Top Ten Opportunities in 2008 for Personal Businesses

Happy New Year.

As a small business owner, entrepreneur or work at home individual there are more opportunities available for you to make a living at home than there were even 2 years ago. Here is an article that lists the top 10 types of work at home business opportunities.

Good luck during this year.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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Top Ten Opportunities in 2008 for Personal Businesses

The U.S. Census Bureau started producing annual nose-counts of “nonemployer” businesses — that is, firms with no paid employees other than the business owner or owners — in 1997. Since then, their numbers have exploded. The total number of U.S. firms grew by 21% between 1997 and 2004, and almost all of that growth consisted of nonemployer businesses (also called personal or single-person businesses or the self-employed).

You wouldn’t think that these smallest of small businesses could be such a big deal and, individually maybe they aren’t. Collectively, however, they numbered 20.5 million as of 2005, almost 80% of the businesses in the country, and they raked in about 8% of GDP that year.

It seems that circumstances came together in the final years of the 20th century to make the nonemployer firm a growing force in the U.S. economy. The technology that lets a nonemployer firm communicate with customers worldwide and operate a business on a 24/7 basis matured. In industry after industry, technology has lowered barriers to entry as well. And, in a service-oriented, knowledge economy, it became possible to construct a business with no more inventory than the expertise and information lodged in a human brain. In many ways, the 21st century belongs to nonemployers.

So, what are the best opportunities for these nano-businesses going into 2008?

Write a Good Business Plan, Get A Loan

Once your bank account, and those of family and friends, are dimished you will need to get an official Small Business Loan. Before any lending institution will consider you and your business for the loan they need to know who you and your business are. A Business Plan is the necessary document for this process. Read this information and then go to my website to find out about loans and other money topics.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro


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A Business Plan That Will Get You a Loan
An entrepreneur seeks advice on writing a business plan that will land a bank loan.

Whether you need a small loan from a bank or an investment in the millions from a venture capitalist, your business plan should be thorough.

Getting all of your ideas down on paper will help you to identify the core aspects of your business, including your competition and the existing marketplace for your product or services.

Telecommuting Information and Videos

Here are some great articles and information regarding Telecommuting. Please see my new RSS Feed from YouTube regarding Telecommuting.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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Flexibility can boost employee moraleNashua Telegraph - Nashua,NH,USA... it may be time to consider instituting family-friendly workplace policies such as flextime and telecommuting, say human resource experts.

Ecommerce saves the planetInquirer - Harrow,England,UKTop "carbon savers" are ecommerce, Telecommuting, Teleconferencing, ematerialization (that'sa new one!) and Telemedicine - ecommerce alone will save the US ...

Telecommuting top work choice for small business ownersTelecommunications Magazine - Norwood,MA,USAby Telecommunications staff, from news reports Small business owners in the US are more likely than employees to conduct business away from the traditional...

Flexible work life good for your health: studyReuters India - Mumbai,IndiaA flexible work life, including telecommuting and job shares, is good for your health, researchers said on Tuesday. They found that if people have the ...

Why Workforce Innovation Pays OffBroadcast Newsroom - Newport Beach,CA,USAEmployees get back time spent commuting and gain the flexibility telecommuting provides. Operators find they have more productive employees and also realize ...

How To Get A Startup Loan

In order to start up your small business, or need a shot in the arm to keep it going, here is an article that will assist you in your efforts to get a small business loan.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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Small Business Startup Loan

Small business startup loans are essential for many beginner entrepreneurs. For them, a small business startup loan plays a vital role in providing the business owner a help in building their newly-established business until theirs can already stand alone. This load can be utilized for additional products. It can also be used for business promotion and for employees salaries. Whatever way, a loan is necessary for newly-opened business to poise their venture towards success.

Borrowing money from family and close friends are one of the most common ways to get a loan. This business practice overwhelmed the majority of small business owners to be used as an additional capital and other necessity for newly-established business. It is unfortunate however, this type of small business startup loan causes undue stress, headaches in both parties especially when the process of payment is not that organize. In fact, it can extend to ruining of family relationship. Borrowing from family and friends can also lead to awkward scenario because sometimes, the ones who loan the amount think that they are part of the business and they have the right to manage your business.

Though banks offer small business owners alternatives for small business startup loans, this medium can be stressful and intimidating. The reason is, banks usually impose strict requirements for compliance for small and medium business startup loan. Another is, banks, as always, see to it that the one who borrows, must have or is proven to had been in a successful venture in the past to determine if the borrower has the capacity to settle their obligations when they have already gone through the bank financial assistance. For that reason, numbers of business entrepreneurs chose other option instead of this. Though, banks offer great source for a small business venture, they must also provide a much better and less-stress alternatives for small business beginners.

Using credit card is another option that small business startup owner are turning into to provide them with business capital. Of course, this allows them to utilize their cash advances available for them. To add, credit lines can also be used to buy the products for them to get started. It is common for small business startup owners to use this medium to get capital. However, before getting into this way for small startup way, it is important to note the rate of interests that abound on using these credit cards; neglecting to consider the rate of interest can bring your business in downward slope.

If you are a minority that needs to begin a new business, you can acquire minority loans to help you get the necessary capital you need to start your new business venture. Minority loans have various advantages. If you begin your business based on minority loans, you will also need to find other loan avenues for an added sense of financial foundation.

Small business startup plays a vital role for the total economy. In fact, it provides employments for the majority of people. This may be the reason why more and more individuals are getting into this endeavor- this offers great potentials for economic boom, as a whole. With tis fact, it must be noted that when you engage in this business, business beginners shall consider to choose which small business startup loan that suits best for your own because this paves the way to your business success.

