5 Smart Tips for the Modern Entrepreneur
September 5, 2018This is a sponsored post written by me for FreeRange Mobile. All opinions are mine alone.
I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. I love the freedom of setting my own hours and the pride of building my very own business. However, entrepreneurship also comes with its own unique challenges, such as receiving an irregular income and striving for a good work-life balance. Today I’ll be sharing some of my best tips for mastering the entrepreneur lifestyle. From getting a dedicated business line via FreeRange Mobile to automating all those repetitive tasks, I’m sharing my best tips today.
I consider myself an on-the-go entrepreneur because I am rarely home. I can work from the coffee shop, the park or the pool… anywhere with a stable Internet connection. In fact, there’s a whole group of people, known as digital nomads, who can earn a living from anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. This group of modern entrepreneurs has a certain freedom but they also require some stable telecommunications technology to stay productive.
With that in mind, let’s get right to my list of essential tips for the modern entrepreneur.
1. Carry a business card at all times!
The business card is not dead! Especially if you work for yourself, a business card is essential. Even as a blogger, I have a business card. In fact, I once met someone at a store, who was interested in my blog. I handed out my business card to her, she introduced a bunch of friends to my site, and I earned a handful of new (loyal) subscribers. A business card is crucial for networking both at professional events and during everyday life.
2. Get a dedicated business line via FreeRange Mobile!
A dedicated business phone line is a fabulous choice for the modern entrepreneur! With FreeRange Mobile, just $5 will provide unlimited calls & texts to any phone number in the US, Mexico and Canada. There’s even a $10/month worldwide plan if you regularly make international calls. Talk about freedom at an affordable price!
If I try to get another landline for business use, it would cost about $25 per month, but then I’ll only make/receive calls when I’m home… totally not practical for my on-the-go lifestyle. If I try to get a second cell phone line, the cost would be upwards of $40 per month. That’s a lot of money! With FreeRange Mobile, the price is just $5 per month.
I have checked out some other WiFi calling apps out there. Here are some things that I’m really loving about FreeRange Mobile that set it apart from its competitors:
- With other calling apps, you can only make a call to someone else with the same calling app. With FreeRange Mobile, there’s no need to worry about app-to-app compatibility. You can make/receive a call to any landline or cell phone in the US, Mexico, and Canada..
- With FreeRange Mobile, you don’t have to watch silly videos or earn credits to make a call. There are no gimmicks, surveys or hidden charges. All calls are free with a subscription. I love the simplicity of that!
- There is a seamless transition between WiFi and Cellular connections. No more dropped calls just because you walked out of the coffee shop’s WiFi range.
- FreeRange Mobile makes it possible to keep business, private, and personal communications separate. You can set up unique ringtones so you’ll instantly know whether the call is personal or business. So convenient when you have kids running around in the background!
When it comes to call quality, FreeRange Mobile is an excellent choice. Just watch this video to see why FreeRange Mobile calls are clear & crisp!
Even if you don’t have a need for a second business line, consider FreeRange Mobile for convenience & privacy when selling items online, dating, or traveling abroad. Keep your personal number private and use a FreeRange Mobile number for everything else. It’s even a great choice for a young kid, who is not quite ready for a dedicated smart phone hooked up to traditional cell service. With FreeRange Mobile, my daughter can use one of my old smartphones to call me from school or a friends’ house (any place with WIfi). Oh, and if you want to switch your phone number in the future, it’s as simple as clicking one button on the app! Go to the Google Play Store or App Store today to start your free 5-day trial! No credit card necessary!
3. Put all agreements in writing!
As a businessperson, keeping all agreements in writing is essential. Whether you are negotiating a single Instagram post or a 6-month-long blog ambassadorship, it’s crucial to get all expectations in writing. How many posts? What is the concept of the post? How much will be paid? When will it be paid? Depending on the fee negotiated, it may be best to draft a contract template and use that for future collabs. However, even putting all expectations in an email will serve as a written guide and will minimize any misunderstandings down the road.
4. Automate everything!
Automation is the key to being more productive and spending less time on menial tasks. If you run an e-commerce site, create a set of emails that automatically go out to new customers at pre-defined intervals. If you manually back-up your site every week, subscribe to a service that will automatically back up the database & files. Look for things you do on a regular basis and find ways to have it done automatically. By taking more tasks off your plate, you will have more time to focus on the big picture of your business.
5. Set limits & find balance!
For me, one of the most challenging aspects of being an entrepreneur is finding a good work-life balance. When work is always a click away, it’s hard not to check my email in the evening… or to bring my laptop to the playground to work on a post while the kids play. Finding a good work-life balance has always been a work in progress for me. One thing that has helped is to set time limits for myself. No work after 6pm, for example.
Don’t forget to learn more about FreeRange Mobile and check out their free trial for yourself! What is your best tip for the modern entrepreneur? Do you follow any of my tips?
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YASSS! Put everything in writing! I, like lots of other people, have learned this the hard way, so now I make sure to cover all my bases.
These are all very important ides to run a business. Get everything in writing and I mean everything. Good phone is important.
I really need to get business cards! I don’t have any. FreeRange mobile sounds pretty awesome. I’ll have to look into it.
These are wonderful tips. I always carry my business cards with me. I also try my best to automate everything. It really just simplifies everything.
Yes, automation saves me so much time!
I wish I was as industrious as you and these are great ideas I need for my business. The 5 dollar a month phone is a plan i could use.
Thanks for your sweet comment, Melissa! Really can’t beat that price, right?! 🙂
One of the biggest mistakes I used to make was not having a business card on me at all times. I have changed that, and it definitely comes in handy.
Yes, a business card is essential!
Yeah, phone service can be so expensive. It sounds like FreeRange is an awesome option for most people!
Finding work-life balance is harder as an entrepreneur than as an employee isn’t that ironic?? These are great tips. And that’s a really awesome plan from FreeRange Mobile.
These are great tips for running the business, the 5 dollar phone plan looks really economical.
So true about always carrying your business cards! I’ve made this mistake a TON. Really need to put some in every purse so I don’t forget!
I think it’s smart to have a dedicated phone line for your business, that way you can keep your private line private! Great post!
As much as I love the second number I have on my cell phone that I use for business, I do enjoy learning about what services like this are available because you never know when you might need it.
It will be more interesting to me to save more money. I should look into it very nice to know Free range mobile.
I recently started an online store and it’s been crazy! It helps to keep everything organized. I love your tips, it’s perfect for newbies who are starting a business for the first time!
Never heard of this but I think this is a great avenue. I definitely do the first one as well, bringing a business card with you always is a big advantage.
I’ve never heard of Free Range Mobile before. Sounds like a great service. Need to check it out for my youngest!
These are going to help some folks go far. Being an entrepreneur is a lot of hard work and dedication.
I love your advice and attitude on being your own boss. It really does have a lot to do with this.