Many individuals just don’t find it cost effective to go outside of the home to work especially when the purpose is to make money to supplement the primary income. For a start the cost of transportation is getting out of control. Then there are baby sitting costs, even a work wardrobe and a lunch budget to consider. So let’s figure out how to make money by working from home.
Chances are if you are a stay at home parent you don’t want to be taking on extra kids to mind as a means to make money. What you may want to consider is services for seniors. Now the problem is that many seniors are on a fixed income and they can’t afford extra services. It is hard enough for them just to be able to afford food.
This is where you make money. No, you don’t have to feel guilty because you are not going to be ripping the seniors off; in fact, you are going to be doing them a great service. As the budget for most seniors is very tight their shopping budget has to be scrutinized carefully to get them through until their next pension payment arrives. As a result, many times they don’t get proper food especially fresh fruit and vegetables.
For them to buy these cheaper in bulk the quantity is just too much and they end up wasting it instead of saving themselves money. So here is where you come in by making up “senior fruit and vegetable packs”.
For example, you buy a bunch of bananas, a bag of apples, a bag of oranges, a pineapple, some apricots, some grapes and some blueberries, that’s seven types of fruit. Let’s say you paid $3 for each of these so you looking at a total cost of $21.
Now if you were to divide these into 6 portions and charged each senior $5 for their package, you would be making $9 and the senior would be getting a whole week’s worth of assorted fruit for $5. That would equal $20 per month on average for each senior and make you $45 every 4 weeks.
Do the same with vegetables. The senior would be paying about $20 per month for vegetables. Finally, you could do the same with the meat for approx the same price. You have now allowed the senior to feed themselves a good wholesome meal every night of the week for the entire month at a cost of about $60.
This means they only need to buy light foods for breakfast and lunch. Everyone has been able to make money here. You with your sales and the senior with what they have been able to save.…
Don’t Risk Taking a Nosedive – Factors to Consider When Plunging Into the Home Based Business Market
So, you’re ready to join the ranks of the self-employed and start your own business. You’re tired of corporate instability and employment uncertainty, and you’re ready to control your own financial destiny. Terrific. But wait just a minute, have you really considered some of the critical factors before taking the plunge into the home based business market?
Many eager entrepreneurs, especially those unfortunate souls who have recently (or even not so recently) joined the unemployed, drive into the home based business industry without truly considering whether the decision to start up a new business is a wise decision.
As a result, much time, money and eventually heartache is spent trying to launch and build a business that, with a little preparation and research could have been avoided. So, let’s get started with some basic factors to consider when determining whether should start your own home based business.
First, determine whether the home based business you are considering is legitimate. Home based business scams abound and unfortunately in today’s climate, many individuals fall prey to unscrupulous operators looking to make a quick dollar on the unsuspecting potential business owner.
When evaluating work from home opportunities, try a quick Google search by entering the business type and the word “scam” in the search bar. Generally, reviews for that business or product will appear, which will provide you with a good indication of whether your business opportunity is legitimate. Additionally, perusing online forums are a great way to see what others are saying about various home based business offerings.
Second, make sure that you can truly afford any start-up costs associated with launching your new business. It’s important to understand the start up costs associated with launching and maintaining the business for the first year, and to ensure that you have the funding necessary to weather any slow cycles or seasons. Trying to scrimp and squeeze out the funding to launch, especially if you’re taking from other critical expenses such as your household budget, can place a strain on you both financially and emotionally.
And finally, ask yourself whether you have the basic experience, knowledge and passion necessary for that particular business. It’s oftentimes much more difficult to start a business in an area in which you have little or no experience, knowledge or expertise. And, while it can be done, the most successful home based businesses are those where the owner has some level of understanding about the business opportunity or product offering. Thus, it’s best to try and ensure that your skills match the prospective business.
Remember, regardless of the type of business you ultimately choose, any successful operation will require many hours of your time to manage and work the overall business. Initially, there will likely even be a period of hard work for very little results, as is the case with any new business venture. Therefore, the more passion you have for the business, the more willing you will be to put in the long hours required to build …
For some people starting a business in Australia, deciding whether to set up as a sole trader or establish a company can be pretty daunting. How do you really know which option is best for you? It can be confusing. Between the labyrinth of government websites, lawyer’s legalese and accountants Excel spreadsheets… deciding the best structure can be incredibly tough.
