Home based Business

Have you ever wished that you could work from home? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 19 million people worked from home (either part-time or full-time) in 2001. It’s a growing trend in our society with the number steadily rising as many people are leaving the workplace in favor of a work-at-home career.

There are four main ways to make working from home possible:

1. Telecommute for your current employer – Many employers are beginning to see the benefits of allowing their employees to work from home. If you have a job that would be possible to do from home ask your employer to consider it. More and more employers are allowing employees to telecommute. This is an easy way to work from home while maintaining the security of a stable career. You must realize, though, that working from home may limit you in terms of advancing in your company. It’s important to think through the sacrifices that you may need to make in your situation to work from home.

2. Telecommute as an independent contractor – There are many companies that hire independent contractors to do work such as data entry, transcription and customer service from home. This can be an incredible opportunity as long as you’re willing to keep track of your own taxes and aren’t relying on the employer for insurance and other perks

There are many benefits to the company also, such as lower wages, not needing to provide insurance, or being able to offer a commission based position. The company may also choose to hire home workers so that they do not need to pay for space to house an office full of employees.

3. Own a direct sales/MLM home-based business – Many times these types of home-based businesses are overlooked, but they truly can bring an income and allow you to work from home. However, doing your research before joining a company is very important. Look for representatives of the company to speak with and, if possible, try to find someone who has been a representative for the company, but is no longer. They may be able to share some of the negative aspects of the business with you.

Also check with the Better Business Bureau and make sure that the company that you are considering has a good reputation. You can also go to websites such as CWAHM.com and sign up to speak with current work at home moms (CWAHD.com for dads) who can answer your questions about owning a home-based direct sales/MLM business.

4. Begin your own home-based business – It can seem overwhelming to start your own business, but if you start small and have a good business plan it can be a very rewarding decision. You are able to be your own boss, have a very flexible schedule and work only when it is convenient for you.

When considering beginning your own business, make sure that you have found a niche that will allow you to serve customers that no one else is serving. When I began searching for a way to work from home, I spent time researching the different work at home websites available and realized that there was not a place for Christians to network and help one another work from home. I filled this niche with my website, CWAHM.com, and the response has been amazing. If you take your time and find a niche or unique product, you will have a much higher chance at success.

If you decide to begin your own business, you must also check your state and city about zoning laws, licensure requirements, etc. Contact an accountant to find out what percentage of sales you need to set aside for taxes as well as whether or not you’ll need to make quarterly tax payments.

Working from home is a big commitment and it can take some time to get started. It’s important to take the time to research what type of at-home position will work best for you. If you would like to telecommute, speak with your employer to see if it is a possibility. If you are looking into a home-based business, speak with others from the company or find a niche that you can fill with your own business. Working from home can be a rewarding choice and it IS possible.

Jill Hart is the founder and editor of Christian Work at Home Moms, CWAHM.com, and the author of the e-book, The Two Week Devotional Journey for Christian Work at Home Moms. The CWAHM.com website is dedicated to providing moms with free resources to aid them in their work at home search. The site also provides current work at home moms with opportunities to promote their businesses while at the same time providing them spiritual encouragement and articles. E-mail Jill at mailto:jill@cwahm.com jill@cwahm.com for additional information or stop by her site at cwahm.com cwahm.com

Last night I was watching my local news channel and there was a spot on about current trends on the Internet. After listing all of the ways that the Internet is helping people in their lives, the newscaster made a flippant mention about watching out for all of the Multi-Level Marketing, Pyramid Schemes and Internet Porn sites while you’re online.

Isn’t it interesting that Multi-Level Marketing, a legitimate business plan that many businesses follow, got lumped in with those other two clearly negative and illegal trends?

Well, interesting – yes, but surprising – no!

We’ve all heard the story of traditional Multi-Level Marketing. You are “invited” into the system by a trusted friend. You sign up and purchase a whole bunch of whatever product the company wants you to sell. You then go out and try to convince other people to do the same thing. That fails to work and what do you end up with? A whole bunch of product that you don’t even want, and a good dose of buyer’s remorse!