Author: kokuj1n

Data Security A Must For Small Businesses

Security should be a priority for a small business. I just went through a 'crash and burn' event with my computer. I had just purchased an external hard drive back-up system and programmed it to back-up every day. When my computer was finally fixed I downloaded all my informtion back into my computer and have not mssed a beat since. I shiver at the thought of loosing all my data. You should, too. Safe guarding that same data against someone else is necessary, too. Just because you run a small shop that serves a local market doesn't mean your data is unimportant to someone. Customer data, in particular, is always valuable.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni

TelecommutingPro.com



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25 Percent Of Small Business Owners Are Out Of Their Minds



Backing up your data can be an inexpensive insurance that, even with a computer malfunction, your data is not lost and you can continue running it. Read about this a protecting your data.

23 Surefire Ways To Market Your Business in 2008

Hi Everyone,

I found this article and it is a great resource for you to keep close at hand. Having a marketing plan is so important. Once you write down what you're planning and when to do it you have a plan that will guide you throughout the year.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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23 Surefire Small Business Marketing Tips for 2008

This is the time of year I recommend you lay out your small-business marketing plan for 2008. Getting these ideas organized now will free you up to enjoy the holidays and hit the ground running at the first of the year. ...

Telecommuting Is Good For You

Telecommuting is catching on in the workplace. Emaployers continue to understand the significance of giving employees freedom to do their work away from the office. There are several articles involved with this post, each one talking about how telecommuting is good for you.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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Telecommuting Catches Up Here


Telecommuting Is Good For You

Researchers Give Telecommuting A Thumbs Up

Morale Boosts All Around Through Teleworking

An Idea For Small Business

Have you recently started your own small business? Are you thinking about starting one? Do you want to start a small business? Read this article for good information.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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An Idea For Business

Perhaps you've had friends who talked about opening their own businesses, but were dissuaded by the cost and logistics. Opening a small business is not easy; it takes knowledge, drive and money.

Earn a Very Respectable Income From the Comfort of Your Own Home.

Toni, here.

There's never a day when I'm sorry that I work at home. There are times, though, when I wish I could earn a little more income working from home. In this article find a new resource to learn how to work from home and make a respectable income.

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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Work At Home

Like many people who have been a part of an office workforce for most of their working lives, you will come to a point where you want something more. This is one of the reasons why people who have built their careers around the corporate world start to consider work at home options.

More Telecommuting- Less Asphalt

Here is an article talking about the future of telecommuting, or what the author sees as a vision. Worth a quick read.

Your Success Is Our Success.

Toni
Telecommutingpro

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Spread universal broadband access, not asphalt
October 28, 2007

Broadband. Telecommuting. Taming our roaring highways instead of multiplying them. Walking or cycling to work. Less tension, better health. "Work to live, not live to work."

Could all those values come together?

Put your ear to the ground, and you can hear other voices, especially in new technologies, suggesting a less frenetic lifestyle in a nation clearly confounded by congestion, obesity, energy consumption, global warming and air quality issues.

Biggest on the technology side: broadband Internet connection. Broadband is usually sold for its economic promise; backers now claim that a robust, border-to-border U.S. broadband network would generate up to 1.2 million new jobs.

President Bush in 2004 announced a national goal that by this year, we'd be "ranked first when it comes to per-capita use of broadband technology." The United States was then 10th; today it's actually 15th. Many regions remain limited to dial-up service or such slow and unreliable broadband that critics call it "fraudband."

Yet expanding our broadband penetration to the levels of leading European and Asian nations, Leo Hindery of InterMedia Partners told a recent Brookings Institution forum, would "translate into a half-trillion dollars of economic activity."

New uses keep emerging for broadband service, now the world's premier messaging, data source, business, entertainment and video transmitter, and with voice services, a growing competitor to standard telephone lines. With broadband, medical images can be flashed long distances to save lives, schools can be smaller but still receive top-level instruction, images and communications for homeland security are faster ... and the list keeps growing.

But there's de facto "redlining" of geographically remote or poor areas by the "duopoly" of telephone and cable companies –– a modern-day version of early 20th-century corporate foot-dragging in delivering telephone and electric service to rural America.

Massachusetts, for example, has 32 towns with no broadband at all, 63 with limited service areas. "We are creating a new kind of ghetto," according to Don Dubendorf, president of Berkshire Connect, a high-speed Internet advocate and negotiator. "It's morally wrong. It's stupid economically, it's dangerous from a health point of view, it's absurd from a public education point of view."

Enter then the broadband-transportation link. Fast, reliable Internet connection makes telecommuting far more feasible –– to transfer files, worksheets and video clips, access company databases, create videoconferences and more. But "telework" can't function well when employees don't have broadband access. Simple equation: Universal broadband equals increased telecommuting, which in turn means less roadway demand, fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less pollution. Even if a worker telecommutes a day or two a week, it can make a real difference.

Which raises a thorny question: How many new super-road lanes do we need on our highways, anyway? None at all if they raise greenhouse gas emissions, says King County (Seattle) Executive Ron Sims. Sims is opposing a popular proposal on this fall's ballot –– $17 billion for a combination of new roads and rail transit in the central Puget Sound region. No good, says Sims –– the overall package raises the area's carbon dioxide emissions by 18 million to 28 million tons over the next 50 years.

Overall reduction of auto use is the challenge, says Sims, which means growth limits –– tighter, more dense communities:

Sims' highway stand is collaborated by Todd Litman of the Victoria Transport Institute. Expanded freeways, Litman notes, may cut congestion delays in the short run. But in a few years, congestion generally returns to its earlier level through "induced travel" –– more thousands of drivers flooding into roadways they perceive as less crowded.

An alternative, says Sims: remote work centers, telecommuting, commuting in off hours, "an array of things so people have a life."

