Business Accounting - Vyde

The Business of Blogging Part One: Blogging Myths & Truths

This post is part of the popular Business of Blogging series. If you’re looking to start a business online, or if you’re looking to grow your business with a blog, the information provided here is a good place to start.

More and more of today’s business is being done over the internet. Shopping, consulting, taking classes, even ordering food can be done by the swipe or tap on your smartphone. Despite the fact that convenience is one of the internet’s greatest gifts, it also gives us a host of knowledge right at our finger tips.

Blogging is no longer family pictures and a digital way to preserve or share memories. Today, blogging is a key way to provide expert information about your product or service and many online entrepreneurs are financially successful just by providing expert-level information alone.

So how does one turn a blog into a business? We’re glad you asked.

Despite the fact that anyone can start a blog, very few are successfully run businesses. And even though the idea of online businesses is still fairly new, the way to create a successful business is not. In this series, we discuss the details of business as it pertains to blogging, and our goal is to help you turn a profit from providing your knowledge, product, or service on your own little piece of the internet.

Today we’re discussing the myths and truths that go along with making a business out of your blog. You may have heard that blogging is a great way to earn money, that you can do it from anywhere, and that it’s relatively easy to do. We’re covering it all… now.

Read more here…

When to Claim the Standard Tax Deduction & When to Itemize

Whenever you are making a charitable donation you’ll want to get a receipt so that come tax time you can decide if you should take the standard deduction or if you should itemize.

What is the standard deduction?

Like we said before, the standard deduction is based on your tax filing.

For 2016 taxes these are standard deduction rates.

Single taxpayers – $6,300
Married taxpayers filing a joint return – $12,600
Head of household taxpayers – $9,300

How to calculate an itemized deduction.

5 Quick Ways to Get Debt Free as an Entrepreneur

Being an entrepreneur means you’re bound to take risks, even if they’re well calculated and justifiable and when it comes to running or starting a small business taking out loans or racking up debt are usually a large part of that risk. The smartest entrepreneurs we know are those that take the risks and then set up a game plan to make sure the odds fall in their favor. We’re sharing a few easy ways to get debt free quickly.

Have an Emergency Savings Fund

It may seem almost counter-productive to say that the best way to pay off debt is to save money, but we’ve found that it’s one way small business owners make sure they can survive. Setting aside, even a small amount, every month as an emergency fund means that you’ll be prepared to keep your business open and running in case problems arise. This means you’ll still be open so you can bring in an income and it also means that you’ve got cash you can use when an emergency comes up so you won’t have to rob your creditors by cutting down the amount you pay each month or not paying at all.

Always make Minimum Monthly Payments

After the emergency fund, committing to always making minimum monthly payments is the best way to pay down debt. When you’re starting a business plan to operate on the lean side right from the start. By doing so, you’ll be able to guarantee that you can make minimum monthly payments because you’ve played it safe from the beginning. Of course it’s better to pay more than the monthly minimum payment if possible, but always paying the monthly payment – and paying it on time – means you’re making a dent in the debt you’ve already accrued.

Create a budget and remove extraneous items

If you haven’t already created a budget – do it now. Not having a budget may have put you further into debt to begin with, but it’s always better to set things right now than to let them linger on. Having a budget allows you to see where the money is going each month. You may have to adjust your budget after a month or two if you’re just starting out, but having an idea of how much you spend and when is a good start to getting things paid off and knowing what you can afford.

If you’re wanting to pay off debt even faster, take a look at your budget and see where you might be able to cut back. A great place to look first would be in the petty cash and miscellaneous expenses – these are often “extras” that are easy to cut out. Then, take a look and see if you can eliminate extra cost – can you move to a less expensive plan for your phone bill or internet provider? how about cutting back on the amount of overhead you carry? do you have too many employees or too large of a retail space? Looking to cut back in every category makes you hyper-aware of what you have, and conscientious of what you really need. Even if the answer is “no, we can’t cut that” you can watch that area over the next month or two and really be able to see if that’s true.

