Working from home started as a privilege only very few could indulge in. As the market grew and evolved, it became a benefit for many companies and entrepreneurs. At some point, it became a choice that every employee, or even boss, was able to make, with some opting for a mix. For example, some prefer a few days in the office for face-to-face meetings and interviews, and the rest of the week at home for reports, research, and creativity. However, the outbreak of the new coronavirus changed all of that. From a special privilege to the absolute necessity, working from home became a reality for almost everyone.

As the pandemic is nearing its end, many people are now realizing that working remotely can continue indefinitely, as the world searches for the new normal. With some adjustments, you can fulfill your obligations as an employee. Or even better, you can start your very own business from the comfort of your own home, beach, a cottage in the woods, your parents’ backyard, the local coffee shop…remote means anywhere! Plus, you already have a great chance for success, since the US is the best country for entrepreneurship.

Of course, it isn’t easy being solely responsible for your business and lacking the comfort of an office. However, it can turn out to be your most successful adventure yet. So, let’s see which soft skills can help you achieve your goal, regardless of which industry you choose to work in.

Social intelligence will get you further than any other skill

Locating your very first remote job doesn’t have to be such a difficult challenge. What you do need to keep in mind, though, is that you are always going to have to work with people. From content writing to drop shipping and everything in between, most of your work is still going to be based on interactions with other people. And that shouldn’t be a bad thing! It is, however, a very important skill to master. Being able to cooperate with others, communicate adequately, “read the room,” leave a good impression…all of that is going to be pretty important for your future as an entrepreneur.

In short, social skills can make or break a business. You can have all the knowledge in the world, but no one will care about your business if you are difficult to work with. Perhaps you don’t even know that you are doing it; things such as interrupting other people, being unclear in your requests, not taking into consideration the ideas of your partners and clients can sometimes be not as obvious to the person doing it. Therefore, if you ever need to reconsider your business practices, start here, and you can expect big improvements!

Discipline and work ethic should be the cornerstone of your business

Because that is how you build a great reputation! And for entrepreneurs, reputation is everything. Consider this — if you make a mistake with a customer, as an employee of a big brand, the bad feedback won’t fall on you only but on the company as well. We’re talking about missed deadlines, furious customers, disappointed business partners...it’s all possible if you run a huge business. However, you often won’t have the luxury of getting a second chance. Your clients and partners that have just started working with you will surely move on if they don’t get what they paid for or expected.

Maintaining that level of service isn’t easy when there is no one there to supervise you — which is why you have to do it yourself. You have to find a way to stay motivated, eager, and productive in order to bring your business to where you want it to be. Your customers will appreciate your effort.

Being creative is your imperative now 

How does someone even develop creativity? In big companies, you can rely on huge teams, coworkers who bounce ideas off each other, and a huge room filled with bean chairs, whiteboards, and candy. Or, at least, that is how it usually seems, especially to a new entrepreneur staring into a blank wall. However, innovation and breakthroughs come from the inside, not from the physical environment one works in.

Like we’ve mentioned already, the future of your business rests entirely on your shoulders. That means that every idea will be either yours or generated by the people you hire. And what is the best way to inspire creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, and innovation? Well, it doesn’t matter how cool your office space is, but it does matter what type of culture you are fostering.

Are you okay with making mistakes? How much of a risk-taker are you? Do you spend time researching the competition, industry, and the latest trends? What applies to you should apply to your employees as well. Give them the mental space and the trust they need to come up with great ideas. And most importantly — listen to their input. If creative thinking brought the fourth industrial revolution, imagine what it can do for your business! 

Starting an all-remote business

In the past, few businesses were all-remote as managing remote teams was seen as complicated and remote workers were deemed to be less reliable, productive and efficient than in-office employees. Luckily, this has changed and entrepreneurs can benefit from remote working arrangements. Cost optimization is only part of the equation. Hiring and managing remote workers and freelancers allows entrepreneurs to expand to new markets, understand their local customers better and be more flexible and competitive. The gig economy is on the rise and the number of people who work as independent contractors or freelancers is constantly increasing. At the same time, managing freelancers, contingent workers and gig workers is never easy as everyone has different deadlines, milestones, deliverables, pay rates, payment terms and more. Small and medium businesses ( SMBs) often can't afford enterprise vendor management systems as the cost and complexity of integration are not addressing their needs. Unsurprisingly, the gap has been filled by Freelancer Management Systems specifically designed to help entrepreneurs source, manage and transfer payments to freelancers and remote workers regardless of their location. 

Starting an all-remote company is a viable option for many entrepreneurs and hard times and opportunities often go ''hand in hand''.