The old Multi-Level Marketing business model did not work for a lot of people. Today the power of the Internet has changed everything. If you can grasp exactly how the Internet has changed your power to do business, you will be able to build a successful Multi-Level Marketing business in ways that were virtually impossible before.

We now have the power to build a huge support network and team before we even start selling a single product. In the past, you were out on your own, looking to sell a little product and hopefully build a little team of sellers. Unfortunately, recruiting new sellers was a task that proved to be too difficult for most people, so their businesses would fail.

However, if you can build a team before you even have a product to sell or if you can find one to join that has supportive like-minded people, that team will be the key to your success. Imagine having a sales force of 100 people to work with before you have even decided which product to start selling.

So, before you start looking for the next great Multi-Level Marketing opportunity, focus instead on finding a team that you believe in. Make sure that the team provides you with tools (such as advertising materials and training) to help you bring new people into the team yourself. If you can find a strong and supportive team that you believe in, those positive qualities will help you attract new marketers as well.

Taking this one step further, we find the real beauty in growing a supportive team. Instead of being tied to a single product or company, the team you have helped to grow has the power to move to any business opportunity that you choose. Once the team is built, it becomes a solid sales force that can market the best products and services available at any given time. The team’s loyalty will always be to you and the other teammates ahead of any company that you are working for.

The absolute key to succeeding as an Internet Marketer is to understand that first and foremost you are in the business of Networking and not selling. Find the team you believe in, get to know your fellow marketers, become a positive role model in the team yourself, and you will have the platform set to virtually guarantee your success.

Michael Badger is the founder of 100Percent.biz 100Percent.biz
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We give you a money making website.
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You get residual income streams.

What could be more supportive than that?

Membership to 100 Percent is free.

1. No Physical Address or Contact Numbers

The Internet has made it simple for new home based businesses to create a presence without having any real infrastructure or substance. While not all mlm businesses require a physical address, those that are offering goods or services to reps and consumers would be expected to have some traceable location. The lack of a phone number makes it all but impossible to pursue any customer service, commission, or other representative issue.

2. Executives with a trail of short lived or closed companies behind them.

Every story is a success story when you hear them from a rep selling on a new deal. But how successful can the executives of a new company be if this is their third or fourth new mlm company in as many years?

3. The Vague Executive Bio

No company names, or other traceable details about their supposedly stellar careers. Phrases like “Has had fifteen years of success in the Network Marketing Industry” are meaningless without specific facts to back it up. They may have been successful in collecting a salary check and filling the company coffers, but wouldn’t you expect them to name the various network marketing companies they’ve “built from the ground up” if all they’ve left is a trail of happy, successful reps?

4. The Bigger, Better Biz Opp

Repackaging a network marketing business opportunity that has failed elsewhere does not a success story make. Sometimes a business opportunity that has failed elsewhere is rewrapped in a new website, a new name, a new comp plan and sold as a new, viable opportunity. Often, the failures are blamed on poor management, etc., when perhaps it is the “opportunity” at fault.

5. Answers to Due Diligence Questions that do everything but answer the Question

We continually run into this as we research mlm companies. Simple questions like “Where is your corporate office” that are answered with questions like “Why do you want to know?”. Or answers about the business stability that garner responses like “Of course this is a great mlm opportunity, you can tell just by looking at our palatial offices.”

6. Payment Accepted by Check or Money Order Only

Eliminating the ability for reps to pay for product with a credit card eliminates their ability to dispute charges if the company fails to deliver.

7. Offshore Address

Speaks for itself.

8. No Tangible Product

Without a tangible network marketing products, its difficult to show there is something being sold to an end-user other than the opportunity - which can be the defininition of Pyramid Scheme.

9. Minimal or Non-Existent Refund Policy

Any legitimate mlm company will stand behind its product or service. A lack of a refund policy, or one that expires in a very short period are often questionable situations. Others may incorporate a non-refundable setup charge, or non-refundable Rep Kit fee.

10. Stock Hype

“We’re a publicly traded company, so we must be legitimate.”

New network marketing companies that “go public” before or shortly after their launch typically do so by doing a reverse merger - acquiring the public “shell” of a dead company. Or, a “parent” company “aquires” the new company to add value to a traded stock.

