I can barely believe it’s been 3 years since I quit my job. I had no idea whether it’d be successful or if I’d be having my house repossessed in 6 months. I had some savings behind me and was prepared to go back to normal employment if things didn’t work out. I must have had a moment of madness, along with a bad day at work, to finally come to the decision that I was going to leave my job and go freelance. Now that I look back I can’t believe I found the courage to do it, but I’m so glad I did because it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.

When I left my job it wasn’t because I hate where I worked or because I had a burning ambition to run my own company. I just wanted to have a better work/life balance. I wanted to wake up when I wanted to wake up, I wanted to choose who I worked with, and I wanted to travel when I wanted to. It wasn’t until I started my business that I realised the potential, and my ambition exploded. Everything changed, and I probably work more now than ever, but I’m so happy especially when I see the company go from strength to strength.

For those of you that don’t know, I own a multi-award-winning digital marketing agency in Cornwall. We partner with the world’s most exciting brands from London to New York to deliver Google Ads management and SEO services. Our company has flourished the past couple of years, from winning national awards to working with giant high-street brands, growing beyond my wildest dreams. I’m no expert on running a business, but here are some tips that really helped me when starting out and this is how I built a 6 figure business from nothing.

Don’t quit your job without a financial safety net

This is the biggest mistake that I see freelancers make. It’s easy to see when you’re looking in from an outside perspective. I witnessed a few people doing this, and the heartbreak when they have to return to work because they ran out of funds too quickly without a chance to turn things around. Believe me, just a few extra hundred pounds makes all the difference when you’re living month to month and building a client-base.

When I first started attending business workshops from Unlocking Potential there was one piece of advice that really stuck for me. Save at least 3 – 6 months living expenses before you even think about writing that letter of resignation. It sounds like a lot of money but you’ll need it when you have no source of income. It’s crucial that you have money to ease cash flow at the beginning because you don’t know how long it’ll be until you get your first client. Once you get moving you’ll be able to forecast your potential income with more accuracy. Until then, save.

Plan as much as you can before leaving

When I decided I wanted to go freelance, it was very difficult for me to start up. I was in a job position that prevented me from going after my own clients because I was working at another agency (in the sales department, to make things even worse!). I have a lot of respect for the company that I was working at, and I was going to tarnish my integrity by going behind their back and trying to secure clients whilst I was committed to working for them. It felt wrong morally and based on my contract, probably legally, too.

I didn’t go into work one day advertising the fact that I was going freelance. I actually didn’t think it was going to be a big deal because I never anticipated the business growing this much… But instead, I began thinking about names for my business in the evening. Then I started thinking about logos, web design, and who I wanted to work with when I eventually left. This meant when I finally handed in my notice and was officially self-employed, I could start focusing on my business with a clear vision in mind, whilst maintaining my integrity. I wasn’t just dumped in the deep end without a clue of what I was going to do next.

Be prepared to work your buns off initially

I feel like people want to start a business because they’re going to get rich overnight and then they’ll be able to kick-back and stop working. Sadly, that isn’t how it usually works. If you have a friend that runs a business and you see them not them taking some time off mid-week, it’s probably because they’ve already done an obscene amount of hours and they need a break. Growing a successful business takes a lot of time, energy and commitment. If you’re not passionate about your industry, you’re probably going to have a really hard time staying motivated.

Once your business is rolling, you’ll be able to take a step back (but that’s a challenge in itself!). Be prepared for some long nights and spending a lot of time learning and growing. This is when you really need to roll your sleeve up and get stuck in so you can keep your business going. In truth, it’s such a rush running your own business (no two days are ever the same!) so the first couple of years flew by because everything was new and I was learning so much along the way.

Read, read, read and then read some more

The world is full of successful men and women that have built profitable companies. They’re all full of advice and knowledge that can completely change your perspective and steer you in the right direction. If you’re lucky enough to get talking to one of these people in the flesh, then listen carefully and ask lots of questions. If not, then you’re going to have to find the answers to your questions someplace else. Believe me, you’ll always have questions. Every time my business goes through a new growing-pain, I have something new to ask. It’s a constant learning curve.

