Homepreneur is a made-up name that doesn’t exist on Wikipedia, yet there are 2.9 million Homepreneur currently contributing £ 300 billion to the UK economy. Impressive numbers when you stop to think about it.
We (home entrepreneurs) not only spend £ 40bn in the local economies we live in, mine in Costa, but we earn more per hour than those with ‘suitable’ jobs. We must also be saving the environment, as we are not traveling. What’s not to like?
1 in 7 of the UK workforce is self-employed, the highest percentage on record at any time in the last 40 years.
Why does starting from home motivate us?
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A lifelong ambition to turn a passion (hobby) into a business.
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An opportunity in the market and be your own boss.
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Dissatisfied with your current job.
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Unable to return to the workplace due to injury or disability.
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You want to spend more time with family and friends.
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Invest in your future – (pension / retirement fund problems).
The most popular sectors for home businesses are:
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Business services
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Creative.
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Retail sale
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Professional consulting.
Other surprising facts about becoming a Entrepreneur:
- You don’t need to have a product or idea to start a business, there is something you sell products to other people / businesses on behalf of to earn commission.
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Over 60% of UK startups are started at home.
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Of the novice home entrepreneurs, 64% are women and of these 72% are not mothers, dispelling the myth of the emergence of “entrepreneurial stay-at-home mothers” (Mom in the UK) and yes, the Enterprising mom is listed on Wikipedia.
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Of these women, nearly 70% had never been in business before.
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The age range: it is from 45 to 54 years old, (more than 30%) the older generation is getting involved and I suspect that due to the financial impact (crisis of the pension funds / economic collapse during 2008-2013)
Do you fall into one of these categories?
I fell into most of these categories, the main one: unable to do my job due to the high amount of stress I was putting under. I needed to work, I didn’t have a product to sell, I’m a woman and almost 50. It’s scary to start your own business, but you have to step out of your comfort zone and make it happen. I became a Homepreneur within a few months of partnering with a commission-based business.
When you find the right product to sell online, what’s next?
- Website: WordPress They have made it especially easy for newbies like me. It is free, fast and easy. Take your time and select a theme that suits you and your product. Before selling your product, you have to sell yourself. It’s about being nice, adding value to your customer before selling anything.
- Mailing list: Aweber Now that you have a website, you need to collect emails from your customers so that you can keep them updated with your “offers” or new information, the best way to do this is through Aweber. It’s easy to connect your website to Aweber so you can send regular informational emails to new and existing customers.
- Advertising and marketing: Facebook. There are a billion people on Facebook every day … it’s amazing. Someone somewhere wants / needs your product, but before you burn yourself out and declare you don’t know how … remember we all have to start somewhere. If you are serious about being a Homepreneur, go to Facebook. You may need to enroll in a course at How to advertise on Facebook. Do your research as there are hundreds of courses to choose from. Please make sure they teach you how to use “business for Facebook”.
- Get help – If, like me, you have limited savings and can’t afford help, use YouTube’s online tutorials. Look for gurus in your industry who have free videos online so you can “Learn while you earn.” Google and YouTube everything you need to know objective beware. I found that some YouTube videos are out of date, especially when trying to keep up with the changes some companies make, IE Facebook (feels like every 5 minutes). It’s incredibly frustrating when you’re trying to compare what’s on your screen with what you are. looking at the YouTube video.
- TeamInvest in the highest spec computer or laptop you can afford and get a decent internet connection. This may mean sitting in a cafe all day, but you will be contributing to the local economy.
- The will to succeed in whatever is necessary.
The bad news is that most of the people who think about starting an online business and creating a life of freedom and flexibility don’t even start.
The good However, the novelty is that thanks to the Internet it is easier than ever to start working as a Homepreneur. Everything you need is available, sometimes you just need a little help finding it.