Here’s the hard truth about working from home full time.
It isn’t easy making the change and becoming a full time Backyardpreneur.
What do I mean by a Backyardpreneur?
It’s simply anyone that wants to use their own creative spark and genius to build a successful business based out of their own backyard.
Sounds straightforward right?
Well, it may be straightforward, but it’s definitely not easy.
There are tons of very talented people that try and fail to build their own profitable garden based enterprise every year. Just because you have some great backyard business ideas it doesn’t guarantee success.
If you’re going to be a fulltime Backyardpreneur and beat the odds you need to be focused and you need to have a plan.
You don’t want to take the Blindfolded Dartboard Approach to your business. By that I mean throwing a dart at the board with your eyes closed and hoping it hits the bullseye.
9 times out of 10 you’re bound to miss the target.
There’s a better way.
Today I’m going to share with you a 7 step approach to Backyardpreneurship that will increase your chances of success tenfold.
Read on to learn how it works . . .
The Backyardpreneur 7 Step Method for Success
#1 Don’t Start Planting In The Wrong Garden — Choose Your Passion
Starting a business based on something you’re passionate about is the key to starting off on the right foot.
After all, how do you stay motivated if you hate what you’re doing?
You can’t.
It’s just human nature.
It’s almost impossible to make a commitment to something that doesn’t motivate you and that includes starting a backyard business.
So, the #1 rule for your new homegrown hustle is to pick a business you enjoy and one you feel you can approach with authenticity.
There’s more . . .
When you build a business out of your backyard shed that you have experience and knowledge in, you can be more creative and more innovative.
That’s bound to lead to a better experience for your customers and better products or services.
It also allows you to connect better with your customers and empathize with their needs and wants or their pain points.
Still with me so far? Let’s jump into step two . . .
#2 Start Your Backyardpreneur Journey With A Plan
Do you remember that last trip to a cottage or Rental home? You probably did a bit of planning for your fun week away right?
Why would you treat your home based business any differently?
The simple answer to that is you shouldn’t!
After choosing the type of business you want to start out of your backyard, the next step is to put together a sound business plan.
What are your goals for this business?
It’s hard to win in business if you can’t see the goalposts ahead.
You can’t just set goals though. There’s more to it.
Think about what kind of financing you have available to get your homegrown hustle started.
Even if you don’t have a penny to spare, be honest with yourself. That way you can adjust your initial goals to make them more realistic and improve your chances of success.
With a basic plan, achievable goals and a realistic budget it’s easier to see the challenges ahead of you and figure out how to overcome them. If you’re really stuck for ideas on getting your plan started you might want to enlist the help of great AI tools like ChatGPT.
There’s more.
As you overcome those challenges you can set new milestones and adjust your roadmap as you go.
Reaching your targets and setting new ones as you grow will allow you to stay motivated and help you reach that ultimate goal of working fulltime from your own backyard!
Never discount the importance of a business timeline.
It will allow you to chart and measure your success and allow you to make timely adjustments to get you back on track when necessary.
Still with me? Read on for step 3!
#3 Begin Your Backyard Business Bootcamp With Market Research
Market research may sound boring, but it should be the first thing you do after developing your backyard business plan.
This is what I like to call the Backyard Business Bootcamp.
It’s where you learn all about the market you’re entering — what success looks like and why similar businesses fail.
Do not leave this step out!
By knowing your target market and understanding how the competition operates you’ll be better prepared to give your customers what they want.
After all, your business will never get off the ground without satisfied and loyal customers.
Consider creating a customer profile. What does your ideal customer look like? What are they looking for?
Identifying key characteristics of your audience can give you a clear competitive advantage.
How does that work?
It allows you to differentiate yourself in a crowded marketplace by developing your Unique Value Proposition.
Why are you different?
What makes you stand out?
How can you create products or services that are more in tune with what your customer wants than the competition?
That’s not all.
You can also set a more fair and competitive price because you know what you’re offering is worth.
Better market understanding will also allow you to recognize upcoming trends and potential threats in the marketplace.
There’s a good reason they say knowledge is power!
This all makes sense so far right?
It gets better in step 4:
#4 Breaking The Bank Can Break Your Business Before It Gets Off The Ground
We’ve talked about realistic financing and budgeting briefly, but it deserves its own section as an important part in your Backyardpreneur 7 Step Method for Success.
Here’s why.
By sticking to a financial plan you can afford, you’ll be able to handle the turbulence as you grow.
Every business has its ups and downs.
If you don’t overspend beyond your means you’ll be able to weather the slow periods, create contingency plans for the unexpected and be ready for what comes next.
