Some people start their own businesses so they can choose their own hours, enjoy a better work-life balance, and be responsible for their earning potential. Others are only starting small so they can eventually grow big.
If the latter is your goal, you’re probably highly motivated. However, you might be unsure how to transform your business from a fledgling operation into a well-established company in your community. While the growth process does take time, you can scale up your home-based business in some of the following ways:
Upgrade Your Business Premises
Working from home is cost-effective and comfortable, but it’s not always the best option when you must meet with clients in person. If you’re unable to lease a building right away, consider upgrading to serviced offices.
The best serviced offices offer tailored packages to suit your unique needs, such as contract-free rentals, no long-term commitments, and a fully-furnished office in a professionally-managed building. You can also enjoy reception services, executive boardrooms, and state-of-the-art equipment.
Contact Business Experts
You might be an industry expert with abundant knowledge regarding the products and services you provide for your customers. However, that doesn’t mean you’re an expert in business operations. Nor does it mean you know how to scale up your business in a fiscally responsible way.
Contact experts in this area to help you stay on the path to success. Mentors, accountants, and even corporate lawyers might all be people you rely on to ensure you make the right decisions at the right time to lay a solid foundation for business growth.
Create a Business Plan
Many small business owners create their business as a hobby, not forecasting that it will eventually become their primary source of income. The transition can be so slow that many entrepreneurs don’t think to create business plans. This is a critical mistake.
A business plan is essential for setting goals, identifying basic information about your business, and ensuring you have a roadmap for its structure and possible growth. The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides straightforward business plan templates for anyone to use, allowing you to input important information like:
- Market analysis;
- A marketing plan;
- Management and organization structure;
- A financial plan;
- A logistics and operation plan;
- Products and services.
With this information, you can identify areas you’d like to improve and set the most realistic revenue goals for your future.
Hire Employees
Many small business owners plan to be sole traders, relying on themselves and no one else to take care of everyday operations. However, as you take on more customers, it may become apparent that you cannot do everything yourself without being at risk of burnout.
Hiring employees or freelancers can be one of the best strategies for scaling up a home-based business. Not only can you delegate time-consuming tasks, but you can also bring in more business and increase your earning potential.
Seek Funding
You might have many great business ideas, but a lack of funds can hold you back. Don’t shy away from business loans and grants that might enable you to grow your home-based business into a lucrative company.
While you’ll need a solid business plan to lure in prospective investors and financiers, it’ll be worth it if it brings in the funds needed to expand your business and help it reach its full potential.
Scaling up a home-based business can be time-consuming and stressful, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it. By creating a business plan, upgrading your premises, and seeking funding, you can transform your humble brand into a well-established and successful business.
