October 2010 Work From Home Articles

It used to be the case that in the typical nuclear family, the father would work while the mother stays home with the kids, but today, trying to make ends meet on a single income is next to impossible.  A great option for a stay at home mom would be to start a home based business, but balancing that business with raising young children can be particularly tough.  Here's a look at some ideas for how to keep your children occupied (and keep your sanity) while balancing parenting with business. 

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From angel investors to venture capitalists, these days there are plenty of ways to fund a business, but in the past, the most common and usually the only option was to get a loan from a bank.  This may not seem as exciting as finding an angel investor to put up the money with little to no risk to you, but it definitely has it's advantages (not the least of which is that the bank will not take a hefty founder's share of your company).  So, you've decided that a bank loan is the best move for your new small business; but what's the best way to go about securing the loan you need?  The best place to start is to get prepared for what banks are looking for when they draft a loan, and here's the top 3.

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As the recession of 2008 doesn't seem to be bouncing back as fast as everyone had hoped, one thing that many people are noting is that now, more than ever, being an entrepreneur makes a lot of sense.  And while home based businesses are becoming increasingly popular, there are still some additional steps that you should take to maximize your effectiveness and minimize your bottom line.  The idea here is that while you're immediately going to be able to run a lot leaner as a home based business, cutting down as much as possible within your home business will not only help you net the highest profits possible, but it could ultimately be the difference between your business failing or succeeding.

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When you're getting your business off the ground, many entrepreneurs will run into the dilemma of either needed some positive cash flow, or needing an initial client base and quite often, the first place to turn will be friends and family.  This can be a somewhat awkward proposition, since you're using an existing relationship to further your business needs, but if done properly it doesn't have to be awkward at all, and can even help bolster the relationship.  However, if done improperly, the results can be catastrophic.  Here's a couple suggestions for how to approach this delicate subject with the people you care about the most.

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With most home based businesses, margins will be tight enough; but through in a slow economy and the challenges of starting from scratch, and saving a small amount here and there can add up to a majority of your profit margin in the long run.  Here's a short list of some things you can do to lower your bottom line without sacrificing any quality of service or putting your product and your business in jeopardy.

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Direct selling can be a tough market for some to break into; primarily because it requires you to break down the barrier between business and friendship.  This doesn't mean that you'll constantly be pitching products to your friends, but what it does mean is that you'll need to make lots of relationships with potential buyers and essentially need to become "everybody's friend".  It's not an easy endeavor to venture into, but with the right personality, skill-set and motivation, you can make a great deal of money quickly selling directly.  Here's a few tips that should help you along the way.

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What started with Avon in the late 1800's and exploded with Tupperware in the early 1950's, the concept of doing a 'party' themed around selling a line of products has been a popular and effective way of direct marketing.  Why do people still do it today nearly 60 years later, and more importantly, why does it continue to be successful?  Here's a couple sure-fire ideas that should get you on your way.

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Most, if not all, home based businesses don't exactly have a fat marketing budget.  In fact, usually marketing is something that doesn't even make the budget sheet, let alone get it's own piece of the pie, but there are still some very effective low-cost ways to market your business, and some of the most effective in the industry cost nothing.  Here's a look at some of your options if you need to market your home based business on the cheap. 

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When starting a home based business, the two options you'll most likely be looking at are an LLC or a Sole Proprietorship.  These two options for a business owned by a single person or married couple may seem identical on the surface, but there are some big differences that could be the difference between success, failure and even bankruptcy.  Here's a brief overview of the two types.

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LinkedIn is a unique professional network that brings together companies, entrepreneurs and individuals of all kinds with a focus on productivity rather than catching up with friends and family.  LinkedIn offers plenty of different features, but probably the three main ones for a business would be the Q&A, job listings and the Companies feature.

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