allerlayMore than ten years ago, I started my own business for the first time. The first five years of self-employment as co-founder and partner at BossharTong were marked by conflicts, stress, and dissatisfaction–this chapter ended with the private and business separation from my ex-partner. The fact that I set out on the adventure of self-employment again in 2018 was more of a coincidence. I traveled to the US for the sake of love and was happy to be able to work on various freelance projects from anywhere. The last five years have been fulfilling–partly because I was able to learn from the mistakes of the first years.
Keep recurring costs low
What did I do differently? I focused on the essentials: For the beginning, I really only needed my MacBook and Internet. When choosing tools, I made sure to keep costs as low as possible, especially for software licenses. In the first year, for example, I used the free version of Smallinvoice for invoices and quotes and an Excel spreadsheet for my accounting. Only later did I make a one-time investment in the GrandTotal license. Of course, there are indispensable tools for my daily work with recurring costs, but whenever possible I choose to buy rather than having recurring costs. Or I choose a self-hosted solution, like Mautic for my newsletter or Matomo for tracking website traffic.
In my first year as a digital nomad, I didn’t need a super-fast Internet connection, a new MacBook, expensive web hosting, my own server in the basement, a printer, and certainly no business cards. I’m a one-woman business and don’t want to pretend to be an agency.
Networking done right
As co-owner of BossharTong, I tried to be everywhere. After all, the networking is so important to get work! At least that’s what I thought and handed out my business cards wherever possible. I co-founded the association Social Media Snack, was on the board of Leaderinnen Ostschweiz, and regularly traveled to Zurich to attend events.
As a result? I am an introvert, so I often felt drained after a networking event. The business also took a long time to come in. Only the personal encounters with people I already knew online were fulfilling.
The fact that online beats offline became apparent when I restarted my own business. Thanks to my online network, I have built up a base of loyal and satisfied customers over the years.
Know and appreciate the value of your own work
One reason for dissatisfaction in the first five years was the constant pressure to win enough customers to cover all fixed costs and two salaries. This pressure is noticeable when negotiating with potential customers. When they pay late or question the hours charged, it adds to the discontent and turns the entire liquidity planning upside down.
Keeping fixed costs low already relieves the burden enormously. What also helps me as a sole proprietor: I no longer normally charge by the hour, but agree on a flat rate. That is pleasant for both sides. I know the value of my work and receive the compensation I consider appropriate. My clients know the costs right from the start and know what they get for their money.
Since 2018, no customer has questioned my price. I feel valued and satisfied.
Outlook for the next 5 years
A lot has happened in the past 5 years. I got married again, emigrated to the US, lost my father, became a mother again, bought a house in Pennsylvania. And the pandemic has made remote work easier for me.
So I simply don’t know what will be happening in the coming years. What remains certain: I’ll do what I enjoy. As Allerlay with all kinds of interests, I certainly won’t get bored: I work as an Accessibility Consultant for “Access for All”, create newsletter templates for Scope, help “Any Working Mom” reach more people on Pinterest and promote accessibility on the web as a freelance copywriter and consultant for accessible content. This mix allows me to balance family, work and my own dreams.