The number of home businesses is on the increase globally. Moreso, the increasing number of home businesses doesn’t mean there is no space for others to join in the UK and running a home business gives you the privilege to earn while managing your home. However, get planning permission before running a small business from home if there is a need for one. This article covers everything you need to know to successfully run a business from home. It includes some regulations you need before you start running a business from home as well as proven steps that guide you from start to finish. Finally, you will also learn how to report someone running a business from home if it affects others.
Running a Business From Home UK
Running a business from home has its benefits, you must also brace yourself for the challenges that come before its success. The following steps will help you in running your ideal business from home in the UK or anywhere.
Steps to Running a Small Business From Home
Before you start your home-based business, take care of the following;
Identify Business Idea or Focus
What kind of business do you want to do? It is not enough to desire, you must be clear on the kind of business you want to do. It will help you in getting the required planning permission as well as regulation in running your business from the comfort of your home. The first thing you do having decide to run a business from home is to identify the kind of business you want to run. First will it be product based or service base?
Are you passionate about the product or service? Will you be interested in it even if you encounter challenges at the beginning? Who are your target customers or clients? How do you reach out to them? These and many more are questions that provide clarity on the kind of business you want to focus on. Finally, Is it an online business or do customers need to crowd the environment?
Choose a Business Name
Your home business will need an identity. Else, It may not be distinguished from others. You will have to get a business name and possibly register it too.
Prepare a Business Plan
So you have identified a business niche, choose a name, the next step is to draft your business plan. Drawing up a business takes time but trust me, it will keep you focused. To make it easy, there are templates online that guides you to tailor your ideas down. A business plan is crucial to the growth of your business. Generally, a business plan covers the following;
- Executive Summary
- Business Description
- Market analysis.
- Product or Service Description.
- Marketing and sales analysis
- Financial estimates and projection.
Acquire the Relevant License
Get a license from a regulatory body relevant to your business idea before running your business from home. If you don’t get this before starting out, make sure to get them as soon as possible.
Apply For Employment Indentification Number
Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a federal tax identification number that helps identify your company. You’ll need an EIN if you ever want to register your company as an LLC or recruit staff. Although you can also be identified using social security number, consider getting one of these.
Succesful Tips That Improve Running a Home Buisness From Home
Working from home sounds thrilling as you don’ have to beat traffic nor meet that annoying co-worker. However, you also will have to apply discipline to get results from working from home.
#1. Get a schedule
If you decide to work in between meals, cooking, preparing your kids for school, you most certainly will not be productive. Therefore, we recommend scheduling a working hour for your home-based business. You may decide that you don’t want to work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; instead, you might choose to work from noon to 8 p.m, however, make sure you stick to it and get some work done in the time.
#2. Create A Work Space
Working on the bed seems appealing but not productive. Create a workspace where you can focus on your work and get things done.
#3. Be Mindful Of Your Personal Time
People who work from home most often work extra time because they lose track of time. A little more, a few minutes more and you end up adding extra 3-4 hours to your working hours. Your health is paramount too, even though you work from home, you must maintain a separation between your professional and personal lives.
#4. Get Tech Aids
You need all the help you can get in successfully running a business from home. Leverage technology such as software that helps in getting things done within time.
#5. Be Professional in Everything
You don’t have to work on your pyjamas all day. Give yourself a professional look. It will help keep your focus on your business goal. Once it is time for work, put on your office attire and face the day activities
How to Report Someone Running a Business From Home
As much as we encourage people to do business, we also advise people to follow due process and ensure their business means no harm and also does not disturb others. That being said, you will have to report someone running a home business that disturbs society or has the potency to harm lives. How do you report someone running a business that causes nuisance from home? It had to be done appropriately. You do not have to gang up against the person. First, try to reason things out with the person and then proceed to report after the negotiation leads to a dead end.
Steps To Reporting a home Business
Step 1
- First try to straigthen things out by gently complaining to the home-based business owner. If you didn’t get a relevant feedback, then proceed to the next step
- Gather the necessary evidence and information. To do this you will have to identify the kind of harm or disturbance the home-based business is to the society. For instatnce, it could be noise or too much traffic. You will have to submit evidence to the relevant authority when reporting, so keep record of these and proceed to the next step.
- Find out if the business owner has the required permit and license. This may just be the key to effective actions by the local authority. Also look out for the planning permission to be sure it is in line.
Step 2
- Lodge a complaint to the landlord in cases of rented premise.
- Contact the local authorities. Depending on your location, there are local government department that look into such cases. Check out your zoning enforcement, you will sure discover the right local authorities to report to.
- Involve the police. When every effort to handle the situation nicely proves abortive, then go to the police.