Making the right decisions when starting a business can be hard. Hopefully this simple layman’s guide to deciding whether to sole trade or start a company will help.
Business founders who decide to start up business as a Pty Ltd company are often on the right track. The benefits of a Pty Ltd company structure make setting one up the wisest option. This is especially the case if you are:
starting up with business partners, be they Directors or shareholders
seeking fast growth
plan to supply to major corporations
intend to hire staff
seeking to maximise the benefits of a tax effective business structure
considering equity investment
want ‘street cred’ as an Australian company
already considering exiting the business at some stage
If one or more apply to you, you should seriously consider forming a Pty Ltd company. That’s not to say setting up as a ‘sole trader’ is not a suitable option. However, people who set up to ‘sole trader’ usually fall into one of the following categories:
starting up a hobby business to supplement income
starting a part-time businesses
planning to work as a one man/woman band for the foreseeable future
testing the waters in business for the first time
looking to run a business that fits an existing lifestyle
generally not seeking significant growth.
Every person’s circumstance is different so exceptions to the guidelines above do occur. The decision is not always simple or clear cut. Age, industry sector, start up capital, family status, asset base and a range of variables should be taken into consideration.
For this reason, input from a professional, such as a lawyer, accountant or a specialist start up firm is very much worth considering.
What else determines the decision to choose between sole trader and Pty Ltd?
In a word, liability. And it is so important a point it deserves a section of its own. As a sole trader your liability is unlimited. That means if you are sued your personal assets (house, car, money in bank, valuables etc.) are 100% exposed. A Pty Ltd company structure offers a better level of asset protection, as the business is its own legal entity (and therefore separate from you).
Regardless, for all new businesses we highly recommend business insurance. It’s like going out for a walk on a cold Winter’s night with a really warm jacket on. However, for sole traders with 100% liability risk, insurance cover is doubly important.
What about the cost?
Setting up a Pty Ltd company in Australia is a little more expensive that setting up as a sole trader. However, for the sheer value it delivers, we believe that …
Ralph was tired of his work as an engineer. The work was steady, but the income, though adequate, was limited. Like most, he was living month to month. So he quit his job and invested $20,000 on a credit card to open his consulting firm. He earned over $500,000 in his fourth year.
Jim had a dream, a couple of friends and a credit card with $300 left on it. Rather than despair, he decided to go into business for himself. He took his mother’s old green coat, a ping pong ball, a couple of sticks and made a hybrid cross between a hand puppet and a marionette. He called it a Muppet and named the lizard Kermit. (He later changed it into a frog.) The rest, as the saying goes, is history.
Several people are facing the same issue Jim Henson did years ago. Faced with job loss and doubts, what will you do with your life? You can search for that elusive perfect job, and once again, but your future in someone else’s hands, or you can take control of your life and create your own future.
I don’t believe any small business consultant would ever recommend a client start a new business with only a credit card and no reserve of operating capital. I surely would not. However, history has shown that there is more to start up capital than money. Individuals with creative ideas, strong drive and a refusal to fail have proven that some can succeed on pure chutzpah.
For those leaving the corporate world, there is often some 401k money that can be rolled over into a new business. If set up correctly, you can fund your new business with retirement funds without paying taxes or penalties. Others may find funding difficult. I always recommend an individual’s first business be a franchise. The proven system, training and support often make the difference between success and failure for the new entrepreneur. But franchise fees alone can keep those with limited startup capital from opening a business. I often help those with limited funds find franchises that offer in house financing so new businesses can be launched on the proverbial shoe string. There are also national trademarked brands that can be joined without franchise fees or royalties and still receive the training and support usually reserved for franchises.
Whether you are considering a low cost franchise or a trademarked brand, entrepreneurism is not for the faint of heart. But with a solid system and strong support, even the shoe string business can thrive. Just add indomitable spirit.
