The following is a guest post from Virginia Cooper of https://learnaliving.co/.

As a stay-at-home parent, you may still be anxious to bring some income into the family budget. Having a home business in Derby can be a great way to make money without sacrificing your other responsibilities. These home-based jobs also present opportunities to keep your professional journey on track. Check out some jobs outside of e-commerce for when you don’t want to rely on your computer and a steady internet connection.

Ready to get started? Check out the following guide, presented by Hayse Marketing.

Decide What Your Business Offers

Do you have a specific skillset or expert knowledge in a specific area? Share your area of specialty with others in your area.

• Consulting: Office-based companies, schools, and retail businesses can benefit from consultants. For example, if you have an advanced degree in IT services, education, social work, or tax laws, you can share your expertise and credentials with local businesses.
• Tutoring: Helping children and older students improve their learning is a rewarding career and one that can provide a comfortable living. Consider tutoring reading, writing, mathematics, language acquisition, or cover all the basics. Offering your services as a personal trainer could fall into this category.
• Teaching: If you play a musical instrument, have in-depth parenting skills, or have a strong artistic ability, you can schedule lessons at your convenience and with minimal work outside of lesson times.
• Home-Based Sales: Prepare meals, crochet, quilt, or use carpentry skills to create furniture. As you hone your skills and gain a reputation in your community, you can turn your passion into a lucrative career.

Make a list of the things you love, narrow your list to those areas that are unique or where you have the expertise, consider whether there’s a market for what you have to offer, and focus on starting a successful company.

Establish Your Business on a Firm Foundation

One of the first steps in starting your home-based business is determining how you can fill a need in your community. Is there a need for a second language in your area? Do your neighbors struggle with budgeting? If you play the violin, but there are already seven teachers nearby, this probably won’t be a successful venture.

Next, write a business plan. This may be as simple as summarizing what and when you’ll charge and how you’ll get new customers. You could put in a little more work and include areas such as getting startup funding and creating a marketing plan. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, you can create a traditional or lean startup plan with moderate effort.

Take time to hone your business skills. This may involve earning a degree or certificate at school or participating in an online program or class that covers general business management, leadership, and marketing.

Choose a legal structure that supports your particular enterprise. Many home-based entrepreneurs begin as sole proprietorships. This structure leaves complete control of the company in your hands but also puts your home and other personal assets at risk. A limited liability company requires more paperwork and some added red tape but offers more safety with plenty of flexibility.

Finalize legalities such as applying for an Employer Identification Number, setting up a commercial bank account, purchasing insurance, and obtaining local and state licensing. While this step may seem overboard if you run a small home daycare, you’ll be glad for the resulting connections when problems arise.

The hardest step toward succeeding in your new home-based venture is making the decision to go ahead. With passion, talent, and resources, you’re well on your way to a fulfilling career at home.