The best thing about reading is that you start asking even more questions that you hadn’t even thought about. I feel so motivated and engaged when I’m reading a good business or marketing book, and I end up learning so much more about what I want out of my career. This ends up shaping my life and subsequently, impacting on my happiness. I honestly couldn’t recommend this more. Utilise the information and data that’s available online and you’ll see your business grow quicker than you’d ever imagine.

Attend business events and workshops

Going to good local business networks and courses are crucial for growth. When I first launched my business I attended a lot of EU funded Unlocking Potential workshops – and I continue to go along to their events now. If you’re not based in Cornwall, just do a quick search for free business workshops in your area. These sessions will help you grow and develop your business, as well as giving you the opportunity to connect with like-minded business owners. It’s a great way to get new clients but most importantly, you’ll learn so much from other people in the room – so remember to listen.

Be wary of workshops you choose to attend. If you’re paying to attend a networking event or business workshop then do some digging around first. You’ll soon learn which are the best ones to go to and which aren’t worth your time. Even if you aren’t paying to go to an event, you’re still committing your time by going to the event. That time is so precious, especially as your business grows, as those hours can be spent on marketing your business or working on your client projects. As we’ve grown we’ve had to be really picky about which events we attend.

Don’t neglect project management and processes

Without Asana, I’d be completely lost. Asana is a project management tool I religiously use every. single. day. It has every task I need to do, broken down into individual projects. As your business begins to grow you’ll soon find that a simple to-do list doesn’t suffice anymore. There are a few different options out there for project management, so find one that works for you. I’ve trialled a few different ones and Asana is the one that worked for me and my business, so I ended up using it more and now it’s one of the most important tools in my business.

Processes will help you to scale your business enabling you to grow confidentially and efficiently. You’ll naturally begin to form processes as your business grows but I can guarantee you, you’ll want to take advantage of the free time you have at the beginning of your business journey. As your sales grow your time will be more limited. You can set up processes using CRM systems such as Hubspot, project management tools and Gmail extensions.

Write a business plan that works for you

When you register your company you’ll feel like writing a business plan is mandatory. During my business and marketing undergraduate degree, I had to write a few of these for assignments, so it came naturally to me. I was comfortable writing them but I didn’t feel like there was any value. It didn’t feel like a helpful document and I was just writing it for the sake of writing it, because I felt like I should do, even though I didn’t need it (you might need to write a business plan if you’re going to funding, investment or a business loan).

Last year I was lucky enough to meet Peter Jones from Dragon’s Den. I forced myself to write a business plan ahead of our meeting so I could be as prepared as possible. I explained my thoughts on the business plan document and said I prefer to write long, organised lists in a timeline with goals in Asana. He explained that IS what a business plan is and that I don’t have to write a traditional document just for the sake of it. What a relief! So don’t worry about writing reams of A4 with junk that isn’t useful, instead create a plan that works for you. Without it, you’ll lack direction and your business will grow considerably slower.

Get yourself a good business mentor and/or coach

A good business mentor or coaching program is so valuable. My business mentor Lucy helps me find a new perspective, she gives me her shoulder to cry on, and she challenges my opinions. We meet up every month or so and talk about how things are going. She’s been by my side from day one, offering advice, helping me set goals and opening up doors. I always find clarity and motivation after our meetings.

Lucy doesn’t own a digital marketing agency – as you might assume. She runs a successful eCommerce brand. This is really refreshing and it’s great to speak to someone that models our prospective client, rather than a competitor. Her business tackles the same growing pains as we do except she has a boatload more experience than us. The most important thing is to find a mentor that understands your business and someone you feel comfortable around, as you’ll be sharing a lot with them. 

Put yourself out there and don’t worry what people think

I was at a judging day for an award today and somebody said something that I really resonated with. She said, “my goal last year was to get comfortable with the uncomfortable”. When you’re running a business you end up doing a lot of things that make you uncomfortable. Sometimes they’re good things that just take some time to get used to, and sometimes they’re bad things but you learn to work through them. Either way, these are important lessons that’ll help you grow professionally and personally.