While none of these items might individually flag an

opportunity as “Stay Away”, several of them together might be cause to take a closer look at the opportunity and do further due diligence - if the answers are available.

C. Holliday manages Npros.com, one of the most comprehensive home based business directories and network marketing resources on the internet. To research companies, find leads, articles, executive histories and more, visit: npros.com Npros.com

To start the work at home a few basic requirements need to be met, to ensure you are successful in it. To begin with, it is necessary to assess the talent you possess. It is primarily the individual trait that identifies you among the crowd. You could be a creative person, or a person with the gift of gab. You need to identify the same and utilize the talent to be successful in your home business venture. Next, understand the skill sets you have. Talent and skill is two different aspects. A creative person can be good at writing or designing. Once the talent and skill is identified, the business plan needs to be formulated. Try to analyze, what business venture can be undertaken with your talent and skill sets. If required take advise, or consult people with the same talent and skills. The internet is also a great source of information for such business ventures.

Once you have gone through the initial phase of work at home planning, you need to do a test run. Not all business idea can be worked out at home. Eliminate the business ideas that will not work at home. The secret is considering a truly successful home based business is the process of selecting it. The next phase is chalking out the profit and planning part of the home based business. There is no point in going after a business venture, which will not reap you profit and put all your investment down the drain. Similarly, planning the business accurately and the steps involved in setting it up is crucial for the success of the business venture.

As mentioned earlier, the profit angle is crucial for a work at home business venture. Here, you need to understand the how much will your customers pay you for your services, and also if the income will be sufficient to justify the business. Always look into the financial aspect before plunging into any home based business, because it not only kills your time and energy, but also your family life gets affected to an extent. Take the decision if you think the venture is worth such sacrifice.

Last but not the least, to work at home; you need the passion and courage to be successful in the business venture. There is no need to follow the home-based business advertisements. There is no shortcut for success. The only way is sheer hard work, meticulous planning and timely execution of the work. So simply work at home to earn the income of your dreams and you can end up with the career of a lifetime.

Dave Modie is a HR expert on freelance writing opportunities and academia-research.com freelance jobs He knows how to find good academia-research.com/work_at_home.htm work at home jobs and get the best academia-research.com/work_at_home_online_jobs.htm work at home online jobs

If you’re a working parent, you might already have a lengthy list of reasons why you’d like to work from home. Perhaps you want more time with your kids before they start school full-time, or maybe you want to escape a demanding 9-5 job so you can have more energy left for your family at the end of the workday. If you don’t have a job outside the home, the thought of an extra income might be enough to send your imagination spinning.

Whatever your reasons for wanting to work from home, here are five more that might convince you it’s time to go for it – and they’re all about your kids.

1. You’ll teach your children self-reliance. Even a very young child can be asked to play by themselves for a few minutes while a parent works, and an older child can be asked to supervise younger ones. In either case, your child learns to depend on his or her own resources for a time.

2. One ring of your business phone and you make the quick change from Busy Mommy to Business Owner. Your vocabulary switches too – from mommy-speak to that of a well-mannered professional. Kids will learn more etiquette by overhearing your (hopefully) courteous business conversations than from any amount of lecturing you do.

3. Your kids learn the value of doing their best and that hard work is rewarded. Any business - home based or not - will succeed only if you do your best work 100% of the time. When your kids see how hard you work to finish a project, or when they celebrate with you because a satisfied customer gave you a referral, they’re seeing real-life evidence that giving your best effort is always worthwhile.

4. You will forever debunk the myth that money grows on trees or magically comes out of the ATM. Money is one of the rewards of hard work, and one of the reasons why mom or dad can’t go to the park until after lunch.

5. Kids of work-at-home parents learn fundamental lessons about how businesses work. Denise Willms, owner of Willms Business Solutions, dwillms.com, and publicity rep for CalgaryWAHMS.com, tells of hearing her 12-year-old son say, “I have a great idea for a marketing plan for…” Ms. Willms says, “My first reaction was, who’s been teaching him about marketing plans? Then I realized that he had been listening to me!”

Don’t forget the best reason of all to work from home - a better balance of family and work. Working from home is a practical way to show your kids how important to you spending time with them really is.

