Many people dream for years and years about working from home either in a telecommuting job or owning their own business. When you finally take the leap, you may be the only one happy for you.

I hear from people, mostly women, all the time who encounter a lot of negativity toward their working from home. This negativity comes from spouses, family members, former co-workers, friends, and neighbors. These attitudes are often generated from misunderstanding, jealousy, and fear. If you are to gain the support you need and want, it is vitally important to understand the other person’s point of view.

Those who misunderstand what you are doing will probably be the easiest to win over. Often when people think of work at home jobs the think of one of two things. Either they think you are not really working at all, and just being lazy, or they think you have been take by a scam artist. So simply sit down with these individuals and fully explain what it is you will be doing with your time, why it is legitimate, and how you and your family will benefit from it.

There is little you can do with someone who is jealous unless there is an opportunity for them to do the same thing you are doing. Even then, most often they will not take advantage of the opportunity due to their own fears and insecurities and will simply continue to be jealous of you. In this case, you will have to come to terms with it and realize it is their loss not yours.

Fear can be a very difficult emotion to overcome, but not impossible. Knowledge is the first step. People, especially spouses, may be fearful that you will fail and that you will succeed, imagine! The fear of your failure is pretty self evident and can only be overcome with time and planning. Fear of your failure will generally center around financial concerns. If you are working a telecommute job, you simply need to explain that you are still a true employee, working a real job that will pay you X number of dollars for X hours of work on a specific schedule. If you do not get paid on time, address this issue swiftly and decisively. If you are starting a business, this is where planning is crucial. You must have a back up plan. Know your finances, understand how much money you can and need to invest, how long you can commit to running your new business without receiving pay, and what will happen when time is up. Getting a new business setup and successful takes time and money. You must be in it for the long haul. So have a back up plan and exit strategy if you do not earn enough money. The fear of your success is a little trickier. A spouse may fear that you will become too successful and leave them when you no longer need their income. They may also worry that it will take over your life and home. If you become too involved in your business, will you still have enough time for the kids and your spouse? Will you need to carry inventory and take up space in the house that might currently be used for other purposes? The best way to overcome these fears is to talk them out, offer reassurances, and set up ground rules such as space allotment, “business hours”, and family time/date night.

Working from home can be a dream come true. It is exciting and challenging. You will need support from those who are closest to you. So work with their preconceived notions, fears and opinions in a kind and understanding manner and you will be able to help them understand and support what you are trying to do.

It is bad enough when you are not getting paid but when orders keep coming in and you are not getting any acknowledgement for your collection efforts, you just can’t keep processing orders. These are steps you can take to get paid on those past due invoices and keep new invoices current.

Not the most creative and fun part of having your own home business, but an area you need to know how to handle. There is nothing more annoying than doing what is expected of you and then left… hanging!
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Actually there are quite a few perks to owning your own business. That said, there are a lot of headaches too. That’s why I made an appointment with an accountant when I first began writing full time to see exactly what I could claim and what I couldn’t. It certainly made it a lot easier. Now, I just save every receipt and hand it over to her once a year.

No, I wouldn’t dream of doing my own taxes each year. And what she charges me, I can write off the next year.

I dug up an article for you that gives you an idea of what you can look forward to.

There are plenty of ways your accountant should be able to help you legally reduce your tax bill advises Christopher Raynal

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Related Tags: taxes, businesses, accountant, legally, tax bill

I talk to a lot of folks, mostly via email of course, about starting a home business. Because of my experience in the jewelry making business, this tends to come from people who want to chuck their careers and stay home and make and sell their hand-crafted jewelry. The jewelry business is not easy, and actually, any new business start up can be very challenging. There so much to consider, so much to gain, but also so much to lose.

I’m not the only writer to field questions about starting a home-based business. Here’s some advice from Deb Koen to a reader of The Democrat and Chronical:

“Assess your own style and the various roles that will be required to make your business a success. An individual rarely possesses all of the skills needed to launch and maintain a business. Capitalize on your strengths, then develop the skills or hire to supplement your gaps. If, for example, you’re analytical, you may decide to partner with someone who is action-oriented and strong at implementation.

If you’re intending to use the skills that have made you successful in your career to this point, you’ll have a head start: a proven track record and an established network. You can build on your successes, moving into a consultant or a telecommuter role. You might even ask your current employer about becoming your first customer.

If you’re taking an alternative route and interested in trying something totally different, scan through the multitude of books available on home-based businesses. Use The Work at Home Sourcebook by Lynie Alden as a starting point for ideas.”

Read more: You have a lot to think about before launching a business

Okay, now I’m off on a tangent this week, but it may prove beneficial for people who are looking for a home-based business. Here’s one that I’m familiar with as I’ve been to a few Longaberger basket parties and once knew someone that was a fairly successful consultant for them. Like any of these home party-style businesses though, the tough part is booking the parties and getting the right clientele. But, honestly, from my own experience selling jewelry for many years, that seems to be the issue with any business based on sales - finding the right person for your product.

Here’s some information about becoming a Longaberger Consultant from the company’s website:

“Longaberger is an opportunity of choices. You design your personal career path. You decide how much time you want to commit to it. Part-time or full-time, the choice is yours. It’s as easy as opening your new Business Kit and calling a few of your friends and neighbors to begin. […] As an Independent Longaberger Home Consultant, you’ll receive a 25 percent commission on your total guest sales. You can add to your earning potential by inviting friends and family to become home consultants, too. You aren’t limited to a territory, either: You can literally sell all over the United States.”

This was something I considered trying to start many years ago in Tennessee, but our state laws made it impossible. Check your state laws before considering this idea (from the UK):

“So Kerry came up with this idea to have a group of top-notch beauty therapists on hand who can travel to and from people’s houses in the north west including the swanky areas of Cheshire - a firm favourite for footballers’ wives. The service will have specialist nannies who will provide expert child care while mums are being preened.

“The beauty treatments will range from spray tans to facials and aromatic massages right down to waxing. But the real bonus is that the client won’t have to worry about their children.”

Source: Digital Spy