Monday, September 23, 2013

Top Six Things You Must Have When Running A Business From Home

By Daniel Carlson


Running a business from home is not as easy at it might sound at the onset. Many a wannabe entrepreneur realizes that no earlier is she or he prepared to get down to business, a very important element is missing. To ensure that you will not caught unprepared when you are ready to become a home based business owner and operator, here are the top six things you must have when running a business from home.

1. You want a dedicated, organised business area where you may work. While this will sound like a common sense proposal, you'll be shocked to discover many entrepreneurs can't right away lay their hands on a telephone number (the rolodex is in the other room), find their last business taxation estimate (it might have gotten filed with the personal papers), can't locate back issues of the last newsletter they emailed to their customers (hard copies may have gotten picked up and recycled with the Sunday paper), or have to wait for junior to get off the computer (that three page research paper on bears is due tomorrow). All of your supplies, materials, and other business related items need to be in and around that area; resist the enticement of mixing private and business items, since this will lead on to confusion as your business grows.

2. No matter what business you are running, you are going to need to have a working PC, attached printer, printer paper, and extra ink cartridges. There is nothing worse than trying to print out an invoice and be lacking either ink or paper. In a similar fashion, irrespective of what home business you are engaged in, the odds are good that for research, customer contact, and accounting purposes a computer with database capacities is required.

3. You will very probably need a telephone. Whether or not your business is primarily conducted online, the availability of a telephone line that is separate from your home line will forestall from youngsters answering the business line and giving you an amateurish image. If you actually only very rarely use the phone, your mobile will be fine.

4. Use a wall calendar. Sure, your PC has a calendar function, but if anything occurs, and your computer is not working, How will you know what your cut off dates are? How can you keep a record of appointments, bills, and payments that are due to you?

5. You want backup copies of everything. Back up your work as you complete it. For those who create files on their home computers, upload them to a secure site where you can store them. If anything happens to your home PCs, you will be able to access these files in a pinch from a library PC and with a net-based e-mail account send them to another account.

6. You need commitment and the willingness to apply your rules. The commitment is required to make sure that the pull of the TV or the chores is not stronger than the cut off point that's approaching large. Similarly, being happy to impose your commitment and the rules you create might be a prerequisite for the buddy or member of the family who sees you as a great babysitting alternative since you are at home anyways, not realizing or understanding that while you are at home, you are still working!




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