If you want to start your own business, you don’t need much. Many people think that you need to be extensively prepared in order to start a business, but this simply isn’t true; all you need is an idea, the dedication and determination to execute that idea, and the funding to get it off the ground. You don’t need huge office space, at least not at first; you can start your tech career business right from your home and still enjoy success. Here’s how to start a tech business from your home.
Develop a killer idea
First and foremost, you’re going to need a great idea for your tech business. The best way to come up with a business idea is simply to observe a market and identify a niche that needs to be served. Obviously, this is easier said than done; if everyone could do that, then everyone would own a business, right? If you’re a savvy entrepreneur, though, you’ll be able to identify niches through keen observation. Think about the industries in which you’re interested on a personal level. Are there any demographics that simply aren’t being served by current offerings in that market?
Make sure your home is ready for a business
While it’s true that you don’t need an office space to start a business, it helps to have a home that’s conducive to good business operation. That means looking at every room in your house and seeing if it’s up to scratch. Even swapping out your furniture in your bedroom for made to measure wardrobes can help; it’ll make you feel like a real businessperson and give a professional air to your home, which in turn can help you to get into the business mindset. Your kitchen, your living room space, and your bedroom are all good places to look at if you want to rework your home to make it more professional.
Consider building a home office
Any business, whether it’s in the tech space or not, will benefit from a dedicated home office area. Working in the same space that you sleep is a big psychological no-no; it’ll mean you can’t easily differentiate between mindsets when you’re in your home, which could cause stress. Try to put your working area somewhere that isn’t your bedroom if possible. Of course, a dedicated home office area is optimal here, but if you can’t manage that, then at the very least, you should try to make sure you’re never working from your bed or anywhere else you relax.
Identify a great product
If you’re lucky enough to be making your own tech product, whatever it may be (although this is unlikely given the sheer amount of work that goes into doing so), then you’ve already got your killer product at the core of your business. If not, though, then it’s time to identify a supply chain in conjunction with your tech idea. Let’s say you’ve decided to sell phone cases for a certain market. You’ll now need to find a good supply chain that can regularly and reliably supply products for you while you work on branding and marketing. Your supply chain shouldn’t be neglected!
Luckily, you can construct effective social media profiles entirely without leaving your home, and they’re going to be crucial if you want to build a successful business. Tech businesses, in particular, are vulnerable to being left behind by emerging and modern trends, so making sure you’re on top of social media is important. That means not only building profiles and marketing campaigns on the most popular platforms right now – Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, et cetera – but also trying to stay aware of any potential social media platforms that could be popular in the future.
Start small
Since you’ll be running your tech business mostly from your home, you don’t want to diversify too much too early. Instead, focus on the strengths of your business and emphasize those in your strategy. Don’t try to build a massive product portfolio; simply ask yourself what your core demographic wants from you and how you can better provide it for them. As your business grows, you can start to consider expanding your range, but since you have limited space available to you (assuming you’re not currently renting external storage, of course), you’ll want products you can easily store.
Reach out to external partners
Your tech startup is going to need partners if it’s going to succeed, especially if you’re not planning to rent or purchase premises from which to conduct your operation. That means that you’re going to need third-party businesses that can supply the services you’re in need of. Whether it’s accounting, distribution, or any other important element of your business, make sure you’re building a robust network. Apps like LinkedIn will help, as will attending physical events and getting your name out there. Collaboration is the key to a healthy, long-lived business!
Watch your analytics
Research software tools to help you keep track of your business’ analytics and numbers. When it comes to social media, you’ll find plenty of apps out there, both free and paid, that can help. The same is true of day-to-day business analytics; no matter what element of your business you want to track, you’ll almost certainly find a way to do so online. If you prefer, you can even go old-school and track your performance by hand (although given that you’re starting a tech company, it may be better to familiarise yourself with software solutions sooner rather than later).
