With the cost of living going up in cities and areas across Australia, you will want to make money from home just like everyone else. A small side business that the whole family does from home can help them make a little extra money, give them a chance to be creative with their family, build relationships, and even make long-term money.
From the busy streets of Sydney to the quiet streets of Perth, this guide has tips on how to start a small family business from home. Make yourself a cup of your best tea, and let’s begin!
Coming up with ideas for your side business
Before you can start a family side business, you need to know what moves your family. In this group are skills, hobbies, and interests that everyone in your family has. For example, Dad is a great chef who can make gourmet jams that are based on bush tucker, and Mum is great at making personalized greeting cards with Aussie and quirky art. Getting the kids involved could make a big difference, especially if they are good at art and want to help make stickers of koalas and kangaroos that are more colourful. Because of this, Fuel should pick a small project that will get everyone excited and not feel like a drag.
Take a look at the area where you live. In Australia, people are becoming more interested in buying things that are made here and reflect our unique culture. If you and your family love gardening, you can sell local plants online. If you like reusing things, you can make cool wall art out of old surfboards. I think you and your family should spend an evening coming up with new ideas. There’s no need to be perfect; it’s just thinking. Etsy or the neighbourhood Facebook market are good places to look to see what’s popular. If the side job is something you’re really interested in, it will be easier to keep up.
Getting the legal and money basics in order
Before starting a job, a business usually needs to do some basic paperwork and set up its finances. As an Australian business owner, one important thing is to follow tax rules to avoid getting fined for no reason.
Australian Business Number (ABN): Before starting the new business, it needs to get an Australian Business Number (ABN). This can be done on the website of the tax office. It’s easy and free to get, and it gives your business credibility.
GST Registration: Whether your business is a store or a service, you should think about whether you need to register for GST once you make $75,000 a year. This is a big step that most small businesses will never make.
Financial Plan: A simple financial plan is important for accounting reasons, especially for keeping track of start-up costs like buying goods or doing basic marketing. If you live in the Canberra area, seeking advice with financial planning Canberra can really help you. This is because local consultants know the rules for controlling cash flows without making things too hard. From the start, use free spreadsheet software or apps made for small businesses to keep track of all your cash and expenses.
Public Liability Insurance: It’s also important to have public liability insurance. A simple guideline can protect your family from harm.
By taking care of these basic things, you can focus on things that are fun, don’t cause you any trouble, and require little paperwork. This is a great way to boost your confidence.
Putting together a website and its content
In today’s global market, if you want to get customers from outside your immediate area for a side job, you need to be online. An online store or website is not only easy to set up, but it also lets the whole family help. For example, let your tech-savvy teen design the site while you write the content.
One of the tools that makes this easy to do is Wix eCommerce. You don’t need to know how to code to make a website that looks professional with their drag-and-drop designs. You can use photos from your phone to show off your goods, add descriptions of the flavours in Australian English, and even add payment gateways for Australian cards.
Make sure your website shows who your family is; have a bio page where you tell your users your story to connect with them. Most Australians buy things on their phones while they’re moving or even at the beach, so make sure your site works well for mobile shoppers. You could add a blog with behind-the-scenes tips to help with SEO and build a community around your brand. You can do everything from home, which means you can run your whole business online.
How to Market and Get More Customers
Once everything is set up, you’ll need to get customers and sell things. Word-of-mouth advertising works best in Australia. Tell your friends and family about your business at the next neighbourhood barbeque. When it comes to marketing tools, social media like Instagram and Facebook are the best because they let you show off your products visually. Make and share material that your target audience will enjoy. For instance, make how-to videos with your family showing off your goods. Use Aussie wit and offer answers to common issues.
Do not forget about your neighbourhood either; join buy-and-sell groups and shop in their online stores. Make sure your customers keep coming back by sending them email newsletters and giving them deals. Promote and advertise your goods, and as they sell, keep track of what works best for you and change it. For example, you might be able to get more exposure by buying Facebook ads that are targeted to people in your area. Work together with other small business owners to get more people to know about each other. Your business is growing slowly, so enjoy small wins like the first customer coming back for more the moment they do.
How to Balance Work and Family Life
A family side business can bring people together, but it needs to be kept separate from your home. Set aside some time for work tasks every day, like after school or on the weekend, to keep things in balance. So, the business won’t get in the way of family dinners or sports games. For managing social media, give “order handling” to one person and social media to another. That way, no one has to do more than one thing at a time. This also lets people work in their areas of skill, which lowers the risk of getting burnt out.
Communication is very important. Hold meetings once a week to talk about what’s going on and what needs to be changed. Make it a relaxed get-together with snacks. If it gets too busy, remember that cutting back is okay, your side job shouldn’t make you more stressed. You can include lessons for the kids by teaching them the basics of being a business and being responsible in a fun way. If the right balance is kept, it will almost certainly be a source of long-term wealth and stories.
Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.
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