18 Feb Is working from home right for you?

If you could work from home, or the local coffee shop, or anywhere, anytime, would you want to?

How often have you said you wish you could work from home? Sounds great, doesn’t it? But…

There are many advantages and also many considerations before making the leap from desk-jockey or road warrior to home business entrepreneur.

Yes, I can show you how to make money using nothing but your phone, if you want to. You only need 3-4 apps to effectively run a growing business from anywhere with just a smartphone. Laptops or tablets make it even easier, but I have actually closed deals on my phone while having a great day at Disney. (probably best not to bring up that story around my wife)

Here are a few things to consider:

• Home office is most effective if you have a dedicated office space. A place to close the door and cut distractions such as children and pets. Whether you plan to be on the phone or computer all day, or out in the field meeting clients, a quiet home office space can be very helpful.
• Are you the type of person who has the discipline to stay focused while being alone all day, or do you thrive on interaction with other people? Either way can work well, but thinking about this ahead may determine what type of business you want to have. Co-working spaces are becoming very popular for those who are more extroverted.
• Do you have products that need storage space? Amazon and Microsoft started in garages as home businesses. I’m not saying you need to get that big, unless you want to, but if you have products, you may need to store them somewhere. There are ways to work around that, but that involves paying rental fees or percentages for drop-shipping, etc.
• Maybe the home office isn’t even what you want to look at. How about running your business by phone while traveling the world? Many people make a lot of money while vacationing. Is that more your cup of tea? Total freedom with no home base?
• Can we talk about family? Spouse? Children? Pets? Would being home be helpful in managing a family or a constant distraction. I can tell you that my dog wants to be in my office with me and mostly that’s OK, but she also likes to bark at the neighbors or the delivery driver when I’m on the phone. On the positive, I’m available when the children need to come home from school early, have vacation days, have medical appointments, or to go to their school events. I don’t have a boss to ask permission and that’s nice.

These are just a few things to think about if you are considering leaving the office for the freedom and solitude of a home business. I help people do this all the time. Let me know if I can lend a hand in you becoming the CEO of YOU, INC.