No one should have to commute more than a half-hour from home, Sims suggests. That translates too into time for a mix of exercise and sociability, walking and biking and talking with neighbors –– which reasonably compact communities make easier: "We want to tell people, you don't live to work, you work to live."

Heresy in fast-go, roaring-roadway, sprawling America? Maybe so. But let's pause to give it a careful look before we embrace urgent appeals for fresh asphalt.

There are many possibilities to start a home based business. Here are some suggestions to start with. Visit my website for informative articles, research, and online classes. Sign up for my '3 Minute Read' newsletter and receive specific ideas to start your home based business.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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How To Successfully Start A Home Based Business

A successful home business doesn't happen overnight. The old saying "Work at home in your pajama's", is a bad example. You have to treat it like a real job to succeed at it. The mental aspect of working at home needs to be the same mind framework as you would working for someone else.

Small Business Loans

Here is some advice on what is required to secure a small business loan.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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Small Business Loans - Know the Requirements
Posted in: loans in makemoneyclub's Blog

Every American dreams of having their own business and while most of us will never be corporate giants, many of us can more easily achieve the goal of having our own small business. It will certainly mean a dedication of energy and a commitment of long hours to make this dream a reality, but what most of us don't realize is that it will also require a small business loan. We may need some initial funding to open the doors on our new hardware store or barber shop or we may require a small business loan to keep our gardening center operating through the long winter season.

Whatever the reasons for our small business loan there are certain requirements that any bank or financial institution will ask us to meet before they lend us back some of the money that we have deposited with them over the years. Those requirements can be summed up as being eligible and creditworthy in the eyes of the banks and financial institutions. Once we can do that we can then be eligible for a number of forms of small business loans in order to be successful entrepreneurs.

The Small Business Administration of the federal government is one source of funds for small business loans. They make available guaranteed amounts of money for banks to provide to small businesses who meet the criteria noted above. One of the most common small business loans is called a 7 (a) loan. This refers to section 7 (a) of the Small Business Act and authorizes the agency to provide a series of financial assistance options to owners of small businesses. Banks and other commercial lending institutions can access these funds to provide them to eligible small businesses and while the bank lends the money, the Small Business Administration guarantees payment if the lender defaults on the loan. To become eligible for a small business loan the business must be able to show that it has the capacity to pay back any monies that are borrowed. That means that a company must be able to show proof of revenue and customers to the bank in sufficient quantities that they can no longer continue to operate but can also pay back any monies borrowed at the same time.

Once this information is presented to the bank they can then make a judgment on the eligibility of the small business loan request.The second criteria, being creditworthy, is a little more complex and involves research by the bank on the company and its principals to see if they have a proven track record of paying their bills in the past. One document that may be requested is called a "Statement of Personal History" from each owner or operator of the company to verify this information.

Work At Home Flourishes

There are endless possibilities for Work At Home jobs. A network of Professional Entrepreneurs gathered their products and skills and launched a number of invitation-only parties and vendor shows in which their businesses host private shopping events.

Be creative and give your ideas a chance. Your possibilities are unlimited, too.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni
TelecommutingPro

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Beyond Tupperware: Millions of home-based businesses flourish in U.S.

These aren't just Tupperware parties anymore. As part of a home-based-business boom, some women entrepreneurs are moving from corporate America into a shop-from-home, in-your-home, high-end-product business to gain economic independence and job autonomy.

NEW! Online Forum For Small Businesses

There are times when you have a question and do not know where to get the answer. Have you ever asked yourself, "How did everyone else get through this?" Now there is a 24/7 online forum where business owners can network with each other to ask questions and share experiences.

Your Success Is Our Success
Toni
TelecommutingPro


The Small Business Online Community

Created For Small Business Owners by Small Business Owners

While the Small Business Online Community is powered by Bank of America, it is a user-driven and dynamic community site with content that will largely take shape based on the needs of its registered users. As users develop an interest in a specific small business topic, forum categories and expert content will be updated to reflect this new interest.

Bank of America's goal for the community is to establish a deeper understanding of and relevance to small business owners by helping them overcome their challenges and grow their businesses.

Do Your Work At Home or Have a Home Based Business?

This article defines, with examples, the difference between working at home and a work at home business. Both scenarios ar Professionals Working At Home.

Your Success Is Our Success
Toni
TelecommuterPro

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Work At Home - A Home Business Vs A Work-At-Home Job

The at-home work force is increasing exponentially every year. As more and more people begin working from home, the lines and definitions between jobs and a business are beginning to get blurred. But, there is a difference between a home business and a work-at-home job. Keep reading for a clear outline of these basic distinctions.

Yahoo Has Resources For Small Businesse

You know your business but some of the marketing tactics may be beyond what you know or have time to learn. Yahoo Small Business provides many resources you can tap into to help with your online presence and onling marketing.

Your Success Is Our Success
Toni
TelecommutingPro


Yahoo Small Business - The Many Benefits

When a person starts a small business, there are many preparations to be made to ensure the overall success of the business. Some of these preparations include setting up a webpage, developing a domain, implementing emails for the business, getting internet access that is appropriate to the needs of your business, as well as developing a marketing strategy. If you implement the use of Yahoo Small Business, you can get all of this and more! In this article, you will be introduced to a number of benefits when it comes to using Yahoo Small Business.

4 Great Ways To Use Google to Grow Your Business

Google is more than a search engine. There are many products/services you can use to assist you in managing and promoting your business. Go to www.google.com and sign up for your own account. You will uncover many business tactics that are being used by the larger companies and are now available for you, the small business owner.

It does not matter what your work at home work option you are in or if you run a small business these features will benefit you.

Your Success Is Our Success.

Toni
TelecommutingPro provides access to other business resources.

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Which Google Products Should a Small Business Use?

