Should You Start Your Own Work at Home Business?
Work at Home: The Dream
Ah, the dream of working for yourself out of your own home! What could be better, right? Well it turns out there are major pros and cons to having your own work at home business. This article will provide the elements of working from home that you should consider before making the leap. I have been working from home as a freelance writer and blogger for 3 years now so I have personal insights that you will hopefully find valuable.
Work at Home: The Reality Pros and Cons
1. Work in your PJ’s.
Pro: This is the ultimate, right? Getting up and doing your work in your PJ’s and slippers. Sounds good and sometimes it is good. Being able to do work anytime in any clothing is convenient.
Con: The reality for many people is that your level of productivity is often influenced by how you are dressed. Yes, you can work in your pajamas, but once you’re doing this for a while, you’ll probably find that you get a little more motivation from getting out and exercising first, showering, and putting on clean clothes before starting work.
2. No Boss.
Pro: It’s true that your boss is not in your home looking over shoulder.
Con: However, we all have a “boss,” someone that we answer to:
- Bloggers have their audience to please.
- Freelancers and service providers have their clients to please.
- Product sellers have their customers to please.
- Writers have their editors, publishers, and readers to please.
- Inventors have their end-user to please.
- We all have ourselves, family, and financial needs that we must live up to.
3. Flexible Schedule.
Pro: This is a major benefit. You can decide when you work. You can take time off whenever you wish. Doctor appointments? No problem. Your child is sick? You’re already home to take care of them. But there is a catch.
Con: You need to make up the time somewhere. The work must get done. You can make it up on nights and weekends, but then balancing work and home can become quite challenging. If you have a family you might run into resentment of the extra time you spend doing work. If you’re single, this is less of a problem in terms of people putting demands on you, but you certainly run the risk of work edging out your personal time. So you need to think about how you will define the line between work and home life. And it’s not as easy as you might think.
4. No More Office Politics.
Pro: You won’t have to schmooze for that promotion. You will make your own promotions. You won’t have to watch Suzy-Q and Dapper-Dan get ahead because they are good at working office relationships. But….
Con: You may watch competitors get ahead for the same reasons. You may lose clients, contracts, readers, deals, etc because you are not working smart enough on the relationship building front. The bottom line is politics is not good or bad. It just is. By definition it exists as part of all human interactions. The only question is how you navigate and leverage it. Politics is human relations. It doesn’t mean you have to bend your morals. But it may mean that you need to work with someone you’re not crazy about in order to bring about a mutually beneficial outcome.
5. No Limits on Income.
Pro: No longer will you have to wait some silly prescribed timeframe in order to be eligible for a raise. The quality of your work will determine your income. By working hard and smart, you’ll have unlimited earnings potential. Really.
Con: It’s not easy. You will need to have a smart business plan. You will need to adjust your plan as you progress, especially when you hit roadblocks and plateaus, which will inevitably happen. You will need to be super organized, focused, and persistent. Income is especially hard in the beginning, so what you gain in upside potential you lose in security of income, retirement plans, health insurance and other benefits.
6. No More Interruptions.
Pro: You won’t have to worry about Chatty Cathy stopping by your cubicle every day, interrupting your productivity. You won’t have to worry about endless non-productive meetings anymore.
Con: But you’re not entirely off the hook. There’s still two potential challenges:
- First, if you have family or roommates, inevitably there will be interruptions. When you’re using some of your flexibility to work nights or weekends, they’ll be there either getting miffed about you working again or they will be tempting you to slack off. If you have children, forget it, especially if they are young. It’s a real challenge. You need to establish boundaries and you will likely find times when you want to keep working, but you must stick with your promises in order to keep a happy family.