Prioritize Debt Payments

It’s also known as laddering, stacking, or a debt avalanche, but no matter what you call it – it does the same thing. Prioritizing your debts is something that is just plain smart and incredibly useful in managing both small business and personal finances. To accomplish it, list out all your outstanding debts. Then you’ll be able to see which have the highest amounts and the highest interest rates. Now you’ll decide which debt to attack first – you can pick the one with the highest interest rate, the one with the highest balance or the one that you know you can pay off fairly quickly (this option is great for helping you to feel a quick surge of success which can fuel you to continue paying off debt!). From there the process is simple, you continue to aggressively pay the debt of your choice while paying just the minimum for every other debt you hold. Then when your selected debt is paid off in full, you roll the payments you were making there onto the next debt.

The key to this method is sometimes forgotten – for the debt avalanche to work, you need to make sure you’re covering all your necessary expenses month to month. Putting these on a credit card or not paying them at all, only increases your problem rather than helps solve it.

Increase your Income

When the debts start piling up, it’s easy to focus on what you owe rather than what you earn. Spending some time looking at ways to increase your income is one of the easiest ways to pay down debt especially when it comes to your small business. What market haven’t you tapped into, could you run a sale or promotion to drive sales, is there a product you’re ready to launch that might bring in additional revenue without raising your costs too much? Maybe you need to pick up a second job or an additional revenue stream? Looking for ways to increase your income is a great way to pay down debt – because whatever additional income you generate can be put directly to paying off your debt.

What other ways have you quickly paid down debt? Tell us in the comments.

FAQs: Getting Debt Free as an Entrepreneur

1. Why is having an emergency savings fund important for paying off debt?

An emergency savings fund helps ensure you can keep your business running and handle unexpected expenses without needing to reduce debt payments. It provides a financial cushion that keeps you from missing payments or increasing your debt further.

2. How can always making minimum monthly payments help reduce debt?

Making minimum monthly payments consistently ensures that you are at least covering the interest on your debt, which prevents it from growing. Paying more than the minimum when possible will reduce the principal faster, but maintaining the minimum payment is crucial for steady progress.

3. What should I include in my budget to help pay off debt?

Include all income and expenses, and categorize them to track spending. Look for areas where you can cut back, such as petty cash, miscellaneous expenses, and non-essential services. Adjust your budget as needed to maximize debt payments.

4. What does it mean to prioritize debt payments, and how does it work?

Prioritizing debt payments involves listing all debts and focusing on paying off one at a time, usually starting with the highest interest rate or the smallest balance. This method, known as laddering or stacking, helps reduce overall interest paid and provides a sense of accomplishment as each debt is paid off.

5. How can increasing my income help with debt repayment?

Increasing your income provides additional funds that can be used to pay down debt more quickly. This can be achieved through exploring new markets, running promotions, launching new products, or even taking on a second job. The extra revenue helps accelerate debt reduction without cutting into essential business operations.

What to Do if Your Business is Operating at a Loss

It happens to everyone. Small businesses, entrepreneurs, and even giant corporations have products that fail, launches that never happen and spreadsheets that show tanking finances and little to no cash flows. It’s important to make smart choices but a savvy businessperson knows that even the best decision making can still sometimes lead to operating at a loss.

The important thing is to know how to come back from it.

So what do you do if your business is operating at a loss? We’ll, we’ve got 3 simple answers – but first lets talk about what operating at a loss really means.

How do I know if my business really isn’t making money?

Simply put, your business is operating at a loss if you’re spending more money than your business is bringing in. Most businesses, especially small businesses fall into this category at the beginning and many do so during periods of growth. Operating at a loss for a short period of time, really isn’t a problem if you’ve got enough cash flow to cover your expenses until your income starts to grow.

In fact, you’ve probably heard experts or even other entrepreneurs talk about cash flow problems – which is just a business-like way of saying they’re short on cash or that their money is tied up in product, office space, and equipment. The real issue comes when you operate at a loss for too long – but how is a small business owner or entrepreneur supposed to know when that is?

