The nature of work is changing. If you’ve been a stay-at-home parent who is now ready to take on some additional work activities, that’s good news. Since the beginning of the pandemic, more people have found the joy of working from home versus going into the office. This trend isn’t ending anytime soon.
What that means for newcomers coming into the work industry is that this is the best time to pursue a career working from home. An eCommerce business is a great option for stay-at-home parents who are ready to get back into the workforce or start their own business. You get to manage your schedule as needed at home and earn additional income.
Here are eight tips that will help guide you on the path to starting your eCommerce business.
Tip #1: Know What It Takes
It’s not easy starting a business. A home-based business demands commitment and hard work, so your eCommerce business should focus on your passion. Being passionate about what you do makes it easier to stay committed to it.
Tip #2: Set Boundaries
Working from home sounds like fun but can prove to be very challenging. Sometimes it’s hard to know the line between work time and free time. Establish boundaries for your work hours so as not to confuse the two. Working your business from home should provide you with the flexibility you need to balance work and other aspects of your life. Work when you’re expected to be working and be off the clock when it’s time. Of course, as a business owner, there will be times when you’ll need to work longer hours, especially when you’re just getting started in your eCommerce business. That’s okay. Just know to not consistently overwork. And always set clear boundaries.
Tip #3: Consider Products That Serve Real Needs
A business exists to respond to the needs of people. Ensure that your eCommerce business provides a product(s) that meets a need. Do the research needed to ensure your business will not only be able to make a profit but will also respond to a pain point of consumers.
Tip #4: Network/Find A Mentor
Support is good for any entrepreneur. Networking with like-minded people or people who do something similar to what you’re doing can benefit you in so many ways. They can help to answer questions and provide suggestions and recommendations. Find local networking groups or online social groups that can help provide accountability and support.
Consider finding a mentor that has been where you are trying to go and allow them to help guide you in the right direction.
Tip #5: Seek Resources
To run a successful eCommerce business, you will need to ensure you have appropriate online resources and tools that will provide your business everything it needs and provide your customers with a great online shopping experience. Shopify is one of the most used platforms for eCommerce businesses. Consider learning through the many resources they have for helping people to start and run a successful eCommerce business.
Tip #6: Set Realistic Goals/Commit To Them
As you build your support system and do more research, you’ll learn that many entrepreneurs are growing their eCommerce businesses by leaps and bounds. Understand that you’re just getting started and have loads to learn. Don’t compare yourself to others. Set your own goals. Your goals should be realistic based on your own personal speed. Your success is measured by the goals you set for yourself, not by what everyone else is doing.
Tip #7: Market Strategically
As a parent, you understand that it may be hard to commit to 40-hour workweeks. Yet, when it comes to marketing your business, you could commit almost every work hour on just that alone. Consider a way to be strategic about marketing that will also be cognizant of your time commitment, like automating your social media posts through social media scheduling and using automation for your email campaigns.
Tip #8: Hire Virtual Support
Know when to ask for help. If you find that the tasks are becoming too much to keep up with, consider hiring support to assist with non-revenue generating tasks, like social media, email campaigns, and accounting.
Even if you’ve never had a home-based business before, these tips will help on the path to starting your eCommerce business.