The Self-Employed Need Your Support, Too.
Have you ever started a business from scratch? And when I say scratch, I mean with little to no startup money? You no longer make the type of money you used to make, because income is inconsistent and, often, commission-only. Your actual work hours are so blurred together that you don’t even know how many hours you work per week. And, finally, when you do get a check, that money is already accounted for. Add to that the current global state of affairs, and you realize this is the time to come up with ways you can support the self-employed persons in your life.
“I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” – Steve Jobs
According to Investopedia, “a business owner is someone who owns a company but does not work with the day-to-day operation of the company.” Conversely, someone who is self-employed owns the business and works at the business as sole proprietor or primary employee.
On average, it takes two to three years before a business owner becomes profitable.
With all the craziness happening in the world right now, if the self-employed person in your life never needed help before, they probably will in the near future. Here are 8 tips to boost business for your self-employed, entrepreneurial friends during this Coronavirus season and beyond:
- If you are not familiar with the business, ask questions to learn more. This small gesture shows your friend that you are truly interested in what they have going on. Cost: Free
- If you know someone else who could benefit from your friend’s services, share that contact and information willingly. Referrals are everything in business. Cost: Free
- If your business owner friend makes a post, share that post, like it, and comment on it. Digitally, promotion-turned-leads-turned-sales are traffic-driven. Again, this is a small (t)ask that is easy-to-do and can help your friend’s business tremendously. Cost: Less than five minutes of the time you are already spending online.
- If you are observing your business owner friends during a tough period, offer support in the form of constructive feedforward. Cost: Prayers and/or words of encouragement.
- Leave reviews publicly to highlight some of the best features of your self-employed person’s products and services. Cost: Free
- Offer to assist your friend with some of his/her operational tasks when you have down time. Printing and stapling materials, or organizing digital files and folders won’t seem like much, but could save the owner money and time. Cost: Time
- Create a business care package. Put together a box that has tape, ink pens, envelopes, stamps, and/or something more specific to their particular business needs. The smallest purchases can help. This shows the business owner in your life that you believe in them, you support them, and you are willing to get in there and help them succeed. Cost: Whatever you have in your heart to give. (Note: the Dollar Tree sells a number of office supplies and other products that you can purchase in support).
- Lastly, check back here to view articles on some self-employed businesspersons, who you may not have known you needed in your life. Cost: Visit The Coleture often for updates.
“You don’t build a business, you build people, then people build the business.”
-Zig Ziglar
Globally, we are experiencing a crisis that is unprecedented in a number of ways. Some businesses may fold from this, despite the fact that they could have otherwise been very profitable. Now is the time for us to band together as a human race. Support one another as best you can. Stay safe and be well!