Just a step further,
You can report the situation at your local community meeting, file a lawsuit or even broadcast such scenarios on the internet.
Running a Business From Home Regulations
There are rules and regulations guiding most businesses and if you intend to run your business without harassment, you have to abide by them. Honestly, the regulation for each business differs. It depends on the kind of business you run from your home but generally, you will have to contact the landlord if the premise you desire to use is not yours. Especially if it is not an online business.
Furthermore, you also need to register under the necessary authorities that house your business. Study your business focus and find out the regulations that guide running your ideal business from home. However, consider the following regulations when running a business from home.
#1. Get Permission From the Landlord or Mortgage.
If you intend to run a business from a rented premise or the
#2. Register Sign Post and Get Permit For On-site Business
Generally, every community has a body that regulates signboard advertisements. If you desire to use a signboard or post, you will have to comply with the body assigned the roles. make sure you are in compliance with any local rules if you plan to put up a sign to advertise your business where you reside. This of course is after getting permission from the landlord in cases of a tenancy.
#3. License
This also depends on the type of business you intend to run from home. There are businesses that demand a license in order to operate. One of such businesses is a daycare centre.
#4. Planning and Building Permission
If your home base business will change the premise in any way, or increase the traffic in the community, then it is advisable you get planning permission.
Running a Business From Home Planning Permission
Working from home may not always necessitate planning permission. The essential criterion is whether the enterprise will alter the overall use and structure of the residence. You do not need planning permission to run a business from home if the business will not alter the premise use such as an online business. Why do you need one? Because it is a legal requirement. This is particularly when your home-based business activities have the potency to change your building or impact affect the neighbourhood.
Do I Need a Planning Permission For my Home-based Business?
You will have to get planning permission in any of these situations;
- If your business activities will result in additional traffic uncommon for a residenntial environment
- You’re altering or extending your home’s structure in a significant way.
- In cases when the business may be a nuisance to your neighbours such as noise or late night activities and so on
- When the primary use of premise becomes for business and not resident.
How to start an Online Home Business
Online business is probably the most common home-based business of the 21st century. There are so many things you can do from the comfort of your home. Maybe because we presently find a way to take every business online.
Proven StePs To Starting an Online Business From Home
While an online business does not require a physical location as other business does, it still requires a lot to set up. The talk about the cost of research, as well as setting up a good website, generating leads that will eventually convert to sales and the rest of that follows.
The following are the processes of establishing an online home business.
1. Carryout a feasibility study on your home based business idea.
Having identified your business focus, that is what you want to do online, the next step is to assess the idea. To do this, you will have to assess the market using structured and unstructured practical questions and sample products.
2. Get a Business Name
You do not want to start running an online home business without a name or do you? Your name is a brand identity, therefore, choose a business name for your home-based business.
3. Draw A Business Plan after conducting a Feasibility Plan
A business plan like a Vision, keeps you focused on the goal. It is a roadmap that guides you towards the direction of your business. It contains a summary of your business goals, business and services.
4. Get License if Necessary
Make sure your paper works are ready. That is, get the relevant license as demanded by your business field.
5. Build Your Website
Your website like a physical mall is where customers get engaged with you. Try to narrow it down to what is related to your business. Everything should be done with care. From your business logo to your colour, and interface.
6. Get to work
Getting clients is not that easy. Explore every possible means of advertising a product or service and find out what works for you. It could be paid advertisement, email, Facebook, Instagram and the rest of it.
7. Always Show Up
Make show to flood your website with relevant content always.
Conclusion
Running a small business from home is now rampant in the UK. People are generally on the lookout for more passive income to meet up with the high cost of living. There are several businesses you can do from home, just find out what works for you and build it up.
Running a Business From Home FAQs
What are the challenges of running a home-based business?
Here are 5 disadvantages of running a home business:
- Communication Problems. Keeping all your employees on the same page is hard enough when everyone is based out of a single office. …
- Unprofessional Appearance. …
- Feelings of Isolation. …
- Lack of Funds. …
- Trouble Leaving Work at the Door
What are examples of community problems?
Example Community Problems: Adolescent pregnancy, access to clean drinking water, child abuse and neglect, crime, domestic violence, drug use, pollution, mismanagement of resources, lack of funding for schools and services, ethnic conflict, health disparities, HIV/ AIDS, hunger, inadequate emergency services,
Is it legal to run an online business from home?
Just like other businesses, home-based companies must comply with federal, state and local regulations and tax rules. In addition, online businesses must comply with special ordinances that apply only to them. … Home-based businesses also may require special “Home Occupancy Permits” and be subject to local zoning laws.
