Running a Home Based Business …is not always a Bed of Roses

By Yvonne Weld

Every rose has its thorns…and that’s true in the garden and in business. Starting a home-based business requires skill in navigating the thorns you encounter as your business begins to grow.

I began researching home based businesses because of the advantages that working from home afforded me: making my own hours, staying home with my children, and taking take time off when I wanted and not when the “holiday schedule” allowed for it. I viewed entrepreneurship through “rose-colored glasses” and didn’t see the thorns associated with owning my own business.

Loneliness

There isn’t a “water cooler” in my home office and my cat never sticks around long enough to talk about who was voted off the island last night on my favourite reality show. Isolation is one of the largest struggles that the home-based entrepreneur faces.

The realization they are now a “one man show” can be overwhelming. The best way to overcome feelings of loneliness and isolation is to join online forums. Also, make sure to get out of the office and attend networking events. If you thrive on interaction with others, this may be a thorn you cannot get past and opening a home-based business may not be a good choice for you.

Misconceptions of Others

Some people think that entrepreneurs sit around with their feet up eating bon-bons all day. When someone finds a way to make money doing that – let me know! I can’t count the times someone has asked me to volunteer on a committee or waste time talking about their favourite soap opera all because they think I’m not REALLY working.

When you start your home based business you will spend a lot of time explaining to others what your job entails, including the hours you plan to work. When others respect that you are serious about your business and its success you’ve successfully removed this thorn.

Separating Personal from Business

Balancing personal life and business life is challenging for many entrepreneurs that work from home. If you have a family it becomes even “stickier.” It is important to ensure that your family sees that you are dedicated to your work when you are at work and you are dedicated to your family when you are at home.

It is vital to schedule family time and business time. I stay away from my office during scheduled family time and focus on my business during business time – the laundry will wait until after hours. Caller ID and call display are wonderful tools to ensure personal phone calls don’t become a thorn in your side.

Billable Time vs. Non-billable Time

The biggest hurdle (or thorn) for many home-based entrepreneurs to overcome is a “paycheck” mentality. Even though you’re working a forty-hour week, you’re not getting paid for forty hours. You need time to market your business and keep both your clients and the government happy.

While you can hire professionals to assist you, it is important to budget for non-billable time.

Before you decide to take the leap from the corporate world to opening a home-based business, stop and smell the roses. If you’ve identified all the “thorns” involved, you’re less likely to get pricked when you reach out to grab one. Take an honest look within yourself and decide if you have what it takes to navigate the thorns and bloom into a successful entrepreneur.

Yvonne Weld is the owner of ABLE Virtual Assistant Services (www.ableva.com), which offers administrative assistance to “solopreneurs.” At ABLE Virtual Assistant Services, we take care of the details of your business so that you can use your time effectively and wisely.

Published in Networking Today, December, 2006