Well, if you projected start-up costs as you started out there shouldn’t have been many surprises on what your business was going to cost. If you did project start-up costs, you hopefully also put together a cost analysis that includes the general cost of rolling out your product/service or starting your business. In that same line of thinking you should be looking to estimate or project the number of sales you’ll be making. Where those 2 lines cross will be your break even point (where the income from additional sales is profit as opposed to covering the costs you incurred while setting up your business).

Understanding the technical side of things is good, but focusing on how you can bring in more cash flow is the best thing you can do.

So what do you do if your business is operating at a loss? We’ve got 3 simple answers.

No. 1 – Reduce Your Expenses

All businesses, even those that are strictly service-based or online, have some business expenses. One way to help free up some cash is to go back through your operating costs and see if there are places you can eliminate the expense or at least cut back significantly. Keep in mind that while cutting costs is an effective way to loosen up your cash flow, you won’t want to cut back so far that it’s difficult to do business or handicaps your abilities to provide quality service and marketing of your product.

No. 2 – Increase Your Sales

Before we talked about that line on your start-up projects that estimated the number of sales (and the associated revenue) you thought you’d bring in. When you’re tight on funds, looking to increase your sales is always a surefire way to increase your bottom line. Taking a hard look at your projected sales numbers will help you decide a couple of things:

whether or not you can do a promotion to drum up sales an still bring in more cash
if you’re hitting your sales goals and if those goals need to be raised to insure a steady cash flow
if you need to adjust the price of your product or service

If you’ve got employees, it might be the right time to introduce a little friendly competition and award the winner with the most sales a special prize – which may even be the bragging rights of having the top numbers or a coveted parking space.

No. 3 – Seek Advice from an Expert

We live in a world where the DIY approach is becoming more and more common. But there are times when seeking expert advice will make things simpler in addition to making sure they’re the best long term strategy. When it comes to operating a business at a loss, seeking expert advice from your accountant will ensure you’ve got all the financial answers you need. In addition, they’ll be able to help you turn your finances around so you’ve got more cash flow and even help you figure out what deductions you can take come tax time.

Remember, it’s normal to have cash flows be slow or even non-existent at first. Just keep up the good work and make sure you’ve got a handle on your sales numbers, your operating costs, and how they effect your bottomline.

Have more questions about operating your business on a loss? Send us a note – our experts are more than willing to answer your questions!

FAQs for Operating at a Loss in Business

1. How do I determine if my business is operating at a loss? Your business operates at a loss when expenditures exceed income. It’s common initially or during growth phases, manageable with sufficient cash flow until income increases.

2. How can I gauge when operating at a loss becomes problematic for my business? Monitor your start-up costs, project expenses, and sales estimates. Recognize your break-even point where additional sales generate profit, not just cover initial costs.

3. What strategies can help a business dealing with a loss? Reduce Expenses: Assess and cut non-essential expenses without hindering operations or service quality. Increase Sales: Revisit sales projections, consider promotions, adjust prices, and foster healthy competition among employees to boost sales. Seek Expert Advice: Consult with an accountant or financial expert to strategize, manage cash flow, and identify potential tax deductions.

4. How vital is it to focus on increasing cash flow during a loss? Increasing cash flow is paramount. Balancing operating costs and sales figures aids in ensuring financial stability and sustained business growth.

5. What should I do if my business continues to experience slow cash flow? Persistently manage sales figures, operating costs, and seek expert guidance to optimize finances. Maintaining vigilance helps weather initial challenges in business operations.

How to Calculate Start Up Costs for Your Small Business

Running a business takes work, but it’s not always as hard as it looks. We find that most new business owners are often hesitant because they’re not sure what start up costs will be, not to mention how to figure out when they might break even or what’s all involved in making sure their business is profitable.

Today we’re sharing the same info we provide clients who are starting a new venture. They’re general rules of thumb but they’re a great start to figuring out what the start up costs will be for your small business.

Why knowing what it will cost helps you in the long run?

It seems like calculating start up costs is only for those that are risk adverse, but we’ve seen time and time again that those that figure out these start up costs, rather than those who just grab their business loan and start running, are more likely to be successful.

