homebiznotes.com

June 29th, 2007

Do You Need Advice Before Starting a Home Business?

Many home business owners (and traditional businesses, as well)  start their venture without seeking advice or learning much about the various aspects to consider about a business.  Some businesses require more business accumen than others, yet some basic business knowledge is beneficial.

Nowadays, operating a business by utilizing the Internet often requires much less investment and stocking of products than businesses which operate out of a physical location (your home, in this case) or perform services requiring equipment (like carpenters, lawn maintenence, etc.)  

(See the posts about Mark and Dorothy’s  online businesses as examples of those requiring little overhead.)

Here are 7 items to consider and perhaps seek advice on:

*What types of taxes will you have to pay?  Will you need to file quarterly tax returns?  (This will vary depending the country where you live.)

*Will you need insurances…liability on your products and people coming to your home office?  Are there others?

*Will you need an occasional employee?  If so, how will you pay and what will you be required to file with the state and federal governments?

*Do local zoning ordinances affect you, especially if you have clients/customers coming to your home?

*What is your projected gross profit?  Then after expenses, what will your net profit be? Will it cover your overhead?

*Do you need a loan to get started for supplies, equipment, products?  If so, how much?  How will you pay this back if your profit isn’t what you expect some month(s)?

*What happens if you become ill and can’t work?  For six weeks, several years ago, I lay flat in bed in a body cast with a broken back.  Even when I was allowed up, I was in the cast for another six weeks.  My writing business slowed down.  Another home business was on hold during that time.

There are other considerations, but these should start you thinking about information and advice you may need before starting a home business.  Also, if you are operating a home business and haven’t considered some of these, you may need to.

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By Mary Emma -- 5 comments

June 17th, 2007

5 Tips for Obtaining Interviews for Your Home Business

When I posted The Value of the Interview for Home Business Owners, I mentioned I’d give a few tips in a later post for getting interviewed.   

When I was a reporter for a weekly newspaper and interviewed business owners, the print media, radio and television were the main methods of  being publicized.  However, now we also have the Internet and all its various types of interviews and appearances for business owners.

(These tips aren’t 100% guarantees.  Also, they aren’t all of the ideas possible. However, as you become known, either in your hometown area and the Internet, you’ll find yourself of interest to reporters and online writers.)

*Develop press releases about your business, new products and events.

*Learn to write press releases or notices that are short and to the point, containing fresh or newsworthy information.

*Study places online and off to send them…sources where they would be of interest to the readers.

*Whenever, possible, find a specific person to send your press release or notice to so it doesn’t simply get lost midst many others.  Research who writes interviews and for which publications. With smaller publications (online and in print), this isn’t so imperative.

*Join online groups and comment on blogs.  You may find someone asking to interview you.  I’ve  had this happen a number of times.

There are other tips and possibilities for obtaining interviews.  Why don’t you share what has worked for you…usual and well as unique ways to obtain an interview…that may aid your colleagues?

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By Mary Emma -- 3 comments

April 14th, 2007

Conducting a Home Business Away From Home

With a laptop and the Internet, many business owners can conduct their home business away from home these days.  As my husband and I travel from our home in New Hampshire to attend a conference in Tennessee this weekend, I still can write blogs and my newspaper column, research travel articles, add a chapter to my book, and conduct correspondence.

Not all businesses can be maintained away from home.  However,  if they’re mainly online home businesses, you can do much while on the road or in the air.  If we get delayed at airports or have long waits between connections, I can work on my writing there.  Some airports now have Internet connections, most of these requiring a credit card but a few with no charge.  Airports, like Chicago O’Hare, have outlets for travelers where you can plug in your laptop without having to look for a vacuum cleaner outlet.

If you’re traveling by auto, you can plug your laptop into a converter in the cigarette lighter.  Then you can work on your writing while you ride….as long as you don’t try this while driving!

More and more hotels/motels offer free wireless in the room.  (If it’s not free, a hotel may have wireless access for a fee.)  Jim and I try to stay at accommodations with wireless whenever we can.  Both of us need to check e-mail, and I have to post blogs and send newspaper articles.   (The free wireless and complimentary breakfast make many motels more appealing than those without.)

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By Mary Emma -- 2 comments