Designers set off on their own for a myriad of reasons. Some plan for years before opening shop. Others fall into running their own businesses out of necessity. Logic dictates that whatever your circumstances, you need to be realistically prepared.

Before dedicating yourself to the leap, here’s eight questions to ponder.

1. Have I gathered enough design and business experience?
2. Am I committed to aggressively marketing and selling my services?
3. Am I up to the task of effectively and efficiently managing my time?
4. Do I have enough start up capital?
5. Do I enjoy dealing with people?
6. Am I a self-starter?
7. Can I handle the realities of working solo?
8. Can I hold things together under pressure?

Communications Coach and visiting author Tammy Lenski comments.

Working solo means we usually don’t have a trusted office mate we can just pop over and talk to when things get a little tough. You know, the person whose office you can walk into, saying ‘Do you have a minute?’ while closing the door.

And things will get tough occasionally. Find the people who you can turn to for the kind of support you most need in blue or stressful moments. Not just cheerleaders, but the people with great listening ability, the ones who can help you think things through or get your feet back under you when you’re temporarily off balance. It’s about creating a people-populated safety net for yourself before you need it. The folks at BoDo are here for you, too.

Daniel Schutzsmith from Graphic Define has four additional suggestions.

1. List your reasons for wanting to go into business.
2. Next, determine what business is right for you.
3. Identify your business niche.
4. The final step before developing your plan is the pre-business checklist.

Daniel’s list goes into more detail than we’ve posted here, so be sure to read Are You Ready to Open Your Own Design Studio? in its entirety at Graphic Define.

The trick is to be completely honest with yourself. If you’re not, you could find yourself on the fast highway to self-employed hell. It’s not easy to concentrate on time-consuming problems while the pressure is on handling clients, book keeping, designing and many other issues that crop up when running your own business. If you do find personal shortcomings, please take our advice. Before you head off on your own, shortlist what’s lacking and work through the items, one by one.

In the next post, The BoDo Experience: Are You Ready?, we’ll share how other’s were ready. Or not.

Hope this helps,
The BoDo Team
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