homebiznotes.com

December 21st, 2007

“My Mother, The Country Grocer” Wins This Round of Business Channel Challenge!

The Home Biz Notes post, My Mother, The Country Grocer, won this round of the b5 Business Channel’s “Apprentice” type challenge, an ongoing 8-week contest, with a different version each week.  This week we were to tell the prototype business owner, Kay, a success story. 

I chose to relate the story of my mom, who influenced many people throughout her years as a country grocer, and hoped this would inspire Kay and others.  As I wrote about Mother, I realized (as I said in one of my comments at the post):

I think we all can find inspiring stories within our families. I hope, with this story, I encourage others to look at their lives and the people they know. Someone, somewhere has inspired them in a way they may not realize at first.

Runner-up in this week’s contest was Biz Chicks Rule with the post, What Keeps Me Going When I Need Inspiration.  This is their second week in a row, either coming in first or as a runner-up!

What inspiring stories do you have among your family and friends that encourage you? Let us know about them!

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 1 comment

December 13th, 2007

Thursday Thirteen - 13 Tips for Easing Customers’ Stress

So often your customers are rushed and stressed this time of year as they finish their shopping, attend school holiday programs, do extra baking, wrap up year-end reports at work and often deal with stormy weather.

How can you make them smile and feel less stressed when they shop with you or visit your online store?

1. Smile of course.  Often a smile will bring one in return.

2.  Put smiley faces or cheery design on e-mail correspondence with them.

3. Tuck little cards, no larger than a business card, into their packages with an uplifting saying.  This works for online shipping and items at a walk-in store.

4.  Gift wrap packages for little or no extra charge.

5.  Have a coffee or tea pot ready with a refreshing drink.  (As long as this meets with health codes in your area.)

6.  Have a bowl where customers can place their name or business card for a drawing…weekly or daily until Christmas…for some small item.

7.  Feature a drawing on your blog, if you have one for your business, where you pull names for cheery comments left.

8.  Play background music in your shop.  It might be soft or lively, interspersed with Christmas music.  Or, depending on your beliefs and those of your customers, you might play simply relaxing music.

9.  Perhaps you’ll have music on your web site.

10.  Provide a box of toys for children to play with while Mom shops.

11. Smile when answering the phone and use a cheery voice.  The smile comes across as you talk, I’ve been told.

12.  Wear clothes that make you feel cheery when you’re greeting customers…and when you’re conducting your  online business. 

13,  Again….keep a SMILE on your face, in your voice…and in your fingers while tapping on your computer keyboard. 

(c)Mary Emma Allen

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 6 comments

December 2nd, 2007

5 Tips For Success In Your Home Business

You may not have started your career choice as a home business owner…or perhaps you did. However, many people are evolving into this type of venture at some stage in their life, either on a parttime or full time basis, with both online and walk-in businesses.

Many factors will influence your success. Some you can control and others you will find beyond your reach. However, here are a few tips for helping you along that pathway to success in your home business:

*Set goals - Have an overall objective, but set goals for each day. I try to accomplish this by having a “to do” list. I don’t always accomplish everything on my list, but it helps keep me focused.

*Be flexible - Your day and life doesn’t always go as planned. Be flexible so you can accomplish your goals by another route without falling to pieces.

*Have or develop an interest in people - They are important for your business to succeed and for your life to be worthwhile. Learn to be interested in what they’re doing and let them know they’re important.

*Perseverence and persistence - These are imperative if you’re to keep going in spite of disappointments or seeming setbacks.

*Have fun - Enjoy what you’re doing even though every moment many not be the most pleasurable. However, find the fun in your business and seek ways to let others see your enthusiasm. Someone who’s upbeat and having a good time at what they’re doing attracts customers, clients and friends.

Just an extra one…take care of yourself and keep healthy...so you can enjoy the rewards of your business and life.

Do you have any tips to share about success in business?

More Posts Of Interest:

Maintaining Consistency In Your Home Business

Arm Yourself With Information For Your Home Business

Enjoy The Journey Of Your Home Business

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 4 comments

November 23rd, 2007

Thanks & Thoughtfulness in Our Home Businesses

    This season of Thanksgiving and the upcoming December holidays have us considering ways to show our thanks and throughtfulness throughout home business…giving thanks, being thankful, and letting customers know they’re appreciated.

Several of our Home Biz Notes posts have touched upon this theme.  Perhaps you’d like to browse them again and consider how you can show you care.

*Attention to the “Little Things” by Home Business Owners

*Making Fans of Your Home Business Customers

*Respond to Your Home Business Blog Visitors and Customers

*Create a Mastermind Group (to give yourself inspiration and encouragement)

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 1 comment

October 14th, 2007

Working Successfully as a Home Business Team

When husbands and wives develop a business together, many never have worked as a team.  They’ve often been involved in other careers but not in a business together.  Even though they’re excited about their business, want it to succeed, they may find it difficult to meld their working styles into a cohesive effort to drive their home business forward.

Just as with a sports team, those  involved in a business, whether it’s husband and wife or includes other family members, must  work toward the common goal…SUCCESS.

