So You Want to Run Your Own Business?

I am writing this blog so people can avoid making the same mistake I made. I will be dividing this blog into Pro's, Cons, and the steps that someone needs to make to ensure they are able to run a successful business.

Here's what I look like during the work week. Band shirt, blue light glasses and my hair is out of my eyes. Now if I worked at an actual location, I'd be wearing work clothes. 

Pro's of Running a Business: 

• I can wear whatever I want. Or have my own style. My style has not changed since I was in middle school. I am still a goth/metalhead/punk as such I own more band and nerdy shirts than formal clothes. I can wear combat boots or goth boots. 
• I only wear business formal clothes when I go on job interviews or when I do video calls with my clients. 
• I can dye my hair any color I want. And I do. I'm too lazy to do three colors like I used to. I also don't want to damage my hair. I only bleach my roots when my roots reach half way to my hair. I also prefer anime character colors. Unless, you're a hair dresser or dye your hair at home people do not realize that "natural colors" are actually more damaging for hair. Because permanent hair dye uses bleach+ chemicals in the dye to make it look "real." This is why most people with "real colors" go to a salon. I do not have the time nor the money. 
• My tattoos and piercings are exposed because my body modifications do not change my ability to work. 
• Work and life balance is easier to manage. I can manage my own time. I choose to work from 9am-5pm because that is what I am used to. And I like having my evenings off. If I want, I can work evenings and weekends. 
• You are your own boss. No one can contradict you or try to one up you. You don't answer to higher ups. 
• You get to work by yourself, thus you can go as fast or slow as you want. 

Con's of Running a Business: 

• During inflation you have to work more because some people will not be able to afford your prices. 
• If you want to make more than 30 grand than you must be constantly working. This is how burnout occurs.
• No health insurance unless you can afford it. 
• You have to file your own taxes. 
• You have no one to bounce ideas off. 
• If you make a mistake, you are the sole responsible person to fix it. 
• Congratulations, you are officially in charge of everything! Enjoy!

Other Roles You Will Have to Take On: 

• Writing contracts out. Printing them and getting them signed. Then filing them away.
• Creating a system, so that you know what work is finished and what is not. Who has paid and who has not paid yet. This means you better learn how to use Excel or a similar program. 
• You are your own secretary. You must answer the phone in a professional manner and with empathy. You answer all the emails and any questions the clients have. 
• You are also your own data analyst. You better get acquainted with Google Analytics. You may also want to brush up or learn SEO. I chose not to get certified because I own a SEO book. I read it cover from cover. I can do anything SEO related just by reading The Art of SEO. I do not need to take a six month course that will cost $200 to be certified.

This is the book I own. 

• You are your own marketer. Another reason, to learn Google Analytics, is so that you can understand what groups to sell your services to. If you're young, then social media is a breeze for you. I grew up with Myspace and Facebook. But if you are older, it would be to your benefit to learn about TikTok and other types of social media. I have a photography website. I use this blog as proof of my writing skills. Although, I should make a website for my services. I also have a photography Facebook and Instagram. It's easier to show photos than blocks of writing.
• You are your own project manager. You have to plan, procure, execute, and finish the project. Or find others who can help you. 

If I haven't scared you off, now is the time to discuss the most important questions about running a business. 

1. What are you good at? What are your skills? What can be profitable? 

KV: For me, writing and literacy has always been my forte. I decided that since there were no publishing houses in Chicago I would offer my copyediting services to corporate and students of all ages. An untapped market can be a gold mine, but since I did not look corporate enough I was not hired by corporate people. That's how judgmental people in Illinois are. 

Below is what I specialized in depending on the needs of the clients. 

Chicago/Remote: 

+ I became a tutor without realizing it. I would ask my students regardless of their age what grammar they remembered. Many times they did not understand grammar rules at all. I had to explain the basics. Then I would have my students do some writing exercises so they could find their writing style. 

+ College dissertations

+ Creative Writing: Short stories and poetry.  

