Starting a Freelance Writing Business: 5 Tips for Stay-at-Home Moms
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If you’re a stay-at-home mom who is interested in starting your own freelance writing or editing business, you might be wondering where to begin. Whether you’ve left the workplace recently, or you’ve been caring for your children at home for several years, you can utilize the skills you learned in your past positions to become a successful entrepreneur. And by learning from experienced freelancers, you’ll be well-prepared to land your first clients! Here are a few steps you can take to become a “mompreneur” and get your freelance business off the ground.
Determine Your Business Offerings
Whether you prefer freelance writing or editing, you’ll need to consider which services you want to offer through your business. Take some time to consider all of your options. For instance, you could write blog posts, eBooks, web pages, and even resumes, or you could work as a proofreader, copy editor, or developmental editor.
Draw up a general business plan outlining your various services, and then research market rates to determine your initial prices – remember, as you gain experience and grow your portfolio, you can always raise your rates. You can create a basic website listing your services and rates to get started.
Working from Home with Kids
Working from home while watching your children can take some time to get used to. If you have a little trouble adjusting, that’s normal! To make things easier, PGI recommends creating to-do lists for yourself and your kids and creating your own workspace, like a small home office. If your children are older, explain when you’ll need time to work uninterrupted.
Work-Life Balance
Even if you work with your partner or another trusted loved one to help you out with childcare duties when you’re busy, you may still find yourself feeling a bit overwhelmed. It’s important to prioritize your work-life balance – for instance, you can use time management tools like calendar apps to stay on top of all of your tasks and make sure you’re not overextending yourself. But eventually, you will likely want to hire freelancers or part-time employees for support, so you’ll need to establish the right systems first.
Establishing Your Payroll System
Before you hire your first employees or contractors, you’ll need to set up a system for payroll when you’re just starting out. After all, trying to handle payroll manually can be very time-consuming, and making a mistake can be highly inconvenient for your employees. But payroll software that offers additional features like time-tracking can be a great investment. Not only will it ensure that your startup remains in legal compliance by making deductions for things like Social Security taxes, but you’ll also keep morale up by making sure employees get their paychecks on time.
First, you’ll have to decide on a regular pay schedule. You will also need to get ready to have new hires fill out W-4 paperwork to figure out their withholdings. You can look for bookkeeping software that integrates with your payroll software in order to keep track of all of your financial information.
Hiring and Outsourcing
Hiring help for your freelance business can free up time in your schedule so that you can effectively balance running your business with childcare. To find the best talent for your business, Wrike recommends asking well-rounded questions during remote interviews and setting up a simple onboarding process so that they can start working quickly.
If you’re interested in becoming a freelance writer or editor, you can succeed in this line of work as a stay-at-home mom. As long as you have an Internet connection, you can seek opportunities in this field! And with these tips, you’ll be on your way to connecting with great clients.
Guest Post by Eva Benoit
Eva Benoit specializes in helping professionals with stress and anxiety but welcomes working with people from all walks of life. She works with her clients to discover and explore avenues that will bring them balance, peace, and improved overall well-being that can last a lifetime.
