Category: Home-Based Business

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Home-Based Business

Juggling Work and Family When You Work at Home

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Q: I have been having my home based business for three years now and I still am struggling with how to juggle business and being a mom, wife and housekeeper. How do you juggle these? I want to make this a success, but so far it’s only been frustration.

My children are four and two years old and they are more challenging than most (not as in spoiled, but as in needing more time than the average kid). Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

A: GREAT question. My kids are now seven and four, so I now have a little bit of help in my seven-year-old. But, I found something that I had written a few years ago. In it, I listed my kids’ ages as four and one. I could tell when reading it that I had been very frazzled. I think I lived in a state of frazzled during those years when they were both so small.

My main advice would be to cut yourself some slack. Things will get easier and more manageable as your kids get older.

My practical advice is this:

1. Plan out menus each week.
I literally spend about two minutes on this. I have a small magnetic dry-erase board that I keep on my refrigerator. Each Sunday, I write out the days of the week and what we’ll have for supper that day. (Lunches almost always consist of sandwiches or something easy like that since it’s just me and the kids.)

This makes grocery shopping a breeze because I know just what ingredients I need. It also alleviates the nagging thoughts of “what are we going to eat tonight?” If possible, have one or both of your kids help you decide what to put. You’ll be surprised at how much they like having a say in what goes on that board!

2. Set a day for everything.
My days look something like this:

* Mondays – Housework and laundry (and business tasks as time allows)
* Tuesdays – Grocery shopping and business tasks (this used to be during naptime, but is now during preschool time)
* Wednesdays – Bible study and lunch with hubby (and business tasks as time allows)
* Thursdays – Business tasks as much as possible with playtime in between
* Friday – Take it Easy Day (and business tasks as time allows)
* Saturdays – Laundry
* Sunday – Church and a good, long nap

It seems a little boring on paper, but I can’t tell you how much this little schedule has saved my sanity. I know when I get up in the morning what I have ahead of me and it is broken into manageable segments. You’ll find that scheduling things amongst these “main” schedule items will get easier and easier as you get used to the schedule.

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Home-Based Business

Office Organization: 5 Steps to Setting Up Your Core Systems

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For many solopreneurs they think that once they’ve set themselves up in business it’s all about marketing, marketing, marketing. But there’s one very important piece of the puzzle you need to have in place before you start your marketing … and that’s your managing.
Building a successful long-term profitable business isn’t about “marketing” your business, it’s about “managing” your business – the marketing comes once you have your management systems in place… this is a really important concept, and once you’ve got to grips with this, marketing becomes a whole lot easier!

You cannot begin to market your business if you can’t find the information you need, don’t know who you are marketing to, and don’t know where you are in your business.

So what I’d like to share with you today are my top 5 steps to setting up your core office organization systems.

1. CREATE your paper-based filing system. Having an efficient filing system in place will enable you to find the information you need, when you need it! First of all invest in your filing storage, whether that’s a dedicated filing cabinet or plastic filing crates. Keep in mind you will need TWICE as much storage space as you think you’ll need. When setting up your filing system it’s important that you design a system that fits YOUR style.

2. TACKLE the Paper Pile using my super-simple Two-Step System. This is a really quick and simple way of tackling your piles of paper. The goal is to get all the papers off your desk and floor and either have them filed away for when you need them again; in a special ‘action’ folder that you work on during your allotted ‘action focus’ time; or quite simply tossed! You would be surprised at how many papers you are holding on to that when you look back at them you find are either out-of-date or simply not relevant to your business needs anymore.

3. CREATE your PC filing system. Once you’ve got the first two steps completed, this third step actually becomes quite easy. Your PC is also a large filing cabinet, so it makes sense to replicate your paper-based system for the PC. If you have created main category files, then create a main category folder in your ‘My Documents’ folder on your PC, and create sub-files in this main folder as necessary. Repeat this process for all your main filing categories.

4. ORGANIZE your Inbox. Emails! Another huge time drain if not organized properly. Use the same system again to store and manage all your emails. Instead of them all going into one huge Inbox that’s totally unorganized, break your Inbox down into different folders and move the relevant email into that folder. Follow the same system as for your paper and PC-based filing systems. In Outlook you can create Email Rules so that emails are automatically moved into the appropriate folder as they come into your Inbox. Consistency is the key to an efficient filing system. Keeping to the same system will make it much easier for you to manage.

