My entrepreneurial spirit captured my imagination as I had
considered going into business for myself many times. I
knew that life after baseball was just around the corner
and that my 18 years of "Split-Contract" income was not
going to insure my family the lifestyle we wanted. I'd see
other people's successes and say, "I can do that, too" or
"I can do better than that." (My competitive nature plaques
me still.)
I was exploring options and looking for more information.
And finally, (two years after retirement) off to a great
start! The more questions I asked, the more I learned about
myself and my business idea, the greater my chance of
making the correct decisions in the journey.These are the
things I've learned:
Know your goals
* What do you want in your life?
* Where are you trying to go?
* What are you trying to build?
A home-based business must be compatible with your goals,
talents and resources. It is a good way to combine your
human, financial and material resources to produce a
product or service the market demands. Remember, not to
exclude additional training and/or educational materials
and programs as a resource. Once I made it to the Majors,
training was still a part of my daily regiment. Surround
yourself with "like-minded" people and build a good support
system, like a team.
Think about your family goals and discuss them. List these
goals and determine which goals are short-term, and which
are long-term. Be sure to include a "time-line" or target
date for each goal. Then list the steps or plan required to
achieve each goal. For example, short-term goals that
require substantial amounts of money may be incompatible
with the financial demands of a beginning enterprise.
Prioritizing at this stage is very important to future
success.
Many households have established a home-based business to
generate income or supplemental income. Various estimates
suggest that between 10 and 23 million Americans currently
work for pay in their homes. These figures include people
who work out of their homes for others; they are not all
home-based businesses. Whatever the work, the reasons for
choosing to work at home varies. A few of the most often
voiced are:
* No child care costs
* Increasing family income
* Being your own boss
* No expensive commute or necessary wardrobe
* Profitably
* Expressing a special talent, hobby or interest
* Combining the busy lifestyle of parenting with that of
outside work
* Flexible work hours
* Retirement occupation
* Low start up costs
For me, all of these applied to some degree. But the big
one that stood out was "Combining the lifestyle of
parenting with that of outside work". Working under a
"contract" for 18 years had denied me and especially my
children of so much time together! I longed to coach my
boys in their chosen sports and participate in mid-day
school events. Eight kids, 6 boys, 2 girls, and I had
missed it all with the older ones!
Success = Hard Work and Commitment
Fortunately a concept I learned early in life. Commitment
to a goal does not guarantee success. You must work hard.
Your personal traits, skills and interests must be
compatible for success in your business venture, too. A
good way to approach this is to honestly appraise your
personality traits. Use the following list to assess your
personality against those of a successful business manager,
home-based or not, that you are familiar with. Check those
that describe you to determine your business personality
profile:
_____ Enthusiastic
_____ Organized
_____ Like people
_____ Self-starter
_____ Perseverance
_____ Achiever
_____ Determined
_____ Leader
_____ Responsible
_____ Trustworthy
_____ Disciplined
_____ Creative
_____ Curious
_____ Independent
_____ Decision maker
_____ Sincere
_____ Physically energetic
_____ Emotionally secure
_____ Confident
_____ Resourceful
If the "checked" list is longer than the "non-checked"
list, you probably have the personality traits necessary
for managing the average home-based business. However, you
should closely examine the two lists in relation to the
business you are planning. Is the "non-checked" list really
important to what you want to do? Would a business partner
or spouse, who is strong where you are weak, fit into your
business plans? Start by asking yourself these imperative
questions and answering them honestly. You'll be well on
you way to a great foundation for self- employment.
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http://www.achievemillionsnow.com
The Home Business Center Inc.
HomeBizTools
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