Brooklyn/Remote: 

+ Product Manuals

+ Technical Writing 

+ Creative Writing: Manuscripts, short stories, and poetry. 

+ Signs  

Notice, the difference between Chicago and Brooklyn. People who dress or look like me still have corporate jobs. Hence, why it's important to know where you live and what the people are like. 

2. Do you have any degrees or certificates in your field of interest? 

KV: I went to a university to learn my skills. I have two Bachelors of Arts in English and journalism. I never include minors because I don't think they're as important. I know everything about British and American literature. I can write any kind of article or public relations piece. I even know the history of the English language. If anyone is interested. 

3. How will you market yourself? 

KV: I know I answered part of this question above, but this is a concept not many people think about. If you're not lucky enough to know how to take your own photos or to make your graphics then you will have to find a person to do it for you. What is your brand? What will your brand look like? Will you test it out with some friends or acquaintances? Do you have money to pay for an artist? Will your brand be uniform all around? Or will it be different? 

4. Do you have a target audience? 

KV: When I first started I did not know the importance of a target audience. I just wanted money to pay my students loans. Which I did. Many years ago. But, not having a target audience means I have worked on anything and everything. I have copyedited and written in every field. Because of my previous inexperience, I have such a wide portfolio that I don't know what to showcase. I have worked as a copyeditor with a firm or corporation that has it's own style. I edited by their rules. I have also done technical writing. Technical writing is when a client or firm pays you to write what a product is and does. Technical writing is mostly used to sell a product. I have overseen grammar and punctuation for corporate reports. Developmental editing is when other writers or authors will hire me to pick their story apart. Most writers already know how grammar works. What they need from me, is to tell them if their story makes sense. Were the characters built properly? Is their story captivating? Is the plot simple or complicated? Will other readers enjoy what this person has written? 

Next, what field do you have a lot of knowledge in. I love makeup, music, and books. So I usually try to stay in those fields. I have written about products I don't use. But, in my experience it's easier if you already use these products. Or have previous knowledge. I love technology, but I'm not exactly I.T. material. You won't be seeing me editing or writing about computers. The same thing goes for engineering or science. I do not have enough information in those fields. I can research, if it's a topic for a client. That's about it. 

5. What is your budget? 

KV: How much money can you invest? I had no job prospects no matter how many places I applied to in Illinois, so I made my own job. I worked my ass off to get my degrees. You bet I was going to use them. I did not have money to rent a space. I worked from my apartment and I still do. Remember, you have to pay rent for the space you will be using. Make sure you have two years worth to cover the rent. Keep in mind, you will have to pay the city or town to have a license to operate. Then you will need to make a list to ensure that everything is functioning properly. Is the location safe? Is the location near a lot of businesses? Is it up to code? If it's not, that's more money that you will have to pay in order to get things fixed. Do you have money to hire an assistant? I know I did not. So, I've been doing everything myself. 

6. Where will you meet? 

KV: Location is very important. That's the only downside of not having an actual place for people to meet. In the past, I would ask to meet up with clients in cafes or libraries. I like public places. They make me and my client feel safe. I'm not one to offer my home or to invade a client's home. 

7. How will you show your work or portfolio? 

KV: I'm currently struggling with this question. At the end of a contract, I will ask my clients what they liked about my services and what they did not like. I also ask them how I may improve. The issue is that posting their quotes seems cheesy to me. Also, asking them to take an online quiz seems like overkill to me. How do I show my experience without inconveniencing my clients? Another issue, is that I don't like exposing my client's projects. It's not because I don't want other copyeditors to steal my clients or proofs. It's more that I value my clients' privacy. I don't want to post projects that I worked on because my clients may be underage or I have signed a disclosure form. Many corporations are afraid of their prototypes or products being stolen by competing companies so I can't show those products. And if I put up sample writing proofs they may not be the best compared to what I can actually do. 

And now you know why my blog may have mistakes. I write my blog after I finish my work. That means most of the time I'm exhausted. I do it, anyway. I edit after I publish. Otherwise, I'd never put these blog posts out.