My husband and I’ve had to learn to work together over the years in several businesses, including home businesses.  I thought it would be easy, but soon discovered we were different personalities and had different working styles.  We had much to learn.

Some Tips for Working as a Team

*Realize you have the same goals.

*You’re two unique personalities who may do things differently.  We were introduced to Florence Littauer’s personality books which helped us understand that the other person wasn’t necessarily wrong…only looking at the situation with a different perspective.

*Talk things over…communicate.  Also, do it when you’re not in the heat of a disagreement.

*Learn one another’s strengths and use them for the tasks needed.

*Where does each one work  best?  Does one work well with people and the other behind the scenes?  Does one have a specific talent for production while the other has organizational skills?

*Learn to bite your tongue, or think before you speak, when you differ on some aspect of the business.  Someone once said to me, “Think whether this will matter five years from now.  So why create an explosive situation now?”

*Take some time away from the business to have fun by yourselves or with your family.  This may be an afternoon or a day the business is closed.

*Have fun with your business and working together.

*Think SUCCESS and focus on this rather than differences or disagreements.

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 4 comments

October 13th, 2007

Believe in Your Home Business

As I read Darlene McDaniel’s post, “Unstoppable People Don’t Believe in Failure,” at Interview Chatter, I realized this is one of the characteristics the winners of the Jump Start Your Business contest seemed to exhibit.  They’re unstoppable.  Their submissions indicated a belief in their business and their ability to make it work.  

I have the feeling that if they encounter bumps in the road, they will keep on going.  

Darlene also quoted from professional speaker and author, Jim Rohn:  “If you’re not willing to risk the unusual, you have to settle for the ordinary.”

 The winners took a leap forward when they entered the Jump Start Your Business contest.  How many times do people say, “Oh, I won’t bother to enter.  I’ll never win.”  If you don’t believe in yourself enough to fill out the required entry for a competition and send it in, you will never win. 

Grand Prize Winner Aime Stewart, First Runner Up Emilie Shoop and Second Runner Up Aaron Emerson took a leap and proved they’re unstoppable.  May they have much success in their new businesses.

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 6 comments

September 15th, 2007

10 Home Biz Notes Posts Featuring Home Businesses

We generally like to learn about other’s success stories that give us the feeling…

“Ah! If she/he can do that, I can be successful with my business” 

Or…“What a great tip!  I’ll have to try that with my home business.”

Over the existence of Home Biz Notes, I’ve interviewed and mentioned numerous home business.  I’ll round up some of these in case you missed them…or are at a point in your business where some of these tips now will inspire you.

*Mark Allen operates an online business through the utilization of CafePress as his “store.”

*Dorothy Thompson has discovered that the Internet offers her the opportunity to develop a home business organizing and promoting virtual blog tours for authors.

*Laura Spencer, on a guest post at Home Biz Notes, tells about setting up and operating her business, Writing Thoughts, while taking care of her father who had Alzheimer’s.

*Yvonne Russell discusses developing a Home Based Bookstore, with tips for operating it solely online or as a walk-in business in your home.

*Jewelry Maker Barbara Giordano has created a successful online jewelry business using the theme of adoption.

*Laurie Maier developed Blue Indigo by designing, sewing and selling handbags made from vintage fabrics.

*Quilter Eleanor Burns’ business evolves from her home into a multi-million dollar corporation.

*Richard McManus has developed blogging as a home business.

*Patricia Bolton established a home published quilting magazine, Quilting Arts, into a business with international recognition.  She soon also will host a quilting show for PBS.

*I was interviewed on Work From Home Momma about my experiences operating home businesses for the past 40 years.

What about you?  How about entering the “Jump Start Your Business” contest, as well as utilizing some of the tips from the business owners mentioned above to start your own business or expand it?

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 0 comments

September 14th, 2007

The Home Business Juggling Game

 When I learned Laura Spencer, of Writing Thoughts, had juggled  a home business with caring for her father, as well as her family, I thought some of her tips would be helpful for other home business owners who are in the midst of this, too.  They’re part of the “sandwich generation” with responsibilities in numerous directions.  Even if your business doesn’t involve writing, Laura’s tips should help you.

Juggling Caring for a Loved One With Your Home Business

 By Laura Spencer

When Mary Emma asked me to write this guest post I was hesitant for two reasons. First of all, it’s been less than a year since Dad died and the memory is still somewhat painful. Secondly, I don’t feel that I was able to do what I did for my father on my own, I really feel that it was primarily the grace of God saw me through the past few years.

To Summarize My Situation: I left my corporate job in 2002 to spend more time with my (then) elementary school aged children. A home business seemed the perfect solution and I began to explore my alternatives. Just as I was starting to get a few clients for my business I found myself overseeing the care of both  my parents who were elderly and had become ill. Sadly, my mother died after a short time, but my father (who suffered from the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease) remained my responsibility until his death early this year.

