Starting your own business... share your experience please

[Joyfullyblessed]

Hello,

 

Has anyone started their own home business? If so, please share your experience and all that it entailed please. Also, was it worth the hard work?

 

I currently have an in home childcare, but I want to get out of this work. My husband is out of a job due to being laid off back in July 2012. We are now looking at starting our own business and I think I have a couple of really good ideas. He will of course still be looking for a full time job as well. Eventually, I would be the one to run the home business.

 

Just trying to figure out where to start. Thanks!

[gardenmom5]

don't stop the inhome daycare until your new business is up and runnning. it's income.

 

dh started a buisiness after deciding unemployment was a hint he needed to be his own boss. depeding upon what you want to do - make a plan, and figure out how long it will take and what you need to do. then be patient. initially, dh had to do cold calls and leave his business cards with other people. (which took him out of his comfort zone). take it one day at a time, one week at a time, one month, etc. watch the trend - focus on the overall trend. (it should be up.) some weeks are good - other's aren't, but we focused on the trend.

 

Join a business networking group for your area - most have visitors days so you can check them out. la tip, and BNI (buisness networking international?) are two.

 

there are so many factors about deciding which buisness is right for you - but dh is now making more than he ever did working for someone else. he works from home, he makes his own hours, people call him. He used to track where his referrals came from. some of them were so multi-generational he no longer could. (one was a very localized (as in a specific area in one city) mom's yahoo group. he has no idea how he got on their list.)

 

 

eta: rewards for referrals. when he started - he had a 'contest' for whoever sent him the most referrals in a given period of time. he still will give a gift certificate (for a box of see's chocolates) to those who send him referrals.