It's Time to Dig In and Get Your Home-Based Business Moving

Remy's a great role model - relentless pursuit of everything. Now it's time to get moving. I wanted companies that 1) had a sound business structure and good market position; 2) were ethical and offered quality consumer services/products that people really needed or wanted; 3) required no large investment; 4) required no product distribution/delivery and, thus, no inventory; 5) didn't ask me to pressure prospects or bill customers. And I wanted to set my own hours working from home, without interfering with my other work.

It took a few months research. But I finally came across not one, but two companies that fit my requirements. So I'm ready to roll with a strong Plan B.

Effort and Enthusiasm Will Help Your Home-Based Business Flourish

The lilies outside our door didn't emerge overnight. They were just two small bulbs a year ago; they needed weeding, water and fertilizer to help them along. Your home- based business, and indeed any business, needs the same kind of effort and dedication to flourish. But it won't happen overnight. So once you've decided what to do, make sure you have the resolve to keep going. Never quit on yourself and you too will flourish.

Home-Based Business - Exploring the Possibilities

My friend Remy explores everything. And so should you. When it comes to developing a home-based business, there are a couple of fundamentals. Start with your list of ‘whys.’ Consider what you want to do. Will you really enjoy and be committed to the business you select? Research your options.

The first key is integrity. There’s a lot of stuff advertised in the home-based business world. You need to find ethical people and companies with whom to work. If you’re being asked to invest, know what you are getting into. Examine the offer. Is the opportunity offering a service or product that people need or want to have? Who’s running the company? Is it sound? Are the executives open and professional? Is there training? What kind of support is available to help you get underway? Most important, is this a person or company with whom you want to be affiliated?

Encouraging Your Business to Get On Track

Working up your businesss plan the right way can get you on track and ready to go. And, remember, a quality plan is critical to obtaining bank funding. Questions you need to examine include: 1) Is you idea viable? 2) What's the potential demand for your service/product? 3) Who are your competitors? 4) Who is your accountant and/or legal advisor? 5) Are there zoning, insurance or other issues?

The questions differ when developing a home-based business, but the principles are the same - determine your why, research the opportunity, plan your approach and develop your marketing lists. Then get started and refine your approach as you go.

Don't try to do everything at once. Remember that you started life crawling, graduated to a walk, and finally leapfrogged to a run. Plan your business the same way!

Need professional help with your plan? Contact Banhem Associates at www,banhem.com

Getting Your Business Ready to Race

To get your business started right: 1) think first about your 'whys.' It's usually more than just 'to make money.' Write them out and keep your list handy. It will help keep your motivation level up. 2) Then write out your positive and negative characteristics to evaluate your strentghs and weaknesses. At some point, your new business will take you out of your comfort zone and you need to be prepared to do what's necessary and/or get help from others. 3) Know what your goals are - write them out too, but watch out that you're not 'pie in the skying' them. Be realistic. Recognize that a good business, whether service/product/manufacturing or home-based, takes time to develop. 4) Consider what kind of company you want - incorporated, partnership, LLC, S Corp, a DBA. 5) Evaluate what kind of professional help you will need. 6) Start working up your business plan.

Moving Along

Unlike a horse race, starting up a new business is a marathon. The old adage, "people don't plan to fail; they fail to plan" seems particularly appropriate. And the start-up period is akin to horses working out. It takes time, thought, effort - and planning - to get started.

The first thing I considered was what would suit me. Then I thought about what I could offer customers that they really could use or needed. Finally, I spent a lot of research time searching for quality businesses that could be worked from home that met those criteria.

Bath Time for the Cat - and Me

I didn't enjoy my 2008 stock market bloodbath as much as the Cat did. September to December was crushing. It reminded me of Oct. 1989. I was in Maryland attending my brother John's deathbed so it was already a grim day. When I called my office I found out the market had dropped 500+ points. UGH! Layoffs loomed. Job security threatened. Money diminished. Not a fun time. My friend Sara also worked in the stock market industry. She told me all the young MBA analysts were standing around the Quotron, white as ghosts and muttering "what in the world do we do now?" Sara's advice? "Call your clients, NOW!" Those who did moved forward. The others just drifted into oblivion.

I really needed a Plan B then. But I kept my job and struggled forward. Sure enough, the market did recover and all seemed well again. But I didn't plan for another debacle. And it hit at the worst time - retirement. And still no Plan B. Well, it took a few months and lots of research on the Internet. But I now have a Plan B and am moving in a new direction with work from home businesses that I can develop and grow.

The New Trick Pony at the Post

I've always been interested in horses, from the day I got my very own wooden rocking horse. One of my five brothers, John, even wrote a song about me and my horse. It went, in part, like this:

"There used to be a rocking horse in the corner of the room, in the little corral beside my sister's chair. T'was only a battered old rocking horse but it was your joy and pride and in my memory it's always there. Can you still remember, when you used to ride, with a straw sombraro and a wooden 44. On the little old broken down rocking horse cross the make-believe prarie on the playroom floor."

I loved that horse and can even remember riding away furiously, though I wasn't more than six. And it seemed to be a great theme to start my new blog. New Trick Pony reflects more than just the new opportunities I'm pursuing in my business endeavors. It's about enjoying new challenges and interests, expanding my horizons and putting myself squarely in life's path.

I've always been interested in thoroughbred horses - I've owned and bred them, and love handicapping and going to the races. My filly, Depose the Cat (left, photo), ran at Saratoga last year. It was so exciting to see her in the paddock and on the track.

With the 2009 racing season looming in Saratoga Springs, the air here is already crackling. My friend Sara, co-owner of the filly, always said that summer in Saratoga is like Brigadoon, bustling with energy when opening day arrives, then fading sleepily into the fog when racing closes on Labor Day. With that in mind, it's a great time to get started on my new opportunities. But, unlike the season in Saratoga, they won't fade away - and I hope they will help people build their own businesses working from home.