I read the book about Business for bohemians – live well, make money. The book tells about how to make profitable and enjoyable business without getting stress until burnout. Writer write differences between hardworkers and bohemians.

How do you want to live?

It’s a big guestion. Many people think that they are happy when they will have this and that. They will be happy when they have lots of money, own apartment, nice car and travel many times in year. I don’t supprise because that’s all comes media, from tv and socialmedia. Many people think that is normal and all that it’s the measure of happiness. But more important is think what makes you happy now? Do you will come happy of those things? Where your dreams really come from? Questionable all norms and exterior-facing general dreams.

Some people just have a passion for making money. They don’t want to run only one café. They want scale and do many cafés. That kind of people have no passion for any particular product. Work can be anything, it doesen’t matter what it is. The key is to make big business.  (Hodgkinson 2016, 2.) Some other people just want to enjoy our everyday life. They want to create, and freedom is more important than money. Then just one café is enough, you can create your own workplace just like you ever want to. If you don’t want to be the boss and you don’t want all that responsibitity, then you may decide to stay small (Hodgkinson 2016, 9).

The big guestion is: what do you want? Do you crave vast wealth – or freedom? What is important for you? Do you like holidays and three day weekends?

Think what would your ideal day look like?

I think it’s more important to me to have it in my work to create, than to get a lot of money. But also money is important to me as it allows for many things I want to achieve. I do like holidays, but more important to me is that I enjoy my work. I want to create that kind of work,  that actually does not feel work. For now our team are really close that kind of work. Me and my team just turned our passion project into profitable business.

There is no point if you don’t enjoy your business (Hodgkinson 2016, 26).

The business plan

If you want to create your own business, you have to think about all this questions extremely carefully

• What your business does? Try to sum up your business in a few words.
• What is your target audience? Take care that they are not just your friends.
• Who will be doing all this, do you need a team surround you?
• What is your products or services price? Its very typical to set prices too low, reason for that is you want to be nice and fair (Hodgkinson 2016, 67). The book had good advice on pricing, look what kind of prices your competitiors have. Think of price, double it and add vat. (s.69-70)
• Do you understand accounting? That’s very important part of business. If you don’t understand it, you can’t do successful business.

Just like the book writer Hodgkinson (2016, 52) says:

“To be successful in business, you not only need to understand accounting, you need to be an accountant.”

Accounting is an ongoing process. It will all help in the journey towards being businesslike and in control of your finances. The key difference between the lifestyle business and the “real” business is accountability (Hodgkinson 2016, 8). You have to take care how much you have to pay sales tax and how to make a good budget four your business Examble I did not know just about anything about accounting. But because we want to crate our own shop, I had to learn making it. Be for I hated math and Excel, until I found my way to doing it. It’s a bit funny, but now I love to make Excels if I just make them beautiful. So sometimes things can just be very small to catch.

Selling

It’s easy to sell something which you genuinely like and are exited about (Hodgkinson 2016, 82). Example our shop, we love our products and use them all the time, so then its really easy to multiply benefits and sell our products to customers. Its not enough that you love your products what you sell. You also need to know how to tell your customer about products so that she also feels the need to product. That’s not good enought that people just say “I love your store, keep going!” the support is nice to hear, but it’s doesen’t make money. (Hodgkinson 2016, 82.) It’s good to remember that you know everything about your products and the customer doesn’t necessarily have anything. So that may be the ones what get the customer to buy.

Routines and laziness

More important thing is found best routines for you. Think what is the easiest way do your work. I will promise, it’s so many ways to do things, you just need to find your own. Routines makes things much more easier. Example I do accounting twice a week, because otherwise it would strain me too much. And on other days I can fully devote on the new creation which I enjoy most. It is most important to create such routines that they will strain you as little as possible. (Hodgkinson 2016, 188.)

Its also ok to be little bit lazy. Modern society constantly talks about the need to be diligent and most valued people are by those who are doing the most work. I think it’s alarming and drive people even more to the brink of burnout.So laziness is a business asset. If you are lazy, you will find the easiest way to do things. Lazy people don’t overwork, so mind are much cleanier than in overworker.

In the end, don’t overwork. Job have to make you smile, not to make you tired. Your work have to make you power, not taking it. (Hodgkinson 2016, 177.)

Sources

2016. Hodgkinson. Business for boheimians – live well make money. Benguin random house UK. 2016.