Should I stay home or go back to work? How about both?
Growing numbers of Moms are choosing home based businesses.
by Kathy Cooper

Women multi-task, it is just what we do. If we weren’t doing 3 things at once plus thinking of 3 other things – we would feel guilty. Can we balance home, family, career, bills, life … etc.? Sure we can! On February 19, 2004 The Today Show aired a piece titled, “Women breaking barriers in non-traditional job roles – gender gap closing in skilled trades once dominated by men.” Facts and figures were presented to show that times are changing for women! The number of construction firms, factories, even garages now owned by women has grown more than 17% from 1997 to 2002. Women not only want to prove they can do any job, they want to own the company!

More than 25 million Americans are home-based entrepreneurs and that number grows every day. Being paid for what you do is so much more rewarding than being paid what someone thinks you are worth! Due to the highest unemployment numbers since post September 11th, experienced and educated women are taking jobs far below their aptitude just to have job security. Employers are holding the key to our futures – but you can change that by starting a business from home.

Where do you start? Well, you search the Internet at a feverish pace, go to the library and read anything and everything you can get your hands on and ask questions. “It is anticipated that by the year 2005, 50% of households in the U.S. alone will be involved in a home based business.” - Newsweek Magazine. Finding your niche is where the trick lies. It is too easy to get pulled into scams and fraudulent activities. There are several government agencies just for these concerns. Is it really possible to stuff envelopes and make thousands of dollars a week? The National Fraud Information Center at www.fraud.org is an incredible resource for making sure you don’t get caught up in the moment of moneymaking ideas. According to their web site, Internet Fraud Statistics list a Total Loss Overall of $14,647,933 in the year 2002. The “envelope stuffing” scheme is listed and explained. In this classic scam, instead of getting materials to send out on behalf of a company, you get instructions to place an ad like the one you saw, asking people to send you money for information about working at home. This is an illegal pyramid scheme because there is no real product or service being offered. You won’t get rich, and you could be prosecuted for fraud. Operating a home-based business is just like any other business, it requires hard work, skill, good products or services, and time to make a profit.

In 2002, the average annual income of a person running a home office was more than $45,000 per year! This is more than twice as much as the average U. S. household income derived from working for employers. In fact, home business is the fastest growing segment of the economy. Two out of every three businesses started in the U. S. are started in the owner’s home. Personal Computers have made it possible for us to become writers, publishers, artists, shoppers, communicators as well as entrepreneurs!

Always use the ‘buyer beware’ mentality when exploring the many options available to you and do your homework! If you put everything you have into your own business, the benefits will amaze you!

Out of 100 people who start working by age 25 – by the age of 65…

• 1 is healthy
• 4 have enough money for a comfortable retirement
• 3 are still working
• 63 are dependent on Social Security, friends, relatives or charity
• 29 are dead

Planning for your future and deciding where your number will fall is entirely up to you!

Finding the business that is right for you is as personal a choice as what outfit you decided to wear today. Once you figure out what you like to do and find a way to make it into a business you will experience a passion like you have never known. You wake up in the middle of the night and start writing down ideas. You are always thinking and trying to come up with new ways to present it. Answer the following questions to narrow down what it is you want to do. 1) If someone would pay me to do what I really enjoy, what would that be? Is it writing? Shopping? Selling? Giving advice? Giving my opinion? Perhaps a hobby. The choice to change your path is yours. There are web sites, books and research to help answer any questions or concerns you may have. Utilize what is available and start working toward your future.

Kathy Cooper is the owner and editor of an e-zine titled From Katie’s Mom to You. Working from home has become a top priority after the birth of Katie!