“Life is meant to be fun, and joyous, and fulfilling. May each of yours be that – having each of you as a child of mine has certainly been one of the good things in my life. Know that I’ve always loved each of you with an eternal, bottomless love. A love that has nothing to do with each other, for I feel my love for each of you …
So you own a business… or maybe you are just starting out. Whatever phase of business you are at, most of us have in common one thing- we must have financing. I am sure you have been exploring your options: financing it yourself, Angel Investing, bank lending options, charge cards, borrowing from a friend or loved ones member… you’ll find methods to get it done.
But have you investigated Kickstarter or crowdfunding in general? It may or may not be for you (depending on your organization, etc) but it is worth investigating. Kickstarter is a financing platform for people with project ideas. An individual puts together a page about their project- what it is, what they are aiming to fulfill, how much cash they will need to raise, etc. If the project is authorized, it goes live and others are able to see it.
Consumers view the project and if they decide to “invest” in it is creation they are able to make a donation. Funding is all or nothing- so if the amount needed is raised, the individual that created the project will get the funds. If support comes up short, money does not exchange hands. This creates security for both the project owner and the investors. You do not have to attempt to build a product without enough money; and purchasers do not put money into a venture that may 0r may not be completed.
So why would I propose this style of fundraising?
1.) The all or nothing concept – there is an ability to fundraise the money you must have and possibly more. If you do not, no damage done. You do not owe anyone anything
2.) The visibility – having possibly 100s of people knowledgeable of your project before it is even built and having “pre-orders”
3.) Control – compared borrowing money, you don’t pay back the funding you receive. The backers through Kickstarter traditionally are given “rewards” for a variety of monetary contributions. So the finances are yours to develop your project. However, understand that money earned through “crowdfunding” can be subjected to taxes
4.) Input – once you fund-raise and build this community around your project, you now have people with a authentic concern in seeing your project succeed- and possibly are already thinking about acquiring it. Go to them for suggestions, with your options, etc. Discover what they would like to see included!
Of course there are many other crowdfunding site out there besides Kickstarter. Take a look at the different outlets, compare them and get going! What do you have to lose?…
Starting and running your own business is one of the most exciting and potentially rewarding activities anyone can undertake. The possible rewards are boundless as is the opportunity for fulfilling personal ambitions. However, there are certain questions you should ask yourself, before you decide to take the plunge and invest your time and money in trying to start a new business venture.
You will also need to make plans, because that old saying: ‘Those who fail to plan, plan to fail’ is true, especially in business. For without plans, a business is subject to the random outcomes of chance rather than sound judgment. you can even get to the stage where instead of running the business, the business runs you. In order to avoid that sad state of affairs, you need to make sound plans before you start; decide which skills your business will need and accurately assess whether you possess those skills.
The first question you should be asking yourself is, ‘What am I going to get out of it?’. After all, you are giving up most of your rights as an employee. Rights such as job tenure, regular wages, paid holidays, sick leave, insurance and the right to forget your job when you leave it at the end of the day. In exchange you get the right to invest lots of time, energy and money. So, you have every right to know or at least to ask yourself, what you will get in return.
The rate that the number of new business being opened every year rises most years, although perhaps it won’t this year due to the banks’ reluctance to lend us our money. However, usually the rate does rise, so there must be a positive perception among the population that owning one’s own business is an advantage. The most common advantages cited are:
Control: as the boss, the authority and indeed the responsibility to make decisions rests squarely on your shoulders. You will direct all the activities of your business for better or for worse.
Creative Freedom: you are at total liberty to express your talents and ideas without seeking permission, having them approved by superiors or going through channels.
Profits: the more successful your business becomes, the more money you will make, whereas, in general, an employee’s salary is dependent on corporate or even national agreements, policy and regulations. Yours will be directly related to the performance of your business.
Job Security: if your business is viable, no one can sack you, lay you off, make you redundant or force you to retire.
Satisfaction: most people derive a great deal of satisfaction from knowing that they have built a successful business from nothing.
The most common disadvantages of being the boss cited are:
Risk to Capital: if you business fails, you could lose everything you put in and more.
Long Hours: your hours will not be ‘9 to 5’, especially in the beginning, when they are more likely to be ‘8 till late’.
Income Variation: …
The best thing I ever did for myself as a business owner was to become a student of success. That meant plunking down some cash to get the knowledge I now have. I truly believe that small business owners must never stop learning. When we stop learning, we stop growing and our businesses typically follow.