There will be things that you’re not confident about but take the leap. Growth comes from pushing yourself outside your boundaries. It can be hard to tackle a fear but it’s worth it in the end. There are so many things that I do now that I wouldn’t have dreamt of doing 5 years ago (for example, standing on a stage in front of 3,500 people talking about digital marketing!). Now pushing the boundaries is what gets me out of bed in the morning, and it’s the reason I’m in love with what I do. If you’re worried about the haters, you’ll need to grow some thick skin because those people will always exist but just ignore them and power through.

Be mindful of your health and avoid the burnout

You only have to Google “Small business advice” to find hundreds of articles about how to grow your company online and make money from home. Nobody really writes about looking after your mental health when you’re a business owner though. Long hours and investing all your energy into making something your passionate about can be draining. It can be especially tough if you’re working from home because it’s harder to metaphorically close the door on work, feeling like you’re always working and never taking a break.

Make a routine – set working hours, schedule breaks and give yourself a weekend. You’ll need to figure out what gives you energy and learn what makes you switch off from work. For me, cleaning the house, swimming and having a massage is how I can completely disconnect from work. When my skin in salty from the sea and my muscles are loose from a massage I feel like I’ve hit the reset button. I have a new lease of energy which makes me far more productive, so I feel better, get more work done and avoid the dreaded burn-out.

The post How I Built a 6 Figure Business From Home (And You Can Too) appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

We live in Cornwall, meaning a trip to London is a whopping 546-mile round-trip. This gets pretty expensive when there’s two of you and you need to pay for accommodation near your client’s offices near Mayfair. We need to strike a balance so that we’re comfortable, efficient with our time but also sticking to a budget (sticking it on the company credit card isn’t quite fun when you own the company!)

Here are our tips for surviving a 24-hour business trip to London without going mad or breaking the bank:

Travel in Style

London has plenty of fairly reasonably-priced public transport options. From the tube to buses and overground trains, you have your pick of how to get around. Using private cars can be reasonable, especially if you use them sparingly. Consider the fact that you can often get away with walking from one place to another, and you only need to use transport for longer distances.

Use a private hire company, and you’ll likely get a lovely black Mercedes that’s much more comfortable than a carriage on the tube. This type of transport is PERFECT for turning up to client meetings in (nothing worse than getting off a sweaty tube to meet somebody for the first time, yikes!).

Get a Posh Flat

If I’m traveling over 500 miles in less than 24 hours, I need to be comfortable otherwise I’m going to be a grouchy b*tch. London has some of the most expensive hotels in Europe, so it’s easy to get caught up in spending loads of money on a room you don’t need. Fear not! You don’t need to stay in the Ritz for comfort.

Choosing to rent an apartment could help you save money, compared to staying in a hotel. There is a huge range of luxury apartments available online https://www.londonservicedapartments.co.uk/luxury-apartments/. You’ll feel much more at home when you stay in an apartment instead of in a hotel room. It’s way more cost-effective because you can cook your own dinner, instead of going out to a restaurant after a long day of back-to-back client meetings. You also get all the perks you’d get in a hotel, like a concierge and housekeeping.

  3 Secrets To Help You Make The Most Of London

Take your client for Afternoon Tea

London is also home to many Michelin-starred restaurants and world-class dining establishments. If you’re trying to choose the best place to spend your money and you don’t want to make every meal an extravagant affair, try choosing afternoon tea for your client meeting.

You can find lots of different themes and creative menus across the city, and you can have everything from cake and sandwiches to champagne and cocktails. Try looking out for deals online so you can save a little on a luxury location. You’ll make an impression but won’t be left with a hefty bill.

… Or “Woo” Them at an Exclusive Bar

If afternoon tea is a little too formal then consider going to a bar. Yep, a bar! That is where we’re meeting when we go to meet our client – you need a membership just to get in. London is full of exclusive bars, where the well-heeled spend their evenings (and sometimes their days). The most exclusive places are private clubs, but there are plenty of places that you can gain access to if you want to.

The best thing to do is to be aware of the rules and how to get in. Check if there’s a dress code and follow it to the letter. See if there are any rules about reservations, minimum spends, or group numbers to make sure you won’t get turned away or turfed out. I recommend you check these bars before you turn up to ensure they’ll be suitable for your meeting – you don’t want to turn up at a club!

