Help! I Need a Home Based Business
You are in the right place! Here you'll get many ideas on businesses you could start from home by looking through our member profiles, or you might want to join a team that is already established with a reputable company (and there are many!).
For those of you looking to turn your hobby into a business
You'll find a lot of support and ideas here for that decision as well. You'll be encouraged by seeing how others have done the same type of thing.
If you are not yet sure if others will pay for your services, then put a posting out on Craigslist in your area and see what happens. I've found several people in my area I've done business with that way (ie: couch cushion upholstery, errand services, etc). If you have technical skills, then put a profile on Elance. You don't even need to have a website for either of these options (it's helpful, but not required).
Then take the next step and you can create a web site. Whatever you are looking for; from do-it-yourself places, to custom web designs, there's a solution for what you need. You can get low cost business cards (and/or free if you sign up for their mailing list) from VistaPrint, or a new favorite of mine is BrandDoozie.
Once you know if people will pay for your services and you have a web site, then it’s time to market your business here and other places. You can join local networking groups, like the chamber of commerce group in your area, and they'll give you feedback and ideas and/or suggestions on your business.
I remember one networking group I went to in my local area and there was a girl who was just getting into a cake decorating business and she had cakes in a jar that she brought to share and sell. We all loved the idea (went crazy for it actually) and we gave her lots of encouragement, ideas and sales but the downside was, I think our enthusiasm overwhelmed her a bit (as I made referrals, she was not really set up to handle them) but hopefully once she processed the feedback she realized that getting such a positive response from a group of women was good and meant she was definitely on the right track. So get your business on track, grow at your own pace, but do your best every day to take care of your customers, and the referrals will keep coming.
But what if you have a great idea, but absolutely no way to fund it's creation ? Well maybe a Business Startup Grant would help ? Laura Wheeler from Firelight Web Studio is offering a grant of services to help. Check out : http://contest.frontporchfolks.com. This is a grant, not a contest, it is awarded based on preparedness and merit, not on chance or popularity. This site also has an excellent overview of grants in particular, and how to avoid grant scams.
For those of you looking to team up with an established business and/or a team
I know it’s hard to trust that there are great companies out there that are set up to help you reach your goals, but there are!
You do need to do your due diligence by doing research, asking questions, and making sure you enjoy the products involved (here's a tip: if there are no services and/or products involved that you can touch and feel, that might be a clue that the business is not legitimate). Vaporware comes and goes, so search for something you'd enjoy using even if there was not a business opportunity attached to it.
There are many excellent teams composed of women, men, parents, grandparents, corporate types and stay-at-home mom’s that are looking to team up with smart, energetic and dynamic business partners. It's free to listen to the opportunities and hear about their business.
Listen, ask questions and decide if it's something you'd like to know more about. If it is, take the next step; it's not a lifetime commitment you are making so just take it one step at a time.
Most companies provide money back guarantees so you are not out of any money if you decide a few months down the line that it's not for you. If you enjoy the products, are impressed by them and would use them over and over again, then others will too.
The good news is that you don't have to re-invent the wheel (whew! who has time for that these days! :)) just be coachable, listen to what your business partners are sharing with you (most all training is free) and don't be surprised if you've found the answer to many of your problems.
The worse you could end up with is more friends, direction and purpose in your life, more money in your bank account, and most of all, you've conquered your fears of the unknown and taken a positive step forward.
Your future is waiting for you, so don't stand in its way. There are plenty of people who will tell you it's not possible, but that’s because they have not done it. We have, so give us a chance to show you what we've done and help you do the same.
Once you've decided which direction you are going to go in, JUST DO IT!
One step at a time, one day at a time. Each day do something to move your business forward ~ even if it's only making decisions on things while you are in the shower ~ write them down when you get out and each day you do that, you are building a business and solidifying your dream.
If possible, it's best to have your web site working for you when you are not working, so if you can add an ecommerce option to it then you can take orders during times when you are not available.
Any income that you can bring in that is passive instead of active is a huge help to you down the line. Passive income (the kind that keeps coming in when you are sleeping) is best because if you get sick (or someone you love does) and you cannot work, it's always best if the money keeps flowing in via work you've already previously done and/or you have a system in place that can run on it's own for awhile if necessary.
You do have customers who will come to depend on you, so creating a system like that is best. If you are dependable and take care of your customers as your top priority, they’ll in turn take care of you financially.
Remember...YOU CAN DO THIS! We are here to help!
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