What to look for in a home-based business | Tip 4 Understanding your investment.

If you are new to the home business arena and are investing in a home-based business, I believe it is important to ask your enroller about any additional costs you may incur when starting your business. Know what your investment really is. Sure the sales letter said that you can own my own business for only $49.99 (sound familiar?) but.. is there a hidden monthly fee? How much should you budget for advertising? Does your mentor/enroller suggest getting a domain name, setting up your own website? I’m not suggesting that you steer clear of a business that will have these costs. I am, however suggesting that you be aware of what additional costs may be involved so there are
no surprises!

As for how much you should invest, only you know that. Review the compensation plan, the product, the company in detail and decide if the investment amount is something you can afford and want to invest in. I’ve heard many people trying to convince their prospects to “do what it takes”, put it on your credit card, borrow from a friend or family member and to be honest I am not a big fan of those tactics. I’ve been down that road of debt and don’t wish it upon anyone. Sure they sometimes mean well and just want you to succeed BUT you know best what you can and can’t do… Be smart.

What I did is started something a little more affordable and leveraged that income into a business requiring a higher investment. I have listed both higher and low investment opportunities here and will continue to add more as I check
them out.

Wow… this post is a lot longer than I had intended. Amazing what I can do when the kids are asleep!

What to look for in a home-based business | Tip 3

So often, I see people overlook researching what I think is the most important thing in a home-based business and that is, the product. I don’t mean to insult anyone’s intelligence here – of course you look at the product you will be marketing but you really need to look at the value of the product in order to ensure that you can effectively market it and have success; is the product something you think people will buy if it is not attached to a business opportunity? Is it competitively priced? Is it in line with your values? Is it another run of the mill, me-too product or is there something that differentiates this product in the marketplace. Would you buy this product if it was not attached to the opportunity? Can you really see yourself telling others about this product? If it is something you will use, then chances are you won’t have a problem sharing with others.

That’s why I often choose to lead with the product I market and not the opportunity… more on that later!

What to look for in a home based business | Tip 2

What type of training/mentoring is available? Depending on what type of business you are getting into, this can make the difference between succeeding or failing miserably. You answered an ad, you checked out the company and you are ready to go. What now? If you don’t have a clue to what you are doing and don’t have anyone to show you how you did not do your homework. So stop! Don’t spend another dime on another so called “opportunity” until you do the following:

Ask the person signing you up… what happens next? What training will be provided? Ask specifics. I would even go ask far as saying have a long candid conversation with this person about what the specific plan of action is for you because even if there is training available, what they teach may not be the way you feel comfortable working your business.

What to look for in a home based business | Tip 1

One of the first things I look for when choosing a home-based business is a stable company with solid track record. How long has the company been in business? Is the company contact information available? What do others have to say about the company? Run a Dun & Bradstreet report on it. Visit the company’s corporate website. Are the company values in line with your values?

Research before you leap. I can’t stress this enough. It is amazing how many people request information but fail to take the time to research, talk to a live person and attend a presentation. Yes, the internet has allowed the average person to start a business for practically pennies but before you fall for the hype and that wonderfully written sales letter or e-mail, do your homework!

What do I choose to do from home?

For a while I think I was an addict. I looked at opportunity after opportunity.“Buy this and I’ll personally show you how to generate a six figure income” or “Make 1000’s daily typing”, were some of the tempting ads I came across early in my search. Thank goodness, I learned my lesson quickly and stopped searching and started researching some real, legitimate income opportunities on the internet that weren’t just hype.

What I choose to do, in a nutshell, is partner with existing companies who already have a product and I market these products. I am self employed. I work my own hours. I work in a manner that fits my lifestyle, my schedule, and my personality. The companies I choose to work with generally handle any shipping and they handle the money, meaning I just get my cut via check. Hassle free and simple.

Who would want to make 1000’s daily just typing anyway.
B-O-R-I-N-G! What I do is much, much more interesting…

Welcome to my Blog!

Welcome to my blog! I’m very excited to be starting this blog where I hope to share my work at home experiences. Here I’ll be candid with respect to finding that perfect work at home job or business, what works and what doesn’t, what to look for and what to avoid, both offline
and online.

To be honest, I have been surfing the Internet, reading about other people’s success, for quite some time. I honestly thought that I had “missed the boat” with respect to earning an income online. Not true, the Internet is growing and changing daily. There are many legitimate opportunities and income streams available so that the average person, be it high school student, mom, dad or business professional can supplement or even replace their current income.

So stick around, grab a coffee and “chill” as my son always tells me.

Some of my upcoming posts:

• What to look for when searching for a work at home opportunity.

• The importance of focusing on the product, not just the
business opportunity

• Chillin’ mom’s recommended business opportunities