The post Surviving a 24 Hour Business Trip To London Without Breaking The Bank appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Stress has so many more detrimental effects on your body than the temporary overwhelming feeling that encapsulates you. It can have truly severe consequences for your general health and well-being. Stress that is left unchecked can affect your mood and behaviour as well as having serious and unexpected physical effects, such as weight loss, weight gain, ulcers and high blood pressure.

Deadlines

Deadlines are an inevitable part of business; they are unavoidable. Everyone wants their goods delivered by a certain date. Remember that when a customer requests a deadline, they most likely have some sort of deadline of their own that they need to meet. When you miss a deadline or are forced to push it back, you’re causing them trouble of their own. They are unlikely to use your services again due to the inconvenience that they will experience.

Chances are that they’ll also let others know by leaving bad reviews and recommending competitor brands whose service is more reliable. So, if you do end up missing a deadline not only do you have the stress of having to catch up on a deadline but on top of that you’ll have the extra stress of lost customers and attempting to save your brand’s reputation and public image.

Now, if we were to say that the majority of problems that lead to missed deadlines could be avoided, what would you say? Most problems are caused by tech errors such as malfunctioning equipment, loss of essential data and last minute unexpected reboots. Many would argue that these are just a part of life and cannot be anticipated or stopped. But this isn’t quite true. Many problems can, in fact, be brought to a halt before they even arise. Others may happen but can be dealt with quickly and effectively, seeing production and work back on track in time to meet your clients’ deadlines.

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  How I quit my job and went freelance

Start projects sooner rather than later
This is common sense, but so many people still ignore this simple piece of wisdom. Start your projects as soon as possible, rather than waiting until you have just enough time to complete them. This allows you much more time to handle problems, reducing stress.

Completing projects early is a liberating experience and gives you time to properly contemplate your next project before rushing into it. This will improve the overall quality of your work as well as reducing stress levels which will skyrocket if you constantly take on one project after another.

Communicate effectively
If a project turns out to be complex or difficult than originally expected, make sure that you communicate this with your client or customer. By notifying them sooner rather than later, you’ll allow them to alter their own deadlines and chances are that they’ll be fine with pushing the original deadline back.

This is much more effective and professional than burying your head in the sand and stressing yourself out last minute as you struggle to reach impossible or difficult deadlines. Your client will also be more understanding than if you were to simply miss the deadline without warning.

Outsourcing

If you own or manage a business, you can feel that you must carry out every single task at hand yourself. But don’t place so much responsibility on yourself: remember that you are just one person. It may be beneficial to outsource certain areas or aspects of your company’s workload. There are various benefits of doing this.

Firstly, you don’t have to spend as much time training yourself up to control certain specialist areas of work. Instead, you can simply hand the necessary tasks over to someone with more knowledge and experience in the specific field. This means that the job will be finished to a higher standard and you don’t have to worry about getting through an excessive workload on top of self-education or training.

Secondly, it’s relatively cheap. If you take on full-time in-house staff to complete certain jobs, you add a whole new weight of responsibility to your shoulders. You have to draw up contracts, sort others’ taxes and maintain a contented staff base. By outsourcing, you engage with other self-employed professionals on a more casual basis. You don’t have to organise holiday or sick pay, create rotas or provide ongoing work. Here are a few areas that you might like to start outsourcing for your own peace of mind.

Information technology
IT is at the centre of your business practice: it’s how we engage with customers, how we advertise and how we expose our brand to the world. That’s just to name a few areas. However, most of the workload in regards to maintaining this area is relatively routine. It most often proves much more productive for a business owner or manager to outsource this work, allowing them to focus their attention on other more creative areas such as overseeing product development, marketing campaigns and ensuring high-level customer service.

Make use of independent IT solutions. These companies will provide you with all of the tech support you could possibly need to ensure that everything is running smoothly with as few hiccups as possible. If errors or problems do occur, they will have your systems back up and be running perfectly in as little time as possible.

