The ABCs of Working at Home (N-S)

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

30 Jun 2006 04:10 AM

N = No

Sometimes, you have to say no. You cannot afford to stretch yourself too thin when trying to take care of a home, family, and a business. Friends or family members might have trouble understanding why you cannot baby-sit all the time or run errands when you're "just sitting at home anyway," but you have to be firm if you want to get anything accomplished.

O = Organization

Staying organized can be a challenge but it is crucial to productivity. Even if you don't have a separate home office, set aside an area, and organize your work space.

P = Pay

Make sure you pay yourself a reasonable salary. Working your bottom off without compensation will quickly lead to burn out. While you might not exactly be getting rich, you should at least be able to claim a decent paycheck and still reinvest most of your profits.

Q = Quality Control

When building a business, especially a small or home based business, you stake your future on your reputation. Make sure all products, services, and customer service, are of the highest quality. Do what it takes to make things right with disgruntled customers or clients. Word of mouth can make or break a business.

R = Reinvest

In the early stages of business, it is important to reinvest as much of your profit as possible. Most new businesses take some time before they show a significant, reliable profit, so putting your money back into your business will help keep it going until it has a chance to stabilize.

S = Strategy

It's a good idea to lay out your business strategy including small and large goals, and to state where you want your business to be in five years, ten years, etc. Plan a detailed strategy for meeting each goal, and include a Plan B for each item.

*See next article for T-Z.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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