5. CREATE a PC and file back up system. Now that you’ve spent time creating all these systems it’s vital that you also have a PC back-up system in place. You simply cannot afford to lose any of your vital documents when you run a solo service business. In fact I highly advise having two back up systems in place – one onsite and one offsite. The onsite back up can be through an external hard drive, and the offsite back up service can be through an automatic backup service.

Make a plan today to get these core systems in place and your business will start to become effortless and fun – isn’t that an exciting thought!

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Home-Based Business

Top Reasons To Start a Home Based Business

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For a variety reasons, including economic, social, and technological, starting a home business is more popular than ever with entrepreneurs in the USA. Along with the traditional flexibility and lower costs a home business can offer, the rise of the personal computer and the Internet in particular have made a running a successful small business from home more viable and profitable than ever.
In this article you will find a list of some the top reasons to consider starting a small home based business or franchise opportunity. This includes info about some of the advantages that a home business can offer an entrepreneur such as low overhead, tax deductions, a better lifestyle, and more.
Low Overhead: One of the greatest advantages of starting a home business is you have no expensive monthly rent or lease expense potentially saving you tens of thousands of dollars every year. Also with no commute to deal with everyday, you can also save money on gas and travel expenses. With these reduced expenses, operating a business from home can provide a less expensive and more profitable way to start and run a small business and should ultimately help increase your chances of success.
Enviable Lifestyle: A home business can give you the freedom and flexibility to enjoy your life more fully. This includes being able to spend more time with your loved ones, pursue other interests, and the ability to set your own schedule. Working form home also removes the hassle and anxiety of having to commute to an office or job site everyday.
Take Control: The ability to control your own destiny and eliminate the daily stress and hassles of dealing with a boss or co-workers can be a liberating experience for many fledgling entrepreneurs. Many people who start a home business also invariably report that their productively level has soared because of the flexibility working from home can offer. Not to mention the extra benefit of the elimination of the typical time wasting distractions commonly found at the average workplace.
Mobility: One of the most unique and attractive advantages a home business can offer an individual is the ability to live and work in the geographical area of their choice. As long as your business and services aren’t tied to a specific market that requires you’re personal and physical presence, you can live and work anywhere your heart desires. And if you decide to retire or start a new venture someday, established home based businesses are also fairly easy to sell for the very same reasons.
Tax Advantages: There are a number of legitimate tax deductions available to home based business owners that can potentially save you thousands of dollars a year on your tax bill. This provides the obvious benefit of being able to put more money in your pocket. Note: Always consult with an accountant or financial adviser for more details and advice about the tax advantages of starting a home business.
Personal Satisfaction: Starting and operating a business from home can be not only more profitable income wise, but it can also provide you with a sense of personal accomplishment and
About the Author:
Ray Haiber is a franchise sales consultant and the founder of AZfranchises.com, a franchises for sale resource and directory. You can research and view home based businesses for sale here.

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Home-Based Business How-To Guides Online Business Operations Technology