- Second, if you live alone, then you will face the problem of isolation. With isolation you have no “local” colleague with whom to bounce ideas, ask advice, or consult. You will need to develop these types of relationships elsewhere. No man is an island. You will gain strength from having a virtual “team” of people you can go to for guidance. The other problem with isolation is you must provide your own motivation. Whether we like it or not, we all need to be pushed from time to time. Without interruptions or a boss you must create this for yourself. Yes, interruptions can serve as a motivator at times! And they force breaks on us too which is good for productivity. You’ll want to consider how you’ll ensure that you take breaks.
7. I’ll Work Less Hours. It Will Be Easier.
Pro: Perhaps eventually you will work less and it may be easier down the road. Maybe you’ll become like Tim Ferris and design your life so you only work 4 hours per week. Or it may be that you choose to live on a lower income. In that case you might work less sooner rather than later.
Con: For most of us, starting a business means hard work and long hours! Of course those hours are all for your business so that’s a beautiful thing. But it’s also your time and money at stake too. Work is work and it must get done. The other good thing is that if you are choosing the right business, i.e. something you love, then the work will feel like play. That’s a great thing. But at the end of the day, you will be tired, you will struggle at first and wonder “Did I make the right decision?” You’ll need to stick with it, adapt your plan when necessary, and smile even when you feel like you’re not making any progress.
8. More Creative License.
Pro: You will be in charge. You’ll make the decisions in your business. Your creativity can run free and wild. There are, however, conflicting forces at work that you’ll need to content with.
Con: You must please someone in addition to yourself in order to make money. So you will need to balance your income goals, your desire for creative authority, and the desires of your clients, readers, vendors, users, etc. It may be that your creativity is right in line with what your clients want or it may be that you’ll need to sacrifice your creative freedom a bit in order to meet your income goals. The bottom line is that for most, the client’s needs and desires will highly influence how our creativity manifests in our product, writing, services, inventions and so on. It’s a matter of prioritizing your income goals in balance with your desire for maximum creative license.
9. No Selling Things I Don’t Believe In.
Pro: There will be no more product/service of the month that you’ll be required to sell. Sometimes you like the company you work for, but occasionally you squirm at the thought of selling this quarter’s featured product. Ugh. No more of this! Hurray!
Con: No matter what your business is, you will still need to sell. And boy will this be important to your success or failure. Selling is not hard if you believe in what you are selling. Presumably this will be the case with your own business. If not, then maybe you don’t have the best business idea yet. True “selling” means helping people meet their needs. Focus on meeting clients’ needs and you will sell a lot. But of course there is a lot more to it than that. Stay tuned by subscribing for an upcoming article on How to Be a Great Salesperson.
10. No More Nightmare Clients.
Pro: If a client is beligerant, unreasonable, or otherwise unattractive to deal with, you will have the decision power to say, “Bye, bye!”
Con: At the same time, you will never be free of difficult client circumstances. And in each of these circumstances you will be required to decide how to handle them. Some examples:
- Freelancers: Your biggest client turns difficult with the addition of a new general manager. What do you do?
- Writers: Your editor seems to have turned sour on your writing, finding fault all the time. How do you handle this?
- Bloggers: How will you handle mean comments, blog hecklers, and the like? How will you handle a negative campaign against you?
- Selling products: There can be shipping problems, returns, complaints, lawsuits and more. You’ll need to deal with all of these.
- Inventors: If you produce your product, you’ll need to manage relationships with manufacturers, distributors, and marketing companies where you will face issues of trust, control, and quality. If you sell your idea, you will likely face tough negotiations if you want to get the most value for your invention.
How to Meet these Challenges
Two words: Business Planning. (Subscribe for an upcoming Business Planning article) The best way to meet these challenges is to have a business plan. It doesn’t have to be formal if you’re not sharing it with financiers, but you’ll do yourself a favor by having as much detail as is necessary to be ready to take the plunge. See the resources below for links to business planning help, most of which is free!
