Life as being self employed

[SussexSeagull]

Get a good accountant you can work with.

[jayn200]

You need to decide what you're running. Is it a personalized service or is it a traditional business. I would expect a personalized service to usually pick up their phone during any reasonable hour even if it's out of office hours... I would never expect the same out of traditional business with multiple employees.

Either way be consistent... Just make a decision and stick to it. Either you pick up your phone anytime you're awake or you only pick up during office hours. If it's only during office hours either have a professional voicemail or as already suggested get a phone answering service that takes down details and whatever else.

[SimonMac]

So this may sound ludicrous in the current climate but I'm due to enter self employment within the next year, completing a buy out of a company in the weddings and hospitality sector UK.

I am fairly happy with everything, coming to terms with accounting terminology and fully accept this will hit me like a tonne of bricks BUT what are everyone's top tips on how to get some kind of work life balance? For example 25% of enquiries come over the phone outside of normal office hours, if I'm on a date night with the better half how do I decide to answer the phone or not? Where is the cut off? What is an important enough to decide whether to answer or not? I understand this will be differant for everyone but any top tips would be fantastic.

Thanks in advance!!!

Have two phones, so you can turn one off if you need to, when you turn it off is another question

[BlasterBates]

I would ask your predecessor. First of all you need to keep the business running for a couple of weeks or a month as before and then you'll get a feel how many calls are important or who can wait. Even if you're available there will be customers who will not be able to get hold of you because you're on the phone to someone else, so what's the difference of leaving voice mailbox on for a couple of hours.

I think you'll figure it out after a couple of weeks.

[ladymuck]

On your promotional materials you could state your office hours and revert to a answerphone service that reiterates those office hours and they can leave a message for a call back.

If you're running an event and need to be contactable in case anything goes wrong then I'd give a different number to the people that need it, maybe even go so far as to using a burner SIM card if you're not doing multiple events close to each other. You'll then know if that number rings it's important and relates to something specific.

[GhostofTarbera]

I plan a similar new venture selling ice door to door, that industry was booming once also, I can get a great deal on guest ice blocks from local ponds

I have the same dating issues, if someone wants a block of ice they want it delivered immediately, if I don’t answer my phone they may just walk to the refrigerator and top up their

My bloody dates are never happy about me bringing bags of ice cubes to dates either

One girl does like the ice cubes later on




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Apologies did not notice this was in a professional forum, I just assumed We were to trying to out do each other with 2020/2021 crazy business plans

Wedding one still beats mine for crazy in these times

Get a virtual assistant to take your calls


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[GhostofTarbera]

So this may sound ludicrous in the current climate but I'm due to enter self employment within the next year, completing a buy out of a company in the weddings and hospitality sector UK.

I plan a similar new venture selling ice door to door, that industry was booming once also, I can get a great deal on guest ice blocks from local ponds

I have the same dating issues, if someone wants a block of ice they want it delivered immediately, if I don’t answer my phone they may just walk to the refrigerator and top up their

My bloody dates are never happy about me bringing bags of ice cubes to dates either

One girl does like the ice cubes later on




Sent from my iPhone using Contractor UK Forum

[NotAllThere]

Of course if it's convenient you can just answer - I do that. Or you can hire a secretarial service. After hours, calls will be routed to them, who'll take the details and promise a ring back. Or you could just hire someone directly to cover for when you're not available.

That guy in the restaurant who abandons his date to take a call - don't be that guy.

In order to get a good work/life balance, the main point is that you must choose when you work. Work must not control you.

[jmgall]

So this may sound ludicrous in the current climate but I'm due to enter self employment within the next year, completing a buy out of a company in the weddings and hospitality sector UK.

I am fairly happy with everything, coming to terms with accounting terminology and fully accept this will hit me like a tonne of bricks BUT what are everyone's top tips on how to get some kind of work life balance? For example 25% of enquiries come over the phone outside of normal office hours, if I'm on a date night with the better half how do I decide to answer the phone or not? Where is the cut off? What is an important enough to decide whether to answer or not? I understand this will be differant for everyone but any top tips would be fantastic.

Thanks in advance!!!