Today, I’m consistently investing in 5-figure coaching programs and I have no doubt I’d be investing in coaches that cost 6 figures before long. Hard to believe, but I didn’t start out that way. I started out on a budget. Here are 5 budget-friendly ways to get some revenue-producing knowledge for your business.
Magazines
Magazines cost very little. Typically $15-$30 a year (even less sometimes). Sign up for Entrepreneur Magazine or even better Millionaire Blueprints. Even my teenager is subscribed to the teen version of Millionaire Blueprints and he devours it. I recommend this magazine because it’s full of stories on how people created success. How they overcame the odds, how they remained persistent, and how they succeeded. Basically, success recipes. Feed you brain this kind of stuff every week and success will no-doubt become the way you think… and the way you are.
Books
I remember constantly being on in my search for how to create a successful business. And there were times I’d search for a book on Amazon, check out the user-reviews, then call my local library to borrow it (zero dollars). Books like the Guerrilla Marketing book series and many others. I devoured them all because it was all I could afford at the time.
I didn’t complain that “I didn’t have time to read.” I just did. I found the time because I was determined to feed my brain recipes for success. Don’t forget books on success mindset as well like Think & Grow Rich and Who Switched Off My Brain. Also check out the No BS series of books by Dan Kennedy for some unique marketing advice.
Free teleseminars
Just do a Google search for free teleseminars. They are happening every single day. Sign up and learn something. You’ve got nothing to lose. If you don’t like it, you can get off their list just as easily as you got on. I listen to about 6 teleseminars a week. Some free and some are included in the coaching programs I’m in. But all of them teach me something. Even if I get just one idea, it was well worth it.
Home Study Systems
If you cannot invest in a high-priced coaching/mentoring programs, a great alternative is to get the home study version. It’s always less expensive and they are rich in content. Read the testimonials to get a sense of what is valuable about the product. Most have some kind of money-back guarantee so you can check it out risk free. “Do it Yourself” home-study options are a great low-cost way to boost your business knowledge and your revenue with profit-generating new ideas and strategies.
Low-cost Seminars
In every …
“Cat: Where are you going?
Alice: Which way should I go?
Cat: That depends on where you are going.
Alice: I don’t know.
Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”
– Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Often the one thing which sets apart people who are successful and those who are not, is that the former will have clear goals in mind.
Without having a clear idea of what you want to achieve, you will lack the clarity and motivation to get to where you want to go. If you only have a vague idea of what you want, it’s like travelling to an address which has the first two lines missing.
An all too often little known fact is that the conscious mind is but a small part of the mind as a whole. When you’re solving a problem or being creative, it’s the subconscious mind which is working away. The conscious mind is good at posing questions, it’s the subconscious mind which can answer them.
Have you ever been trying to figure something out and the answer only appears once you stop thinking about it, or when you sleep on a problem, you wake up with the answer? Well that’s the reason why – you’ve given your subconscious a chance to get the job done, without the conscious mind trying to steal the show.
We often miss-allocate our resources in that we try to consciously do things which the subconscious is best at doing.
Some people will claim that they are not creative, but you can bet your bottom dollar that they are capable of dreaming vivid dreams. Entire worlds and stories can be created without the merest sense of effort spent and this is possible because the conscious mind is completely out of the way.
Now, back to the topic in hand – setting goals for your financial success. In order for the subconscious mind to do what it does best, creatively bringing your dreams in to reality, you need to prime it by understanding and communicating exactly what you want.
In order to do this, the best thing to do is to write down specifically what you want to achieve. Write it as if it’s already true, with as much detail as possible. Allow your subconscious to feel how it would feel, to experience it with as much richness as possible. Teach it what you want to experience and what you want to bring in to reality. Once you’ve written it down, re-read and re-write it until you’re happy. If you can’t think of what to write, just start and see what happens, or come back to it later after you’ve given yourself a break from thinking about it.
Once you’re happy with your goals, make it a habit to read them every night before you sleep, and then again when you wake up in the morning.
For some further reading on understanding why this is so important, I fully recommend the following books:…
When business schools teach entrepreneurship, too much time is spent on writing a business plan geared towards throwing darts at venture capital firms and getting interest in a company before it is even built.
