My So-Called Freelance Life

My So-Called Freelance Life is one of many new books going down a storm on the other side of the pond as more and more people head out of the office thanks to what is increasingly viewed as a mancession. Written by American freelance 'superstar' Michelle Goodman MSCFL lays out (with apparently refreshing candour) the blueprint for beginning your life outside the 9 to 5. And whether it's using your existing skill-set to make a living from home, or starting off a brand new business enterprise, the rise of the home businesswoman in particular, is equally prevalent right here in good old Blighty.

Emma Jones is the founder of the sparky home business site Enterprise Nation, she says that the number of people starting their own business from a spare room or the garden shed has risen dramatically as the recession bites. Here Emma gives us the headlines from her 2009 Home Business Report which sheds more light on Britain's invisible army. An army in which mothers are taking an increasingly prevalent role.

RECESSION HELPS TO PUSH 300,000 INTO STARTING UP BUSINESS AT HOME      

* Almost a third of a million people made the decision to go it alone in the last 12 months, with 5,500 every week leaving behind commuting and the office for the chance to be their own boss.

* The recession has played a key role in persuading many more that setting up a business from home is the best option for them, with many of the new entrepreneurs using redundancy pay-offs as seed money for their new ventures. Others have used the economic climate as a reason to wrestle back control of their lives and achieve their ambition of being more in control of their own destiny.

Emma concludes, "This year’s report confirms that more people are starting up at home on account of lower costs and wanting a better work/life balance. Basing the business at home is certainly no obstacle to growth as home business owners are making the most of technology to outsource work and collaborate with other talented minds."

* The report reveals that over 60% of small businesses started in the UK are started at home and that 2.8 million businesses being run from home, generating an annual and collective turnover of £284 billion. These home based businesses are ambitious for growth and they’re growing by focusing on what they do best and outsourcing the rest.

Bill Murphy, Managing Director, BT Business said, “It’s an inspiration to see so many people boldly responding to the recession by starting new businesses from home. The Home Business report shows technology to be a key enabler to this trend with 81% of survey respondents stating that technology is critical to the success of their business.

He further added, “It’s great to see that businesses in this sector are also early adopters of social media, with 74% using social networking sites, such as BT Tradespace, to attract new customers and defy the challenges of today’s economic climate.”

The 2009 Home Business Report is based on findings from the annual home business survey and national data sources. While the recession has played its part where people were motivated to start after being made redundant but many others have voluntarily chosen to regain control over their working life with 49% of respondents saying what they are enjoying most about self-employment is the freedom to make their own decisions.

The Survey and Report show high levels of confidence and optimism with 89% of businesses expecting to increase turnover in the next 12 months. This growth is not being realised by hiring staff as home businesses are instead growing by outsourcing and subcontracting work to freelancers and professionals.
 
The report calls on central government, business support providers and enterprise agencies to take action in ensuring that support schemes allow for ‘increase in turnover’ as opposed to ‘increase in headcount’ as a credible company growth option.

Other findings from the report show ‘Working 5 to 9’ is on the rise as people hold down a day job and build a business at nights and weekends, and the continued strong reliance home business owners place on technology.

Full survey findings are included in the report on www.enterprisenation.com along with a ranking of the UK’s Top 100 Home Business Hotspots and case studies of successful home businesses from across the UK. Now in its third year the report has recorded year-on-year growth in what is a bright and vibrant sector.

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