A hidden power uncovered inside....The idea of beginning a home business on the internetbegan some five years ago when I first began surfing the net.I had been forced on to a disability pension by years ofillness which made full time work impossible, and I faced asort of crossroads in my life.I was considering a Creative Arts degree at universitywhere I hoped to pursue my poetry writing and become a part-time student.I had acquired my first computer and was in the process ofovercoming my technophobia !Suddenly I stumbled on a web page offering untold wealthfrom the comfort of my own home....I was immediately hooked ! I was of a generation thatbasically took for granted that employment meant going outeach day to a work place and being servile !This was different....Sack the boss ! I immediately signedup !!!So began the journey into a brave new world of Free for Alls,Spam, burning the midnight oil, and credit card commerce.Work hard as I did, I was for some time naive enough to beduped by the empty promises, the hype, the conning, and theBig Shots !Eventually I had to take time out to reflect, but what wasabsolutely invaluable was the time I had spent working bit by bitthrough this "Cyber jungle".Then I learnt that even on the net Business is Business !!!Through making mistakes I could grow - not only as amarketer, but spiritually too.My journey so far has been stimulating, never boring,always challenging and increasingly Exciting !I' m in this for the long term. This is not 'get rich quick'.My business is a life investment. Patience and steady persistenceare my tools.I work tonight in the quiet of my own home - suiting myself -daily making new contacts across the world.What primarily drives me is the immense satisfaction of self -fullfillment as I evolve to becoming free and independent.That is good for self esteem and like me my business grows -one day at a time....I invest my time in my business and in turn invest in others, sothat I too may invest in myself....A very rewarding long term investment !Chris Johnson writes in Australia and is a retired teacher. Poemsof his have honoured him as one of the best 200 new writersin the world in 2004.http://www.myfreeshares.com/index.php?ref=chrismj---------------------------------Find local movie times and trailers on Yahoo! Movies.[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


Can't You See I'm Working?
Can't You See I'm Working?Author's Name: C.J. HaydenArticle Summary: For many working parents, telecommuting or a home business mayseem like the answer to your prayers giving you more time for your family and agreater flexibility. But at the same time you will discover that working fromhome includes many unexpected distractions. At times you may be expected to runerrands, handle chores, and chat on the phone breaking your concentration.Author's Email: info @ getclientsnow.comAuthor's Website: http://www.getclientsnow.comWord Count: 658Can't You See I'm Working?C.J. Hayden, MCCFor many working parents, telecommuting or a home businessmay seem like the answer to your prayers. You want to havemore time with your kids and greater flexibility, so youtake the leap, install a second phone line, and set up acomputer in the dining room.But the first thing you may discover is that working fromhome includes many unexpected distractions. Children, yourspouse, neighbors, and the family dog come and go. They makeloud noises, ask for your help, or interrupt to ask a "quickquestion," always just long enough to break yourconcentration.Your family and friends don't seem to understand that you'reworking. They ask you to run errands, expect you to handlechores, and want to chat on the phone. When you see the pileof laundry or stack of dishes sitting there waiting, you maybe tempted to take time out from work to clean up a bit.You'd like to keep your house livable and be available tothe people you care about, but it's just too much for oneperson to manage. When can you get any work done?The way out of this dilemma is to set clear boundaries onyour space, time, and responsibilities. If your office has adoor, try having "open-door" time and "closed-door" time.When your door is open, the kids can come say hello, askquestions, or tell you about their day. When the door isclosed, it means "Do Not Disturb."A good way to explain this to children is to tell them youneed some private time, not just that you are busy. If youroffice doesn't have a door, you need one! Try to findanother place in your home where you can create some privatespace for at least part of the day.Setting regular working hours will help you manage your timebetter as well as give some guidelines to your family. Buildyour hours around the family activities that are importantto you. If your kids get home at 2:00, for example, set upyour work day from 8:30 to 2:00 and 4:00 to 6:00.Your schedule can change each week to allow for yourchildren's activities, when necessary. Choose how many workhours per week makes sense for you, design a schedule, andpost it on your office door. Highlight the open times, andlet everyone know that's when you are available to them.If your family expects you to run errands and handle choresduring your work day, it may be time to hold a familymeeting. Explain to your children (and remind your spouse)that it may look like mommy or daddy is playing on thecomputer or chatting on the phone, but this is his or herjob, and it contributes to the family's income.Start by listing all the jobs that need to be done for thehousehold, and who does them now. Instead of assigningchores, try asking each family member to volunteer forsomething. If there are lots of tasks left over, be sure toask if they really need to be done, or done as often.(Dusting, for example, may need to go by the wayside.) Ifyou are doing chores during time you could be making money,consider hiring someone else to clean your house, servicethe car, or drive the kids to after-school activities.When one of your boundaries gets tested, learn to hold theline. If you give in even once, don't expect the boundary tohold up. Try making the closed door, posted schedule, or jobroster the bad guy instead of yourself.Instead of, "I'm too busy to talk right now -- you'll haveto wait," say, "The door is closed now, would you pleasecome back when it's open?" When friends phone during worktime, ask them to call back after hours. And when someonedoesn't do one of their chores, don't do it for them.Serving a meal on dirty dishes may seem extreme, but it willget the message across.C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients NOW! Thousands ofbusiness owners and salespeople have used her simple salesand marketing system to double or triple their income. Get afree copy of "Five Secrets to Finding All the Clients You'llEver Need" at http://www.getclientsnow.com[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


