Here's a quick start guide for establishing your business and having the basics covered. Follow each step below and document to track your progress and keep all relevant information together in one place (or in a folder on your computer).
1. Ask yourself why you want to go into business. What are you hoping to achieve for your clients? This is called knowing your ‘why’. Ultimately, document how you want people going to benefit from your services and how do you see the value you can add?
2. Refine this message and use it to tell others about what you are doing, what’s important to you, how your business will help you achieve this. This is your purpose, your reason for being. This is just as important as what you are doing. Paint a word picture that shows your level of care, compassion and genuine reasons for wanting to provide services. You’ll get buy in from people more easily and build trust faster if they connect with your message. You need to show you have the right intentions behind what you want to achieve to help build trust. 3. Decide on what services you want to provide and align them with the NDIS.
Ask yourself:
o What am I naturally and already good at?
o What skills, qualifications and experience do I have?
How can I leverage this into the NDIS? Then, write a list of all the services you’d like to provide.
4. Do your market research to see where the gaps and opportunities are. Read the NDIS Price Guide for a list of all the services funded by the NDIS. Google the service you want to provide and include the NDIS in the key word search. See what comes up.
5. Business Set Up - Administration
o Get a Business Plan template and start filling it in – as that’s got all the questions to help with your planning and to set up.
o Track your costs - set up a spreadsheet of your start-up costs. As you get quotes or spend money, document what you spent and when. Keep all the receipts for tax time!
o Apply for your ABN Number – www.abr.gov.au
o Decide on your Business Name. Then decide on a few you like. Then check with ASIC which names are available to use – www.asic.gov.au. Check if you can get that business name as a domain name for a website. If yes to both, go ahead and register your business name and purchase your domain name.
o Get a business bank account with a debit card – to ensure you are only using one account – this helps to keep track of your costs and income
o Set up Insurances – they generally need to include Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurances – as you’ll need this coverage. You can get quotes from AIG, AON and BizCover. Confirm the type of cover best suited the business services you are providing with the insurer.
o Market Your Business - create a marketing plan that integrates all the key messages about your business, create your social media presence with Facebook, LinkedIn and an Instagram Page. Join the Facebook NDIS Groups and check out the discussion forums.
o Find opportunities to work or sub-contract - perhaps you’d like to register yourself as an Independent Contractor as a DSW, Support Coordinator or Allied Health Practitioner with Mable, Tappon or Hire Up. You could also work as an independent contractor as a part of another other NDIS Service Provider's business. Advertise your business on platforms such as Gumtree, Fiver.com, Airtasker.com, Online Noticeboards/Intranets in bigger organisations or noticeboards in Community Centres or Co-working facilities.
o Grow and expand your network – join networking groups, your local Business Chamber and attend industry events to make new contacts and become known in the disability sector for what you can offer. Connect with others on social media and learn more about what others are doing and continue to increase your network.
Thanks for joining me on todays short tips. If you’d like help to set up your business, book in for a Quick Start series of six mentoring sessions here. to stay in touch, follow me on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and reach out by messaging or emailing me at info@nurturingndis.com.au.
Thanks for reading this blog and have a great day.
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