2014 saw the freelance economy rise to a rate of 34% of the entire U.S workforce. The last five years has seen the global freelance economy almost double, as people take to self-employment in the face of the global recession.
The digital economy and rise of remote contracting means that there has never been a better time to become and entrepreneur. Technology has given us the power to work, outsource and recruit globally from anywhere with a strong WiFi connection.
If you’re thinking of taking the plunge into self-employment and entrepreneurship in 2015, these tips should give you a backbone of advice and help along the way.
- Plan and Learn Every Day
Entrepreneurship is a way of life! Try and surround yourself with like-minded individuals and devote time to self-development each day.
You are the average of the five people that you spend most your time with… So try and surround yourself with ambitious, positive, entrepreneurial influencers.
Take time out to plan the next day so you have a succinct to-do list that will help you focus and achieve your entrepreneurial goals.
Listen to podcasts such as ‘Entrepreneur on Fire’ and the ‘Tim Ferris Show’, these will help to fuel your entrepreneurial ambition and drive.
- Outsource
If there are jobs that can be outsourced, make sure you find the right people and lower your workload! Website such as Elance, PeoplePerHour and Fiver.com are incredibly useful for outsourcing admin, marketing, coding, and design tasks.
Starting your own business is a learning curve; mistakes are bound to be made along the way. If you have an experienced team beneath you, you will lower your risk and have a support network to prop you up and support you.
- Network and Grow Connections
Physical networking is great if your product or service is beneficial to your local area or you are looking to grow your local connections.
Online networking is a fantastic way of making connections and generating leads across the globe. Make sure you optimize you LinkedIn profile in order to branch out and connect with potential prospects all over the world.
Contribute to LinkedIn groups relevant to your industry and actively seek out connections that could benefit from your product or service. You can also use LinkedIn to spot potential affiliates that will help your business grow and expand in different directions
- Stay Social
Social media is here to stay and it’s constantly growing in popularity. This year will see the rise of video marketing and Instagram campaigns. If relevant to your business, try and ensure that you have a solid and focused social media strategy.
Elance can be a great tool for outsourcing social media marketing and design work. Consider spending some cash on a social media consultant to really make the most of your marketing spend when it comes to your social media efforts. If your potential clients or competitors are talking on social, you need to be part of the conversation.
- Breathe!
You’ve decided to take the plunge into one of the most exciting journeys that life has to offer. Relish in the fact that you are now your own boss and in control of your income, security and destiny.
Entrepreneurs are one of a kind. They are ambitious, independent and resilient leaders.
Welcome to the world of entrepreneurship; be sure to check back for updates on the latest apps, stories and technology that will make your business dreams become a reality.
