Although work-from-home options have been around since before the pandemic crises, running a remote business is catching on in a big way in 2021.
How to Run a Thriving Remote Business
Statistics estimate that around 25% of American professionals will be working from remote locations. And by 2025, 36.2 million Americans will go for remote positions, which is an astounding 87% uptick since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The exciting fact is that you could launch and manage a company entirely from the comfort of your home.
Any Person With the Necessary Skills Can Start a Remote Venture
Even if you lack an outgoing personality, but excel in the particular field where you work, you could offer freelance services or found your own business. And that makes a remote venture a viable work option for introverts.
Using technology, you can run operations without attending in-person meetings or traveling to meet clients, vendors, and customers.
With the necessary hardware and software, you could provide virtual and physical products, consulting services, and various other marketable items to customers at any worldwide location and earn rich returns with the minimum investment.
You could also build a team with a diversity of expertise and scale the business quickly.
Get the Mandatory Accreditation and Licensing
Getting accreditation in the field where you intend to work reassures clients of your aptitude and skill set. Several sectors also need you to acquire licensing before you can provide services.
Make sure to take up the courses and display your certification before you start a remote business.
Your options include and are not limited to online notarization, IT spheres, cybersecurity, project management, and professional services like legal, accounting and bookkeeping, tax consultancy, and digital marketing.
Safeguard Intellectual Property and Brand Name
One of the initial steps to take is to safeguard your brand name, logo, and identity when starting your remote business.
Safeguard any digital designs, symbols, and intellectual property you create using the proper legal channels and trademarks.
You’ll prevent the risk of competing businesses claiming or using your established brand as their own.
Registering the company will also provide information on existing logos and names, so you don’t accidentally plagiarize and incur legal consequences.
Having a registered trademark will enable customers to recognize your brand while providing you exclusive rights to the products you create.
Invest in Hardware
Now that you have the basics sorted, you’ll figure out the equipment you need. Convert a section of your home into an office complete with a desk, computer, and high-speed internet connection.
You’ll also need a webcam for conferencing with teammates and clients, along with a mic and any other devices you need for conducting business.
A great backdrop for video calls and shelves for stacking papers and files are other essentials. Make sure your office has plenty of natural or artificial lighting and is decorated with inspirational quotes and plants.
Invest in Software
The appropriate software and applications will depend on the kind of products and services you develop and provide.
Additional tools you’ll absolutely need include a robust communications system with efficient email, video conferencing, and chat rooms.
You’ll also invest in accounting software to stay on top of your taxation, financial obligations, and receivables.
Since you’ll work remotely over the internet, having a reputable virtual private network (VPN), robust data protection to prevent breaches, encryption software, and antivirus firewalls are indispensable.
Build a Team of Remote Employees
When you’re running a remote business, you have the advantage of access to high-grade talent from worldwide locations.
Since you’ll conduct interviews and evaluate skills over the internet, it helps to create a standard operating procedure for recruiting and hiring workers.
Further, you’ll need the appropriate software for onboarding, seamless orientation, and working out details like tracking hours or per project payments.
Use Zoom and Google Meet platforms to connect with the candidates for a more personal and secure hiring process.
As for where to find the talent you need, trust platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, FlexJobs, Freelancer.com, and WorkHoppers.
You can get freelancers to assist you with projects for clients and manage administrative tasks to run the business more efficiently.
Choose and Integrate a Project Management Platform
When you have multiple people working in the company from remote locations and varying time zones, you’ll need a project management platform.
These free applications allow you to assign tasks to the team and get updates on the status of each assignment. You can send and receive files, issue instructions, and communicate in real-time.
Tools like Monday, Trello, Asana, Slack, Basecamp, and several others are now available. If you need advanced features, you could get their paid versions.
Also, adopt document sharing apps like Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox. Multiple team members can work on files at a given time and you’ll eliminate the time and effort needed for email.
Conclusion
Setting up and running a successful remote business is easily done with the appropriate equipment, licensing, accreditation, and trademark protection.
Do a bit of research into your chosen industry and make sure you acquire all the other essentials of making your new venture a huge success.
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