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Owning a Lifestyle Business

A lifestyle business is a business that sustains or supports the income and personal needs of the owner. The business is profit-oriented, but the owner's goal is not to grow the company but maximize profits. The goal of a lifestyle business is for the owner to enjoy a work/life balance while generating enough profit to support the owner's current lifestyle without negatively affecting the owner's personal life.

Often, lifestyle businesses are small businesses and center around the owner's passion. Some examples of lifestyle businesses include e-commerce clothing boutiques, breweries, and art galleries.

Lifestyle businesses are different than being self-employed. Typically, when you are self-employed, you work defied hours. Like any business, a lifestyle business has additional time requirements. You open it up daily and work long hours and weekends, but it intertwines with your personal life. The business may be online or have a physical presence. It may or may not sell goods, or it may provide services to others.

 

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Why would someone want to own a lifestyle business? The owner does not have to sacrifice their personal life. You are not required to work certain hours, answer to superiors, or deliver specific amounts of work on strict deadlines. There are no obligations to investors because the owner provides the funding for the business, so they also receive all the profits. You have freedom of time and location, so you can come and go as you please. The owner controls all aspects of the business. There is no board or third party to report to on the state of the business. The business provides financial freedom because the owner is earning an income that supports their chosen lifestyle. Typically, since there are few employees or other overheads, the lifestyle business tends to be positive cash flow early on.

Like all businesses, there will be challenges. The owner may struggle to fund the business at times or have limited funding. Finding the right employees could be challenging because a lifestyle business tends to have fewer employee benefits than other employers within the market.

When considering starting or buying a lifestyle business you should take the following steps:

  • Define your goals: Make a list of what you hope to achieve with a lifestyle business. What do you want to accomplish with the business? What are your personal goals? Consider the amount of freedom you are seeking. Set an income target for your personal needs.
  • Identify a passion or interest: Businesses can fail because the owner losses interest. A lifestyle has a higher chance of succeeding because the owner is passionate about the business or purpose. People tend to excel at their passion because they tend to spend more time on the topic because they enjoy it.
  • Find a problem that needs to be solved: The business is likely to have more customers for your business if you offer them an option to solve a problem. People should be willing to pay for the problem’s solution.
  • Decide on the business: After assessing the items above, you should have a good idea of what type of business to buy or start. Put together a business plan to help execute the strategy.
  • Execute on the plan: Now is the time to execute your business plan. If you are going to purchase a lifestyle business and need help, there are many resources available to help with the purchase process. If you are going to start the business, begin by establishing the business. You may need to purchase inventory and begin to target clients.

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How to Strike a Work-Life Balance to Improve Your Health

What were the reasons you started your own business? Most likely you wanted to pursue a passion but there are a multitude of other benefits that would tempt anyone to start their own business – from flexible working times to calling the shots. But, have these benefits actually become a reality?

If not, then it might be time to look at your work-life balance. Do you find yourself having no time to spend with your family and doing the things you love? Even worse, do you find that it’s having a detrimental effect on your health? For example, if you are stressed, being overworked can lead to a number of health problems such as stress induced insomnia and heart disease – something that needs to be remedied straight away.

Feel like it's time to slow down?

Here is what you should do to make sure you are balancing work and life without being detrimental to your health:

 

Visit the Doctor

If you are feeling stressed and this is making you feel unwell then it is time to visit the doctor. Nobody likes visiting the doctor and it might be difficult to fit an appointment in around your schedule, but it is best done sooner rather than later – a doctor can tell you if you need to slow down and what will happen if you don’t.

 

Factor in Time for a Healthy Lifestyle

Make sure you schedule time for eating well, exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep. Admittedly, it’s easier said than done, but fitting these activities into your day can help you work better and, often, working longer hours doesn’t actually lead to increased productivity, in fact – studies have shown that work performance can improve with a shorter work week.

 

Schedule Some Non-Business Time

Aside from scheduling in time for a healthy lifestyle, you should have some time for leisure activities you enjoy. You can’t work 24 hours a day so try and find time in the evening or weekend to switch off and enjoy other passions in your life to help reduce stress.

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