Accepting Credit Cards- A Quick Guide for Business Owners

According to Forbes Magazine, businesses that don’t accept credit cards lose as much as 70% of sales to competitors who do allow this method of payment. With the number of Americans that use credit cards to make purchases increasing every day, you can’t afford to lose this many potential customers or clients. Here’s a quick and easy, real-world tested guide to accepting credit cards:
Merchant Accounts: The Basics
The merchant account is the “middle man” between a credit card account and a business’ bank account. Businesses that only process cards online usually use gateway software that collects credit card information, where retail businesses typically use credit card swipe machines. Whichever method you use, it’s necessary to have a merchant account to collect the information, verify it with the customer’s credit card provider, and make the transfer of funds from their account to yours. Merchant account providers often “bundle” the costs of online processing software into the account service costs.
Billing
Generally, merchant account providers will assess a fee for each transaction, whether a sale or a return (a “chargeback”). These fees are a portion of the transaction amount or a specified dollar amount. Many companies require monthly minimums, and will charge your business the remaining amount if this minimum is not met. Billing occurs automatically, as each “batch” of transactions is processed, typically at the close of each business day. Vendors provide reports detailing transactions, charges, and payments made at specified intervals.
Transaction Types
The fee assessed for each transaction typically depends on the way the sale or return is recorded. Swipe machines or those with signature capture devices carry the lowest risk of fraud, and thus transactions are less expensive to process. Online transaction s or those that are “keyed in” are typically more expensive, depending on the security measures taken to record the transaction. Vendors assess higher fees for “chargeback” or return transactions.
Service Contracts
Most businesses sign a service agreement that covers a specified period of time. Canceling your account before the service term expires generally carries penalties and fees, much like breaking a lease. Your per-transaction and monthly minimum rates are set when you apply for an account and sign the service agreement. The best rates are reserved for those businesses with a stable financial history and high credit card sales volume- many vendors offer “tiered” rate structures, where the per-transaction rate decreases the higher your sales volume rises. Though newer businesses just starting out might not be eligible for the best rates right away, they can negotiate for better terms as the business becomes more profitable.
Equipment and Software
Credit card processing equipment and software costs are often included in the service contract you sign with a provider. If you own or manage a retail store, chances are you’ll only need hardware, such as a swipe terminal or a signature capture device. Businesses that sell products online can puchase “gateway” software that is billed along with the merchant account service bill. Credit card terminals can be purchased, financed, or leased. It’s always a good idea to ask if there are any discounted models, or if a certain model is included with an account agreement.
Choosing an Account Provider: Where to Start
The most popular places to find a merchant services provider are through referral or using a vendor match service. You can consult businesses similar to yours in terms of size and sales volume: Ask who they use as a provider, if they are satisfied with the service they receive, and if they have any particular recommendations. A vendor search service allows you to compare several different companies, ask for quotes, and choose a vendor based on your requirements. Make sure you compare several different merchant account providers before signing a contract for services.
MerrinMuxlowPhoto.jpgMerrin Muxlow is a writer, yoga instructor, and law student based in San Diego, California. She writes extensively for Resource Nation, a company that provides resources for business owners, and is a frequent contributor to several sites and programs that offer tools for entrepreneurs, including Dell and BizEquity.

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Home-Based Business

Choosing the Home-Business That’s Right For You

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Starting down a new career path can be both exciting and terrifying. There are a lot of tools on the market that can help you determine what type of career field you should enter. But what if your chosen “career path” is being an entrepreneur and running a home-based business? Do the rules change? Below are five questions to ask yourself to help you determine what type of business might be right for you.

1. What is your passion?
Answer this question with the first thing that comes to mind: If money were no object and you could do anything, what would you do? You might have answered “be a writer”, “speak at conferences,” “bring my product idea to life” or any number of things. Whatever your answer, this most likely is your passion. I challenge you to take the time to ponder this and see if there is a way to bring your dream to fruition.

2. What types of things did you like to do as a child?
Many times the toys and games we loved as children give us a glimpse into who we have become as adults. If you loved climbing trees, you may now be an “outdoorsy” type of person. Think about how this might be incorporated into your business. For instance, you might enjoy setting up outdoor birthday parties for children or selling herbs from your backyard garden.

3. What type of products would you be interested in representing?
If you’re looking in the direction of direct sales, whether that be your own product or an established home-based business option, you need to think through what types of products you’d be comfortable presenting to your customers. Take the time to do some research and find a product that truly excites you. Your customers will see your sincerity and that can sell a product just as easily as a fancy presentation.

4. What skills and experience do you bring to the table?
If you’ve left the corporate world in favor of working at home, you’ve undoubtedly brought with you a set of skills. There may be a way to market those skills in a new way and turn them into a profitable business. For instance, if you were an executive assistant you may be able to type 80 words or more per minute. You could set up shop as a Virtual Assistant and help other business owners in processing orders, transcribing documents and much more.

5. Are you thinking outside of the box?
Most of us have a fear of the unknown. We many times assume that if we haven’t done something before it is simply out of reach. This carries over to the business world as well. We take our products or services and market them in the same way that we see other business owners using. However, it can be much more effective to find new and innovative ways to market. One home-based business owner I know sells stuffable toy kits. Instead of using the usual home parties and birthday party events, she works almost exclusively with children’s hospitals doing fundraisers. She makes a great living and helps not only the hospitals, but the children as well. She is a great example of unique marketing and overcoming the mundane marketing methods that so many business owners resign themselves to.

Your home-based business should be unique to you. It should make you want to get up each morning excited about the possibilities of the day ahead. Take the time to thoroughly think through the questions above and you’ll be on your way to making a great, well thought out decision that has your name written all over it!