No longer just a search engine, Google has grown rapidly in recent years into a company that now offers a variety of tools and services, many of which are aimed squarely at small business owners. Some of Google's most compelling services are free, making them even more tempting to small business owners on a tight budget.

When starting your small business, or if you have one and not up-to-date on website design and marketing, Microsoft Office Live Small Business provides information and resources to help create a presense on the Internet. They recently reached an agreement with 'The Search Agency' to add search engine marketing services to their suite of information.

Find out what they offer that will assist you by clicking here.

Your Success Is Our Success
Toni
TelecommutingPro

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Microsoft Office Live Small Business offers a suite of services to help small businesses register domains, put up websites, direct PPC campaigns and establish a presence on the Internet. And now they’re offering search engine marketing services and education.

Read the full story here.

How To Pitch Your Idea

This is a great article about something many of us have faced before. Some of you may be deadlocked in your business venture because of how intimidating this can be. Others are very uncomfortable because we don't have the foggiest idea of how to do it.

Your Success Is Our Success
Toni
TelecommutingPro

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How to pitch your idea

YOU'VE got this brilliant idea that's going to revolutionise the world. It's going to make you the new Bill Gates or Thomas Edison. It will make you millions.

But like so many clever Kevins in the past, you lack the know-how or the contacts, or even the chutzpah, to get the project off the ground and into people's lives. So the brilliant idea is shelved and soon dims.

Here is the link to the Pitchfest website.
Pitchfest

Small Business Finances

Starting a small business means you will need capital and to keep track of your accounting. These two articles discuss:

• Finding loan providers,


• Different ways to get money to start your busines,


• and new accounting software to make your financial life easier.

Your Success Is Our Success

TelecommutingPro

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Finding Small Business Loan Providers


A growing business could mean plenty of costs. If you are on a tight budget, chances are you will need to find a provider of small business loan and financing. But what is the best option for you?



CashView: Useful small business invoice processor



This software performs a much-needed function for small businesses and could save a lot of them a lot of time and hassle

10 Time-Tested Tips For Small Business, and MORE

Keeping you up-to-date on what is happening in the world of small business and telecommuting.

Your Success Is Our Success
Toni
TelecommutingPro

10 Steps To Small Business Success
Try Out These Time-Tested Tips To Make Business Bustle

Take Your Small Business On The Road
Today, running a business requires you to be in a lot of places at the same time. You run from meeting to meeting, while at the same time answering and sending emails. This can all be a bit overwhelming; fortunately technology...

More workers telecommuting, but plenty of obstacles remain
Americans are "teleworking" or "telecommuting," spending at least part of their workdays at sites other than their offices, usually their homes. ...

Work At Home - In The News Today

Here are several links to published articles regarding work at home. These have good information and things to think about.

Your Success is Our Success
Toni
TelecommutingPro

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"Work At Home Business Opportunities Thrive In Tight Job"
While the global job market may be thinning, the growth of work at home business opportunities is continuing to grow.

"Should you Work From Home?"
If working from home is something that you have considered, you should know that you are not alone. Wanting to work from home is a dream that many have...

"Choosing The Right Work at Home Opportunities"
When you first start looking for Internet work at home opportunities you will be spoiled for choices, but beware! You know the old saying, "if it looks good to be true.....

Research Your Small Business Venture

Starting a small business can be overwhelming. Do your research about the company, their marketing strategy, and their history. When you feel comfortable with a business before you start creates a very powerful small business venture.

Your Success Is Our Success
Toni
TelecommutingPro

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Small Business
by Butch Hamilton

Its obvious that starting a small business these days just makes good sense. Why should you startup a small home business? You will increase your net income. You can dramatically cut your income taxes that you will pay. We have two tax systems. One is for individuals, and one is for businesses. The small business owner pays much less in taxes. Almost anything can be counted as a business expense when you become a small business owner. All you really need to become a business system owner is to prove that you are in that business to make a profit.

The great flexibility that we have in today's business world is the fact that we all the capability of making money online. This move is the best business decision that you will ever make. Have you ever gotten rich working for someone else? If you position yourself correctly and with the right home business, you can be poised to become financially free within the next 5 year period. This is something that you really need to consider carefully.

Finding the right small business venture is critical. There is so much information out on Google about making money, where do you turn to find the best business systems to become involved with?

You need a small business that has a proven and stable track record. Your online business is your life's blood, so there is no need to join something just because you think it might be good. This is where due diligence plays the critical role. You must make the effort to fully check out the business model offered. Do some intensive research about the owner of the company, the compensation plan, how long they have been in business, and even contact members that are already involved with the business to see if its a fit for you.

Once you have begun the process of joining that small business, you then have the full responsibility to become proficient in your pursuit of your dreams and goals. The business should have in place training, great customer support and the leader of the program should always be strategizing new ways to make the system even better. This is building a true business after leaders in the industry have done for years using Fortune 500 Company's techniques. Once you have put all the pieces of your financial business plan into place, you then will hold the keys to your financial future.


About the Author Butch Hamiltonbutchhamilton.jag@info.trafficwave.net

Young Entrepreneur - An Alternative Career Choice

Entrepreneur is a choice that is adventurous and frightening. Here is an article, found on the S.C.O.R.E. website discussing this alternative career choice.

Your Success Is Our Success
Toni Grundstrom
TelecommutingPro

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Entrepreneurship—An Alternate Career Choice

By Nancy MichaelsAs seen in U.S. News & World Report, special advertising section

If you’ve recently started your own business—or if you’re thinking about it—you have a lot of company. Entrepreneurship is becoming an increasingly popular career choice in today’s marketplace.