Britt Raposo helps Calgary moms work from home with her online business club, calgarywahms.com calgarywahms.com She connects Calgary work at home moms with affordable home business resources, ideas and support.

Just because you join something, does it mean that you are “entitled” to the great rewards that are normally shown in the compensation plan or the advertising piece? ABSOLUTELY NOT! If your goal is $10,000 per month, do you feel by signing up with a network marketing company is the answer? NOT! Things just don′t happen by themselves. “What do you mean, Darren, you’re killing my dreams! Do you mean I have to take responsibility for my own success??” YES! It still takes WORK on your part in order to see things happen. It takes using your melon for something else besides a divider for your ears. You have to learn to earn!

When someone talks about what they have/haven’t done in something I’ve been successful with and says, “It doesn’t work!” My reply is, “No, YOU don’t work!” Too many people don’t do what’s necessary to run their BUSINESS and blame everything on the system. They have no concept of what it takes to make the business succeed, they try to dismiss what’s being taught, try their own UNPROVEN methods and expect to make it work. What ends up happening is that they quit and say it doesn’t work.

Think of it this way. When a person buys into a McDonald’s franchise, do they go and put a generic sign saying, “Hamburgers″ or do they use the golden arches and all the pre-made bags, cups, menus, meals tables, napkins, etc? When someone gets a Subway franchise, do they call it “Mike′s Subs″ and hope that it works? No!!! They use the system that’s already in place and just do what already works for the thousands and thousands of like-franchises! It’s that simple!

A franchise is this: “A model of success passed on to others who can duplicate that success.” You need systems, concepts and a plan. You need to learn BASIC business concepts. Do what is already working! COPY what the successful franchise does! COPY what your successful mentor does! COPY SUCCESS!

Be a professional business person and not just a hobbyist that thinks their going to get rich. Learn basic business concepts and copy what is successful.

Darren Robinson has been involved in network marketing for a number of years. Many of those years spent in frustration and failure. Now, success is all that happens in his life and you can visit Darren’s blog at

In basic terms, strategic refers to the “what and why” and tactical refers to the “how.”

Both methodologies are critical to your business success.

Strategic thinking, planning, and actions reflect your ability to take into account the big picture, to recognize patterns and trends, foresee issues, predict outcomes, and have smart “Plan B’s” to fall back on.

Strategic issues deal with mission and purpose - why your business exists, how it makes a difference, and where it will be in the future.

Tactical refers to the hands-on part of getting the job done, making sure the strategic goals are met. Tactical procedures consist of performing tasks with quality and competence.

How are you currently balancing these two approaches in your business? Are you buried in details and day-to-day deadlines or are you able to focus your thinking and actions from a larger, deeper perspective?

Take a good look at almost any struggling home-based business owner and the first thing you′ll discover is many of them work long hours. They get caught up in trying to be and do everything on their own and often find themselves on a treadmill that doesn’t stop running.

Their dream of creating freedom and prosperity is quickly quashed when they assume all of the responsibilities required. Instead of focusing on building the business, they appoint themselves bookkeeper, salesperson, marketing expert, receptionist, customer service rep, cleaning staff, computer tech, etc.

Many struggling home-based business owners are operating at a “tactical” level instead of a “strategic” one and this is where overwhelm, frustration, stunted growth and eventual failure cultivate.

Many new entrepreneurs don’t understand the importance of a strategic plan and the need to outsource, delegate, automate and discard certain activities that take them away from building the business.

If you feel like you’re being buried by the details of day-to-day operations, the first step is to ask yourself, “Am I working “on″ my business or “in″ it?” Have you merely created another job for yourself? If you’re focusing more on the “how”, you’ve created a job for yourself by working tactically.

If you can honestly say you are focusing the majority of your attention on the bigger picture and from a larger perspective, and are focused more on the “what and why″, you are operating strategically.

Again, both approaches are important, however, as the business owner, you want to focus your attention on building, designing, planning and acting in ways that support the BIG picture.

If you′re stuck on how to proceed strategically and uncertain about how to leverage your time more efficiently, partner with a coach, mentor or trusted advisor to help you get clear on what you really want for your business so you can develop a success plan.

