5 Ways to Prepare for Self-Employment

Deciding to go out on your own and start a business is both an exciting and scary time. As your own boss, you get to decide when, where, and how you work. You have the chance to build a career around something you love, develop your personal brand, and enjoy the flexibility to balance what matters most to you in life.

At the same time, you’ll quickly find yourself faced with many new responsibilities. Many of these tasks won’t focus solely on the work you deliver to clients—you’ll need to manage the business side of things as well. That means properly paying taxes and filing expenses, preparing client contracts, and remaining compliant with federal laws.

However, with careful preparation, making the move to self-employment can be a rewarding change for your career. Here are five steps to keep in mind when starting your small business.

1. Have the Right Mindset

A successful start to a small business starts with the right mindset. First, find your confidence. A big part of your job will involve selling your skills and services. Be confident in what you have to offer, be able to talk about why you are good and what you do, and think about how you can market those skills.

Next, get ready to network. Networking will be a big part of how you initially find work. Build your base of contacts by connecting with past colleagues, reaching out to potential clients online, and attending events to meet people in your industry.

You will also need to be tenacious and resilient. As you grow your business, there will be highs and lows. With the right attitude, you can learn from your mistakes rather than letting them drag you down. It may take months before you see results of hard work, you may end up working with a really difficult client, or you might experience scope creep on a project. The ability to tough out these hard times with a good attitude will help you move on stronger, with new knowledge in hand.

2. Prepare Financially

When you transition from a full-time job to starting your own business, it’s important to be financially ready. As an independent, you determine your bill rate, pay your own taxes, and provide your own benefits. Ideally, you should have enough startup capital to support your business for at least six months without income. Be sure to factor in other initial operating costs such as utility charges, project supplies, furniture, and office technology like a computer and printer.

Make sure you understand basic financial terms of running a business as well. If you’re unsure how to manage the financial side of your business, it’s always a good idea to consult a financial expert or reach out to someone familiar with building independent businesses.

3. Choose a Business Structure

One important decision you’ll want to make before starting out is which business structure is right for you. Different business structures have different tax and compliance implications. Your choice will depend on a variety of factors including how you plan to take and maximize deductions, what type of clients you work with, and how you plan on growing your business in the future.

Some of the most common choices for independent professionals include Sole Proprietor, LLC, S Corp, and C Corp. When deciding on a business structure, you should always seek individual accounting and legal professional advice for legal and tax decisions.

4. Learn About Legal Requirements

While writing a business plan, deciding how to market your services, and building a professional brand are all important aspects to starting a small business, the legal side of things is equally important. There are many key steps to take to ensure your business operates with all of the required licenses and permits.

Federal and state licensing will depend on the industry you work in and where your business is located. You’ll want to register the name of your business, get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS, determine your business structure, prepare to pay state and local taxes, and create a compliance plan. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a great resource for legal requirements, and you can always reach out to MBO with any questions you have as well.

5. Set Up Insurance and Benefits

As a small business owner, you are responsible for providing all insurance and benefits needs—from liability insurance to healthcare.

If any legal or financial problems arise, they will impact you directly. Protecting your business with general liability insurance helps keep your business safe, and is probably something most clients you work with will require. You may also want to look into errors and omissions insurance, ad home-based business insurance if you work out of a home office.

When it comes to health insurance, there are many different options for independents. Getting added to your partner’s plan might be an option—or you can look into COBRA on a temporary basis, or an individual, small business, or group plan for more long-term needs. You’ll also want to consider retirement options as you plan for the future, or parental leave if you’re planning on having children.