Title: Starting A Home Based Business Word Count: 956 Summary: Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back from Starting a Home Based Business Working at home is a desirable option for lots of people – and why not? Avoiding traffic, maintaining your own schedule, choosing to work in your pajamas and being your own boss are all valid reasons for wanting to run a business out of the comfort of your own home. However, the problem is that many people don’t realize that running a home business actually is an option. Held back by fear or a hectic schedul... Keywords: home based business,work from home business,work at home business,online business Article Body: Don’t Let Fear Hold You Back from Starting a Home Based Business Working at home is a desirable option for lots of people – and why not? Avoiding traffic, maintaining your own schedule, choosing to work in your pajamas and being your own boss are all valid reasons for wanting to run a business out of the comfort of your own home. However, the problem is that many people don’t realize that running a home business actually is an option. Held back by fear or a hectic schedule that doesn’t allow one to concentrate on starting a home business are two excuses people often make to themselves in order to be cut short from achieving their dreams. Starting a home business doesn’t have to be scary, if you play the game correctly. Obviously, lots of people think that starting their own business means quitting their full time jobs altogether and starting from scratch. The thought of giving up a regular paycheck for something that has a chance of failure is truly frightful. That’s why is could be a good idea to keep that day job and work on your home business on the side, until it starts bringing in enough money (and taking up enough time) for it to be a full time job. The time you dedicate to your home business is up to you. For some time, this may mean managing your schedule a little differently than you do right now. It may mean that other people need to make sacrifices to help you. For instance, instead of spending an hour making dinner, compromise with a spouse, friend or relative – volunteer to make a big dinner for them once a week, if they will do the same for you (and yours) an another night. If you want to start a home business badly enough, it may take a little creativity when it comes to your schedule, but if you work hard enough it will pay off. Things to Consider When Starting a Home Based Business There are lots of things to think about when considering a home based business. You must consider your schedule, startup budget, your profit goals and areas of interest. Since there are new home based business opportunities popping up all the time, it is not difficult to get hooked up with one. The problem comes in finding something that you can see yourself doing for an extended period of time. Remember that a home based business is still a business – you must make a commitment and stick with it if you want to succeed. In choosing a home based business, think first about what you are good at and passionate about. If you collect rare items, think about starting an online site where other collectors can view your rare finds and buy them. Ebay has made selling online convenient and simple, and many retailers have opted to use the popular option site to set up shop. Or perhaps you are detail-oriented and have excellent taste – why not be a wedding or event planner, with a business run from your home? Next, consider how much money you have to support the startup of your business. If you are selling information in the form of e-books or taking advantage of one of the numerous affiliate programs online, startup costs are extremely low. However, if you would like to sell products or a service, you may need to invest some of your savings into it. Make sure that you are being realistic with your money. There are no limits to how important marketing is for independent businesses in particular. Locally, it is a great idea to network with friends, family, and community members through fliers and business cards. In order to reach people on the Internet, think about advertising with banners on search engines or sending out e-cards that include your contact information and services. The more people hear about your great deals, the more the marketing will take care of itself! Time Management is Key to Running a Home Based Business When starting a home based business, it is important to create a schedule that works with your life. After all, making your own schedule was probably one of the biggest reasons why you wanted to start a home business to begin with. However, no home based business works if the business owner doesn’t dedicate the appropriate amount of time to it. Think about your home based business as a real job – not as an obstacle that gets in the way of your regular life. Make sure that you block off enough time during the week so that you are seeing the kind of profit you can thrive on. Most importantly, try to make this time uninterrupted – that means for business only! Working at home can be stressful because there are all sorts of interferences. You will only accomplish your goals if you can focus on your work. If you have decided to start a home based business on the side while keeping your full time job, you will need to block off time that you would regularly devote to other priorities, like family, friends, or leisure time. Get creative, and think of ways that you can be more efficient. Think about hiring a babysitter on Saturday mornings, do one large load of laundry instead of several throughout the week, or get your friends together all at one time, instead of meeting with them separately Working at home can be a full time job with full time income, or a part time job as one of multiple streams of income – but neither avenue will work if you don’t devote the time that is necessary to succeeding.