How to Start a Home-Based Mobile App Developer Business

Working from home is a dream for many people, especially if you're one of those people who dislikes commuting and don't mind staying at home all day long. It comes with tons of benefits, from being able to create your own schedule to wearing what you want (including pajamas) during your working hours. 

But, if you decide to take working from home to the next level and use the opportunity to start your own business from the comfort of your home, this might turn into the most exciting thing you've ever done, both personally and professionally. This is particularly the case when you're looking to start a business in the tech industry.

A promising business idea for your own business in the tech sector is to start a home-based mobile app development business. According to a Statista Digital Market Outlook report, mobile apps are expected to generate over $613 billion in revenue by 2025. 

By starting a business in the mobile app development sector, you can not only cut a slice of this huge revenue for yourself, but also hone your talents, knowledge, and skills in the thriving digital and technological space. 

In case you're thinking seriously about starting a mobile app development business, here's what you'll need to do before you start such a venture from home: 

1. Develop your skills and knowledge 

If you want to be a good entrepreneur in this industry, you must be a good developer first. And if you want to make that happen, you need to develop your skills and take them to the next level. That means make sure you know everything there is to know about being a developer. 

Doing that won’t be easy and this process is going to require a lot of time, energy, and patience. But, if you want to build a successful business, this should be your top priority.

Enroll for online or offline developer classes and seek hands-on experience from those already in the industry through internships or even mentorship from credible authorities on the subject.

Improving your skills comes down to realizing what you’re going to need most and figuring out how to reach the level that will work for you and your clients. Start by assessing your skills right now and try to be as realistic during this process as possible. 

After that, identify the things you need to work on and improve and then focus on doing that. Don’t forget to improve other related skills along the way as well, such as good organizational, communication, and business marketing and promotion skills. 

2. Work on your brand

Once your skills are up to par and you are an expert developer, it’s time to take things to the next level by launching your mobile app development business and brand. Doing this won’t be easy, especially if you’re doing it for the first time, but it shouldn’t be that hard either. 

What you need to do is focus on defining your brand and promoting it as much as you can. Spread the word about your business and what sets you apart everywhere, including on social media, newspapers, and on TVs if possible.

That will help you attract people to your new business, including paying clients and users who might enjoy your mobile apps and investors, business partners, and collaborators who might help you make the most of your ideas.

Start building your brand straight away. At the heart of this process is defining your brand, trying to become as unique and recognizable as possible, while at the same time maintaining a consistent message, branding, and being true to yourself and your business goals always.

3. Build your business website

Once you have defined your brand, it’s time to set up your business website. This is a crucial step for all entrepreneurs as it not only helps bolster your brand, but also makes it easy for people to find your business online. 

Setting up your website is an essential step today. It’s safe to say that you can’t really start a successful business anymore without having a professional website and making sure it’s working perfectly on desktops and mobile devices, because this is where most people are going to find you and your new business.

Fortunately, making these things happen is easier than ever before. All you need is register a domain name that will be the online URL address of your site. You should then create a visually appealing website that’s going to be informative and functional for people to visit. 

And don’t forget to work on an optimized mobile version of your website. As a home-based mobile app developer, this shouldn’t be a problem since you’ll be dealing with mobile for a living!

4. Set up your home office

Since you’ll be running your business from home most of the time, you should have a designated home office space where you will be working from. 

Some people might argue this should be the first step to take, but designing a proper office space is something you can do well when you know exactly what you need in the office to run a successful operation. Setting up a home office can, however, be done whenever you want. 

Start by choosing the right spot in the house. Find an area that will work for you, is well light, and away form everyone or has little foot traffic to minimize distractions when you are working. A spare room in the house is a perfect solution to move your business into if available.

If you do not have a spare room in your house, you can always turn a part of your bedroom or your dining room into an improvised office space, and the same goes for your kitchen, your garage, or any other space that might give you privacy. 

Alternatively, you can repurpose your basement or attic, and turn it in your office to get more work done because nobody will bother you there while you’re working.

5. Grow your business

Growing your business can take several months or even years. It entails a lot, including promoting your business effectively and consistently, delivering client projects on time and satisfactorily, and building a solid portfolio to attract new clients.

Doing everything on your own is quite fine (and sometimes the only option at first) when you are growing the business. But, as the business grows and you get more clients, doing it all alone isn’t the most sustainable business model for your mobile app development company. 

Eventually, you may find you need to hire or enlist some help to properly cover different aspects of the business, such as marketing your company and handling some client projects to complete them on time. If you manage to find the right individuals who are skilled, determined, passionate, and eager to work with you, it can propel your company to greater heights faster. 

Of course, finding the right people to hire or outsource some of the workload to can be taxing and time-consuming. But, if you know what you’re looking for and are not afraid to think outside the box to find the right talent, it will be totally worth the effort in the long-run.

When it comes to employing people, you need to remember one simple, fundamental rule – hire only the best candidates! Some of them will be serious professionals who are ready to work, while others will not be serious or skilled enough to deliver results. The latter can lead to high and costly talent turnover. 

The best candidates are the ones who are skilled, professional, and committed—look out for those to grow your business.