NEW: Samantha McDonald

Making a big physical move can be unsettling, both for yourself and for your business. Here are some solid tips.

Moving on – and up

One of my clients – let’s call her Daisy – is moving interstate this week. Good luck with the move, Daisy!!

It seems that, although she has a lovely home and a lovely life in her current state, her partner’s business needs some real help. And his main interests are interstate. So… What to do???

Daisy did a bit of soul searching and realised that, in the scheme of things, (a) it was really important for her to support her partner through these trying times, (b) it was even more important that her family stayed together rather than having two parents living on opposite sides of the country, and (c) this change may actually represent opportunity for her own business and contribute to some real growth.

We sat down for our final face-to-face coaching session, and nutted out some ideas for Daisy that would make her more comfortable with the move because, let’s face it, she wasn’t 100% happy with the idea of uprooting and moving elsewhere and starting afresh, but she was just that little bit excited by the prospect, all the same!

So, as a business owner, if you’re faced with a similar situation, perhaps you could use some of our tips:

Look at the whole situation, not just your own business – There may be reasons for you to move that are even bigger than your own business. Will the move bring harmony within your family? Or more possibilities for your own future?

Research your options – The internet is a fabulous tool, isn’t it? Before you make your decision, check out what’s happening on the corporate front in your new proposed homeland, and see if you think you’ll fit in. You may even find that there are bigger clients waiting for you interstate!

Make sure your business will still run smoothly – Will you need to appoint a manager to oversee things in your absence? Or, if you’re a solopreneur and you’ve built up a following in your home state, will you need to appoint a virtual office of some kind, so your current clients still feel like you’re close? At the very least, make sure you take a few days or even a few weeks off (and let your clients know that you’re doing so), and that way you’ll feel so much more settled while moving.

At the end of the day, deciding to move interstate for family reasons is a really big call. BUT it is possible, and you can absolutely make it work if you put some real thought into it.

Good luck!

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