Getting Organized to Start your Part-Time Business” by Sarah Kirkish, Work Life Organization
As a Coach, I often help small business owners who originally started part-time and then took the leap to a full-time business. I can always tell if a business owner is focused on getting organized from the start because the systems they created when they were part-time still carry through to their full-time business today. Here are some suggestions to get your part-time businesses off on the right foot.
Create clear boundaries between your job, your business and your family. This is a recurring theme with my clients who want to be responsive to all the requests of their job, business and family, all at the same time. It is a sure fire recipe for decreased productivity and guilt. Boundaries help create order out of chaos. When you are consistent with co-workers, clients and loved ones, everyone knows what to expect. While they still might want more of your time, they at least can respect that you get back to them when you say you will.
Building your integrity with your clients now while your business is small generates trust and most importantly repeat business! Life events and unexpected emergencies such as Susie’s dance recital or the dog just got sprayed by a skunk happen. However, if every event in your life seems to be an emergency, then you may need to practice saying “No” gracefully or “Not Now” with a time when you will be able to respond.
Create either a separate workspace or a grab and go mobile office. Part of the boundary setting process is designing your business workspace so you can focus on the task at hand. First, buy your own business supplies. Keep them labeled and stored separately so the kids won’t borrow them for art projects.
Second, have all your supplies and equipment within arm’s reach. The fastest way to clutter your workspace is by having a “to file pile” on your desk because you have to climb over the guest bed in your office. Move the file cabinets right next to your desk within 3 feet or less. Also, even if it’s just a dedicated drawer or an electronic file folder, keep all your business files in one spot so they are easier to find when you need them.
Third, if your part-time business is on the go, select a tote that can hold all your supplies and is sturdy enough to live in your car. This way if you need to work in a coffee shop or on the road in between meetings, you can stay on track. Be careful though with brochures and other marketing materials. Paper gets heavy quickly, so use a tote with wheels. Your back will thank you!
Create business systems with the big picture in mind. Evaluate all that you do as a business owner and ask the question, can I do this the same way if I had 10 times more business or a 100 times? If you create processes that are complex, time intensive or where only you can understand them, how will you ever be able to hire staff to grow your business? Simplify the steps of each activity now and document them as if you had to explain them to a high school student. Then if possible, have someone else read your process and see if they can do that part of the job. Keep refining until each step is crystal clear.
Finally consider using checklists so that you provide your customers with the same level of service each and every time. This will really distinguish you from your competition. All these organizational tips will help you be more consistent and when the time is right, to expand your business from part-time to full-time! Just remember my motto: 
The Secret to Success is getting Started!
Sarah Kirkish is a Certified Coach and Professional Organizer with over 18 years of project management experience in corporate America. She helps busy professionals simplify their lives from the inside out with her down-to-earth coaching and interactive workshops. Follow her on Twitter: WorkLifeOrg or visit her website at: www.worklifeorganization.com
Great advice. One of the many systems I use for marketing, I have simplified with an online tool to form a deep personal relationship with my clients and prospects and this closeness which creates a trust factor drives more business. The webpage of the marketing tool I use is www.sendoutcards.com/b2b.
These are great tips. We have a lot of clients who have small and part-time businesses (especially tradesman) and these tips would be invaluable for them. A lack of organisation seems to be a major issue for smaller businesses.
Darren—
I think lack of organization is a challenge for businesses large and small. Please pass this content along to people who could benefit from it.
To your business success.
Melinda
Great advice, Sarah. I’m working on building a fiction-writing career and am currently balancing my day job with writing and revising manuscripts, reading books about writing or books in my genre, and building up my author platform online. I’ll definitely be putting some of these tips to good use. Thanks!
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