Home Business Information

HOMEBASED BUSINESS WAS ONCE the Rodney Dangerfield of entrepreneurship: It couldn't get no respect. When we first started writing about the concept years ago, many considered homebased entrepreneurs something less than real businesspeople--a cottage industry of part-timers and wanna-bes:

But that was then; this is now. And now, when you tell a cocktail-party companion you work from home, you won't get a condescending smile--you'll hear sighs of envy as a crowd gathers to hear how you did it

Technology that makes "virtual offices" feasible has helped create an industry of about 31 million entrepreneurs, according to Link Resources' estimates. The shrinking of corporate America is spurring still more growth as downsized employees turn to homebased business ownership. And more and more techsavvy twentysomethings, reluctant to ride the corporate treadmill, are choosing to work from home instead.

That's good news and bad news for homebased entrepreneurs. The good news: It's easier than ever to run a professional, efficient homebased business. The bad news: You've got more competition. So how do you stay abreast of these challenges? Read on . . .

Elbow Room

Making the most of your small office

A funny thing happened to IceBreaker Enterprises during a salesperson's visit.

"A salesperson came to us to pitch a package display," recalls Scott Walker, head of the Atlanta family-owned firm, which manufactures the novelty party game Walla Balla. "She came into the house and down the dark stairs to our dimly lit basement office. Throughout the entire meeting, I could tell she was uncomfortable about her surroundings, and that's when it hit me. I said to myself, 'This is not a business-friendly environment.'"

Paul Limburg's revelation was not quite so dramatic. Ten years ago, he started a computer programming and mail order software sales company, Limburg Engineering Associates, from his Torrance, California, home.

"When we first moved into our house, I started out on a desk that was a door propped up on two short filing cabinets. When I went full time, I got more formal about it," says Limburg about his 10-foot-by-10-foot office, which is now home to a desk, three computers, fax and copy machines, and at least 10 printers.

The key to successfully navigating space constraint hurdles such as Walker's and Limburg's is to look at your home from a fresh perspective. You can either tackle this task yourself or hire a professional.

# posted by Medical Information : 4:52 AM