Accounting
If numbers and figures aren’t your forte, chances are that just the thought of dealing with your company’s accounts is enough to send a shiver down your spine. So save yourself the hassle and aggravation by working with an independent accountant. Not only will this take the responsibility out of your own hands, but a trained and qualified accountant will be able to reduce your business’ expenses and costs dramatically.

  Don't Make These Tech Mistakes When You First Go Freelance

They can give you insight into your business’ excess outgoings, and a better outlook on your company finances. This will allow you to spend cash in other areas to make your life even easier. Perfect! What’s more? It saves you time taking short accountancy courses alongside the rest of your work. This frees up time and reduces your overall responsibility when it comes to managing money.

Marketing
Independent workers who specialise in marketing can take the responsibility of marketing campaigns and activities out of your hands. Will you oversee the process, ensuring that the end result is everything you envisioned, they will sort out all of the administrative aspects of the process.

This will save you waiting on hold to venues, arranging displays, selecting appropriate promotional staff and all of the other necessary aspects that are necessary for a successful and profitable campaign. It will also allow you to focus on the more fun parts, such as choosing decoration, mood boarding and planning activities for the event.

Following these simple yet effective steps will ensure that both you and your customers are contented and happy. This will ensure that you experience as little stress as possible in the workplace, leading to a more relaxed, positive, happy and healthy lifestyle. Perfect![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

The post Minimising Work-Induced Stress For a Happier, Healthier Lifestyle appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

For example, if you have high aspirations for yourself and work hard yet still hang out with extremely negative people, then you might never get your ideas off the ground due to your friends continuously shooting them down. Or maybe you really want to make a living by helping people, yet you have very little knowledge on how to do so. There are many potential blocks to achieving success in life.

It’s been almost 12 months since I started my business, so I’ve decided to reflect on what works for me, and give you a sneak peek where I work. Last year we made our spare bedroom into an office and kitted it out with a sofa bed, fitted wardrobes and a double desk. We’ve only just got around to painting the feature wall, but it’s really starting to take shape now. Just a few more finishing touches (such as hiding wires!!) to go.

Continuously educate yourself

This doesn’t mean you need to go back to school or pay for some special training. Books and audio programs can do wonders. Some people think that learning ends when you get the diploma, degree, or certificate, but successful people understand the importance of lifelong learning. The world is constantly changing and new information is always available. Becoming a lifelong learner will ensure that what you have to offer is always relevant and up-to-date.

It’s also important to note that the highest earners are invariably the experts in their fields. Expertise can only be developed from many years of study and improvement. Adopting the habit of learning daily through books, audio programs, seminars, and experience will dramatically increase your earning potential as you steadily master your specific areas of interest.

Find 2 or 3 people to model yourself after

Many people have succeeded before you. It would be foolish to attempt a brand new approach to success, because countless people have already determined what works and what doesn’t. Don’t make things harder than they have to be. Pick a few people that you admire and wish to be like, and then study their lives in detail to figure out exactly what they do that makes them so successful. If you simply emulate their behaviour, habits, and way of thinking, you will eventually end up in a very similar position. To be great, emulate the greats.

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Eliminate negative people from your life

Achieving success in life requires a positive attitude and a positive environment. It is impossible to thrive when you are surrounded by negativity. Negativity comes in many forms, but the most common form is people. Many people have negative attitudes and are jealous of successful people. They will constantly put others down in an attempt to justify their own position. They might do this in such subtle ways that you barely notice it, but pay attention to the language that they use. If you have friends or family that tend to belittle your dreams and aspirations in any way, then you should seriously consider distancing yourself from them. Successful people don’t tolerate negativity.

Plan your life in extreme detail

Many people will say that they want to be successful, but they never actually take the time to create a plan of how they are going to achieve their goals. Creating a detailed plan will give you a roadmap that makes it much easier to get to your desired destination. Without a plan, you wander aimlessly like a ship without a sail, never getting to where you want to go.It’s not even important that you follow the plan exactly. Simply having a detailed plan will give you the motivation to finally take massive action, because suddenly your dreams won’t seem so impossible to reach.

White table lamp from First Choice Lighting (£55) and Eames black bird available at John Lewis (£121.50).