Totaling up the start up costs of your business helps you have a handle on your finances (and as accountants we think that’s a pretty good idea). Here’s how knowing your start up costs will help you:

you’re better able to estimate profits
you can secure loans – banks want to know the nuts and bolts of how your business will run
save money with tax deductions – knowing your costs will help your accountant (or you!) come tax time
you’ll be able to figure out when your business will break even and project profits

So what all goes into calculating your start up costs? We’re glad you asked.

Define Your Business Type

This sounds like something that you should be doing to figure out what licenses and permits you need. But it also plays into your overall business costs. When it comes to business type there are essentially 3 different categories. What category you fall under helps you figure out what expenses you’ll need to consider. The 3 general categories are:

Brick and mortar
Online
Service

And the general expenses you’ll need to consider are:

office space
equipment and supplies
communications
utilities
licenses and permits
insurance
lawyer and accountant
inventory
employee salaries
advertising and marketing
market research
printed marketing materials
making a website

Start Shopping Around

Once you’ve decided what business type your side hustle fits under and you’ve made your list of possible expenses, it’s time to start shopping around. You won’t be buying anything just yet, but it’s good to start pricing out what it all will cost. Check into plans for utilities, estimate rental payments for office space and equipment, and check into the cost of internet, phone, and printing your marketing materials.

Tip: A hidden cost includes hiring the individuals to help you with marketing, design, finances, legal, etc. It’s possible to do these tasks on your own, but it may not be worth your time. If you’ve got friends who already run small businesses ask them for advice – they may have some great recommendations on who to hire or even suggestions on how you can decrease your costs with DIY options.

Grab Your Calculator

If you’re into planning, you might want to sit down at a computer and work up a spreadsheet that shows costs by month. If not, you can leave that to your accountant or bookkeeper and just grab your calculator or put pen to paper. Here’s where we start totaling up numbers to provide you with a general estimate of your start up costs.

Tip: To keep things organized, split your expenses into 2 groups – monthly expenses and one-time expenses. One-time expenses are things that are only needed once, like buying equipment or hiring a designer to create your logo and business cards. These expenses can usually be deducted for tax purposes – SO SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS! Monthly expenses are employee salaries, utility bills and rent on your space. Count at least 1 year of monthly expenses when you’re tallying up your start up costs ( if you can afford to add in more than a year – all the better).

Making Connections To Start Your Business

If you’re taking on a larger venture, just dipping into your savings or taking out a personal or business loan probably isn’t going to cover your start up costs. Here’s where you’ll use your business savvy to make connections with investors or secure a loan with the bank. Having your projected start up costs organized will make you look professional and on top of your game, not to mention it’s proof that you’ve got your ducks in a row and that makes investors feel comfortable.

Tip: Create a formal presentation of your start up costs as well as include the spreadsheets to those that you’re hoping will invest. Keep things clear and simple. Most investors and loan officers want to see start up costs and then compare those to projected revenue before making their decision.

Now that you’ve got a general idea on how to calculate start up costs you’re ready to start planning. Happy small business starting!

FAQs about Calculating Startup Costs for Small Businesses:

Why is knowing startup costs important for long-term business success?

Understanding startup costs provides clarity on financial obligations and helps in estimating profits, securing loans, maximizing tax deductions, projecting break-even points, and planning for profitability, contributing to overall business stability and success.

What factors should small business owners consider when calculating startup costs?

Business owners should consider expenses related to office space, equipment, utilities, licenses, insurance, legal services, inventory, salaries, advertising, marketing, market research, and website development based on their business type (brick-and-mortar, online, or service).

How can small business owners obtain accurate cost estimates for startup expenses?

By researching and obtaining quotes from vendors, service providers, and suppliers for various expenses like office space rental, equipment purchase, utilities, communication services, and marketing materials, business owners can compile accurate estimates of startup costs.

What’s the significance of organizing startup costs into monthly and one-time expenses?

