I have been asked many times over about my choice to be self employed instead of joining the corporate workforce. With my educational background and training, people often find it ‘a waste’ that I’m not out there climbing the corporate ladder.

Well, aside from the horrendous traffic that is a huge waste of my time, I prefer being self employed because the setup allows me to climb my own ladder and fulfill my own vision. Moreover, being self employed means I can be more hands on with my kids. If I were in the corporate world, I wouldn’t be able to drive them to and from school; I wouldn’t be home to prepare and eat lunch with them; and I will most likely won’t be home to have dinner and karaoke nights with them. Besides, their dad already works long hours (rather–days because he’s duty schedule requires him to stay at the station for more than a day) so we decided that it’s best to have one parent–ME–home 24/7 with the kids.

If you feel that being self employed is the right career setup for you, then here are my top tips on how to kickstart your business and grow it:

#1 Create a website that showcases your products or services. While it’s okay to start small by using social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to sell your products and services, it is best to upgrade your selling platform into a full-service e-commerce site where users can safely purchase your products and services. This will also enable you to accept payments online securely through more payment channels, such as PayPal or through a credit card.

Not sure where to start when creating your website? If you want to go on a DIY route (just like what I did!), start by thinking of a catchy business name and purchasing a domain name for your business website. You can buy a domain name for as low as $0.88 per year through services like Namecheap and GoDaddy.

Once you have a domain name, you need a web host to “host” your website. I personally recommend StudioPress Sites. There are two plans available: Content and Commerce. The Content Plan is perfect for bloggers, podcasters, and affiliate marketers while the Commerce Plan is for websites that sell physical or digital products, membership programs, and courses. For just a little over Php 1,000 each month (+/- USD 24), you’ll have your site up with no hassle!

#2 Become an ‘expert’ in your business by regularly publishing blog posts on your website AND guest posting on other websites with high authority. This gets the word out about your business and boosts the trust level of your target market of you as an industry expert.

#3 Level up your knowledge and skills by investing on courses, workshops, and mentorship programs. I didn’t get to where I am now if I didn’t invest on training with some of the best business, blogging, and social media coaches around. It can be a bit costly–but definitely worth it! Some of my favorites include:

• Branding and Blogging: Martine de Luna (Make It Blissful)
• Blog to Business: Melyssa Griffin (Blog to Biz Hive)
• Virtual Assistance: Reese Ben-Yaacov

You might also want to check out Coursera for free courses on various topics from prestigious universities from around the world.

#4 Get more important work done by delegating tasks to virtual assistants and investing on software that will help you work more efficiently.

I invested on a project management platform (Asana), which helps me stay on top of what I need to do myself and what I need to delegate. I also invested on Freshbooks, an accounting tool that lets me track time and expenses then turns them into a detailed invoice with a click of a button. What I love about Freshbooks is that I can setup recurring profiles so it automatically sends out invoices on a set schedule. That’s one thing off my list!

#5 Just do it! You won’t be your own boss if you don’t start NOW. Do you have a brilliant idea for a business? Create a business plan and implement it! You don’t even have to quit your day job if you’re not ready yet. The important thing is that you start NOW–even if it means taking small steps at a time.

Are you ready to shift from being an employee to being self employed? Or have you made the leap already? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments box below!

This post contains affiliate links.