Running a profitable home-based business can be fun and easy once you learn how to leverage your time properly, function strategically, and by surrounding yourself with skilled people who are as committed to your success as you are.

© 2006 – Laurie Hayes, The HBB Source

Laurie Hayes, founder and visionary behind The HBB Source™ helps government and corporate employees break free of their jobs to live their dream of running a home-based business.

Subscribe to her FREE e-zine, The HBB Confidential, for valuable tips and resources designed to create business success, visit thehbbsource.com thehbbsource.com

You need to make some money. Perhaps you’d like to change careers. Maybe you’d like a new challenge. Or you’ve just heard the rumors about the fortunes to be made on the internet.

Any one of these reasons might have led you to the decision to start your own internet business, but before you begin investing your time and money there are some important questions you need to answer to determine if an ebusiness is right for you.

First you should consider your familiarity and ease with the internet. If you don′t know about negotiate the web or attempting to do makes you uncomfortable then this alone does not mean you should rethink starting an ebusiness. However it does mean that you need to spend time learning about how the internet works and getting familiar with basic tools such as email, web browsers, message boards, and search engines. If your discomfort was a simple result of ignorance then don′t worry about it as you can acquire the knowledge and skills you need. However if you find that you simply don′t like it even after you become familiar then that should be a red flag to consider another career path.

Second you should consider your business knowledge and experience and then consider how that works for you or against you in the world of ecommerce. A simple lack of knowledge and experience simply means that you will need to spend time learning or filling in the gaps in your knowledge. The good news is that this information is readily available on the internet. Of course the bad news is that if you leap into business before you are ready it can cost you a lot of time and money. My advice is to read articles and ebooks to acquire a basic foundation then begin spending time in some online forums and ask questions. People are always willing to help. Don′t spend any money while building this foundation knowledge. You don′t have to so why do it? Latter on as you begin to delve deeper into your niche then you may decide that some information is worth paying for but hopefully by then you’ll be a better judge. However you may discover during your studies that ecommerce bores you or confuses you. Again, that should be a red flag to consider another career path.

Third what need will your ebusiness fill? Obviously you have needs but that is not what I’m talking about. Think about your potential audience or customer. Start searching for other products that might compete with yours or other businesses that already exist. Visit forums, subscribe to newsletters, and study web sites that relate to this field. Eventually you will be able to determine if there is a need for your ebusiness, how big a demand exists, and how much competition is already in place. It is important to consider these angles because each fact will help determine how easy it will be to establish your new business, grow that business, and ensure its success. You can make a success in a highly competitive field but it is more work than finding yourself in a smaller, yet unexplored, niche.

Deanna Mascle shares her business experience in her blogs about answersaboutsmallbusiness.com Answers About Small Business and route104.us Answers About Starting A Business.

The conference calls, the 3-way with your upline, the seminar, the presentation, are all methods designed to bring new people into your magnificent online opportunity. It might be the best thing since sliced bread or the greatest invention since the light bulb but if you don’t explain how a business works in comparison to a job, then you face some hard times ahead…

Never forget that the majority of people you talk with are employed by a company that pays them a wage. They are used to exchanging time for money. A business is not a job, it is a building process where re-investment must over-ride all else. It is vitally important that a new prospect is made aware of this process and that they understand what must be done to sustain growth.

If there is no re-investment of profits in your online business, you are killing your future. Your profits should be put back into your business for sustained growth and not buying a new car.

So you need a new motor and you have been made this fantastic offer… But hey… Stop and think a while here… Is the dealer who sells you that new car going to spend the profit he makes on something frivolous? No, he is going to put it straight back into more new cars and find more people just like you. Then, when his stock level starts to overload, he will sell those cars and take all the profits, without affecting his business.

You might have started an online, part-time business and you have another source of income. That is great but you need to initially invest and then re-invest most of your profits back into your business. Re-invest for growth. When your online business grows, then you can start thinking about a new car and probably one that is classier than the great deal you were offered previously.

The concept is simple when starting a new venture: Keep your living expenses low. Cut back on the things that are not necessary. Fuel your business as much as possible and look to the future.

This is a culture shock to those who have always relied upon a paycheck. Someone who is already self-employed will accept these things as normal. So, changing the mindset of an employed person at the inception of a business, will better prepare the newly self-employed for what lies ahead.