Categorizing expenses into monthly and one-time helps in budgeting and tax planning. One-time expenses, like equipment purchases, can be deducted for tax purposes, while monthly expenses, such as salaries and utilities, provide insights into ongoing operational costs.

How can having well-organized startup cost projections benefit small business owners seeking funding?

Well-organized startup cost projections demonstrate professionalism and preparedness to potential investors or lenders, instilling confidence in the business’s viability. Clear presentations of startup costs and revenue projections enable investors and loan officers to make informed decisions regarding funding.

LIVE WITH BEN – Basic Financial Questions to Ask Yourself Each Month

Want to grow your business? Don’t know what financial questions you should be asking yourself to do so? Being fiscally fit is more than just making MORE money – it’s knowing what your money is doing and having a plan.

Ben Sutton, CPA and co-found of Vyde, gives his expert advice on being fiscally fit, in this episode of Live With Ben. Grab a pen, paper, and your favorite beverage and get ready for these useful tips!

Have questions? We’d love to answer them and talk to you about setting up a strategy for bookkeeping and taxes for your business. Contact us here.

Motor Vehicle Expenses That Can Be Deducted for Small Business

It’s fairly common knowledge that some auto expenses can be used as tax write-offs, but today we’re giving you some of the common questions we hear about auto expenses and the finer points that go with them so you can make sure you’re making smart choices for you and your small business.

Question: Which is better – standard mileage rate or actual expenses incurred for your deduction on a vehicle used for business?

Answer: It really just comes down to the numbers.

Our standard rule of thumb – if the vehicle is smaller and has lower operating costs and maintenance expenses, it’s safe to say that the standard mileage rate is the better choice. If you’re driving larger vehicles, with higher gas mileage and expenses you’re more than likely better off with the actual expenses incurred method.

The numbers you’ll need to determine the number of miles driven for your business:

Total number of miles driven during the year
Total number of miles driven just for business

Question: Ownership – should the business, business owner or the employee have ownership of the vehicle?

Answer: One of the simplest ways to manage ownership is to simply have the employee own the vehicle and then have the employer reimburse for business expenses. This is great for sole-proprietorships and the IRS is fairly fussy about write-offs on business vehicles so it’s important to follow the rules for your business type and keep detailed logs.

Typically, when the vehicle is employee-owned, the business reimburses for business mileage incurred at the standard mileage rate. The amount received for documented business miles isn’t taxable to the employee and the vehicle expenses are therefore deducted by the employer. If you’re a single-member LLC and file a Schedule C with your personal tax return, you’re considered self-employed for tax purposes.

Make sure to ask your accountant, or read up on the IRS requirements, if you’re looking to purchase vehicles that will be owned by the company or business owner or manage a fleet of cars for a business that provides them to employees.

Question: Does it matter what type of car it is?

Answer: You bet. Congress decided quite a few years ago that taxpayers should not be able to subsidize extravagant vehicles used by business. So what type of car is acceptable?

business vehicles are cars, SUVs and pickup trucks that are used for business activities

Things that don’t qualify:

vehicles used as equipment such as dump trucks
vehicles used for hire such as airport transports, limos, and taxis

Question: I’m new to the business vehicle concept, what do I absolutely have to know?

Answer: Glad you asked. Here’s what we tell all our clients no matter the details of their particular situation.

keep detailed records – the IRS is fussy about auto write-offs, so you’ll want to track mileage and expenses meticulously and keep the records for the appropriate amount of time
if you drive a lot for business, you’ll more than likely want to use the standard mileage rate to figure your deduction
business use is a legitimate deduction and should be claimed by the taxpayer – don’t miss out on this opportunity just because it seems scary or confusing!
if you have questions, read up on the IRS website, ask your accountant or someone that consults small business

Question: How do I know which miles I should track for business?

Answer: If you’re asking this question, you’re probably already tracking and have realized that “business miles” might be trickier than you thought. Don’t worry.

To begin, write down your odometer reading on the day you start using a vehicle for business and on the day the year ends. Business miles are those actually drive for business reasons – to visit a customer, meet a client, pick up supplies, etc. Miles driven to the bank, office supply store, computer repair shop, or to meet with your accountant or attorney (if it’s for your business of course) can also count as part of your mileage deduction.