This is hardly an effective plan because it wastes valuable time that could be spent on the business. Moreover, there is no reason for the entrepreneur to start a business only to give it over to 3rd party bankers who could and will pull the plug at first sight of turmoil.
Instead of chasing investors, the entrepreneur should be learning about business via getting their website up and diving in.
Until actual business and subsequent revenue is coming in, there is no real reason for the entrepreneur to take days speaking to an accountant or spend hours blogging about whether they should register their company as a LLC or a corporation. Taking others’ advice is the last thing the entrepreneur ought to do.
This advice is not coming from a columnist. It is coming from someone who started a highly successful company that is consistently eating up market share and now has multiple talented employees from a studio apartment in New York City.
If the entrepreneur wants their business to grow, they must start today. Forget a long, drawn out business plan, here is what the entrepreneur needs – 2 traits that must be quickly acquired:
Thick Skin – people are sensitive to rejection and human beings do their best to avoid rejection at all costs. Conversely, the entrepreneur must become completely desensitized to rejection as they must quickly come to terms with the fact that they are going to encounter resistance and judgment from others every step of the way.
Although I hate the term, entrepreneurs must “put themselves out there” and must buck the trend by ceasing to worry about what others think or what others say. Only if the entrepreneur develops a think skin, can they make a successful run at seeing the other side of the rainbow.
It’s great if the entrepreneur is born with this, however is not necessary as if the entrepreneur wants to be successful, they learn to desensitize themselves to resistance and this can be acquired over time.
Risk Tolerance – in college, too many entrepreneurs are taught to focus on controlling numbers and because of this focus, they don’t learn how to tolerate mass amounts of risk. Managing a high amount of risk is not easy nor is it fun, but it is necessary.
Entrepreneurs, until the business is completely done with its growth phase and can no longer grow at a fast pace, are going to have to live with a gut feeling that is indescribable.
Inevitably, there are certain periods in a company’s growth that will put excessive stress on the entrepreneur.
These company growth stages that tend to induce a large amount of stress include the transition to an office, the hiring of multiple highly paid employees who are crucial to the success of …
This article speaks directly to your personality. I don’t discuss planning and budgeting but you should be aware that you will need to plan, plan, plan but don’t get caught up in “paralysis by analysis” and no matter how good your business plan you will not receive money from “angel investors” or banks unless you’ve already started your business and have a proven track record with a large upside – which you don’t have if you are a business startup.
First, here’s the quick synopsis of opening your own business
Register with your county or state as a business.
Start doing business.
Really? That’s all there is to it? Yes, that’s all there is to it. Unfortunately, its so easy that many businesses fail because they do exactly like what’s above. There are a few skills that complement success and generally you’ll either have those skills or will develop those skills over time. Here’s what you can expect.
You’ll work crazy hours.
You’ll be a salesperson.
You’ll always worry about your business.
You’ll become an expert on many things because you can’t afford to hire experts – especially in the beginning.
What many don’t realize is that you are always a salesperson. If you don’t like sales then having a business of your own is not for you. If you don’t have an outgoing personality you’ll need to develop one quickly. Whether you’re set up a booth at a county fair, open a retail mall location, or work from home you will be a “people-person”. You will network with others, attend events, and more. Sounds like fun? For many it is but remember while you’re somewhere having fun someone has to run the business. Here come the crazy hours.
If you’ve got customers or clients then you’ve got projects that you haven’t been working on while you’re out selling yourself and your company. So now after the fun is over you will begin your day’s work. Remember that while you were out networking you were creating your future (and probably spending money) but now you’ve got the present to think about. How do you pay your bills? What about the customer that is late with the payment? Now the worrying begins.
You’ve got bills to pay and customers to satisfy. You may have a payroll to meet or at least you’ll need to make ends meet. Is there enough cash flow or have you extended credit because you are new and the thought of work, any work was too much to pass up? How do you collect on unpaid invoices without offending and thereby cause other problems? Oh the fun never ends.
Lastly (for this article), you’ll need to learn how to be an expert. There’s nobody to do the day to day accounting but you or hopefully, a significant other so you’ll become a bookkeeper and bill payer. There’s nobody to design graphics for your marketing materials so you’ll learn software programs and design principles for creating brochures, flyers, …