Surviving as an Online Business Owner
How to Achieve Work and Life Balance as a One-Man Show
May 8, 2009
How does a small online business owner manage all of these important tasks on their own? Whether a business operates solely online, or has expanded from a brick and mortar company by building a web presence, achieving work and life balance is critical in avoiding burnout.
E-commerce opens doors to increased sales and exposure to a much larger market. Use the following tips, not only to cope with the increased pressure inherent to the additional opportunities created by e-commerce, but to thrive in a global marketplace as a one-man show.
Have a Solid Plan for Small Business Growth
The rate at which an e-commerce business can expand catches many entrepreneurs off guard. If all goes as planned, marketing and branding efforts should increase product or service sales. This could be a double-edged sword unless a plan is in place to handle growth and expansion.
A good business plan should include research on hiring or outsourcing options that can be employed quickly if business is booming. Know which aspects of the business can be handed off to others and which tasks should be kept in-house.
Recognize Strengths & Find E-Commerce Solutions to Support Small Business Growth
Take a freelance writer as an example. They may be the best writer in their genre, but every minute spent negotiating contracts or tweaking their website takes away from the time they spend writing to generate income.
If administrative, accounting or marketing duties are detracting from an e-commerce business owner's ability to perform the tasks they must do to provide the actual product or service, they should enlist the help of an outside individual or agency. Guru.com and Elance.com are two options to consider when outsourcing business or administrative jobs. Simply create a listing outlining the current need and choose a service provider from the proposals submitted.
Use E-Commerce Solutions to Achieve Work Life Balance
Take advantage of the myriad of e-commerce business solutions software available to help track inventory, keep books, manage client communications and more. When falling behind, barely managing or having to work more hours in a week than ideal, investigate ways to simplify.
Surprisingly, many sole proprietors feel technologically comfortable enough to take their business online, but shy away from learning new software or business processes that would help them manage the increased workload. Carefully weigh the time it would take to learn how to use a program like Quickbooks or Microsoft Access against the time it will save over the life of the software.
Treat E-Commerce Business Ownership Like a J.O.B.
Some emergency or urgent situations must be dealt with after hours. Don't make this a regular practice. Even if operating the business from home, off time must be spent out of the office, having a personal life. It's tempting to complete just one more task before calling it a day, but creating a work schedule and sticking to it is critical to achieving work/life balance.
E-commerce requires very little face-to-face client contact, but dress the part, arrive to work on time and leave at the end of the day with a sense of accomplishment. Act as a professional, avoiding the urge to work 24/7 to get ahead.
Achieve Work and Life Balance with Networking - The Old Fashioned Way
One of the more common side effects of working alone online is the tendency to become socially isolated, known in the United States as "cocooning." Sociologist Karen Christensen notes in her Encyclopedia of Community (Sage, 2003), "Working at home, whether as a telecommuter, freelancer, or consultant, can be considered part of the cocooning trend."
Get out in the community and meet with other e-commerce or local business owners. Benefit from the experience of others, and share the valuable face time and personal interaction that is simply not possible in e-commerce.
The benefits of operating a successful e-commerce business are best enjoyed alongside a rewarding personal life. Make a healthy work/life balance as much a priority as growing your business to profit both professionally and personally.
How an E-Commerce Small Business Can Grow and Prosper
To achieve small business growth and maintain a healthy work and life balance, treat the business as a regular job, find e-commerce business solutions to simplify everyday tasks, and build a network of supportive contacts.
Thinking of launching a new internet business? Read Starting an ECommerce Business for guidance on business plan writing, merchant accounts and more.
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