While many individuals go on their own internal reasons—a passionate need to be independent, a burning desire to turn a hobby into a profession, or the love of a challenge—others have chosen the entrepreneur route in response to external situations, including layoffs, frustration with their current workplace culture, or a need for greater flexibility in their lives.

Owning a business has become the twenty-first century version of the 1950s American dream of owning a home. But entrepreneurship is not for everyone. It’s important to consider whether you have what it takes to start a business and run it successfully.

You’ve probably heard that start-up statistics are grim. The truth is that just 30 percent of business start-ups survive more than five years. Stories of overnight successes and young millionaires are rare. The dot.com era ended two years ago, and venture capital money is increasingly hard to secure. The hardworking, determined, visionary who dedicates long hours and endless energy to his or her business is the more realistic picture of today’s entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurs face a myriad of internal and external challenges. Within their companies, they need to offer a superior product or service. They need to manage cash flow and maintain profitability and hire and retain the right mix of people. Externally, factors such as access to financing, the economy, government regulations, and technological issues impact entrepreneurs on a regular basis.

Many small businesses fail because of weaknesses in general management, financial management, and marketing (Statistics Canada, “Failing Concerns: Business Bankruptcy in Canada”). Undercapitalization—or insufficient funds—is another common pitfall. Michael Gerber cites the “entrepreneurial seizure” as a primary reason for failure in his book “The E Myth, Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work, and What To Do About It.” Gerber says many entrepreneurs pursue the dream of being their own boss but fatally assume that an understanding of the technical nature of a business is enough to achieve success.

To avoid becoming a casualty of the start-up craze, it’s critical to be aware of the pros and cons of running a business. Sure, you have the potential to earn gobs of money, you can set your own hours and be your own boss. But there are many long hours, substantial risk and lots of dirty work required in the growing stages of any young firm.

“What surprised me the most was the sense of isolation I initially felt,” says Susan LaPlante-Dube, 38, who runs Precision Marketing Group out of her home in Upton, MA. “I was used to walking down the hall to bounce ideas off someone, and that was suddenly not an option. I quickly learned to schedule time out of the office to meet with people and gain a different perspective.”

Are You an Entrepreneur?One recent study of entrepreneurs (William E. Jennings, “A Profile of the Entrepreneur”) asked subjects to rank several traits and attitudes related to business ownership in order of importance. Results showed the most important attributes to be:
Perseverance
Desire and willingness to take initiative
Competitiveness
Self-reliance
Strong need to achieve
Self-confidence
Good physical health

Filling out the bottom of the list were some surprising attributes, including a strong desire for money, patience, organizational skills, and a need for power. Today’s entrepreneurs are more interested in competition and achievement than money or power.

So do you have what it takes to run a business? Ask yourself these questions to help you decide.
Are you willing to work long hours and make the sacrifices necessary to get your business going?

Do you want to bear the responsibility for all business decisions and responsibilities related to your company?

Are you independent, disciplined, and committed to entrepreneurship?

Are you ready to serve multi-roles within your organization?

Finally, successful entrepreneurs often allude to good old-fashioned luck as playing a role in their success. But successful business owners prepare themselves to recognize and seize opportunities when they arise.

Where To Start

Gather as much information as you can about your idea. Learn about the industry, the best ways to deliver your product or service, your competition, and potential obstacles. Talk to other entrepreneurs about what has worked for them, and read relevant trade journals, books, and business publications. Attend some gatherings of a professional association of entrepreneurs or prospective customers. Stay abreast of trends within your chosen field and keep current on issues affecting entrepreneurs.

Create a detailed plan for your business. If your venture will require any outside funding, you’ll need a business plan. These plans are a key building block for any successful business. Set goals for your business, then break the goals down into achievable steps. A good plan will help you maintain focus when things become overwhelming.

Networking can begin immediately when starting a business. If you’ve chosen to keep your day job until your business gets going, then maintain good relationships at work. Tap into professional organizations and your personal network of friends and family. Keep in mind that effective networking creates mutually beneficial relationships.

Research all financial aspects of your business. Access to capital is the “make or break” of many firms, so learn about the various ways to obtain funding—friends and family, bank loans, venture capitalists, angel investors. Know how much money you have, how much you’ll need to get going, and how much you need to make to achieve your goals.

Determine what types of equipment and materials you may need. For some—consultants, writers, coaches—a computer and a phone line may be sufficient. Those seeking to manufacture products may need to set up an entire assembly line.

Human resources are a huge asset to successful firms. While it may not be realistic when a business is just starting, hire out your weaknesses as soon as possible. If bookkeeping is a time-consuming chore, hire an accountant. Get an assistant to handle clerical work. This frees you up to spend time strategizing and growing the business.

Trying to decide when to give up your day job can be tricky. Go gradually. Wait until you have some regular clients lined up, a plan in place.

Starting a business can be overwhelming, especially for those who are maintaining other employment. Remember to carve out time for friends, family, and fun. Create boundaries between your business and your personal life and honor them.

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted. There is no magic formula. But for those willing to work hard and take a chance, dreams can come true.

Nancy Michaels (www.impressionimpact.com) provides marketing programs and consulting to companies targeting the small business market and frequently works with SCORE, “Counselors to America’s Small Business.” As seen in the March 17, 2003 edition of U.S. News & World Report. Sponsored by The United States Postal Service.

Telecommuting Becomes Intriguing

This article is published in the Daily Herald. It covers many issues potential telecommuters will encounter. Quick read yet informative.

Your Sucess Is Our Success.
Toni Grundstrom
TelecommutingPro

Commute times, costs make telecommuting intriguing
By Jim Kendall Columnist

Published: 9/17/2007 6:01 AM


Increasingly long drive times, gasoline that hangs stubbornly around $3.00 a gallon, and a mass transit system that never was designed for suburban businesses and their employees make telecommuting an intriguing idea.

