Mia
There’s a lot that goes into launching your own kids’ clothing business from home. While many might be excited about the prospect and assume some kids’ clothes and a computer are enough to get the job going, what’s required is much more complex. Continue reading for what it takes to start your own children’s clothing business from home.
Self-motivation
It’s no secret that having coworkers peeking at what you’re doing, a boss you have to answer to, and deadlines dictated to you can be great motivators, but it’s different when you’re responsible for all that yourself. You’re your own boss, you may have no coworkers, and you’re now responsible for setting your deadlines and following through on them. What’s exciting at first can seem terrifying once set in reality.
That’s where self-motivation comes in. Think about your goals, why you wanted to launch the kids’ clothing business first, and why you wanted to work from home. All of this can be what you need to push forward.
An Excellent Professional Team
It’s one thing if you want to run your business by yourself, but it’s another when you try to do everything independently without a professional team behind you. We’re not talking about coworkers; it’s more about the people you can visit when you have a problem, questions, or need specific products.
As a business owner, it’s ideal to have an accountant and lawyer you can turn to if you have any questions or need assistance. Additionally, considering you’re starting up a kids’ clothing business, it’s a good idea to look into teaming up with a wholesaler – like Bella + Canvas – who offers children’s clothes, as it could result in significant benefits for your business, including saving money.
Focus
Maintaining focus can be challenging enough in a standard work environment, but working from home fights against a new set of distractions. For example, social media and a great movie or television show might be two distractions, and then loved ones call or stop by unannounced because you work from home now. Even hunger can be a distraction.
Everyone has inevitable distractions that can cause them to lose focus, so once you determine what yours are, you can put a plan in place to avoid them as much as possible. For example, if social media is your weakness, use a social media blocker whenever possible so there’s no temptation to scroll.
Properly-working Technology
Whether you have a brick-and-mortar location or your kids’ clothing business is entirely online, you’ll need properly-working technology, including consistent high-speed WiFi, a cell phone (and a landline if you have a brick-and-mortar), a computer, and possibly a tablet.
As we all know, technology isn’t always reliable, so keep a list of numbers close by that you can call – like for a computer repair professional – just in case something goes wrong. Then, in the moment of panic or upset, you’ll be happy you did research in advance and wrote the list.
Taking some technology courses is also great if any practical problems occur. You know, try and fix them on your own. Many in-person and online classes could be great options.
The Ability to Organize
When you’re launching a kids’ clothing business from home, you must keep your documents organized. Whether you need to find necessary paperwork, have to keep track of receipts, or do one of the many other essential things that come with being a business owner, you’ll be happy you established an organizational system right from the beginning. However, if you’re feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to start, there’s no shame in hiring a professional organizer who can help you set up a system that works for you.
Acceptance of Longer Work Hours
Many enjoy being business owners because they think it involves working less. Still, as a kids’ clothing business owner, the reality is that you will likely find yourself working long hours, especially in the beginning. Once you get more established, you may be able to cut back depending on the circumstances, but it requires a significant time investment that often can only help if you delegate some tasks.
A Love of Fashion Research
Chances are you love fashion if you’re launching a kids’ clothing business from home, but you’ll need to keep that adoration of fashion research going if you want your business to succeed. It’s ideal to continuously stay up-to-date about children’s clothing trends, fashion company news, and more to ensure you make the right decisions for your business.
As a kids’ clothing business owner, there will be aspects of the business and industry that you love and others not so much. All you can do is keep learning, do what works best for you and your business, and make decisions that could help your fashion business flourish.
