SOLOPRENEUR: Self-Employability in Remote Regions of Europe

Solopreneur: a one-person band


COU_7_EN  

 Title
Solopreneur: a one-person band

 Keywords
Enterprise, Band, management, Organisation, Tools and Methods to manage a Soho company, Essentials for a Solopreneur Attitude, Solopreneurs

 Author
OPENIT

 Languages
English

 Objectives/goals
In this course, you will learn what is a business company, how to perform a task. And how to manage your tasks and the priority to develop the business. You will reflect on the multifunction management and how to develop a positive and productive attitude.


 Description
This training enhances your comprehensive way to make benefits and to keep your company alive. It is also a guideline for your personal development to achieve your objectives.

 Contents in bullet points
Unit 1: Overview: Business enterprise Unit 2: Become an entrepreneur Unit 3: Unemployed vs Solopreneur: The Paradigm Shift Unit 4: The Essentials for a Solopreneur Attitude


 Contents


 A ONE-PERSON BAND

OVERVIEW: BUSINESS ENTERPRISE


  What is a business enterprise?

« A company is an institutional unit, driven by a project translated into strategy and/or policies and action plans, whose purpose is to produce and provide goods or services for a set of clients or users »
From the idea to the net revenues!
 


  Human potential

A Company is only as good as its employees
or partners who constitute it and who
represents it with it:
-One profession, one skill
-A set of values, "Corporate Culture"
-A hierarchical and functional organization
 Communication circuits


  The market

The relationship between an idea and an opportunity it’s like Mozart without a Piano
The market represents the opportunity for the offer of products and services in relation to a Customer base (contextual, cultural, temporal aspect)


  A Strategy

Positioning in relation to a market
Sizing of the company
Local, national, international approach



  The relationship with money

Money is the company's fuel
 
 
The relationship to time is inversely proportional to money


  Know-how

Innovative idea
-Adaptation of a concept or process to a new market
-Transfer of an existing concept
-Bringing old processes or concepts up to date (crafts)


BECOME AN ENTERPRENEUR


  Become an enterpreneur

Motivation it is necessary to fight preconceived ideas:
 
The position of entrepreneur is often more difficult and less remunerative than that of an employee
Reward: creation, autonomy in decision-making, opportunities, responsible for his own development
Relationship with other actors in the economy is more complex
Responsibility: if we compare ourselves to "products":  an employee must sell himself to his boss, a company manager must sell himself to the bank, to his customers, to his suppliers, to the administration, to its employees
A company manager - band leader and a negotiator: a fighter of the "it's not going to be possible", a creator of "trust”
 
 
Notes:
Main functions:
Marketing/ Commercial / Sales
 Production/ quality
 Accounting/ Management/ Finance/ Purchasing
 Management/ HR/ legal
 


  What is it and what really entails ?

1) Advantages
 
•simple structure
•often low investment
•return on investment that can be fast    
•satisfaction of a passion/opening new activities
•flexibility
•geographical freedom
•no boss
•less time wasted in transport
•less responsibility no employees
•no need to look for a job
 
2) Limits
 
•limited capacity to produce   
•be alone to make decision
•have to manage different kinds of activities 
•manage yourself your time
•limited trust from customers, suppliers, bankers,
•support alone the entire business model, (health and self confidence)
•Sell at the good price
 
3) A solopreneur attitude:
 
•Enhance your network to find partners
•Improve your knowledges
•Optimize your process
•Use the digital tools and social media 
•Subcontract certain tasks
•Know your limits
•Share your time business, family, sport, leasure
•Obviously take advantage about the Solopreneur platform, online courses, tools and network


UNEMPLOYED VS SOLOPRENEUR: THE PARADIGM SHIFT


  Unemployed position

•Job search is sometimes a long, painful and difficult process
•A job seeker is not assessed according to his skills but in accordance with the company's needs
•The society's view is very narrow and often qualifies a job seeker as too young or too old without recognizing his or her skills or motivations
•The company, especially when it is very hierarchical, limits the initiative and ability of its employees to evolve in favour of respect for processes
•The job seeker is often in a position of inferiority and needs to secure his income. It is subject to supply and demand constraints during periods of unemployment


  Entrepreneur position

•The Customer expects to be convinced of the supplier's competence.
•In return for his trust, he expects answers and solutions.
•The entrepreneur must have a broad field of interest and must be able to adapt to the client's needs under the best conditions.
•The contractor must also be responsive, at the forefront of his field and reliable in terms of deadlines and prices.
•The entrepreneur must be at the forefront and devote time to training that will position him as a leader in his market.
•As a good manager, he must invest his time and money in order to achieve the best possible return on investment


  The paradigm shift

What is your value?
What is your added value for your customers?
Who is your guarantor or referent?
 