Yet relatively few businesses seem to have bought into the concept - which means, if you're interested, you'll likely have to carve your own way. That's not necessarily a bad thing.
The little experience that's available indicates that telecommuting may work best on a part-time basis, at least in the beginning.

"Especially at a small company," explains Karen Codere, "employees wear a number of hats. They may need to be available" in person. As a result, Codere continues, employees who do work from home "still usually have at-office time."

That's the case at Schaumburg's IntelliSuite Technologies, Inc., an IT consulting firm. "Some things can't be done off site," says Erin Teegan. "I can access the computer and get company files from home as if I were sitting at my (office) PC; but I also get the mail, so I have to come in at least two times a week."

Teegan is office coordinator at the 20-employee company. Four of IntelliSuite's employees work permanently off site, at branch offices in Michigan and Kentucky. That's more remote office than telecommuting, though the issues are similar.

Teegan says IntelliSuite has allowed telecommuting on an as needed basis so employees can "work around life commitments" since the company was born in 1998. "That's worked for us."
Still, she acknowledges, "Not everyone can work independently. It takes the right set of guidelines and the right personalities" for telecommuting to work.

Recordkeeping matters as well. What's needed, Teegan says, is a way to document time and work. "We know (technically) how telecommuting works, but we need a written set of guidelines."

Teegan has turned to Administaff for help.
"You have to look at the nature of the job," says Codere, a senior human resources specialist at Administaff's Rosemont office. Administaff is a Houston company that provides payroll and other HR-related support to smaller businesses. In addition to Rosemont, Administaff has a Loop office here.

"Obviously, a line job in manufacturing isn't suited to telecommuting. And sometimes (employees) simply have to interact with other people" which, Codere adds, perhaps can be done by phone or e-mail.

Key, Codere says, is "a really good performance management system." Among the pros and cons she says should be considered are company processes; whether there is sufficient IT support to allow off-site work; whether the company culture can adapt to a telecommuting lifestyle; whether employees are suited to the process; and the company's ability to help employees set up a home office.

Codere adds one more item to her list of telecommuting considerations: Disaster recovery. You're likely to be up and running again faster if provisions for at least temporary telecommuting are part of your disaster comeback planning.

E-mail questions, comments to Jim Kendall, JKendall@121MarketingResources.com.

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New Study Shows Rise In Telecommuting

This is a study released on 9-11-2007. It reveals information about how there has been an increase in IT professionals working away from the office. They refer to this as the 'virtual office'.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni

TELECOMMUTING GAINING GROUND
Study Shows More IT Employees Working Remotely Today Than Five Years Ago


MENLO PARK, CA -- The proliferation of wireless technologies and feature-rich Internet applications is making it easier for information technology (IT) professionals to work outside of the office. A new study by Robert Half Technology shows that telecommuting is becoming more commonplace among IT professionals. Nearly half (44 percent) of chief information officers (CIOs) surveyed said their companies’ IT workforce is telecommuting at a rate that is the same or higher than five years ago; only 3 percent said IT staff work remotely less frequently today than five years ago (see table 1). Improved retention and morale, and increased productivity were cited as the greatest benefits among firms that allow telecommuting.

The national poll includes responses from more than 1,400 CIOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. It was conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis.

“Enhanced connectivity tools provide IT professionals greater flexibility and the option to work even when they are away from the office,” said Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology. “Consequently, working remotely is more commonplace today and more acceptable.”

Telecommuting Attitudes Explored

34 percent of CIOs whose companies allow telecommuting cited improved retention and morale through enhanced work/life balance as the greatest benefit. Increased productivity due to reduced commute time was cited by 28 percent of respondents (see table 2).

“For some, working from home on occasion can result in greater productivity because there are fewer interruptions than in the office,” Lee said. “Many IT professionals also appreciate not having to commute every day given today’s high gasoline prices.”

Companies may need to balance the desire of staff to work remotely against the expectation of accessibility, however. Indeed, survey respondents indicated that telecommuting programs can have drawbacks. Nearly half (44 percent) of all CIOs surveyed felt that quality of work suffers due to diminished in-person contact with colleagues (see table 3A). Furthermore, nearly one in three (30 percent) CIOs surveyed felt that telecommuting employees are not as productive because they have less oversight (see table 3B).

“Telecommuting isn’t a viable option for every type of employee in every scenario,” Lee commented. “Managers who need face-to-face interaction with staff, or individuals who meet frequently with clients, for example, may find that working from home hampers their ability to build strong business relationships.”

Implementing Telecommuting Programs

While telecommuting can benefit employers and employees alike, it’s important that companies have the appropriate infrastructure in place to facilitate staff working remotely. For example, nearly a third of CIOs (31 percent) surveyed felt that telecommuting employees generate too many security risks because they need to access elements such as corporate networks, systems and intellectual property off-site (see table 3C).

Clearly communicating guidelines about telecommuting also is necessary. Lee noted, “It’s important that employers set expectations up front about who can telecommute and how often they can do so, in order to avoid misunderstandings that might arise during a project.”

To help ensure a successful telecommuting program, Lee suggests employers consider the following questions:

What IT jobs are best suited for telecommuting? Alternative work arrangements are most suitable for individuals whose jobs can be performed with relative autonomy.
How frequently should IT employees be allowed to work remotely? Consider allowing employees to work from home one day a week, and try to schedule weekly meetings on days employees are on-site to provide project updates.

How will you ensure effective communication between team members? Keeping a schedule of workers’ on-site availability, and where and how they can be reached when off-site, can keep work flowing smoothly.

With more than 100 locations in North America, Europe and Asia, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at www.rht.com.

