BLOOMINGTON, IL – October 6, 2006 – Home based businesses are more than a passing fade. In fact, they continue to grow in numbers. According to the Small Business Administration:
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Information:
Stephanie L. H. Calahan
Phone: 309.825.7833
Fax: 309.422.7665
Email: questions@calahansolutions.com
Web: www.calahansolutions.com
Resources: We would be happy to provide contact information of home based business owners in various industries.
Get the Resources You Need to Run Your Home Based Business!
Celebrating Home-Based Business Week - 2nd Week in October-7 Tips for Organizing Your Home-Based Business
BLOOMINGTON, IL – October 6, 2006 – Home based businesses are more than a passing fade. In fact, they continue to grow in numbers. According to the Small Business Administration:
- Small businesses make up more than 99.7 percent of all employees.
- The latest figures show that small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy.
- Home-based businesses account for 53% of all small businesses.
- 24 million Americans are self-employed from home on a full-time basis
- 1 in 5 businesses located in an office or industrial area started in the home, including Ford and Apple.
This is an exciting time for the entrepreneur! There are many advantages to owning your own home-based business. You can fold laundry while you are on a conference call or do a little gardening when you are stuck on a problem. Many people dream of owning their own business some day, but are afraid to try it. Indeed, being in business for you involves risk.
Getting organized is a challenge for most business owners. It is often more difficult for individuals that operate their business out of their home. Many distractions can keep you from focusing on your business - a sunny day, your children, etc. According to productivity coach and organizer Stephanie L. H. Calahan, “Many home based business owners frequently do not have someone to hold them accountable other than themselves.” The following items are provided as tips for the home-based business owner's success.
7 Tips for Organizing Your Home-Based Business
Ensure Your Space Reflects the Work that You Do
Regardless of if you have a corner of a room or if you have an entire basement, make sure that the space you have designated is for your business only. Spaces that are identified for the business should not hold toys, unless you run a daycare, or other personal distractions. Consider proper storage needs as well as ergonomic needs. The more steps it takes to do something the less likely you are to do it, so create a structure aligned with how you do your work.Create a Finely Tuned To-Do List
Define 3 or 4 tasks that you must accomplish each day. Schedule a power hour to work through the most important or most difficult tasks when your energy is at its highest peak. Make sure to keep the hour regardless of what occurs in your day. Avoid the seductions of a ringing phone, your email or someone dropping by to visit. With your most important tasks under your belt, you will be able to enjoy your home-office life guilt free!Identify a Safe Meeting Location
When you are meeting with another individual for the first time make sure that you meet in a public space that is convenient for both parties.Guard Your Time
While working from home allows you to have a flexible schedule, be careful to not take advantage of it. Child care is essential to getting things done. Set office hours for your friends and family to adhere to so that they do not take up your productive time.Take Breaks
Some home-based business owners will go the opposite direction where time and self-care are concerned. It is OK to take a walk or participate in another activity to relieve stress. Be careful to not drive yourself harder just because you work out of the home. Balance is the key.
Know Your Available Resources
There are a number of resources available to you to help you run your business at the peak of efficiency. The following listing will get you off to a great start.
Association of Small Business Development Centers - http://www.asbdc-us.org/
Entrepreneur Magazine - http://www.entrepreneur.com
Guru - http://www.guru.com
Home Business Magazine http://www.homebusinessmag.com
Home Based Business Professionals Association http://www.hbbpa.org/
Home-Business -Savvy http://www.home-business-savvy.com/
Home Business Journal http://www.homebizjour.com/
Home Business Magazine http://www.homebusinessmag.com/
Home Business Network http://www.homebiznet.net/
Home Business Online http://www.homebusinessonline.com/
IRS - Small Business/Self-Employed http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/businesses/small/
National Association for the Self-Employed http://www.nase.org/
Office Organization - http://www.calahansolutions.com/fa_office_tour.asp
Organizing the Home and Office - http://www.entrepreneur.com/HomeBasedBasics/SettingUpYourOffice/archive143976.html
Start Up Journal - http://www.startupjournal.com/
Work at Home Strategies http://workathomestrategies.com/
Ask for Help When You Need It
Many home-based business owners take on all of the tasks of the business. Recognize your strengths and focus your energy on those strengths. There are many organizations that provide virtual assistance. Find one in your area and hire them. The time you save will allow you to focus on your core business and grow it that much faster.
Background on Home Based Business Week
Who: Beverley Williams, Founder and Former President of the American Association of Home-Based Businesses and the Small Business Administration’s 2002 Home Business Advocate of the Year, declared the first Home-Based Business Week in 1994 in the Chase’s Events Calendar to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of the association. Ms. Williams wanted a way to promote and raise the professional image of home-based businesses and felt this was one way to bring media attention to the industry.
What: Home-Based Business Week is an opportunity for the media to educate and help promote home-based businesses in the local community through articles about home-based businesses in general and local owners in particular. There are still negative perceptions surrounding home-based businesses. Interviewing home-based business owners in your local community will give you a better understanding of the seriousness with which home-based business owners operate. Remember, home-based business is not a career; it’s a way of life!
When: Home-Based Business Week is always the second week of October.
About Calahan Solutions, Inc.
You Won't Have to Do it Our Way, Because We Help You Find YOUR Way! ™
Calahan Solutions, Inc. (www.calahansolutions.com) is a premier professional organizing and consulting firm, serving a national and local clientele in corporate settings, home-based businesses, and residential environments. Calahan Solutions, Inc. is a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers), NSGCD (the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization), NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners), the McLean County Chamber of Commerce and the BBB (Better Business Bureau.) Visit www.calahansolutions.com for free tips, free organizing reports, downloads, organizing products and service offerings.
For more information:
http://www.calahansolutions.com
Contact: questions@calahansolutions.com
Phone: 309.825.7833
Resources: We would be happy to provide contact information of home based business owners in various industries.
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