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Here are a few lessons I’ve learnt along the way from my own experience and from experiences other entrepreneurs have shared with me. Hope you find them useful.

1. Take your time in choosing your company name, make sure it is understandable in multiple markets, and does not have negative meanings or connotations in other languages. Also work hard on creating a great looking logo that portrays the key features of your business.
2. Building a great looking website will also help you alot, preferably also include a blog which is great for attracting new visitors and engaging with your target market and peers.
3. Research and prepare contracts and questionnaires to use in the beginning stages of your relationships with clients. Although they might seem a nuisance, they help establish clear requirements and boundaries for the project. You will be thankful for doing them later on in the project. Having written agreements and spec documents are a God send when you or the client start to forget what had been said and promised earlier on.
4. Establish a clear work routine. Being your own boss gives you additional freedom but also more responsibility and a need for self-motivation and discipline. I have my working hours stuck to my wall and try to keep to them as much as possible. Avoid waking up late if possible. Somehow starting work early seems to provide some extra good vibe that will help you be more productive and satisfied at the end of the day.
5. Plan your day beforehand, set clear tasks and goals and if possible try to deal with one task at a time. It is hard to be efficient when you are thinking and worrying about 3 different jobs, as well as other distractions such as phone calls. A good idea is to take some time at the end of the day and prepare a work plan for the following day. This gives your mind the time to prepare and wake up the next day focused with clear objectives and the necessary motivation to get everything done.
6. Starting your own business brings on additional work and dedication, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have time for anything else. The important things in life are relationships and keeping yourself healthy, so make time for exercise, socialising (networking also gets new clients), and other hobbies. A good work-life balance will get you more motivated and satisfied with what you are doing.
7. Make plans. A business plan is recommended by many people, but even a simpler plan is enough to get going. It will help you focus your resources and help you make your goals clear and commit to achieving them.
8. Socialise and network, try to get to know as many people as possible, and not only from your line of work. Having a few friends in your direct line of work however is very useful as you can shoot them a quick mail/phonecall when you hit a tough problem, or need a second opinion on something.
9. Always carry around a set of professional business cards and hand them out generously, you never know who you might meet and where. Also keep in mind that although a person might not have a direct interest in your services, he might know someone who does and thus be able to recommend you.
10. Before meeting a prospective client, try to learn as much as possible about his business, his online presence and that of his online competitors. Try to anticipate what his concerns are, and try to think of a few ways he can improve his business (specifically online). Sharing these ideas during an initial meeting will naturally leave a very positive impression with the prospect. A developer who actually takes an interest in your business before he even gets the project definitely augurs well for a high level of service during the project itself.
11. Believe in yourself, and don’t let fear of things you don’t yet know hold you back from taking on challenging projects.

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