About to go self employed

DadsDoItRight

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So i have worked in travel for approximatly 2 years on a employed basis but am making choice to move to a full time travel agent on a self employed basis. I will be working from home.

I have never been self employed before so curious on what must do's there is and any tips for making the transition easier and more profitable.
 

Jon

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So i have worked in travel for approximatly 2 years on a employed basis but am making choice to move to a full time travel agent on a self employed basis. I will be working from home.

I have never been self employed before so curious on what must do's there is and any tips for making the transition easier and more profitable.

Expect

  • It to feel different
  • Issues with motivation
  • Easy Distraction
  • Panic! You will have a sense of panic some times that everything is on you!
  • To compare yourself to others, you shouldn't do it but with social media and everyone chatting online you just can't help it sometimes.

You Must
  • Have a good accounts system ( I recommend AND use! FreeAgent )
  • Have some sort of 'goal' in mind. Long term, mid term, whatever. I've found it works much better if I set aims like 'Well by the end of the month I want to have achieved THIS'
  • Have a cut off point in each day. If you are going to aim to work say 10am-2pm mon-fri then stick to that unless there is a time critical reason not to. Otherwise, you can feel you MUST work all hours of every day.


Don't
  • Beat yourself up when you take impromptu days off.
  • Remember You haven't quit your day job to then work harder from home, you want to work smarter instead.
  • Don't make work the only thing you do. You will still need variety in your working week. So I run 3 times a week at the start of the day and then go out work somewhere out of the house for a few hours 2 days a week as well. Otherwise, you may end up driving yourself mad.
  • Expect everything to go right all of the time. You will have weeks where you don't earn much and other weeks where it really is going well for you. You need to take a sort of 'average' view of your finance if that makes sense.

I'm only 6 months into being full time self employed and in many ways am still finding my feet with it in terms of rhythm etc. I've chronicled my feelings and experience from the handing in my notice in on here.
 
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DadsDoItRight

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Thanks Jon. I kinda half have some of the homeworking boxed off already as the travel company i work for I am a homeworker but on salary for them.

Thanks for the advice though

Any ideas on things i may not have thought of that i can use as expenditure
 

Jon

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Thanks Jon. I kinda half have some of the homeworking boxed off already as the travel company i work for I am a homeworker but on salary for them.

Thanks for the advice though

Any ideas on things i may not have thought of that i can use as expenditure
You mean Expenses you can claim for working from home?


so Broadband
Gas
Leccy
Interest on Mortgage
Council Tax etc
 

Jon

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Thanks again Jon.
Random Question

As an 'at home' travel agent, how do you deal with the need to be ABTA registered and all that jazz so people feel safe booking with you
 

DadsDoItRight

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It's through Hays Travel. So I sell on behalf of Hays and make a commission on there commission (if that makes sense) But Homeworking in travel is very very popular and safe and fully abta and atol protected
 
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Jon

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It's through Hays Travel. So I sell on behalf of Hays and make a commission on there commission (if that makes sense) But Homeworking in travel is very very popular and safe and fully abta and atol protected
Ah so you would be going SE and working on a commission only basis!

You must be great at it if you’ve got the confidence to take that into a “working for yourself” thing!
 

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