Starting your Work at Home Career
How to overcome the five most common barriers to starting the own work at home career that's right for you.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work at home in your own business than to work for another company? You could set your own hours and work the way you want, when you want. You could literally write your own paychecks.
For some, owning a work at home business may be easier than you think. Many people may dream about working for themselves one day; becoming a business owner. Making the dream a reality is a process that can be exciting but takes courage, focus and hard work. There are five barriers to starting a business (Zahorsky, 2009) that entrepreneurs usually fear and need to get beyond in order to be their own boss:
1. No money
2. No time
3. No benefits
4. No family support
5. No courage
Every new entrepreneur faces these challenges and overcome these stages and so can you.
Choosing the Right Career Field for You
When choosing a career, it is best to find one that you would be passionate about, even if you made no money doing the work. There will be times when the work will not be enjoyable. When you love your job, it gives you the energy to press through tough times and persevere. A hobby you love is a great place, but not the only place, to start when determining what work would be most suitable for you. “Working from home is a dream for many -- and a reality for a few. Turn something you now do for fun into something you do for a living” (Pulliam-Weston, 2009).
Setting up Your Home Office
Setting up the home office can be pretty easy. Most of the tools needed usually are already in place; computers and other office-related equipment are commonplace in homes. As long as there is a small quiet room with a desk, computer, telephone and Internet connection, the basic setup is there. Some business setups may require additional phone line (from personal home number) for a dedicated office phone and fax machine; this will be additional cost to business owner.
Work at home to achieve life balance
Being able to create a balance between family and work is a very attractive incentive for many people to start their own business or work at home. Benefits are: Being your own boss, having a flexible schedule, having no daily commute in traffic, being home when the kids return home from school and enjoying a great sense of accomplishment. It can also help parents save money on daycare expenses.
Dealing with Distractions when you work at home
When setting new personal or professional goals, everyday life will send winds of distractions your way that will deter you from achieving them. Negative people may make comments that discourage you or you may have discouraging thoughts of failure as well.
Having small children that may cry, television noise or pet/dog barking while you are working in the home office environment may be a problem. Learning to manage your work environment is very important; need to separate home office from rest of the house. Please keep in mind, when choosing to work with a virtual call center that some call center work-at-home jobs have no tolerance for audible distractions (Pulliam-Weston, 2009). Here are some tips for keeping kids quiet while you work. http://www.work-at-home.org/kid-activities.htm
Avoiding Work at Home Scams
The popularity of work-at-home employment has become very popular for many people who want to do so. Scam artists are aware of this increased interest in these opportunities as well. It’s important to do research on any company prior to connecting with them. Work at home scams are on the rise and many people lose money, time and energy that leave them depleted and discouraged. This is also a deterrent that keep many people from wanting to start their own businesses as well. There are legitimate opportunities out there. There are reputable companies that look for professional work at home employees and entrepreneurs. It is imperative that business owners have keen awareness. There are ways to know if a business opportunity is a scam. Never take a work at home job or start at home business that requires you to accept money or money orders. Common Work at Home Business Scams (http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/legalcenter/article173648.html) When in doubt, consider using a site like MoneyFromHome.com that carefully pre-screens thousands of work at home jobs and publishes only scam-free work at home job listings at their site for subscribers.
Never Stop Learning
There are many opportunities to obtain personal and professional development. The biggest challenge for entrepreneurs will face, is learning to manage time and energy for family, working and time for school/courses. There are many options available to busy professionals such as online courses and seminars. There are continuing education courses at local technical and community colleges or online, etc. Take advantage of any opportunity to obtain more education. It will improve your personal and professional life. Certification from courses will also make you more confident and increase credibility with customers.
Keeping Things in Proper Perspective
In spite of the many challenges, the positives will far outweigh the negatives when working at home. Anyone willing to overcome these challenges will reap the rewards of being their own boss. Don’t give up on your dream home business because of the fear of failure. Remember to believe in yourself, your dream, do your research using reputable resources, and get it done! Start networking with other entrepreneurs. There are other home small business owners who have been through or going through the same thing; you’re not alone. Here are some helpful website links for small business owners: www.entrepreneur.com, http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs, and www.SCORE.org.
Rhonda Thompson is a single parent of three and a grandmother of one, a music producer/writer/vocalist, a Communications student at Kaplan University, and the owner of an independent music production company, Canderin Productions in Atlanta, Georgia. Rhonda can be contacted at canderinproductions-- at -- yahoo.com or www.myspace.com/rhondathompsonmusic.
References:
Zahorsky, Darrell (2009), Break the 5 Barriers to Starting a Business, About.com, Small Business Information, http://sbinformation.about.com/od/
startingabusiness/a/startup.htm?p=1, Retrieved July 2, 2009.
Weston-Pulliam, Liz (2009), Real Work-at-Home Jobs., http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/
RaiseKids/4realJobsYouCanDoFromHome.aspx. Retrieved, July 2, 2009.
Mintzer, Rich (2007). Entrepreneur.com, Common Small Business Scams http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/legalcenter/article173648.html. Retrieved, July 2, 2009.
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