Visualise your ideal life often

Many people struggle with finding the motivation to take action. This is something I have struggled with a lot, but I have finally discovered the solution. Having a plan helps tremendously, but visualisation is the secret to creating instant motivation any time you wish. The trick is to visualise your desired result.

If you have a project that is due but don’t have the motivation to work on it, then simply close your eyes and visualise yourself having already completed the project. Imagine what you will do after completing it, how you will feel, who you will talk to, and all the little details that make the daydream seem real. If you do this long enough, you will actually feel motivated to complete the project, because you have already experienced the taste of success in your mind. This is a neat little trick that will do wonders for your productivity.

This trick can be applied to any area of your life. If you want to be a millionaire, visualise yourself as if you were already living the life of a millionaire. If you want to attract a beautiful woman into your life, visualise yourself as if you had already met her. The visualisation process is what motivates us to take action in our lives. It can also do the opposite. When we visualise what we don’t want, we feel unmotivated. The trick is to visualise the life you want to live as often as possible. This will change your life rapidly if you make it a habit.

Practice self-awareness

Often times, we fail to create change in our lives simply because we aren’t aware of the mental blocks that are limiting our progress. We may have negative beliefs about ourselves that are largely unconscious, and these beliefs can continue to prevent us from achieving success in certain areas of our lives unless we uncover the specific thoughts and beliefs that are the root of the problem. Practicing self-awareness can help greatly in uncovering our hidden blocks. There are two forms of introspection that I recommend for cultivating a greater sense of awareness.

• Meditation: This is a simple way to become more aware of your own thoughts. Most of the time, we go throughout our days barely aware of the racing voice in our heads. We have no idea whether or not this voice is actually benefitting us unless we can take a good look at what it’s saying. Meditation is a valuable tool because it allows us to peer deep into our minds and uncover the thoughts that are preventing us from achieving the results we desire. Meditation isn’t complicated. Anyone can do it.
• Journaling: This is beneficial for the same reasons as meditation. Writing out your thoughts allows you to see your thoughts for what they really are. When you get them out onto paper, you see them from a different perspective and can then more easily work through your issues. Since our minds run the show most of the time, it is of utmost importance that we figure out what’s going on in there. It’s also a great excuse to invest in some new some new office supplies. I recently had a office haul on the Engelbert Strauss website because they have everything you could possibility need at ridiculously low prices. I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems impossible to find a good range of office supplies these days, which I never even considered until I went freelance.

  How I quit my job and went freelance

Sharpen your focus muscle

Successful people are productive people, and productivity requires focus. Most people run around like chickens with their heads cut off. They are constantly trying to do 3 things at once and rarely focus on a single task for more than a few minutes. This is a recipe for disaster. The human mind is actually incapable of focusing on more than one task at a time, so when you think you’re being clever by doing 3 different tasks at once, you are actually just moving from one thing to the next very quickly like a crazy person. Don’t get me wrong, I do this too, but I have been seeing far greater results in my life as I continue to sharpen my focus muscle.

There are a couple ways to do this effectively. Start with short time-frame focus blocks. For example, set a timer for 10 minutes and focus on one single task for the entire 10 minutes without giving in to any distractions like checking your phone or email. You might be surprised at how difficult this is. Continue to do this until you have mastered the process of focusing for 10 minutes, and then move on to 15 minutes, 20 minutes, and so on until you reach 1 hour. When you get to the point where you can focus intently for a whole hour, you will be like a super efficient machine and will be well on your way to achieving success in whatever you do.

  My Morning Routine: Staying Productive When You're Freelance

Once again, meditate. Meditation is probably the best tool available for increasing your ability to focus. Meditation involves sitting in silence for extended periods of time with no distractions besides your own thoughts. The main goal of most meditation practices is to maintain a single-pointed focus, such as on the sensation of your breathing or the feelings within your body. Not allowing your mind to wander requires intense focus. Develop this muscle and everything else in life will become easy.

Focus on the process, not the outcome

To do your very best work, you need to be in the moment and not worrying about other things. Thinking about the end result usually only creates self-doubt and worry. This stress can kill your creative potential and prevent you from doing high-quality work. It’s important to find a way to get some type of joy out of the work you do, because only then will you actually enjoy the process and forget about the outcome.