Some driving might seem business related but isn’t a viable tax write-off:

Commuting to and from work from your residence isn’t deductible on your business or personal return
if you stop at the store on your way home from a business trip, the remaining miles from the store to your home can’t be included as business miles. If you’re a multi-tasker and try to combine your business and personal errands make sure you know the difference and note it in your log

Question: What are vehicle expenses?

Answer: Here’s our list.

gas and oil
tires
general maintenance and repairs on the vehicle
registration fees and taxes
licenses
vehicle loan interest
insurance
rental or lease agreements
depreciation
large rental
tolls and parking fees

Sometimes questions arise while you’re on the road. We recommend tracking the mileage and expenses and then making a note to ask about these particular items as soon as you can. Once you have your answers you’ll be able to go back and adjust your log as needed and that way you’ll make sure to have accurate records and not miss out on any possible expenses.

What other questions do you have about vehicle expenses? We’d love to hear and answer your questions!

Disaster Planning – 4 Steps to Help Your Business When the Unexpected Happens

When it comes to running, and owning, a small business, it seems like you have to know and be able to do just about everything. However, one thing that many entrepreneurs and small business owners don’t necessarily think of, is how to make their business operate (or get back on it’s feet quickly) when a disaster strikes.

It may seem a little crazy to plan for natural disasters and freak accidents, but if you think back across the last few years, we’ve had plenty of big snow storms, hurricanes, and flooding to make you rethink how crazy planning for a disaster is. (yep, not crazy at all!) Even something as simple as a large semi rolling over on a busy street, a fire, or a chemical spill in your local neighborhood can keep your business shut, for a few hours or even days – so it’s time to take disaster planning for your business seriously because doing so can help you minimize losses and emerge relatively unscathed in case you’re in the path of whatever disaster might strike next.

Make a List… or Several

Taking inventory of what you have and what you might need is crucial and it’s an easy place to start. We’ve bulleted all the items we think you should either currently have a list or should make one below:

employee names, numbers, and emergency contact information
a list of the mandatory equipment that you’d need to keep your business running
any first aid and office essentials that you have or might be needed in case you need to house employees for a time
a list of important documents/things you’ll take with you in case you have to leave your building quickly (client list, employee contact information, etc.)
what your protocols are for fire, flood, natural disaster, shooter, etc. and any appointed leaders to oversee them

Use Multiple Ways to Communicate

Technology is almost constantly at our fingertips, but deciding on a few ways that you’ll communicate with employees in case of a disaster makes life a whole lot easier. Sending email blasts, text messages, and voicemails to employees is a great way to alert everyone of what’s happening. You may even want to have an official company social media account and encourage all your employees to follow it. We highly recommend establishing and using multiple channels so that everyone is on the same page. Making sure to inform everyone of the channels your business uses, and then also establishing a protocol for what will happen during an emergency ahead of time will make executing it easier as well as keep your employees safe and looking for additional instructions from you.

Move to the Cloud

When it comes to making things accessible to everyone, a cloud based storage system for data and files seems to be a no-brainer. Yet many small businesses choose alternatives because it’s an easy way to cut costs. We understand the need for budget-friendly options, but we also believing that killing 2 birds with 1 stone might be the better choice. Moving to the cloud means that your information is safe, secure, and easily accessible. But it also eliminates the extra strain that might occur if your building floods or burns to the ground damaging every piece of technology you have and the server that contains all your work and client files. Cloud storage also provides your company to run from virtually anywhere you can get internet access and that means employees can work from home, or even from an alternative location for a time without a lot of headache for you.

Ensure Workers Safety

Thinking through what you and your staff may need during an emergency is one of the best ways to prepare and can be as simple as cataloging what you currently have in your office and walking through some safety procedures during your next company meeting. Here are a few things to think about:

is there enough food and water on the premises that you could stay comfortably?
are first aid kits, flashlights, extra bathroom supplies, and petty cash on hand?
do you encourage your employees to exchange personal cell numbers and do you have updated emergency contacts for everyone in your office?
if it’s not you, who has been appointed to “call it” sending workers home before large storms hit or making sure everyone stays in place until it blows over?