Until my father died this year, my schedule nearly every day was to get up early and work on writing projects for clients until noon. About one thirty each day, I would leave the house and go to the nursing facility where my father was staying to check on him and to visit. If the kids were home from school, I would try to include them on those visits. Sometimes I would stop at a nearby gym to work out after visiting my father.

 If I had not met my goal for writing for the day, I would continue to write each evening for a few hours after the kids went to bed. Despite being squeezed between the demands of caring for my parents and my kids, my small business survived and even grew.  

Pointers for Caregiver/Business Owner: Here are some pointers for keeping your business running when you have the responsibility to care for a critically ill loved one:

• 1. Focus on quality. Where my work is concerned, I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I proofread each document multiple times. I believe that my focus on quality is what keeps clients returning with additional projects for me to work on.
• 2. Work ahead. I don’t believe in waiting until the last minute. Working ahead proved to be a real advantage on those days where a minor crisis came up and I missed getting my morning work done.
• 3. Take time off only when really necessary. There were several times that I had to inform a client, either that I would be unable to take a project or that I would be late finishing it. Each time I was specific about the situation. For example, “I can’t take any projects right now because my mother’s in the hospital on life support.” “My father has gone into hospice and I’m spending all my time with him right now.” To my amazement, nearly every client understood.
• 4. Stay part-time. I deliberately kept myself part-time while I was overseeing my parents. To me, this meant working 30 hours or less. There were times that I said “no” to a new project or client that I knew would tax my energy.

Additional Tips: Here are some tips if you find yourself responsible for overseeing the care of someone who is ill:

• 1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. At first I wanted to care for my father from my own home. I quickly saw that I was physically unable to meet the needs of a 6 foot 1 man who needed to bathed, dressed, and fed every day. I couldn’t even lift him by myself! Instead, I researched and was able to find a full-time nursing facility near my home.
• 2. Get rest. There were several times I spent the entire night in the Emergency Room because my father was sick. On these occasions sometimes I just had to go home and crash. In the long run, my getting rest was the best for all concerned. Getting rest kept me from getting burnt out.
• 3. Be an advocate. Because my father didn’t communicate very well at his late stage of Alzheimer’s, it was my responsibility to see that he was comfortable and to make his needs known to the facility where he was staying. Not only did I look to see that his basic needs were being met, I also checked to make sure that he was kept comfortable.
• 4. Ask questions. There were many times that I had to ask a staff member at the facility why they were doing what they were doing with my father. Several times these questions stopped what could have become a dangerous situation for my father. I also regularly asked questions to the doctor on rotation for the facility.

If the need arises, it is possible to juggle the care of a critically ill loved one with your home business. I hope that this post has served as an encouragement to others who might be facing a similar situation.

Laura Spencer is a WAHM and has been a freelance writer for the past five years. Laura blogs at Writing Thoughts, Work From Home Momma , and OpinionMom Contents (c) Copyright 2007, Laura Spencer. All rights reserved.

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 15 comments

June 6th, 2007

Tips for Home Business Success

Many people want to work at home and even set up a business at home.  However, they may soon find they’re easily distracted and aren’t so effective as when working for someone else. 

As has been said, “The good news is…you’re your own boss.  The bad news is…you’re your own boss.”

Now isn’t that contradictory?

Not necessarily.  As your own boss, you can set your own schedule, generally work at something you enjoy,  and work at or from home.   However, as your own boss…you must have the incentive to be effective and productive…or your business will fizzle away.

At Contract Worker, Rico refers to 9 Things That Make Working at Home More Effective and links to Web Worker Daily’s post, 9 Best Practices for Home-Based Web Workers.

Here you’ll find suggestions that apply to online home businesses.  Also, you can use many of them even if you have a more traditional business working from your home.  By applying these suggestions, you may find you fall into the category of “the good news is…you’re your own boss.”

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 0 comments

March 27th, 2007

5 Simply Successful Secrets for a Home Business

Yvonne of Grow Your Writing Business tagged me for this Simply Successful Secrets meme.  Aaron Potts, of Today is the Day started the meme whereby those tagged will list secrets of their success.  When the meme has run its course, Aaron will compile a master list of the participants from many areas of endeavor.

*Set goals - Have an overall objective, but set goals for each day.  I try to accomplish this by having a “to do” list.  I don’t always accomplish everything on my list, but it helps keep me focused.

*Be flexible - Your day and life doesn’t always go as planned.  Be flexible so you can accomplish your goals by another route without falling to pieces.

*Have or develop an interest in people - They are important for your business to succeed and for your life to be worthwhile.  Learn to be interested in what they’re doing and let them know they’re important.

*Perseverence and persistence  - These are imperative if you’re to keep going in spite of disappointments or seeming setbacks. 

*Have fun - Enjoy what you’re doing even though every moment many not be the most pleasurable.  However,  find the fun in your business and seek ways to let others see your enthusiasm.  Someone who’s upbeat and having a good time at what they’re doing attracts customers, clients and friends.

Just an extra one…take care of yourself and keep healthy...so you can enjoy the rewards of your business and life.

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By Mary Emma Allen -- 8 comments