Toni Grundstrom is a freelance writer focusing on work from home work options. I have over 17 years of Marketing experience, 15 of those as a Telecommuter. I provide articles, research, and information on telecommuting, home based business, and work at home jobs. Visit her website at Telecommuting Pro


Telecommute more/less

Benefits of telecommuting

Statements about telecommuting

Let Small Businesses Reign

Small businesses are a growing population of the U.S. economy. Read what is being said by the Small Business Association (SBA).

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni

TELECOMMUTING: SBA updates FAQ Web site
Cherry Hill Courier Post - Cherry Hill,NJ,USA
It estimates there are 26.8 million small businesses in the United States, and addresses small businesses' importance to the US economy. ...

For more information on small businesses, work at home jobs, and telecommuting visit TelecommutingPro

Current Information About Telecommuting

I am providing a few current event articles on telecommuting and small business. I feel that it is important for you to know what is happening regarding all work-at-home work options.

Your Success Is Our Success

Toni

Increasing Number of Companies Turning to Telecommuting

Once considered an option reserved for a select few, telecommuting is fast becoming the option of choice for many companies and employees-and this phenomena is not just reserved for those who work in the technology sector.

When A Company Makes Telecommuting Easy

Although not all web workers prefer to work outside of corporate offices, a lot of us do. So finding companies that are amenable to the idea of telecommuting is always a boon. Those organizations often have leadership that is comfortable with the idea of managing people who are “out of sight.”

TELECOMMUTING: SBA updates FAQ Web site

It estimates there are 26.8 million small businesses in the United States, and addresses small businesses' importance to the U.S. economy. It provides data on small-business firm survival, owner demographics, health care questions, regulations and procurement.

Telecommuting - The Concept

This post is a little longer but contains some good information on how to start thinking about telecommuting. This is the first in a three-part series on telecommuting.

Good Reading.

Toni


That special something you've had your eye on will have to wait. The price of gas has taken all your spare change, and then some, to get you to work. What options do you have? You need to work to make ends meet. Brainstorm!

Telecommuting - The Concept , Part 1

This article is the first in a series exploring the telecommuting concept. Part II - 'The Journey' talks about being a good telecommuter, approaching your boss about a telecommuting work arrangement, and how to set up your 'virtual office' space away from the office. Part III 'The Lifestyle' discusses how to mange your work and personal life, structuring your environment, and staying productive.

In the past, information was transmitted via Pony Express and telegraph now it travels as e-mail through modem lines. This information superhighway has created an opportunity for a new kind of mutually beneficial working partnership: telecommuting. Telecommuting is broadly defined as any method of working productively away from the office. According to the American Telecommuting Association (ATA), "telecommuting is second only to casual days as the fastest-growing shift in traditional working patterns".

Who are you and why do you think you can work away from the office? According to "The Virtual Office Survival Handbook" by Alice Bredin, you need to understand your working habits before you approach your boss. You should consider your ability to: resist distractions, manage your time, set limits on work, and deal with challenges. You also need to determine if you are internally or externally motivated, and if you are an over-or underachiever. If you think you can work from home, read on.

If your work habits and telecommuting are a match, there are advantages to this arrangement for you, your employer, and society. If your lifestyle does allow for full- or part-time work outside of the home you will be productive. Working from home alleviates the need to overcome family/personal issues such as daycare, family illness, events such as a school concert or conferences, and physical or transportation barriers. You can feel better, work harder, save money (childcare, transportation, and parking), avoid commuting time and irritations, and feel motivated to achieve the high performance necessary to keep the position. When you work from home there may be set hours you need to be at your work station yet you have the flexibility to work within the parameters of that day. If the work does not get finished within those set hours you may have the option to come back and finish at a later time that day. Finishing the work with accuracy and professionalism is the goal to gain the feeling of satisfaction and shows your manager that you can and will be productive.

According to the Institute for the Study of Distributed Work, an employer saves over $2,000 per telecommuting employee per year on the cost of absenteeism and reduces business disruptions due to inclement weather, family emergencies, childcare, labor disputes, and so on. The telecommuting option also helps businesses hire and retain experienced workers. By offering a telework option organizations can attract qualified or specialist employees that do not reside near the place of business. Offering it as an option for existing employees helps retain employees, whom have been trained for a specific line of work, and gives the employee an option to continue working with the company instead of needing to quit due to personal reasons or moving out of the geographic area. Telecommuting also saves the employer costs related to office overhead and parking requirements. Society benefits from less pressure on the transportation infrastructure and, subsequently, less air pollution and gas consumption.

INTERESTING FACTS

Advantages For The Employee
Minimize Stress: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) , reports that stress ranks high in the top 10 reasons employees miss work. When working at home , employees avoid a long commute , as well as the noise and interruptions common in most office cubicles.

Advantages For The Organization
Higher productivity: Both telecommuters and their managers report that workers get more accomplished when out of the office. In an AT&T-sponsored survey of Fortune 1000 telemanagers, 58 percent reported increased worker productivity. The state of California's telecommuting pilot program measured productivity increases of 10 percent to 30 percent, and American Express tallied a 20 percent productivity gain for off-site call center employees.

Success, for the telecommuter, is measured by results versus hours clocked in the office. A shift to a management-by-objectives style must be made. Set pre-established goals that the manager and employee agree on. These goals are for the success of the employee and be able to manage the results versus the process. These performance standards are a guideline of what needs to be done and by what time. Performance is evaluated directly by how the employee meets the performance standards. The performance standards also help the company to keep a close eye on actual cost benefits, productivity, and morale of the telecommuting employee. An open line of communication by phone, fax, modem, or other means allows the manager and telecommuting employee to work out issues that may arise but also keeps the employee in the office 'loop'. The manager needs to make certain an appropriate means of evaluating productivity of the pre-established goals is in place to avoid misunderstandings down the road.

