So you’re gonna be a CEO…

What is the best reason for being your own boss? If you could sit down with a list of things that pertain to being the one to call the shots what would that list be filled with? We’re sure that you could add items to the list such as:

• I can wake up whatever time I want
• I can pay myself whatever I want to pay myself
• I can do things exactly the way I want them done
• I can hire and fire whomever I need to whenever I need to
• My success depends on me, myself, and I

These are all valid points. There are other problems that come into play with being your own boss. What we have here are a few fundamental problems when facing entrepreneurship:

• Motivation
• Doing things you won’t enjoy
• Money
• Finding Direction
• Networking

We can sum up owning your own business as one where your success is dependant on the work that you put in. Motivation remains one of the hardest areas to compensate for when the going gets tough. It’s not hard to be motivated when you know what you’re doing is helping someone or you know that it is something you happen to be very knowledgeable about. Though there are areas where you can’t draw upon experience and you do have to learn what it is you have to do. Many of us finding ourselves in the billing department with taxes and such to worry about understand this all too well. We really just want to write, why can’t we have someone else do the finances?

This is filed under doing things you won’t enjoy just as much as networking. Many writers for example spend most of their time doing just that: writing. There is no outside time to mingle at formal events, and even if there were we wouldn’t want to because it would take time away from what we love to do, write. Having to go out and connect with individuals is a no brainer as it leads to more and more jobs which in turn gives you more and more money to worry less and less.

Money comes up quite often. There is a notion that an artist is likely to starve. This all depends on what it is they are wanting to do. Now if you do work that isn’t really in great demand then perhaps this rings true. But, a hallmark of being a successful businessperson is the idea forming phase. As you have no boundaries beyond what you establish for yourself, you get to determine the research into what’s trending, what is in style, what is in demand, and you follow that course with your work. Maybe we would all like to be appreciated but at some point we do have a business to run and our personal taste in art isn’t necessarily what America wants.

There are other problems we could draw upon such as hiring employees and government regulations but the first step in being your own boss is to know who you plan on being before you go out and show the world your wares. For this reason we focus on supportive applications rather than applications that are devised to fulfill a task that you should really be doing on your own.

QuickBooks Online

We’re going to be upfront, this isn’t a free application. You get a 30-day trial of all the features and then you need to pay. The reason we include this in here is because we’re confident that when it comes to some things you really do get what you pay for. Being able to handle accounting, billing, and payments professionally is always a good sign that you’re a reliable business to do… uh… business with. Quickbooks has always been a one-stop shop for small business owners and today, going mobile they cater to an even larger demographic. Many of us are always on the go and if we can streamline our tasks to concentrate on those things that matter more such as deadlines, product research, and marketing then it’s going to show in the level of quality we give our products… whatever they may be. If you take the subscription and compare it to hiring an professional accountant $12.99 a month doesn’t seem that bad, provided you can swing the responsibility.

Get QuickBooks Online on Google Play

Yelp for Business Owners

Just looking over at the amount of bad press many businesses get on review sites such as Yelp and Trip Advisor it would do good to at least have a handle on damage control if needed on one of those two major sites. Yelp always seemed to be the place to complain but what many don’t realize is problems can be solved even without going to yelp to vent. When you place your presence on yourself you get the ability to address your customers and reviews personally. It shows you really care.

Get Yelp for Business Owners on Google Play

Google My Business

Another big review site. Most of us navigate using Google Maps from searches on Google. When we do we sometimes see outdated information and terrible reviews. Don’t let that happen to you. Stay on top of your business site with Google My Business.

Get Google My Business on Google Play

Facebook Ads Manager

Facebook is another great tool many budding companies use in order to drive awareness of their brand. By breaking down the reasons people have gotten to your ad you can better tailor your services to those who are genuinely interested in your offerings.

Get Facebook Ads Manager on Google Play

Business Plan & Start Startup

If any of this failed to make much sense then perhaps you are in the very first steps of starting a business. This app is going to help you get started with the basics including how to write a business proposal that would then go in front of a bank for a small loan. It covers other areas of vital importance as well.

Get Business Plan & Start Startup on Google Play

Afterword

While there are no sure-fire ways to turn a profit, understanding that business, most of the time, deals primarily with people. Learning how to reach people and making sure they are taken care of is what is going to build your reputation. These apps will help to some degree but it calls for perseverance and doing some things you don’t want to do like getting out and networking.

Good Luck!