If you have the desire to work from home, like millions of others do, there are a few things you need to realize before making your final decision on whether you decide to move forward in your entrepreneurial endeavor.
1. Working at home is NOT for everyone. Don’t fall into believing the myth that “anyone” can work at home. Working from home and running a business of your own takes a lot of work, dedication, focus, determination and patience. Not everyone has the personality to be able to run a business out of their home. Make sure you take a good look as to the type of work ethic and level of tenacity you have before making a decision to run a home based business.
2. You need to be in it for the long haul. Work at home success will not happen overnight. To be honest, it most likely won’t even happen in the first 6 — 12 months — depending on the type of business. Most businesses take up to 3 years or more to start seeing a true profit. During this time, you need to be able to continue your focus and keep your eye on the prize, so to speak.
3. Friends and family may not be supportive. When you decide that you want to start a career working at home, those closest to you may not be ready to jump on the bandwagon with you. Without realizing it, they may actually work against you in your success by their actions and words. Expect that you will need to win them over, which will take time. Many times, a spouse will need to see the fiscal success first in order to be your cheerleader.
4. Running a business is hard work. While many people dream of being able to work from home — mainly for the freedom from a “real” job that it offers — they fail to realize that to gain that sort of freedom, they will need to work hard. With most home-based businesses, you will need to wear many hats for your business to operate successfully. You will be the one who is selling, marketing, purchasing, billing, fulfilling orders, etc. Most times, you will put in more hours than you do at your regular job in order to build up to the type of success that offers you that true freedom.
5. Expect to spend money. No matter what business you choose, there will be some sort of costs involved — more than your initial investment, no matter how big or small that amount may be. These costs can include; office supplies, marketing materials, advertising costs, website and technical fees, phone and internet costs — just to name a few. Don’t be blind by jumping in without first finding out what your cost of running your business will be.
The majority of individuals, who are looking to work at home, desire to spend more time with their family, to be their own boss, and to be in charge of their own future. Working at home can be very rewarding and tens of thousands of people are living the life they were hoping for. Unfortunately, there are many more who venture out, rush forward, and don’t have all the facts they need before making a decision to run their own business. If you are on the road to seeking that work at home adventure — do it wisely — take your time, make a game plan, and most importantly, be realistic about what you are about to endeavor upon.
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Cyndi Webb is the Founder and President of Moms Network – an organization dedicated to the promotion and success of Moms in business. Since 1997 she has promoted and worked with thousands of work at home moms in coaching and guiding them in how to help grow their businesses. Over the years Moms Network has evolved to include more than 20 websites offering free resources to moms from all walks of life, the Connecting @ Home print magazine and the annual Celebrating Moms Expo which attracts thousands of moms in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Cyndi makes her home in Minnesota with her husband and two children.