The Bottom Line
This article is not meant to discourage you from pursuing your dream of starting your own work at home business, but rather to prepare you for the realities, both good and bad, so that you can decide whether you’ll be comfortable with this decision. If you do make the decision you’ll be able to plan how you will handle these challenges. Having a home based business can be wonderful, but it’s not for everyone. The other thing to consider is that if things don’t work out you can always go back to working for someone else.
Further Resources
Here are some helpful business planning resources if you decide to move forward with plans to start your own work at home business.
- SBA - The Small Business Association has many online resources, services, and tools to help you with your new business.
- SCORE - check out this resource in your local area. They usually have free business planning seminars. Retired business people provide free guidance and consultation to aspiring entrepreneurs. Don’t pass up this free resource!
- Free Business Plan Templates
- Fast4Cast - a free online business planning tool.
- Govt of Canada Interactive Business Planner - a free online tool that will help you create a 3 year business plan.
- Links to several Business Planning Freeware
-
Business Plan Pro (highly rated by PC Magazine and Inc. Magazine.) There is a cost with this program. I have used it and it is excellent. It makes the process very easy. And it is handy to have it right on your own computer.
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Vic | Jul 18, 2007 | Reply
Yes! Yes! tell it like it is. People think having your own business is a dream sometimes you have to worried about what you wish for they may come true.
Log Home Guy | Jul 18, 2007 | Reply
One problem I find with working at home is there are a lot of distractions.
I’m almost to the point of looking for a small office to lease just to stay focused… but that’s another expense… not sure if I can justify it yet.
OneYearGoal.com - $100,000 online | Jul 18, 2007 | Reply
Wow. That’s a very well reasoned article. Still I think whether you work at home is more you nature than the result of any rational thought.
One Man. One Year. $100,000 online. How’s he doing it?
http://www.oneyeargoal.com
Andrew Pass | Jul 18, 2007 | Reply
I started my own business four years ago but I’ve really had two businesses in that time period. In the first business, I ran after school enrichment classes. I hired a staff and they taught the classes. It was a great headache. Every afternoon I was worried that I’d get a call that a teacher did not show up. As upsetting was the fact that even though I signed up a lot of schools at which to run classes many of these schools could not fill the classes so even though I took the time to find the teacher for the class the class didn’t run. Two people were upset, me and the teacher.
A little more than two years ago, I started a second business. This business so far has been more successful. I’m developing curriculum and offering professional development. (Before I began my first business I worked for a doctorate in Curriculum, Teaching and Educational Policy.) I’ve been fortunate to have some of my writing published in the last year. But, you are completly correct, it’s not easy. Sometimes I think I’m over motivated, it’s now 7pm and I’ve gotten up once since I sat down after lunch at 1:15pm. Fortunately, I enjoy what I do. (I’m having a good time writing this comment, and I very much consider it marketing. I’m hoping that readers will check out my blog.)
Anyhow, thanks for a very interesting post. I’d be happy to answer any questions about my career path.
rich sloan | Jul 18, 2007 | Reply
this is a great analysis. i hope that the following is consistent with objectives of your blog.
if your readers are seriously considering home-based business or are currently running a home-based business, may i encourage them to sign up for updates on the first annual ranking of the best performing home-based businesses?
it will highlight individuals who have achieved great success working from home. also a part of it will be fun competitions for those who are not so large - home businesses judged as “greenest”, “boomers”, “most slacker friendly” and other interesting categories…
it starts august 1 but pre-registration email is available at http://www.startupnation.com…
cheering for everyone’s home-based success!
rich
Michelle Gartner | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
Having worked outside of the home for over 4 years now with my DH at Gartner Web Dev I know the ends & outs of working at home- I think your article just about covers it. But still people won’t really know how it goes until you live it! After 4 years though little things still bug me- we have a lot of friends & family who think having a home based business is easy. They also equate MLM’s and party selling (sex toys, tupperware, avon, whatever) with what my Dh & I do; web development, consulting, servicing of computers, e-retail, etc . We actually spend a heck of a lot of time marketing, and in strategic planning. We sometimes go without sleep to make deadlines and get a jump on projects. I don’t think everyone is cut out for having their own business. But I love it… Great article Sully! -Michelle Smart not Cheap
One of a Kind Wisconsin
Mary Emma Allen | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
Very good article mentioning the cons as well as the pros. Many people don’t look thoroughly enough at the downside before deciding to start a home business. Also, they often don’t consider the necessity of having a plan. My husband and I have been involved in home businesses or self-employeed for many years, although we often work for someone else parttime.
agentsully | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
Thank you everyone so much for your kind comments, for sharing your stories and your links!
