This post brought to you by GoDaddy. All opinions are 100% mine.

Go​Daddy Office 365 - A Must for this Small Business #GoDaddyO365 #giveaway sponsored

I have been a small business owner since I left the corporate world about 10 years ago. I don’t remember the exact date, though you’d think it’d be permanently etched in my mind because while at the time it was a scary endeavor, it’s turned out to be the best thing I’ve ever done.

Granted, my choice was made for me by an illness, but I’ve never regretting working for myself. I am the only one who benefits from my long hours, my dedication, and my enthusiasm for my job. It’s nice to know that my employer (me) appreciates the amount of hard work I do.

But it’s not easy being self-employed. There are a lot of hardships and changes. No one is handing me a paycheck every two weeks, there are no paid vacation days, no holidays off, and no sick leave. Plus I’m not provided medical benefits and there are no office mates to both entertain and annoy me.

Still, for now working alone is what suits me and my family, so I’m making the best of it and trying to create something I can be proud of. But I do get a little help from the training and experience that I gained after 20-years in the IT field. It makes being online easier since I know the jargon and where to find help.

Go​Daddy Office 365 – A Must for a Small Business

I also know the ins and outs of software like Microsoft Office 365 from GoDaddy and it’s a must for running my business. I use EXCEL to balance my books and prepare my taxes, WORD for drafting blog posts, OUTLOOK for sending/receiving/tracking emails and managing my press trips, appointments, and post schedule.

Open Office from GoDaddy Video

I switched from the stand-alone Microsoft Office about two years ago and I haven’t regretted it. The pricing is fabulous, the access to information and help available at the click of a button, and I only have to download and use the pieces of MS Office I need.

Plus I can use it on multiple machines like my laptop, desktop, and tablet, and it gives me additional free storage on their cloud storage service which makes auto backup from my devices so easy and the pictures available to me from any Internet connected device.

Plus I can collaborate with others, share documents, and track changes. This is especially helpful in creating and managing Ambassadorships, sponsorships, and contracts.

But what if you don’t have the IT experience I have? Will you be able to implement Office 365 in your small business? Well that’s where GoDaddy can help. They are set up specifically for the small business that doesn’t have an IT department or the IT department that can’t take on another project. They offer easy set-up with familiar tools and 24/7 support.

Win a 1-Year Membership to GoDaddy Office 365

win a 1-year Office 365 GoDaddy Business Essentials plan (a $99 value) in addition to a 1-year .COM, .NET or .ORG domain name registration. - sponsored

By entering you’ll have the chance to win a 1-year Office 365 GoDaddy Business Essentials plan (a $99 value) in addition to a 1-year .COM, .NET or .ORG domain name registration.

Included in the Business Essentials plan is  including HD video conferencing, and online web versions of Excel, Word, Outlook and more (see all the details the plan provides here).

:giveaways:

Check out this Always Open Small Business infographic and let me know what features of Office 365 from GoDaddy are you most excited to use?