How to Go Solo and Still Keep Your Job

Full-time or part-time? Many graduates of our course have started incredibly successful businesses. But for many of our graduates, a bookkeeping and accounting business makes the perfect part-time job. How much extra income do you want to make? You can do it with a part-time bookkeeping and accounting practice.If you want to leave your present career, but don’t feel quite ready yet, you can do that too. Ellen McGirt, Janet Pasking and Donna Rosato on CNN.money.com offer 7 steps to going solo and still keeping your current job. Let’s look at their list.

1. Scour Your Finances: As you consider going out on your own; while you still have your present job, pay down your credit cards. Set-up a line of credit that you can use before you are completely self-employed. Your first year or two in business it’s often harder to establish credit.
2. Make the Most Out of Your Current Employer: Take advantage of every opportunity to attend workshops, training, networking forums and receive tuition reimbursement. Not only will these opportunities help you prepare for your own business, but you may find yourself advancing enough in your present job that you will not need to go out on your own.
3. Hitch Your Wagon to Another Star: For many, finding a mentor helps as you prepare to start your own business. You may find that a great mentor won’t just appear and offer his/her services to you, most of the time you’ll need to ask.You may also find more than one mentor. I haven’t found a rule saying that you can only have one mentor. Surrounding yourself with a number of people who are motivated to help you advance your career is a good thing. You can often find a mentor by participating in the local chamber of commerce, other community groups or professional organizations. You can also visit web sites like score.org. (Service Corps of Retired Executives.)
4. Go Out With Style: Stay committed to your present job until you leave. Don’t short-change the employer that pays your bills now. As long as you stay, be true to the company you work for.You may also find that some of your first customers will come from within the contacts that you already have and burning bridges isn’t a very good idea. We’ve had more than one graduate who has ended up doing contract work for their former employers. Treat your soon-to-be former employer the same way you would like to be treated if you were them.
5. Line Up a Support Team: Starting your own business is often a one-man-show. This often proves a little overwhelming for the owner of a start-up. By lining up the people to offer help and advice before you’re on your own, you’ll find the stresses of starting your new business easier to take.
6. Give Yourself Away: Offering freebies, discounts and barter to pad your portfolio is often a great way to start, just remember that you can’t do it for long or you run the risk of going out of business before you start. Although it might appear tempting to try to undercut your competition, don’t. (See #7)
7. Get Paid What Your Worth: Learn to value your place in the market. If you don’t charge what you’re worth, you will eventually find yourself looking for another job. The cheapest competitor in the market is not always the best place to be. I know of many industries who automatically label the lowest bid as the unqualified bid. Get paid what your worth.

Much of this isn’t new. Some of this advice my mother gave me as a kid. Starting your own business doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. With a little planning and consideration for your present employer, you can make a smooth transition from employee to business owner.

Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation Supply an Easy Transition to Self Employment

There may be others, but I consider a bookkeeping and accounting practice the perfect opportunity to transition from employment to business ownership. The nature of this business allows thousands of people to operate a part-time business out of their home while maintaining their full-time job. You can do it too.To learn more about how you can start a rewarding and profitable bookkeeping and accounting practice simply click on the link below. Full-time or part-time, a bookkeeping and accounting practice is the perfect transition to business ownership.Click Here to Learn More About the Perfect Business

Roger Knecht

See Full Bio