Hope to see you all again in the future!
Gina | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
Thanks for sharing the two sides of the coin. The reminder is really great, especially for those who forgot about the basics of business already..
William Profet :: OneJobTwoSalaries.com | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
Hi,
Great article! Maybe every 9-5 employee has the same dilemma. I was one of them, but I made my choice and I am at home now!
But it is hard to beat the seduction of the TV, surfing, just sleeping, walking, eating, etc. Very hard!
Regards,
William
Andy Bargery | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
Great post. Most people when thinking about working from home tend to be viewing the idea through rose tinted glasses. Whilst there are all the advantages you mention, there are also all of the negatives and more. For example the nightmare clients are a total reality but you have even less freedom to sack them and YOU have to do all the work and decision making to keep them happy. There is also the constant challenge of keeping yourself motivated that is no mean feat.
Although having said all that, after 18 months working from home I can only say it’s well worth all of the risks. The flexibility in terms of working hours and also making money is great.
Andy
Stephen | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
AS:Great article, and terrific comments from some folks who should know. Keep it up!
Chad | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
Very nice article. I am starting to plan a freelance writing business and I am scared out of my wits! Ironically, this helped assure me that, through planning and determination, the risks should be minimal. Thanks!
Jade | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
I have been working from home for about a year now. Really, very little about the “work” has changed; I still have deadlines, and clients and colleagues with which to coordinate and negotiate. The real difference is how all of that is accomplished.
Now, more than ever, email and online chat have become the primary means of communicating with both Colleagues and clients. On days when I really have to ratchet up the level of communication, a telephone conference or WebEx will usually do the trick. These types of interactions tend to be much more efficient than the flurry of useless meetings I used to labor through each week. Yet, despite the increased efficiency, I find myself often longing for more personal interaction. On days when it gets really bad, I pack up my laptop and head for a local coffee shop or bookstore. Freedom has it’s moments of loneliness, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Cheers
Helen | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
Nice post. Thanks for providing us with the details about home business. The pros and cons are really useful in considering the situation. We have to be aware of the situation first before making decisions.
Zahasman | Jul 19, 2007 | Reply
I agree with everything that u noted up there. Most of them are exactly the reason why I quit freelancing last year and got a job, while doing part time web business at the same time right now… this is more practical for a starting entrepreneur…
raj | Jul 20, 2007 | Reply
Agent Sully suggested that I drop a link to a similar article I wrote at the end of June: The benefits and hazards of working at home.
agentsully | Jul 20, 2007 | Reply
@Gina - thanks for your support!
@William - so true to watch out for those tempting time wasters!
@Andy - I agree. For me it is worth it. But it doesn’t mean that it is a walk in the park. I like having more control.
@Stephen - thanks!
@Chad - good luck with your new writing business. Check out some of the articles I have under the category “Writing” for more info on that.
@Jade - yes, I also often long for more people to talk to about my business! So I simply have to create it with online associates, etc.
@Helen - thanks!
@Zahasman - thanks for sharing your experience. Working from home is not for everyone. There are many benefits for working for a company. We all have to choose what is right for us!
