Since setting up my new business, Sian’s, I’ve been asked a couple of times how can I do so much of this work from home. It’s simple.
More and more people work from home nowadays. It saves on travel into the office and in some cases where it’s expensive to run an office companies have found it cheaper and easier to out-source to Virtual Assistants or set their employees up working from home.
For the last seven years I have worked from home. Firstly doing sales and accounts for 020 London in the UK then sales, accounts, admin, social media et al for Whatswhat.ie which is based 3 hours drive from me.
My telephone set-up means I can phone UK and Irish landlines for free at any time using UTV – it only costs me €10 a month on top of the normal rental fee. I can phone UK mobiles very cheaply using 13434.ie and my Vodafone deal is great for calling Irish mobiles. I have no main overheads – just my time.
Accounts are simple to be done off-site. I’ve used an online accounting package called Inrax which I can log into wherever I am. It’s a very reasonable monthly payment and not only can I use it from here but my clients can also log into it and upload information if they need to. To keep paperwork to a minimum sales invoices and reports can be emailed. Purchase invoices can be scanned and emailed to me or just posted. Bank statements can now be accessed online simply too.
For Social Media set-up it all has to be done online anyway. Information needed can be emailed or collated from websites and other sources. I’ve successfully created two new accounts recently and another in the pipeline. Without meeting anyone.
Obviously press releases, newsletters, articles and other writing or proof-reading can all be done via email or the telephone for an interview. I’ve just applied to proof-read for an American writer and he can just use Dropbox to get the manuscript to me.
Setting up websites is easily done remotely too. I don’t design websites but will help get the domain, hosting and advise with the copy for it. Google AdWords can be dealt with online of course.
Working from home actually saves time too. I don’t need to travel somewhere to speak to someone face to face to get the same information I can get over the telephone. Although I have to admit that on the couple of occasions I have met my new clients it has been lovely to put a face with the voice/tweet/email. Plus I did have a load of files to collect for a years worth of accounts to catch up. So there are some instances where a meeting is necessary but not that often. Of course every business is different and meetings are necessary – I just find they aren’t really needed in my new business.
As I’ve said before, many a time, I’m not good at networking in a group of people but find I am good at networking online. And I’m enjoying putting that to good use helping other people do the same on Twitter and Facebook.
I work well from home without the stress of getting to the office, dressing for the office and basically putting up with the office. Wouldn’t you like to do the same? Or maybe not. Let me know 
