France is one of the best countries in the world to be self-employed or run a single person freelance business. The more laid back attitude to work that France is well known for, especially compared to America, the UK, or Japan, is an ideal fit for the freelance lifestyle. This doesn’t mean doing nothing but sitting in cafes sipping cappuccinos and occasionally checking your smart phone. To become self-employed in France means you will have to be prepared to put in the right amount of work to earn a living.
Constant updates in technology, faster broadband connections, and easier access to free wi-fi make running a business as an expat easier than it ever has been before. Here some of the biggest concerns that new freelancers have and how you …show more content…
Contacting Clients
Keeping in contact with clients in different time zones is one of the biggest concerns for international business owners. One of the biggest turn offs for potential clients is somebody who doesn’t reply to their messages in good time.
But working abroad doesn’t have to mean getting up in the middle of the night to make a call or keeping your phone surgically attached to yourself at all times to avoid missed e-mails. The best part about self-employment is that you can adjust your work hours to what works best for both you and your clients. Almost all business transactions can be made through e-mail exchange and as long as you respond within 24 hours, it generally doesn’t matter what time of the day you reply. Any face to face calls can be made through software such as that offered by Bluejeans videoconferencing.
2. Tax and Employment Law
This is a big concern for the self-employed as nobody wants to end up in trouble or pay a hefty fine for accidently breaking a tax or employment law. If clients find out you are working from abroad, they might also become nervous about the legal repercussions of hiring you. You can reassure them that there is nothing to worry about. People have been outsourcing work to third world countries for years now and getting away with …show more content…
You can do this on both a local and international level. Social media sites, particularly Linkedin, allow you to find new clients from across the world. France has a large number of expats with communities both online and in-person who can help you build your business network.
4. Local Opportunities
Don’t neglect your local area while building your business. Almost any service you provide or product you sell will be in demand in France if you figure out how to market it correctly. Consider buying business cards with your native language on one side and French on the other or putting an ad in an expat magazine. Just like with any business venture, the opportunities are endless.
5. Payment
The most important question all freelancers should ask themselves, how will you get paid? France is one of the few countries where cheques are still widely used but some banks will only accept cheques in Euros. This causes a problem if you want to work with clients outside of Europe. Luckily there are services such as Paypal and Western Union which transfer money to your bank account in any currency for a small fee, and sometimes for free. Make it clear to your clients or customers straight away that you prefer to be paid through this method and if they don’t know already then explain the benefits to
Constant updates in technology, faster broadband connections, and easier access to free wi-fi make running a business as an expat easier than it ever has been before. Here some of the biggest concerns that new freelancers have and how you …show more content…
Contacting Clients
Keeping in contact with clients in different time zones is one of the biggest concerns for international business owners. One of the biggest turn offs for potential clients is somebody who doesn’t reply to their messages in good time.
But working abroad doesn’t have to mean getting up in the middle of the night to make a call or keeping your phone surgically attached to yourself at all times to avoid missed e-mails. The best part about self-employment is that you can adjust your work hours to what works best for both you and your clients. Almost all business transactions can be made through e-mail exchange and as long as you respond within 24 hours, it generally doesn’t matter what time of the day you reply. Any face to face calls can be made through software such as that offered by Bluejeans videoconferencing.
2. Tax and Employment Law
This is a big concern for the self-employed as nobody wants to end up in trouble or pay a hefty fine for accidently breaking a tax or employment law. If clients find out you are working from abroad, they might also become nervous about the legal repercussions of hiring you. You can reassure them that there is nothing to worry about. People have been outsourcing work to third world countries for years now and getting away with …show more content…
You can do this on both a local and international level. Social media sites, particularly Linkedin, allow you to find new clients from across the world. France has a large number of expats with communities both online and in-person who can help you build your business network.
4. Local Opportunities
Don’t neglect your local area while building your business. Almost any service you provide or product you sell will be in demand in France if you figure out how to market it correctly. Consider buying business cards with your native language on one side and French on the other or putting an ad in an expat magazine. Just like with any business venture, the opportunities are endless.
5. Payment
The most important question all freelancers should ask themselves, how will you get paid? France is one of the few countries where cheques are still widely used but some banks will only accept cheques in Euros. This causes a problem if you want to work with clients outside of Europe. Luckily there are services such as Paypal and Western Union which transfer money to your bank account in any currency for a small fee, and sometimes for free. Make it clear to your clients or customers straight away that you prefer to be paid through this method and if they don’t know already then explain the benefits to