What other items would you add to make your emergency planning bullet proof? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

1. Why is disaster planning important for small businesses?

Disaster planning is crucial for small businesses to minimize losses and ensure quick recovery. Planning helps businesses operate smoothly during and after natural disasters, accidents, or emergencies, reducing downtime and financial impact.

2. What should be included in a disaster planning checklist?

A disaster planning checklist should include employee contact information, mandatory equipment lists, first aid and office essentials, important documents to take during an evacuation, and protocols for various emergencies such as fire, flood, or active shooter situations.

3. How can businesses effectively communicate during a disaster?

Businesses can use multiple communication channels such as email blasts, text messages, voicemails, and social media to keep employees informed. Establishing and communicating these protocols in advance ensures everyone knows where to look for updates during an emergency.

4. What are the benefits of using cloud storage for disaster planning?

Cloud storage provides safe, secure, and easily accessible data and files. It protects against data loss due to physical damage to the office and allows employees to work from anywhere with internet access, ensuring business continuity even if the physical office is compromised.

5. How can businesses ensure employee safety during an emergency?

Ensuring employee safety involves having enough food, water, first aid kits, flashlights, and other essentials on hand. Regularly updating emergency contacts, encouraging the exchange of personal numbers, and appointing someone to make critical decisions during emergencies are also vital steps.

6 Part Time Businesses You Can Start Today

If you’re like most people, starting a part time business isn’t about becoming rich. It’s about doing something you love, making a little money on the side, and adding some flexibility to your already existing lifestyle. Part time businesses are also great for growing long-term wealth and providing a sense of security in case your current full-time job doesn’t pan out like you might like. in the end it might become your dream job and leaving your current 9 to 5 will be your choice, but for now, here are 6 part-time businesses you can start today:

Service businesses – no matter what people are always needing hair stylists, barbers, house sitters, pet sitters, tutors, dog groomers, property managers, virtual assistants and so on. And the best part is that everyone is looking for one of these that fits their current lifestyle and budget so you’ll not be short on potential customers.
Consulting of all kinds – maybe you know something about marketing, small business, or want to be a life or fitness coach. Whatever you specific topic, there’s someone interested in learning from, and paying, a coach/expert to share their knowledge.
Tradesmen – it might seem like learning a trade is old-fashioned, but in a world where custom details and quality are becoming what set us apart, tradesmen skills are in high demand. Masons, tilers, cabinet makers, painters, seamstresses, etc. are easily trackable online so you can find one in your area.
Design – looking for someone who has an eye for color and layout. Whether you’re good at landscape, graphics or interiors – demand for those with creative flair and an eye for trend is high.
Direct selling – there are so many direct selling companies available, that it’s easy to find one that fits your personality and lifestyle. Odds are you’re already currently using a product from one of them! Make sure to do your due diligence as some direct selling companies are actually illegal business schemes. According to a recent study Monat, Scentsy, and doTerra are the top 3 MLM (multi-level marketing) companies of 2018.
Start a blog – you’d be surprised how many people want whatever information you might have on a certain topic. Are you an avid foodie, do you love exercise and know a lot about nutrition? Maybe you’re a rockstar parent and have read every book out there on the topic. Whatever your passion is, it’s possible to share it with the world and earn a income through blogging.

Looking for something bit more seasonal? Here’s our short list of season side hustles that will earn you some extra dough:

irrigation and sprinkler repair
tour guide for your local area
paddle board, paddle boats, kayaks rental
yard maintenance
food truck or snow cone shack
seasonal sports instructor – golf, tennis, swim, ski
bed and breakfast
air B’nB
snow or leaves removal

Ready to start your business but not sure what you need to be legal? We’ve got you covered. Check out licenses & permits, bookkeeping for small business here.

Resources

Category: Business Accounting