Legitimate Home Based Business Guide

If you asked any number of Americans whether or not they like their job, chances are very good that many of them would say they don't. The reasons for this would most likely vary, but I'm willing to bet that 90% of their reasons would come from one of three categories: hours, boss and pay. They don't like the hours they have to work, they don't like having to answer to a boss (or they don't like their specific boss), and they don't think they get paid enough.

One solution to all of these problems is starting your own home based business. Running your own business allows you the freedom to work when you want to, you don't have to answer to a boss, and the amount of money you make is entirely dependent on how hard you work - if you think you're paid too low, just work harder and your paycheck will increase!

In this article we'll explore the reality of running a home based business, and see whether it is an option that you should consider. We'll also talk about how to make sure that what you're getting into is legitimate and not a scam.

What a lot of people don't stop to consider before they decide to start running a business from their home is what the reality of working from home day after day will be like. Running your own business takes a lot of hard work, regardless of what your particular business is, and if you don't have the self-discipline or the opportunity to work hard for hours at a time, then running your own business is probably not for you.

Here are some questions to think about: Where (in your house) are you going to work? It will help you immensely if you have one specific place that you do all of your work, because you know when you sit down there that's it's time to work now. An office is best for this, but a kitchen or dining room table will work as well, so long as it's kept clean. You don't want to have to run a load of dishes every time you want to sit down and work.

What potential distractions are there that would keep you from working? Do you keep children in your home during the day? If you do, you will not be able to get nearly as much work done as you think. Trust me, I've tried. You may think you'll be able to work when they go down for a nap, but things rarely happen so smoothly. Other distractions to think about are the TV, the phone, neighbors dropping by to chat, and things of the sort. You will have to minimize these distractions before you can get any serious work done.

The good news is that once you have the potential distractions sorted out and taken care of, working from home can be more productive than you ever thought possible. You don't have co-workers coming by your cube to talk, your boss isn't calling you every 10 minutes to set up a new meeting, etc. I can get more done in one quiet afternoon at home than I was able to get done in a full day at my last job.

Finding a legitimate home based business can be a bit of a roll of the dice. The best business plans are ones that happen naturally and organically. Let's say you design websites for a large corporation. The best way to grow your own business from that would be to start offering your services as a website designer to companies and people that you meet in your job, e.g., clients and vendors that already deal with your company.

Things will start slowly, but if you keep at it then things will start to pick up. Once you've gotten your first client, you can ask him for referrals and that might lead you right to your next client. Before long you'll have built a name for yourself in your area and you may soon be able to quit your day job and focus solely on your own efforts.

A lot of times when people search for information about home based businesses, what they're really looking for is a business plan that is already worked out completely for them, so that they don't have to do any work figuring out what to do.

I'm sorry to say that sort of thing doesn't exist. In fact that's probably the best way to spot a home based business scam - if someone promises you a business system that is guaranteed to make you money with little or no work on your own, that is guaranteed to be a ripoff. At some point they're going to ask you for money, and if you give it to them, that will be that. They'll never deliver on what they promised, and you'll be out $50, $100 or more.

That's not to say, though, that you can't find legitimate information on business ideas out there. In fact, here are three legitimate business ideas that you can take and run with. But remember, the idea is the easy part. Turning it into a profitable business is the hard part.

Extending your current job - Just like I mentioned above with the website designer, this sort of idea will work for a lot of people. Take what you already do at your job and figure out how to do it for more people than just your employer. It may take a lot of thinking - and you'll probably have to work nights and weekends for a while - but this could be the way you get set free from your job.

Make money online - Making money online is a great way to start up a new home based business. All it takes is a computer and a little knowledge and anyone can start up a website. You can even start a blog for free at blogspot.com.

Writing - Writing is a another great way to earn some extra income. Even if you can't be the next John Grisham or JK Rowling, there are still lots of opportunities for freelance writers. Check with your local newspaper for jobs, and any magazines or trade papers that are published in your area may have some openings as well.

After hearing about all of the hard work it will take to start your own business, if you're still interested then you may have what it takes. Decide on a business and then get to it. Your first try at it may fail, but that's OK. You learn best by doing and the next time you'll know how to do it better. Before long you'll be helping other people start up their own business!

For more information on business and income topics, check out the links to my other Hubs below.

• Make Money Fast: A Guide