Is a Home Based Business right for me?   

Mick Moore

Have you been wondering whether a home based business might be right for you? Are you intrigued by the commercials you see on late night television, or the articles you read in magazines, or your former co-worker that quit, only to go on to start his own home based business? Well you're not alone. Home based businesses are growing at an amazing rate.

In fact, some say the home based business is the wave of the future and the growth rate for home based businesses is estimated to be around 10% per year. Of course, the big question that most people want to know is:

How Do I Know if a Home Based Business is Right for Me? Good question.   

Several years ago when I first started my home based business, I never dreamed I could make the kind of money I’m making today. To be honest, I didn’t even intend to. At first, I just wanted a bit of extra cash to supplement my real job and maybe put a little money aside for the future.  

But what I discovered amazed me! Within just a few short months, my little business was raking in thousands of extra dollars every month! I was making more every month working part time in the evenings than I was working 9 to 5, making profits for my boss. As you can imagine, it wasn’t long before I decided to ditch ’The Boss’ and start working for myself full-time. That was back in 2000. Now, I have several business ventures that I run out of my home bringing in cash 24/7.  

Each morning, I wake up, pour myself a cup of coffee and spend the next few minutes checking my emails, search for that familiar “You’ve Got Cash” from PayPal and making sure that my systems are working properly. The rest of the time I’m creating book covers, websites and Information products for my clients and friends.  

It really is that easy! 

But while the money is great, the best thing about working from home is the freedom. I’m not just making more money than I ever thought I would earn—unlike my other high-income friends… I’ve actually got the time to enjoy it. That’s a feeling money just can’t buy! 

The fact is, all you need to make money working from home is a few simple tools and the ‘WILL’ to take action and just do it. It’s not about intelligence or education or who you know. It’s purely about how much you’re prepared to put in at the beginning to build your business and keep it running. With a little determination, you’ll have everything you need to say goodbye to your day job and earn a real income by yourself, working from home. 

Keep in mind that a home-based business isn’t for everyone. Some people like the commute. They enjoy having a boss who tells them what to do, and they like the routine of working nine-to-five for a salary that can barely pay the mortgage. Personally, I couldn’t ever do that again.  

More reasonably, there are people who are concerned about the risk of starting up their own business. They’re not sure they have what it takes or that it’s worth the investment of time and money, and they’re terrified of the responsibility that comes with running their own company. 

A home based business is not something to be taken lightly or jumped into without careful consideration.  

There’s a big difference between being an employee and running your own business. 

1. Employees are typically told when to be at work.
Home based business owners must set their own schedules.

2. Employees are typically told exactly what to do each day.
Home based business owners must manage their own time.

3. Employees can be terminated, or repositioned at any time.
Home based business owners determine their own success.  

Employment as we know it in the United States is changing. The days of retirement and pension plans are gone. Job security is pretty much gone as well.

Companies everywhere are downsizing. They’ve either gone virtual or moved offshore, eliminating jobs in all sectors. Despite this trend, the annual income for Americans has actually increased from $13 trillion in 1991 to $40 trillion in 2001 and is rising. So there’s more than just hope. There’s a whole new Business Boom happening.

Many experts attribute this boom in growth to the increase in home based business, primarily network marketing. In home based business and network marketing, opportunities come with a plethora of benefits. Many people are moving into home based businesses not only to supplement their income, but to allow for more time with family or to create a new career all together.

 

Often these ventures do not require any specialized degrees or skills. Anyone can learn how to do network marketing. Just do a search on the Internet and you will find a life time of knowledge and information, and a majority of the information is free. There are business opportunities for all walks of life. Anyone can take advantage of these opportunities. There has never been a better time than the present to start one’s own home based business.

One of the biggest advantages of having a home based business is the fact that one can create multiple streams of income from a wide range of services and products, thus creating an earning potential that’s limitless. 

You’ll know it's time to consider a home based business when...

You find it hard to get out of bed and go in to the office every day. You find yourself dreading the commute, or you’re just bored. Life shouldn’t be a drag, especially five days out of seven. You should be eager to start the day and the work you do should be challenging and invigorating. The ideal job or business should allow you to use skills and strengths to not just earn an income, but to contribute value and feel fulfilled. You know how great it feels to help someone out. Imagine getting paid for that, day in… day out.