Raj - Thanks for the helpful link.
mel | Jul 20, 2007 | Reply
Great pros and cons. Great to look at them side by side.
cheero | Jul 21, 2007 | Reply
This article is golden. I enjoy the fact that you gave both pros and cons of the story. I recently quit my job at a real estate development firm that was driving me insane. I’ve had friends tell me for years I should use my graphic/web and audio skills for years on the web but I never thought it was possible. However, after some research, it turns out that its all very possible with a solid business plan.
Thanks again, really appreciate that you took time to write about this topic.
agentsully | Jul 22, 2007 | Reply
Cheero - good luck to you! Let us know how it goes!
Bootstrap business | Jul 23, 2007 | Reply
It’s nice to be your own boss (at least it makes you feel that you’re the boss) and that you can manage your time. But, as with all work, one needs a good business strategy/plan, hard work, and good time management.
Patricia - Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker | Jul 23, 2007 | Reply
My husband owns his own business striping parking lots. Our answering machine and me, when I am home, are his secretaries. He works long hours, much more than he would if he worked for someone else. He also works hours of the day and night that others don’t. The positive thing is that he is also off whenever he wants to be. He has been his own boss so long that he couldn’t work for anyone else.
Through my new blog, I also work from home and I love it. My best writing usually comes after midnight.
agentsully | Jul 24, 2007 | Reply
@Patricia - ah yes, the trade-offs - working more with the option of working less (which we rarely take advantage of!
Good luck with your blog! It looks interesting!
Patricia - Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker | Jul 25, 2007 | Reply
Thanks. Come by and visit anytime.
Anton Mazer | Jul 25, 2007 | Reply
Some years ago I started my brand consultancy business from home. I converted my garage but made sure there was no entry from within the house. So I went out the front door, took 10 steps to get into the ‘office’ and greatly minimised the number of interruptions.
Noneed to rent an office around the corner!
Cheers,
Anton
agentsully | Jul 29, 2007 | Reply
@Patricia - I’ll be visiting.
@Anton - that’s great you were able to set up a quiet office in your garage! I’m jealous! I need to do something like that. I have way too many interruptions where my office is!
4MySales | Jul 31, 2007 | Reply
The reality is that owning your own business cna be very rewarding. However, it is not an easy life and the stress is much greater than what you find in a 9-5 paycheck.
-4MySales
Dana Hall | Aug 2, 2007 | Reply
This is the best article I’ve read on the topic to date. You really tell it like it is!
Most of the time I LOVE working at home. Some times I miss the camradarie of an office. But, let’s face it, office politics suck, I’ve had enough of that to last several life times! And, working in p.j.’s, getting up to dance to a favorite song on the radio, sipping a margarita at the end of a long day, taking time out to take a dip in the pool with the kids (or without them), can’t be beat!
Dana Hall
Founder, Editor
Passionate for Life Magazine
http://www.passionateforlife.com
Ricardo Del Rio | Aug 13, 2007 | Reply
Great Article, very interesting.
About Pajamas, it is just one image. You must be confortable and happy. Shirts, Shorts, Bermudas, Pajamas, any kind of clothes.
If you wish to live in real how is to work with pajamas, just go to http://www.pajamanation.com
There you will find more than 58 countries looking for your services. and it is Free.
what are you waiting for?
The Decision Strategist | Sep 5, 2007 | Reply
This is a great post! It’s almost life a plus-minus-interesting exercise on whether or not to start your own business.
To be honest I don’t have a formal business plan yet. I have a couple of different projects in the works, and definitely have a sort of mental business plan, but I spent 4 years writing business plans for my ideas and never actually capitalizing on them.
I decided this time to just work on the ideas and keep only an outline of a business plan. So far it’s worked much better. I’ve been able to maintain enthusiasm because I see progress happening.
agentsully | Sep 6, 2007 | Reply
Dana - thanks for your thoughts!
Ricardo - personally I’m over the pj’s thing, but having the option is nice!
Decision Strategist - Good luck with your endeavor! Come back and let us know how it is going!
