9 – Practicalities for new businesses

Last Updated on 7 April 2025

Support from family and friends is essential, especially if you are setting up. You will be working hard – even when you are not earning anything.

Things to think about, and discuss with those around you:

working hours – Decide when you will be
- a) working & earning
- b) working & NOT earning
- c) not working at all
If hours are erratic how do friends and family know you are working? (and not just browsing through your Insta)
Do you have children / pets who need help to understand your routine?

Watch this video description with some office set-up suggestions.
(Best in full-screen view.)

Getting organised

Split your life into two parts – work vs pleasure/private life. Focus on one at a time.
Use separate email addresses / piles of paper / computer user accounts / phones /Filing – paper / emails / post / bills / accounts.
Get system(s) up and running BEFORE you get really busy.
Set up specific folders in your computer for invoices, receipts and contracts. Don’t just dump everything in one folder, or you’ll never find anything. (See help sheet 4.)
Try using a small whiteboard to keep track of payments due.
A big shredder can be useful, even if you’re not doing much confidential work.
If you’re collecting personal data for marketing, make sure you’re GDPR compliant.
You might need to be registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. This page on the ICO website is very useful >
OpenOffice & LibreOffice are very cheap, open source office suites (compatible with MS Office)…and OpenOffice is called NeoOffice when used on a Mac.
Google Drive does similar things and you have a certain amount of free storage with a Google account/Gmail.

Phone options

A phone number just for work might make life easier. You can ignore it more easily out of office hours.
Voice over Internet (VoIP), many deals on the market, e.g. Vonage. Uses broadband to route calls. Allows you to choose your area code and even have overseas numbers if you have clients in other countries.
You can forward all calls back to your mobile, but it can look more professional to the people calling you. (Any extra network charges for forwarded calls are billed to you, rather than the caller.)
Some people you work with might use Zoom or MS Teams or Slack. So get used to these if they’re new to you. There’s nothing worse than looking like an idiot when a potential client is watching you try to get your mic to unmute.

Insurance

If you do one thing only – check that the contents of your home office are insured, and that your home contents insurer knows if your work is ‘based’ at home.

‘Home office’ insurance might suit you – might include public liability and equipment cover
Public liability – important ‘third party’ insurance in case you cause harm to someone else
Professional Indemnity Insurance – covers your cock-ups – very good for consultants
Employer’s Liability Insurance is required by law if you employ others
Car – Using it for business? Is it insured for business use?

Posted on 20 January 2020

9 – Practicalities for new businesses

Getting organised

Phone options

Insurance

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