What Skills are needed for a Business Startup?
Many people think that there is some special talent that you must have for a home based business startup. However I have found that everything you need to start a home based business is usually already within you if you just ask yourself the right questions. Sometimes you just need to develop these skills.

When you have a clear understanding what is needed to begin a successful home based business startup, then you can be honest with yourself as to whether it is a good idea or not for you.

Some of the attributes that you will need to establish a small business startup are:

* Discipline
* Determination
* Perseverance
* Time Management
* Knowledge

Let’s take each of these and break them down for a better look at what I mean.

Discipline

Are you willing and able to stay focused at home in your own workspace? Many people find too many distractions when they are at home verses in a corporate environment. Friends and family sometimes don’t realize the importance of your work and time in your business startup endeavor.

If you are not able to set guidelines to keep yourself focused on what you need to do, it is very easy to be distracted and lose your productivity. Are you able to set guidelines for yourself in regards to how your home based business will run? How you will handle outside distractions?

When you get started on a task do you see it through? Can you do it without someone else looking over your shoulder? Are you able to make a list of priorities and stay focused until they are completed?

Determination

When making decisions are you able to take the facts available and make a firm “yes” or no”. Can you stay on target for your home based business goals? Do you have the attitude that I will make the business work and make money for myself and family even though I can’t see my business goals currently being achieved? Can you ignore the naysayer?

Perseverance

How do you handle rejection? Do you roll up your sleeves and continue to press forward or do you keep thinking about the “No” you received? Can you keep your business startup goals in focus even when you feel like you haven’t made a dent in your forward progress?

How apt are you to throw in the towel because the expected results did not go exactly the way you wanted them to go? Will you keep trying over and over again until you achieve the desired results?

Time Management

Can you determine the importance of each task you put on your daily work schedule? When should these tasks be done? What is the most productive use of your time right now? Starting a home based business takes a prioritization of your time. Do you look at time as limited or infinite? Each minute you will be working for yourself will end up being calculated in the dollars you will be earning.

Knowledge

Knowledge is Power. Are you able to learn the necessary information to start a home based business? Are you willing to do your own research into various aspects of your business, such as business startup, accounting, marketing, networking and numerous other business related topics?

What about your own personal self growth? Can you learn how to handle yourself when customers or suppliers tick you off? How do you view your customers, competitors, home based business etc.? Do you like to learn new ways of doing things? Can you change your mindset if need be?

Starting a home based business requires you to be able to do most if not all of the various jobs required to get your business started and running smoothly. Please be straight with yourself when answering the above questions.

Too many home based businesses close after the first 3-5 years. That is when they are the most vulnerable. A business startup can be exciting, scary, frustrating, time consuming and exceptionally rewarding. By knowing your strengths and weaknesses up front before you start a home based business you will be more prepared.