Start A Business From Home | Sep 14, 2007 | Reply
More info please…. Your topic about ld You Start Your Own Work at Home Business? needs more comments. I\’d like to spend me Friday nights reading about start a business from home
Patrick Bankay | Oct 20, 2007 | Reply
This is a great blog with some great tips. Here are some no cost ways of promotion that can be effecive when implemented:
1) Print some simple ads from your computer, get them photocopied for as cheap as possible, then post them in bus shelters.
2) Use those same ads from above and go door-2-door with them, or alternatively you can get some locals to do it for you for a small price.
3) Write a really informative and tip filled article and submit it to as many article hubs as possible. This way it increases the chance of ezine publishers to pick up your article and get even more exposure.
4) Post to free classified ad sites. There are many, but the key here is consistancy. If you can consistantly post to free classified ad sites your ad will be seen.
5) Safelists is another route to go. Many people do say that safelist advertising isn’t effective, but it can be if you post consistantly to the same safelists. join 5 - 10 safelists and everyday for a month post the same ad and you will see that you will get some traffic from safelists.
There are many more free ways to promote your business or website. These are just a few.
____________________
Regards,
Patrick Bankay
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ListFreeware | Oct 27, 2007 | Reply
Well, actually in every business always theres rules like this, much effort is much money. But i hope you have take time to give some tips, not like shortcut, but help us to make a big chance to succsess …
www.incomesmachine.com | Nov 21, 2007 | Reply
Overall Great Article: I would suggest that you include a topics “Your exit strategy” and “funding your dream. I see way too often that people run out of money (and there are plenty of people to take it) before they have figured out how to really create your wealth from on line. You really need to create your own ATM (attitude-time- Money machine). This is best done by finding a qualified mentor. Without this the road is very steep. For readers, call SCORE today. They can save you tons of money.
All the best and thanks for the good info
Jake
Takeoffzone | Nov 28, 2007 | Reply
It is always a great feeling when one has the option to try new ventures like working from home and be profitable at the same time. Having faced the work at home business challenge for more than 5 years now, I’m authorized to say that the biggest myths of working from home are that “you’ll work less hours” and “it will be easier”, but the true is that “you’ll work more and won’t be easy”, specially at the beginning. Another contra worth to mention is that people who surround you tend to be less respectful about the time your business demands thinking that because you are at home, you are not working! Thanks for the good article.
Cyn`s Work At Home Online Ideas | Dec 5, 2007 | Reply
Excellent article which really does spell out the pros and cons of having your own work at home business. It is much harder to make your own money than to earn a salary and your comment ….to prepare you for the realities, both good and bad,… is great as so many believe it is so easy.
Tom at The Home Business Archive | Dec 10, 2007 | Reply
I like this article too.The benefits of working at home and being able to make your own fortune are great.It is all up to you.
Work at Home With Takeoffzone | Dec 16, 2007 | Reply
A lesson to learn here is that one must be diligent by researching and examining the many potential benefits and drawbacks found in this business that is called ‘work at home’ before jumping into its bandwagon.
Work at home business girl | Jan 3, 2008 | Reply
A very good read. You touched on some points that many people fail to realize. I have found that, whith more and more people becoming unemployed in my state of Michigan, small businesses are on the rise. I just hope these individuals read your post…think I’ll link to it on my site.
AngelRS | Jan 11, 2008 | Reply
Yeh! It will be very fun to work at home and make money Online. I love that way. We can be our own boss….
Thanx for giving such information on the same….
Daniel Mcgonagle | Jan 14, 2008 | Reply
Hi, great post! I would advise that you test the waters first before going full-time. If you think your not ready yet and the pay at your day job is sufficient enough to augment yours and that of your family’s needs, don’t quit yet. But if the answer to it is a ‘yes,’
the go for it!