We tend to always chase the next best thing, thinking that we will finally achieve happiness when we reach it, however, that thing we are after is always fleeting. There is always something more after it that we want. It’s great to strive for better things, but we must understand that happiness can only be found in the present moment. It is not off somewhere waiting for us. It is right here, available to us now, and just waiting for us to get into the flow and take it. That’s where the best work gets done. That’s where true happiness and fulfilment lies.

Incase you’re wondering what the reference to Float is, it’s my business name for my SEO company based in Cornwall. Does the Google logo cushion make a little more sense now? Even if it is still ridiculously geeky, I like it!

The post 8 Great Tips For Achieving Success In Life (and a Sneak Peek Of My Office!) appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

Not claiming it on your tax bill

A lot of people go out and spend a small fortune on a new laptop to use for their blogging business. And it can leave them rather broke for the rest of the month. However, you might not realise that you can actually claim the tech you buy against your tax bill! That means when April rolls around, you will have less tax to pay for your blogging business. Therefore, keep the receipt and then enter the exact amount when you are doing your tax at the end of the year. And then it won’t feel like such a large purchase when you get a reduced tax bill.

Putting your files at risk

When you are doing work from home on your device, it’s vital that you keep your files safe. For one thing, you don’t want to end up losing your documents. Otherwise, you might have just spent ages working on something that you can’t get back!  And important files that have your details on the need to be kept safe, so they don’t end up in the wrong hands. For one thing, you can protect your files by getting a backup drive. That way, you can put the files on the hard drive to ensure that even if you deleted them by mistake, you still have a copy.

Always print off any documents like invoices and keep them in a file. And to ensure you keep your files safe, be careful about who you lend your tech to. After all, you don’t want a so-called friend stealing your ideas for their blog when they are meant to be helping them out. In fact, if you don’t trust them, you might want to look into some form of WhatsApp tracker to see what they are up to. That way, you know whether it’s safe to lend them your equipment.

Forgetting to set up insurance

I think we all have made an error in our time with our pieces of tech. For example, we have accidentally dropped our iPhone in the toilet. Or we have smashed our tablet screen on the floor. But when it happens with your tech you use for work, it can cause dire circumstances. In fact, you might have to stop working until you can get them fixed by a tech professional.

Therefore, you should also look into getting some form of insurance. After all, it will cover you for errors that go wrong with your devices. And that way, you don’t have to pay out a small fortune if devices do stop working! Therefore, get some cover to ensure you don’t have to worry if something goes wrong. Also, try and keep your personal and work files separate, so nothing ends up in the wrong hands!

The post Don’t Make These Tech Mistakes When You First Go Freelance appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.

But what happens when we start to earn a bit extra? Blogging can become quite a lucrative hobby, for some it can grow into a full time occupation.

The sad fact is – if you are earning any money at all from your blog you need to declare it all. The HMRC have their antennae primed 24/7 and if they detect that you are not declaring your full earnings they will trundle towards you snarling loudly and snapping their pincers (apologies for the unpleasant metaphor). Its best to be in the know, and in control from the start.

Decide if your blog is a hobby or a business.

It is important to be clear on this. The way you look at this blog and the way others do, may vary. You may honestly consider your blog to be a hobby but the HMRC may take a different view. They look for something called your Badge of Trade in order to assess whether you qualify as a business or not. Factors that can influence your badge of trade include: the frequency of your transactions; whether those transactions look and feel like a business; and why the transaction happened in the first place.

Check the HMRC website for details: https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself/what-counts-as-self-employed

It might be worth asking yourself too, if you intend to grow your blog and make/increase profits. Think long-term. If you’re planning on writing a book, selling art, fashion or anything in the future then you might not have a “blog about art” but a “business that has a blog about art”. It might be worth registering now.

In summary – If you look like a business and act like a business, then you will need to call HMRC and register yourself as a self-employed ‘sole trader’

It’s still a hobby but it does make a profit.