Here is some advice about re-investment:

1. At least 50% to 70% of every dollar you earn should be spent on advertising.

Profits are not a ROI (Return on Investment), until your business can sustain normal growth. If you want your business to grow, you must re-invest in your business. Perhaps you spend $1000 a month on leads for your business. Those leads may result in $2000 in new sales. Instead of taking the $1000 profit and spending it, what if you re-invested it, and bought $2000 worth of leads for your business? You could end up with $4000 in new sales the next month. Re-investing your profits this way can grow your bottom line, but you must be patient in the meantime and not be tempted by self-gratification.

2. The Best Investment - Helping your downline grow their downline.

In a downline program, such as a Network Marketing/MLM program, where you earn residual and leveraged income, you can re-invest by spending time helping members of your downline grow and improve their businesses. This will take more time than money and as they improve, you will see a direct result on your bottom line. Call or email someone in your downline and ask how you can help them grow their business. Never be afraid to invest in your downline, because their success is your success. If they do not move, you are stuck! It is far easier long-term, to be a responsible sponsor. You don’t want to become a recruiter…

3. Communications and Marketing materials.

Today, communications can be established easily and quickly. VOIP services are mostly free when used peer to peer and most VOIP providers also offer a cut-price service for phoning someone PC to landline. If you have proven marketing materials, or a system that works for anyone, that can also be incorporated into your USP, Unique Sales Proposition. Again, investment in this area can also help you maintain and grow a stronger online business.

4. Performance Related Benefits.

Running a competition amongst your downline can sometimes be a great incentive. Making it worth their while is essential, so look for what is working best in your online business and make it a prize worth winning.

Michael A Fowler, M.B.A.
Helping people to succeed online since 1999.

retirequicklynetworkmarketing.com/ Visit My Website

What’s your business vision –what you would like to become or achieve this year? Your vision is the basis for setting specific goals to make your dream a reality. So often we jump into setting goals without a clear vision of where we want to go. The vision is the inspiration that keeps you motivated when doubt surfaces. It’s the preview of coming attractions in your life, it’s the movie you are writing and producing just for your starring role. Without this movie script, there’s no obvious direction.

Why do so many people fail to put their vision and goals on paper? It’s the standard excuse: “I don’t have enough time for this exercise; I’m too busy with daily activities”. The truth is, each of us has all the time there is. It’s not a time-management problem it’s a priority / focus problem. We put our focus on minor distractions that pop up each day rather than follow a specific script or action plan.

What’s the starring role you want to create for yourself this year? Take just 30 minutes TODAY to sit quietly and think about where you really, really want to be a year from now. Make notes of everything that comes into your mind. Then take your notes and write the story of your vision as though you are living it now. This narrative is your movie story line. Next, take this vision and work backwards. To be living your vision 12 months from now, what would you be doing or earning 10 months from now? Keep moving backwards – what would you be doing 8 months, 6 months, 4 months, and 2 months from now to make this happen? Work backwards until you get to actions you can do this week and today to support your vision.

Going through the “backing up” part of the exercise, lets you see specific goals to set for yourself along the way. These goals become your movie script. Each morning when you start your day, picture yourself as the Star reporting to your movie set. You know the story line (your vision), what your role is (to create the vision) and you have a detailed script (goals that you’ve set) to follow each day. Write an award winning movie for yourself, give your best Oscar winning performance and receive a standing ovation at the end of the year!

You are the Star of your own life! Make it a memorable year.

(If you want help writing your vision for your direct selling business, I have created a “Vision Worksheet” that walks you through the process. To get a FREE copy for this worksheet, just email me (vicki@directsellingleadershipcenter.com) and I will be happy to send you the worksheet file.)

Vicki Miller, CUCG, PCC / Copyright January 2007

As a Life Coach, my passion has always been to help people grow and achieve success. One way I do this is to offer training designed specifically for direct selling leaders — training that addresses your needs and instills confidence in your ability to manage a thriving business, lead your team and develop new leaders. Visit the Direct Selling Leadership Center ( directsellingleadershipcenter.com directsellingleadershipcenter.com)to see the variety of training resources offered.