Martin | Jan 20, 2008 | Reply
This column was very informative. Kudos to the writer. I think that the only true way for any of us to really reach our business goals, and goals in life for that matter, is by coming together as community and helping one another. The power of community is remarkable. By being part of one that consistently contributes information to one another you multiply your efforts by tenfold. The saying it “ it takes a village� applies to more than just raising children. I for one love nothing more than to help someone get one step closer to reaching their dreams. It gives me a sense of contribution that makes feel OK about staying up long hours day and night researching the latest techniques and tricks to have a successful business and draw people to it.
The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell.
-Confucius-
If you are interested in some help in your business visit my videos at
http://www.MartinFortKnox.com
or check out my site at
http://www.bankrollmarketing.com
Thank You
Scott | Jan 23, 2008 | Reply
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property sale | Feb 5, 2008 | Reply
There are always pros and cons but for some like myself there is no other acceptable option. I have worked for too amny jerks and idiots and that is my biggest motivator to go into biz for myself.
CashJuke | Feb 10, 2008 | Reply
That was an interesting read and really shows the good and bad sides of working from home. Thank you!
Samuel | Feb 13, 2008 | Reply
One of my problems was motivation and distractions. Well those are actually two problems. Motivation because like you said, if your living by yourself, your isolated from everything. There’s no one around to push you. I cure this by leaving the house and working out of a coffee shop or Borders Bookstore.
Distractions kill me because I have to answer the phone to talk to clients. Check email for updates. It’s hard to be productive with all that going on around you. What I started doing to cure that was to turn everything off (cell phones, Instant Messenger, etc) I check email twice a day. Then I meditate to help me focus on what I should be doing to get to the next level. A friend introduced me to the meditating. I thought it was hocus-pocus at first, but it really does help me organize my thoughts and put things into perspective.
Thanks for writing this article. It was very informative and helpful. You really do have a grasp of what it’s like to work for yourself from home.
Regards,
Samuel
Fire Your Boss
http://www.fireyourbossnetwork.com
Las Vegas Homes Guy | Feb 14, 2008 | Reply
I hit Sam hit the nail on the head. Not everyone can be self motivating, and that’s a huge thing when you are your own boss. That combined with lack of proper planning spells disaster.
Brian | Feb 24, 2008 | Reply
Hi Andrew. I have been in Education for a few years myself. I taught for a while and now work in advising at a school. I am very much interested in learning more about starting my own business in perhaps relation to something in Education. Do you have any thoughts?
Tessa | Feb 27, 2008 | Reply
Hi. I think I’ve gone past the stage of asking myself if I ’should’ start a home business. All I know is that I’m not cut out for desk jobs (took a long time for me to accept that) and I’m willing to try an alternative.
I think it might also be an age thing. I’m in my 30’s and I guess I wanna go for things I want more, earn money doing the things I love doing. I want to start LIVING for a change.
ClickBank Profit Machine | Mar 3, 2008 | Reply
Working at home can be very profitable, especially when you sell clickbank products with good commissions. Just find something that makes you money and keep expanding on it until you reach your goal.
agentsully | Mar 3, 2008 | Reply
@Tessa - take one step at a time and you’ll get there!
Home business Forum | Mar 4, 2008 | Reply
Amazing blog bro,
I’ve just re-opened my home business forum and will have to share this site with my members.
The best way I’ve found to make money online is to use LOADS of different methods IE, clickbank, eBay, etc.
Serious-Home-Based-Business | Mar 4, 2008 | Reply
With all the home business deductions and tax write offs, EVERYONE needs a home based business.
Kharkov | Mar 6, 2008 | Reply
Tnank You for your article. This is very interesting. I waiting for Your next publication. A spacially thank for some helpful business planning resources.
Oregon Retirement Community | Mar 8, 2008 | Reply
Nice post! I tried the at home thing for a while and seriously underestimated the self motivation requirement. IE, at work, in an office environment I find it much easier to get down to business and get stuff done. However, now that I am in an office I find that working at home just a day or two out of the week is a different story. Interspersed infrequently like that I can carry over the momentum from the office and feel that the quiet of the home environment helps me get more done. So a blend works best for me. I imagine it varies by industry and personality type - doing creative work for a retirement community which is what I do, may be much different than doing a more repetitive task in financial company say.
