Beating the recession with a home-based business

BY CHUCK TUCK | JOURNAL REPORTER If you have an itching to start a new home-based business in 2009, there are a couple of important rules to follow in order to become successful.
Taking into consideration that you have already chosen a company name, setup a bank account, and licensed your business, you will then need to do some planning and layout your roadmap to success.

Select an area from which you will be working and establish it as your office. Avoid working from the same room that you use to relax in or watch television in, you will want to create a sense of “going to work.”

Create a business budget that includes a monthly marketing or advertising allowance. Since this is a home-based business, your monthly expense should be small and simple. Don’t forget to check with your tax preparer for any home-based tax benefits.

Your initial startup cost will be higher, but don’t borrow the money if you don’t have to.

Many people make excuses to purchase new computers or other peripherals when they start a business; avoid this at all cost!

Planning involves many different things to many different people, but it need not be a complicated process as long as you have a concise road map - in writing - to follow.

Next you will need to get yourself organized. This can be everything from cleaning out the clutter in the spare room that you’ll be using as your office to scheduling your payments for bills.

There is almost nothing else that interferes more with starting a business than mental stress or not being organized.

Imagine if you were to go shopping and the store clerk asked you to “hold-on-a-minute” every time you asked for something because they couldn’t find what they needed.

Would that bother you? Would you be frustrated? Have you lost confidence in that clerk? You bet. That could be you if you don’t take the steps to become organized.

If you are still undecided and looking for suggestions, here are just a few simple ideas for a home-based business.

• Use your green-thumb and be a local seller of bulbs and seeds. If you’re a gardener who has folks admiring your well cared for garden of flowers you’ve already done your job of marketing, from there it’s as simple as offering your selection of seeds or bulbs to them.

• If you’re a young person looking to do some odd jobs in the neighborhood but does not want to mow lawns offer a home car wash service.

• Former educators are a shoe-in for being tutors, as well as any person with a high degree of knowledge in their given field i.e. music, technology, cooking, etc.

These are just a few simple and inexpensive business ideas that can be started on a small budget and do not take prior training other than personal passion.

You may not become rich, but it can bring in some extra money that’s needed for an early retirement or other investment opportunity down the road.

Lastly, keep in mind that giving the best customer service and being honest in your dealings is what will make you a successful business owner.

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