeld
You’re a solopreneur calling all the shots, and if something doesn’t get done, there’s no one to blame but yourself. It’s nerve-wracking and a little overwhelming, but you can still be the boss while relying on tools to lighten your workload and propel your business forward.
Work with freelancers
There have likely been countless times when you wished you could delegate a task to someone else so you could prioritize another task. Perhaps there have been times when you weren’t familiar with a certain task, and handing it off to someone who specializes in it would ease some of the anxiety. Freelancers are your answer, providing specialized talent immediately for much less money than hiring a regular full-time employee.
You can find a freelancer for almost anything, but some of the areas you’ll benefit from include computer/IT professionals, web/graphic designers, project managers, and researchers. It’s easy to find talent with popular freelancing job boards such as Upwork, where you can browse profiles and read real reviews.
Make your phone work for you
When you’re a solopreneur, your phone becomes an extension of you. You’ll be on it constantly, so make sure your phone has enough battery life and data so you don’t get stranded in the middle of the day without a way to get work done, such as return those dozenss of emails and texts, do a business-related social media post, or take photos of products to post to your site. Taking all this into account, you can then choose a plan that fits your needs — including plans that are designed specifically for businesses. With plenty of data and storage, you can take advantage of mobile apps to keep your calendar and notes seamlessly organized.
Budgeting isn’t just for your personal life
Budgets tend to be a word you throw around often once you enter adulthood, but without an accounting team to keep you on the straight and narrow, good budgeting practices are a necessity to keep your business afloat. The biggest rule to follow is to keep personal and business expenses separate. You can accomplish this by having a separate business credit card or bank account, which will make everything a lot simpler when tax time arrives.
Speaking of taxes, don’t forget to pay your quarterly estimated taxes. To avoid any confusion, use an expense tracker such as Expensify or QuickBooks to quickly import receipts, credit card transactions, and important data such as mileage. Accounting apps such as Xero will be a lifesaver as well by tracking accounts receivable and payable, taxes, and payroll should you decide to expand.
Don’t let social media be your downfall
Social media is something solopreneurs need to use, but it’s crucial that you use your time wisely. Start by choosing one social media channel, whether it’s Facebook or Instagram, to focus the bulk of your attention on. It’s difficult to manage more than one channel, with one inevitably being more active than the other.
Social media scheduling tools like Hootsuite and Buffer makes it easy to schedule posts in advance, and with all the information in one place, you can track comments and posts instantly. Remember that there is a difference between mindlessly posting content and setting yourself up as an influencer. Your posts and comments should have a purpose to attract customers, as well as serve as a networking opportunity. Don’t limit yourself to the typical social media channels either; LinkedIn is a great way to network, gather ideas, and get help from others who have been there.
Being a solopreneur comes with a ton of responsibility, and quite frankly, it can be a little scary being the sole person in charge. However, with the right tools, you can get the extra help you need to lighten your load and succeed.
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Courtney Rosenfeld started Gigspark to be a resource and a first step for people who are looking to join the gig economy, either to supplement their income or as a way to fulfill their dreams of becoming an entrepreneur.