Thanks for the post!
Kids | Mar 12, 2008 | Reply
That was an interesting read and really shows the good and bad sides of working from home. Thank you!
auto | Mar 16, 2008 | Reply
Well those are actually two problems. Motivation because like you said, if your living by yourself, your isolated from everything. There’s no one around to push you. I cure this by leaving the house and working out of a coffee shop or Borders Bookstore.
All Comedy Club | Mar 16, 2008 | Reply
Thanks a lot! Very useful for the beginner!
Regards,
Edward
Ogorod | Mar 16, 2008 | Reply
I like this article too.The benefits of working at home and being able to make your own fortune are great.It is all up to you.
car lease gal | Mar 17, 2008 | Reply
Thank you very much for this list. Working at home is not as easy as it sounds. The downfall or success of your business is up to you. It is both challenging and daunting and it takes a lot of work.
XLOR | Mar 24, 2008 | Reply
No Boss and No More Office Politics - Yes, yes, yes. I think it is the main idea of working at home for me!
Ildar Abdulin | Mar 26, 2008 | Reply
You write right things — working at home has both of pros and cons…. so people need to think twice before starting a home bussiness
Eugene | Mar 31, 2008 | Reply
No boss is good, but to work at home (successfully) you have to be a very motivated person.
This is not for everyone.
Download Infoproducts | Mar 31, 2008 | Reply
You need to be able to eliminate interruptions and distractions. I turn off the cell phone and check email once a day. It’s the only way I will be productive.
Tony | Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Working from home is never been easier now with the internet so easily available.
Ong | Apr 6, 2008 | Reply
Working from home is the best that one can ask for
Sergey | Apr 12, 2008 | Reply
I’m working without boss for 2 years, it is very very good. Nobody bothers your every day.
Alex | Apr 12, 2008 | Reply
Working at home can be very profitable, especially when you sell clickbank products with good commissions. Just find something that makes you money and keep expanding on it until you reach your goal.
Victor | Apr 12, 2008 | Reply
IMHO, working at home nowadays is one of the best ways to get more money working less and getting more pleasure.
Thanks | Apr 12, 2008 | Reply
Thanks a lot! Very useful for the beginner!
Krystine the work at home expert | Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
Hi there, Thanks for the post. A couple of things that work well for me to keep focused on the home job at hand is to:
1) I spend about an hour per day first thing and pick up the house, dishes,laundry ect.
2) I make sure that kids are in school, hubby off to work, ect. I need a quiet time and place to work. I know this part is tough so I pick and choose my hours to work around their schedule so I can have quiet time on the computer to work. Those are my hours to earn an income. It works for me.
Thanks for your helpful tips too!
http://Reviewworkathomejobs.com
Social Shopping Early Adopter | Apr 17, 2008 | Reply
First of all thanks for great article! Bookmarked. And sent to some of my friends
It is very descriptive.
Yep, there is a lot of pros and cons to work at home.
From 1st point of view it seems you are free, but with time you come down as you have much less conversations, meetings, etc.
The best thing is to have really well set up business
Home Biz Ideas for Moms | Apr 20, 2008 | Reply
Your article is all very true!
Many people picture a home business as a life of leisure. If you have a SUCCESSFUL business (or want to build one), you cannot get sucked into the idea that you don’t have to do a LOT of hard work. Just the opposite is true! You may be your own boss, but you had better be a very good motivator …OF YOU!
Tory Burch | Apr 23, 2008 | Reply
Hi again, this is exactly the boat I am in right now. You had me at point #1. I need to get myself to the library or coffee shop to be productive at all. The nearby fridge, pajamas, and TV are all killing my productivity at home.
agentsully | Apr 25, 2008 | Reply
@Tory -wishing you luck!