You've been mulling over the idea of starting your own business for a while, but you can't decide because there are a lot of unknowns holding you back. Ignorance, fear of failure and doubts assail you again and again, making your desire to become self-employed disappear.
Starting a business is no easy task, and that is why we have decided to create a basic guide summarizing the steps you need to take to embark on the adventure.
Guide to becoming self-employed
Guide to becoming self-employed
Development of the idea
Do you have an innovative idea that you think can be turned into an economic activity that will generate profits for you?
If the answer is yes, the next step you need to take is to assess whether it is truly a viable idea. To do this, you need to study the market and analyse the competition.
Conduct a SWOT analysis and identify the Weaknesses, Threats, Strengths and Opportunities of your business. The global vision that this analysis provides you will allow you to determine whether or not you are on the right track.
Has your idea not turned out to be as lucrative as you hoped? Don't worry. Perhaps by applying a few slight changes you can make it work:
Adapt your business idea by imitating one that already works.
Use your professional experience and try to focus on a field that you know and are comfortable with.
Observe the market and detect needs that are not covered.
Give an existing business a makeover and find a new, innovative approach.
Once you have found the business model you want to go for, it is time to create the business model canvas. This is a business management tool that will allow you to understand the business as a whole and will simplify the strategic approach to follow. You can find different models of the template, but, in summary, the content is as follows:
business model canvasValue proposition
In this section you should portray the “problem” or “lack” that your business solves and your competitive strategy.
Customers
At this point you must answer the following question: what is the target audience of your business?
Channel
Explain the channel you will use to offer your product or service to your customers.
Relationship
Determine how you will interact with your customers.
Income
Plan your revenue strategy in great detail: sales, subscription, rental...
Resources
Describe the key resources needed in your business.
Activities
Identify and list the activities that will allow you to get your project up and running.
Alliances
Define the alliances necessary for your company to function.
Costs
Know and optimize the fixed and variable costs of your business. Production, marketing and logistics costs are usually common to all types of businesses.
Once you have created your business model canvas, you are ready to create your business plan .
Search for financing
There are different financing options:
Bank credit
If you have followed the previous step correctly, you know your business, the market and your competition perfectly. This is key and essential to ensure success in your application. Identify the needs of your business, quantify the exact amount of money you need and check scrupulously and realistically that you can meet each of the instalments.
Collaboration agreements with other companies can help you finance part of your project. Register with a business register, join a business association, and attend networking events to find suitable collaborations.
Pre-sales
Selling your product or service in advance requires a strong brand image. Go for a good advertising and marketing campaign.
Startup Accelerators
To do this, your business must comply with the basic guidelines of the call, which base de datos telefonos fijos usually include: that it is a scalable business model, that it is technological, and that it is innovative. There are accelerators throughout the country ; find out how they work, choose the one that best suits your objectives, and adapt what is necessary to comply with their guidelines.
Crowdfunding
There are different platforms that support this initiative, which allows any small investor to help finance projects that need it. Find out about them and choose the one that best suits your project.
Register as a self-employed person
The time has come to register with the tax office and social security (special regime for self-employed workers, also called RETA). You can do this procedure in person or online (a digital certificate is required), on your own or under the supervision and advice of a professional administrative manager.
Registering with the tax authorities involves choosing a specific activity, which will define the employment sector , through the CNAE , and which will determine the heading of the economic activities tax.
Registering with social security means the possibility of accessing bonuses for new self-employed workers in the form of flat-rate contributions or the possibility of collecting unemployment benefits and being self-employed, making both systems compatible .
In the latter case, when registering as self-employed, you can choose between several options:
Request a lump sum payment, so that all unemployment benefits to which you are entitled are capitalized and a good amount of money is generated to finance the start of the activity.