Success isn’t all about the technical and financial stuff.
I’m willing to bet there are some great personal reasons you want to work out of a backyard office all the time.
That might include spending more time with the family, avoiding a stressful commute and just living a generally more healthy lifestyle.
You need more than just a healthy bottomline for that though.
That takes us to step 5.
#5 Boost Your Success and Productivity With A Well Designed Workspace
You can have all the success in the world — if you hate going into work every day it won’t matter. Your business will fail.
A comfortable and inviting workspace is just as important at home as it is in the corporate world.
Here are some key points to consider as you build your ideal backyard office:
- Ergonomics — ie. standing vs. sitting desk
- The mood, colors and lighting in your workspace
- How your home office, shed or home garage warehouse is organized
- Having access to the right Tech and Tools for success
If you’re going to be spending all day in a backyard shed office do you want to sit all the time?
A standing desk can be a great alternative, or better yet, perhaps you want one that you can switch between a sitting and standing position.
If you want to take advantage of working from home to get in better shape, you may also want to think about a treadmill with a desk attachment to walk while you work for part of the day.
Mood is just as important for your health.
What colors make you happy? Is there enough lighting in your space?
Working on paperwork under your backyard gazebo might be great in nice weather, but you’ll need a work area that’s protected from the elements at least some of the time.
Whatever you decide on for an office or workshop, don’t forget about organization.
A sloppy or cluttered workspace can be stressful and that can make it hard to get up for work in the morning. Even if you only have to commute to your own backyard.
One more thing.
Don’t forget about your tech and tools. If your backyard business is web based you need a reliable internet connection and a reliable laptop.
If you’re running a woodworking shop, candle making business or any other type of hands on trade from home make sure you have the tools you need before launching your Backyardpreneur journey.
We’re not done yet. . . .
#6 Be Prepared for The Tumbleweed Period — Success Takes Time to Grow
Building a successful business venture can be lonely and it can be frustrating.
When you’re getting started there are going to be times when you question what you’ve got yourself into.
That’s normal.
Keep your day job for a while to get you through the lean times if need be.
The difference between a successful backyard business and a failure can come down to the tiniest detail.
Are you following your plan?
Assess your progress at regular intervals and make adjustments.
If you’ve overextended your budget, consider taking a step back. Sometimes you have to cut back to grow for the long term.
Almost every home business goes through that tumbleweed period when nothing seems to be happening.
If your business plan was sound and your budget was realistic, you’ll be in a great position to work through the difficult growth phases.
Be brutally honest with yourself though.
If you’ve made a mistake own up to it, course correct and move on.
This constant self examination will allow you to identify and correct your weaknesses and lean on your strengths to move your business forward.
Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from friends, family, colleagues and customers — accept and use it to get better at what you do.
Keep educating yourself about your market and competitors — especially the successful ones. How can you emulate what they’re doing right and improve on it?
If you follow this approach you will eventually get your business out of the tumbleweed stage.
One last thing . . .
#7 Spread The Word — Rinse and Repeat
You can do all the right things we’ve looked at above and still fail.
How can that be?
Simple, you can’t have a successful business if you don’t have customers or an audience.
Get out there and spread the word!
I don’t mean standing on the street corner and yelling at the top of your lungs. Although if that works, more power to you!
These days we have all kinds of free or inexpensive tools available to us for promoting a business.
Your favorite social media platform is a great starting point.
It doesn’t cost a lot to pay for hosting and creating a professional website either and it can be a big boost to your backyard business.
Fill your site with helpful content, optimize it for the search engines and add yourself to any industry directory that fits your business category.
Don’t just rely on Google though.
Build your own community.
Create a Facebook Forum, join existing ones, get involved and make your business visible to as many people as possible.
Join in Twitter conversation, answer questions on Quora etc.
There are countless ways to promote a backyard business and establish the credibility of your brand.
Don’t be afraid to seek out and ask for feedback. It will only make your business better in the long run.
One more thing.
Network with other entrepreneurs even if they compete in the same space you do.
Healthy competition and an exchange of ideas can help you and your fellow Backyardpreneurs grow.
Start Your Homegrown Hustle Today
Now that you have the 7 steps you need to get started on a backyard business, why wait to begin?
Yes, there will be challenges and slow periods, but there’s no better time than right now to start if you’re serious.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. We all do.
You learn more by trying something and failing than you do by sitting on the sidelines waiting for that right moment.
The right moment to become your own Backyard Boss is now.
With these tools in your back pocket you’ve already got a headstart on the competition and you’re ready to join the Backyardpreneur Revolution!