Consider the type of work you would most enjoy. Can you turn that in to a business that can be run from home? I’d be willing to bet the answer is a resounding… YES!

The most successful home based business begins with a great home based business idea. Successful business entrepreneurs say that you should build your home based business in your imagination before you build it in a reality. What are you truly passionate about and how can you create a home based business with built on that passion?  

First, I suggest taking a look at what is out there already. Type in a search online about something you think you may enjoy doing and see what pops up. You’ll be surprised at how many different ideas there are on the Internet that may have to do with your particular passion or skill set. Doing a little research online will help you figure out if your home based business idea can work and how you can come up with other ways to make huge money online from home.

It could be as simple as selling through online auctions such as eBay. You could sell tangible goods on the Internet, or sell a service to customers. You could also serve as a business coach or consultant to others. The opportunities are limitless.

The freedom that is available when your income is flowing from multiple streams is something that must be experienced to be believed. I wake up every morning eager to see that wonderful message from PayPal, “You’ve Got Cash!”

My whole day starts out with the satisfaction that I made the right choice by becoming a home based business entrepreneur. If you are looking for what you would like to do on the internet, I highly recommend you to follow something you’re passionate about. Doing what you enjoy doing and getting paid for it is a great way to start your day. You might start with a favorite hobby, your expertise or your interests. 

Start by creating a list, numbered 1-10, of ten things you enjoy doing more than anything else, like golfing, fishing, or being just funny. Now create a second list 1-10 of the things at which you are most talented.  This may include cooking, or bike riding, or telling jokes.  Get together with family members or friends and have them start crossing things off both lists that they feel you’re not that good at until you have one “favorite” thing left and one “talent” thing left on each list. 

If you find that being funny is left on the list, look back at how many of the accomplishments you had that were somehow connected to your sense of humor or making people laugh. If you find that telling jokes was left on the talent list, look back at how many of the accomplishments you had that were somehow connected to your quick wit or your gift of gab. 

The things you write on those two lists share the passion needed to achieve your goals and create a successful home based business. The more items from both lists that you bring into play, the closer you will be to finding that perfect business. Naturally, the opposite is true. If you didn’t have any of the items from your two lists involved in a goal or dream, you probably wouldn’t enjoy being in a business of that particular field anyway and would most likely give up and quit long before you really got it started.  

With this in mind, take a long hard look at the current list of hobbies and things you enjoy doing and let’s see how many of them are really what you would enjoy doing for a living and how many of them would allow you to actually utilize your given traits and talents.  

Do you have enough personal passion and drive behind your listed items to insure you’ll go the extra mile and successfully accomplish the goals you’ve set for yourself and your new business?  You may need to reevaluate to see if they really ignite that passion and spark that will keep you going through the exciting, challenging, and possibly difficult days ahead?  

I encourage you to make several of these lists and share them with a partner, family or friends, so you can get an unbiased evaluation of your true gifts and talents.  With this list in hand, there should be no doubt as to where your passions truly lie. These are the things that will help you figure out what your real passion is and allow you to create the perfect home based business. 

Remember, your business idea doesn't have to be revolutionary. You can always improve on an existing idea or figure out how to market an existing product better. This may allow you the opportunity to make a great deal of money for very little effort and have more time to enjoy your new found wealth with your friends and family. 

Take the time to carefully consider what you would like your life to look like 5 or 10 years from now. Does your current job allow you the opportunity to make that happen? If not, then it’s time to “take your future by the horns”, and start your own home based business. 

The bottom line is to follow your passion and do what you really enjoy doing. You’ll be surprised at how doing something you love really isn’t work at all and the passion and drive you have building your new business will lead you to your success. It all starts with a vision or idea and taking the necessary action to make it a reality.

Mick Moore,  

The Internet Entrepreneur
Designer, Internet Marketing Expert, Public Speaker and  

Author of the “Home Business Success Kit”

Website: www.KillerGraffix.com 

Website: www.QuickStartExpert.com 

Website: www.TheInternetEntrepreneur.com 

Website: www.HomeBusinessSuccessKit.com