If your blog is clearly still a hobby and you only make a small profit you still need to declare this income. There’s no getting away from it sadly! You have number of options:

Firstly: If you are employed elsewhere and pay tax already through PAYE, and only earn a small amount from your blog – you can contact HMRC directly and ask them to adjust your tax code. Any extra income you make will now be taxed through your main employment. This link basically tells you what you need to know about contacting them to do this.

You can still offset business expenses from any income you make so it’s worth making a note of these, there is a list of them further on in this article

Secondly: Register with HMRC as self-employed so that you complete your own Self Assessment Tax Return and fully declare all earnings (instructions coming up.)

NB* it is quite common to be ’employed’ (by a company) and ‘self employed’ (working on your blog in the evenings or weekend) at the same time.

My blog is my main source of income and HMRC would definitely class it as a business.

The first thing you need to do is register with HMRC as a self-employed sole trader. You should register within three months of starting the business up. The latest you can register for Self-Assessment is the 5th October in the year following the end of the last tax year (which run from April- April.)

So, if you earned money from your blog between April 6th 2015 – April 5th 2016 you will need to make sure that you are registered for self assessment by 5th October 2016.

Once you are officially self employed – you will need to complete a yearly Self-Assessment form. You can do this either online or on paper – and It’s not as hard as it sounds. When you register you will receive two letters.

The first will include your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and it will confirm that you have a self-assessment record set up too. You need to keep this letter in a safe place. The second letter will include an activation code that will allow you to log in to the online assessment site. If you do wish to fill in your return online, you need to use that activation code within 28 days or you will have to start the process again – which would be more than a tad frustrating it has to be said!

Filling out your tax return is a pretty straightforward process – IF you keep a record of all your earnings and expenses throughout the year. You need to keep all your receipts too to act as proof of your outgoings. Having a big brown envelope to pop them all into is the best way of controlling unruly bits of paper. As for your earnings and expenses – these can be recorded in a good old fashioned accounts book – or an Excel spreadsheet – which ever you are more comfortable with.

At the end of every tax year (April) you need to get all your records and receipts together. You add up what you have earned and subtract all allowable expenses to achieve a net figure. These figures are posted into the appropriate spaces on the Self-Assessment form and, if you are filling in online, the tax you owe will be automatically calculated when you press ‘submit’. There is plenty of guidance on filling out the form on the HMRC website here.

Here are some expenses that you can offset against any income you make as a blogger:

• Your web hosting fees
• Your Domain registration
• Any marketing costs you incur
• Attending conferences and events in the name of blog promotion
• A calculated percentage of your broadband costs
• Assets necessary to maintaining your blog such as laptops and hard drives. You will need to discuss these types of expenditure with an expert though as they are treated differently to regular expenses.

The full list of allowable business expenses can be found here on the HMRC website.

How much will I have to pay?

The current Standard Personal Tax Allowance is £11,000. This is the amount of money you are allowed to earn (from all your employments put together) without having to pay tax. If you earn less you shouldn’t have to pay a thing. If you earn more – you will have to pay 20% tax on whatever you earn OVER the £11,000.

If your blog is a business then you will also need to pay Class 2 National Insurance payments of £2.80 a week, although you can apply for a Small Earnings Exemption certificate if your profits are less than £5965 a year. You will also be liable to pay Class 4 National Insurance contributions of 9% on any profits between £8060 and £43,000 per year and you pay 2% on any profits over that.

You’ll have to arrange your NI payments yourself, either through direct debit or by paying the amount in the payment request/invoice that the HMRC will send you.

Setting up as a Limited Company

This basically means that you are both the owner and employee of your blog. To do this, all you need to do is set up a PAYE system to pay yourself with the earnings from your blog

Should you start a limited company or register as a self-employed sole trader? The best way to do this may depend on how much you earn from your blog (perhaps especially if you have a few different websites). Speaking with an accountant can help you choose the best path.

Hiring an Accountant

An accountant is worth their fee – not only do they handle all of the admin and ensure you comply with everything, they’re also good at ensuring you can “take home” as much of your earnings as possible. 

The post A Blogger’s Guide HMRC: Declare Your Income And Expenses appeared first on Strawberry Squeeze.