Training is also essential for the success of a telecommuting program. Training should include online orientation and how to set-up a virtual office in the home. You must also determine who is responsible for what expenses (utilities, office supplies, travel expenses to meetings, and so on) and how you will interact with the main office to stay part of the team. Preparation for isolation, distractions, and technical pitfalls -- as well as how to stimulate ideas, creativity, and professionalism should be considered.

Finally, as mentioned above, not all employees are good candidates for telecommuting. Besides employee personality, an assessment if the job function and a telecommuting job are a good match. Questions regarding the job such as - Does the employee need access to office files to perform the job function?; Are there meetings that the employee will need to attend in person?; Could all supplies be made available in a remote work location to accommodate a telecommuter for a particular job? - need to be answered and successfully evaluated. Furthermore, many employers like to have an employee work in the office from six months up to two years before telecommuting is offered as an option.

Telecommuting is a personal accommodation and a tool for meeting business needs. As the employee and business work together they will realize that a virtual office can fulfill those business needs creating a mutually beneficial work arrangement. Beyond that, telecommuting can be an enviable lifestyle that adds balance to work and home life.

Subsequent articles will explore steps for selling telecommuting to management or working for yourself while marketing your telecommuting skills to others. There are also nuts and bolts to setting up your 'virtual office' and a new lifestyle that you should be prepared for. Advancements through technology have opened the door to this working partnership. It is not there for the taking but you can find your way to succeeding as a telecommuter.

Toni Grundstrom's expertise is in Marketing. Working for a professional association, government entity, and small business as a Telecommuter provides understanding of the concept and the issues surrounding this working option. She advocates for, informs and educates people who telecommute, work at home, or own a home based business. They are Professionals Working At Home.

This article may be distributed freely on your website, as long as
this entire article, including links and this resource box are unchanged.

Copyright 2007 Toni Grundstrom All Rights Reserved.
TelecommutingPro

How To Define Your Work/Life Balance

When you work at home you must be disciplined enough to dedicate your attention to the work that needs to be accompished. You are not being evaluated on how you get your work done, but that you get the work done and it is of the highest quality. This applies to the telecommuter but also the work-at-home individual and small home business owner. This article provides some insights in to how to define your daily 'work time' to provide you with the quality of life you're wanting.

Define Your Work-Life Balance
Toni Grundstrom

For a successful and professional work-at-home work option you need to define your work-life balance. Create a schedule that includes specific work hours, social time, and plenty of time for your family.

While you're working you can do a load of laundry and dry it, but don't take time out of your work hours to fold and put the clothes away. For every four hours of work you should give yourself a ten minute break. This is your time to do those types of activities. During work hours personal phone calls need to be limited, just as they would be in an office. Let your family and friends know what your specified work hours are and ask them not to call during that time.

Friends and family may perceive your work-at-home job an invitation to stop by or ask you to run errands with them. All of that can be accomplished, but not during your specified work hours. Clarify that with them and they will respect your professionalism.

Your work schedule does not have to fit in to the nine-to-five mode. Create your schedule to fit your lifestyle. This is one of the advantages of working from home. Schedule your hours when you know you're the most productive with less distractions. This helps you to get more done with fewer interruptions.

If you work at home a few days for your job negotiate the specific hours you will be available. You do not want to have work call you, or even email you, outside work hours. If they do contact you outside your defined hours be sure to add that to your reported hours. Do not feel that it was just one-half hour, no big deal. If you are readily available for situations like that you will begin to work for free.

If your phone and computer are the technology you use to work from home create a separate email and calendar on your computer for work activities. A separate phone line for business will keep personal calls from interrupting business calls. If a separate line is not possible use your caller I.D. to screen personal calls to your answering machine or voice mail. Always answer your phone, during work hours, with your name or business name instead of 'hello'. These separation tips will retain your professionalism while you balance work and home.

Another separation idea is to have your office in a secluded area of the house or a room with a door. This creates a real work space and will help you clarify your work-life balance. Your work area should include the necessary equipment to perform your job professionally.

If you want your telecommuting business to remain professional you should dress the part. It can be helpful to dress 'office casual' during work hours to reinforce your professionalism. (I have to admit that I closed deals and contracts in my jeans and slippers, but that should not be the norm.)

One of the main advantageous of telecommuting, working at home, or running a home-based business is that you control your work-life balance. Defining work hours, space, and attire will create an environment for you to be a professional working at home.

Toni Grundstrom's expertise is in Marketing. Working for a professional association, government entity, and small business as a Telecommuter provides understanding of the concept and the issues surrounding this working option. She advocates for, informs and educates people who telecommute, work at home, or own a home based business. They are Professionals Working At Home.

This article may be distributed freely on your website, ezine, or blog as long as this entire article, including links and this resource box are unchanged.
Copyright 2007 Toni Grundstrom
All Rights Reserved.TelecommutingPro
http://www.telecommutingpro.com

Now to move on to business

I finally worked through all the computer wows and can start marketing my sites. My telecommuting site is full of information, articles, free classes, and research about starting a small business at home, telecommuting, and work-at-home professionals. My other site is the new online business I'm starting. It essentially deals with a new way to instruct individuals on anything and everything. I'm lookinig forward to hearing back from you about your experiences with telecommuting and what type of information you'd be interested in learning.

Computer Wows

As an individual trying to start a home-based business I realize that I need to do EVERYTHING, even if I don't really know how to do it. This week it is my website against my computer program teaming up against me. Nothing I can't handle, if I only had the hours needed. I produced my first 'webinar' and posted it on my site but no one can see it since the auto responder and my web page url don't recognize each other. Time to ask the experts on the other side of cyberspace. I'll let you know when you can view my webinar on '#1 Way To Monopolize Your Niche".