By defining a quality offer with the help of your partners, suppliers and trainers, you will be able to convince and enhance the value of your services.

Instead of selling yourself as an employee, costs and risks over the medium and long term for a company, you propose a win-win relationship,  which can be challenged at any time according to the needs of the parties.



  Basics of a successful solopreneur

Be convinced and convincing
Clearly explain your offer and service limits
Be on time for appointments
Be dressed according to the right codes, not too dressed up or dishevelled
Respect the rules of politeness
Listening to your interlocutor to effectively guide the conversation
Create a climate of trust and mutual respect
Learning to manage your time well, time is money


  Become a leader

To become a leader:
 
- work on your self-esteem
- learn to pitch
- monitor punctuality
- work on your self-control
- be attentive to the reactions of those around you
- develop your network and social and business relationship


  Time management

Time management is about everyone 
-from the entrepreneur to the collaborators
-the project manager held to deadlines to respect
-from producer to consumer
-the mother of a family who has to juggle constantly with all the schedules
 
Keep in mind «TIME IS MONEY »
Therefore, to be master of time, 3 AXES are preferred:
1.Perform a task
2.Time constraints
3.To reach a goal
 
Key Words = ORGANIZATION        IME MEASUREMENT  MEANING OF ACTION
 


  Some solopreneur jobs

-Consultant
-Coach/ Trainer
-Mediator
-Free-Lance
-Salesman/ vendor
-Blogger/ youtuber
-E-commerce manager
-Event planner
-Craftsman
-Driver
-Delivery agent
-Community Manager
-Trader/ broker


THE ESSENTIALS FOR A SOLOPRENEUR ATTITUDE


  Practical exercises

PRACTICES
Write down the 10 actions to be taken to make your day a success
 
1…
2…
 
Are you punctual?  (Always) (Often) (Rarely) (Never)?
 
If not, could you explain mor?
-I use to do many things at the same time
-I am afraid to be early and waste time
-I am afraid to do some tasks
 
How can you improve your punctuality ?
 
A gesture an objective
 
-To enhance your productivity please focus at one thing at a time
-Do you think you need to improve your behavior ?
-Are you a phone, WhatsApp, text message or email addict?
-Do you take time to appreciate the degree of urgency of the income call or message ?
 
When you experience a new task
- you note the process   Y/N
- you think about how to improve your productivity   Y/N
- you document in case you have to entrust this task to a third party  Y/N
 
At work: time is money
- you estimate the hourly or daily cost that you can sell your time  Y/N
- According to the competition    Y/N
- According to your estimate costs and targeted margin   Y/N
 
At work
 -You check if a contractor could do some tasks, as delivery or handling at low costs   Y/N
 -You evaluate if it is your job or not, to deliver at the customer door for instance or not    Y/N
 -Do you prepare a CV list, or contractors list in case of additional needs of manpower ?
 -Do you prepare a Companies list to propose your services as subcontractor in case of lack of your own activity ?
 
At work
-Do you prepare  lists of useful contacts? (Bank, administration, duties, delivery, customers, suppliers, etc)
-Do you have a quick process to communicate with them?
-Do you plan the time and the money you need for?
-Enhance your know-how?
-Produce your products or services?
-Communicate with the partners and customers?
-Manage your business, accountancy, papers, administrative tasks, legals?


 Results

Overview: Become an entrepreneur • What is a business enterprise? • A profession, a know-how • The market Become an enterpreneur • The Main Functions • What is it and what really entails: advantages, limits, a solopreneur’s Attitude From unemployed to entrepreneur: the mentality paradigm shift • Unemployed position • Enterpreneur position • The paragdim shift • Basics of a successful solopreneur • Become a leader

 Bibliography


 Training Fiche PPT:
cou_7_en_A-one-person-band.pptx

Consortium

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Radio Ecca
HAC
IHF
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